by Robin Mahle
“I’m afraid Virginia wouldn’t allow that under these circumstances. And in fact, it is rarely allowed and only if the person was wrongfully convicted.” Olmstead appeared to study each of them. “This is the best-case scenario for Mr. Talbot.”
Nick turned to Mason. “Can I see him before his attorney arrives?”
“We can’t discuss this with him until his lawyer is present. You understand?”
“Got it. I just need to see him.”
Mason stood up. “Okay then. Mr. Olmstead, are we finished here?”
“I think so. I just wanted to let the FBI know where we stand on things. I’ve got a few things to do before the meeting with Mr. Talbot. Is there an office I can use in the meantime?”
“Certainly. I’ll point you in the right direction.” She turned to Nick. “Agent Scarborough, if you’ll follow me, I’ll take you back there.”
“Would you like to see him, Kate?” Nick asked.
“No, actually. I think I’ll wait for you out here.”
“Okay. I won’t be long.” He followed Mason out of the room.
Kate remained in the conference room while the D.A. and the others got on with business. She wasn’t sure exactly why she didn’t want to see Jake Talbot. Maybe she felt it was best to let Nick deal with his friend alone. He didn’t need her to be there and in fact it might just make it awkward for Jake to express his feelings. And she could only imagine they were overwhelming for him right now anyway. In truth, Kate had felt the need to offer support to Nick, but he seemed to be handling things just fine. He always did when people were looking.
She was pleased that Nick seemed relieved by the D.A.’s offer. Although it wouldn’t be as slam-dunk as she expected. The problem now was would Jake be allowed bail or would he be required to remain in jail until his trial? That could take months. Then again, it would be counted as time-served. But she’d wanted him to have a chance to be with his family right now. Rachel would be forced to come to terms with the death of her son all on her own. And Kate wouldn’t wish that on anyone, for it was something she’d sentenced herself to some time ago.
The time had passed quickly and Nick returned to the conference room. “You ready to go?”
Kate was brought back into the moment. “That’s it? What happened?”
“I told him about Stroud. He was understandably upset, but—and I know I wasn’t supposed to mention this—I told him what we discussed with the D.A. and he seemed relieved.”
“Why wouldn’t you be allowed to tell him?” Kate stood up and began to gather her things.
“Because his lawyer wasn’t there to ‘advise him.’” Nick’s use of air quotes was rare. “You know how all this legal bullshit goes.”
“That I do.” She walked toward him. “Better get back to the office and give Dwight a hand.”
“Actually, you go on ahead. I need a minute to speak with the detective.”
Kate felt that there had been something between the two of them and his wanting to hang back seemed to prove it. Maybe it was just her, but the way Mason responded to Nick was that of a woman who’d slept with him. She’d seen it before. “Sure. I’ll see you later.”
Kate walked outside and stopped for a moment. She turned back and noticed that Detective Mason was standing in the lobby now with Nick and he had his hand on her arm. She observed the two of them and recognized the look in Mason’s eyes. “I was right.” Kate smiled and continued on toward her car.
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Mike stood on the front porch with flowers in hand shaded beneath a blazing mid-day sun and knocked on the door. Kate answered with mild surprise. “Wow, thank you.” She took them from his hand and stepped aside. “Come in. I’ve been looking forward to this all week. I’ll go put these in some water.”
Mike removed his weekender bag and tossed it on the couch. “How’s Jake Talbot doing?”
“Considering the circumstances, pretty well, I guess. He was arraigned on Monday and entered a plea of No Contest. According to the D.A., he’ll remain on house arrest until his trial.”
“Wow. That’s pretty lenient, considering the crime.” Mike walked into the kitchen where Kate was placing the flowers in a vase. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that for a murder charge.”
“It’s voluntary manslaughter and both the judge and prosecutor have no desire to provoke a negative public response from this. Jake killed a murderer and a molester who should never have been released from prison to begin with. No one wants to keep a man like that behind bars until his trial.”
He opened the refrigerator and grabbed a couple of beers. “I suppose the political ramifications of that alone are worth avoiding.” He opened them up and handed one to Kate as she turned away from the sink.
“Thanks. These flowers are beautiful. You’re very thoughtful.” She reached around his neck and kissed his lips.
“I’m glad this case is over, though. I was really missing you.”
“Me too. Let’s go sit down.” She took hold of his hand and led him to the sofa.
“Listen, now that this is over and you’ve had a few days to get back to normal, I was hoping we could finish our conversation we had last week. You know, the whole moving house thing?”
She hadn’t thought about it much, if she was being honest. Lives had been at stake and her closest friend was suffering, so it hadn’t seemed a priority. But she didn’t want to dismiss his feelings. He deserved to know where they were headed. Even if it hadn’t been on her agenda for tonight and certainly not within minutes of his arrival.
“Well, you know, my lease will be up soon and of course, I’ll be off probation in the coming months, so I’m feeling pretty confident that I’ll be staying at WFO for a while.”
Mike nodded.
“I guess the real question is, would you be happy living here, in D.C?”
“I told you before that I have no problems moving here. I can get work; I’m not worried about that. I mean, I’m kinda well known now, thanks to the Blackwater case. So, I’ve proven I can work with the big boys.”
“Oh, you mean like me?” She laughed.
“Yeah. Just like you.” He reached for her hand. “I know we haven’t been together that long, but I knew from the moment I met you. The moment I saw you standing on the slippery banks of that river, drenched from the rain and still trying to find clues. I knew then I wanted to be with you. That you were someone special.”
He was laying it on pretty thick and doing a good job of buttering her up. Kate adored the attention. It was so very welcomed. And he would understand when she had to work late or didn’t come home at all because of a case.
But moving from this house and buying something, presumably with him, meant a level of commitment she wasn’t sure she was ready for. She looked at the picture of her and Marshall that still sat on the side table and wondered if he was bothered by it. Bothered by the constant reminder that there had been a man in her life who had meant everything to her. And there was still the one thing she’d never mentioned to him before. The thing she’d never mentioned to anyone, except Marshall. And if she was going to make him move up here, then he had a right to know what his future would hold.
“You’re very special to me too, Mike.” A deep breath preceded the words she needed to get out. “But you need to know something about me.”
“Whatever it is, it won’t change how I feel about you.”
“Just wait, because this is important. We talked about how I came to know Nick and about my former life in San Diego.”
“And about what happened; yes, we did.”
“Well, there’s one thing I left out and it was only because it’s incredibly personal for me and it isn’t easy to talk about.”
“I’m listening.”
“Mike, when I was abducted by Hendrickson the first time, when I was six, he did assault me.”
He nodded and his lips tightened as though pained.
“And the result of that. Well, let me start by
telling you that I was pregnant several months before Marshall died. But I lost the baby.”
“Oh God. I’m so sorry.”
“The reason I lost the baby was because I suffered irreparable damage as a result of that assault. I never knew because I’d always been on birth control and never even tried to get pregnant. But accidents happen as they say, and well, I got pregnant. And I was happy and Marshall was happy.
“But then, very early on, the pregnancy had to be terminated. It was ectopic as a result of the damage suffered during the assault.” She paused. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that, according to the doctors, it’s highly unlikely I’ll be able to get pregnant, at least via the old-fashioned way.”
“Okay. I’m not seeing a problem here. I mean, and this would obviously be down the road, if we were to consider a child, but there’s fertility specialists who offer services for things like this, right?”
“There are, yes. But there are no guarantees and it’s incredibly expensive.”
“Kate, I appreciate how hard it must have been for you to come to terms with this, honestly. But, for me, it’s a non-starter. I want you. And if down the road we want a child, we’ll find a way to have one.” He caught her gaze for a moment. “Any other excuses you can think of?”
Kate smiled.
“I’m only joking. I know that wasn’t easy for you to tell me and I appreciate you wanting to be sure that I’m sure about this. I am, though, Kate. I really am and I hope you are too.”
He appeared so hopeful, eyes bright with a future he envisioned with her. It could be good. Hell, it could be great. “Well then, I guess we should start looking for a place.”
Mike’s eyes lit up even more and his smile nearly blinded her. He pulled her close. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear you say that.” He leaned back but was still inches from her face. “I know I can make you happy.”
A tender kiss followed and Kate was happy. She’d taken a leap at an opportunity that she never believed would come again. The time had come to finally put away the ring and although she no longer wore it around her neck, it was always in her bedside table. Now it would be returned to the box that contained a few remaining mementos of a time long since passed.
The two rose from the sofa and began to walk toward the bedroom. Mike closed the door with his hand above her head as she stood against it. He leaned into her and pressed his lips against hers once again, only this time with more vigor.
Kate wanted to let the moment sweep her away and so she tried hard to keep the thoughts from forming. The ones that so often seeded doubt and fear of what might happen should she let her heart belong to another again.
He took her to the bed and laid her down. His love for her was unmistakable and perhaps in that moment had grown even stronger as they now would face a future together. But the memories came back regardless of how hard she tried to stop them. However, they were different this time. They were not of a former life with her one great love. They were of a time when a confession arose that Kate had not imagined. And the one behind that confession, whose eyes now burned in her mind, was forefront in this new dilemma.
He was a man she knew well and yet a man she didn’t know at all. A man who led a secret life of personal demons and heavy drink. Yet this was also a man whose support she needed.
And as Kate peered into the eyes of the man with her now, his loving and passionate eyes devoured hers as he unbuttoned her shirt. This man was her future and the other? He couldn’t decide her fate. She couldn’t let him.
Kate would resolve herself to the idea that Nick had no true feelings of that kind for her and that it had all been a rebound from a woman he did truly love. Because if it were any different, that could mean the end of their friendship. And she wasn’t going to let that happen either.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Saturday morning and Kate still felt like it was Friday night. Sleep came in fits and waves and when she did sleep, dreams of a future with Mike and a new house and all that came along with that overwhelmed her. Now it was six a.m. and she stared at the ceiling as the sun’s light filtered through the curtains in her bedroom. She turned toward Mike, who was still sound asleep and decided to get up because lying here any longer would make her crazy.
Her feet swung gently from the bed and rested on the floor, which had grown warmer in recent days. She no longer felt the need to wear slippers. With tired legs, she made her way into the hall and toward the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Although slightly cooler in this part of the house, which didn’t have many east-facing windows, she still felt comfortable in her t-shirt and shorts as she reached for the Folgers.
Kate stared at the pot as it brewed, thinking about where they would live and if they would buy a house together. It seemed like a huge step after only six months. But what was the point in renting another house? She might as well stay here if that was the case. She could tell, though, that Mike wanted a fresh start. A place that would be a clean slate for both of them. And why not?
After the final beep, signaling the pot was ready, Kate poured herself a cup. Cream and sugar as always. She sat at the small breakfast table in the haze of the morning glow. This time was always looming just around the corner and so to have to make this decision was inevitable. Kind of like the decision to get rid of her old Nissan and get something newer.
The problem was that there had already been so many things in her life that she’d given up, most of which were involuntary. And this sort of felt the same, although she knew Mike would understand if she changed her mind. He was insisting she take a step in a direction she knew she should take, but it was like a child learning to ride a bike for the first time. Scared shitless, but forced to pedal on their own when their parents let go. That was how Kate felt now.
The decision to move to Virginia had been an easy one because she wanted to leave behind a painful past. She wanted to run away. And now she was here and happy and this time, she didn’t want to run.
Kate heard Mike’s footsteps pad along the hall.
“Good morning. You’re up early.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek and then headed toward the kitchen for coffee.
“Morning. I had a hard time sleeping and thought I’d just get up.”
“I figured that was the case.” He held his mug and joined her at the table. “You’re having second thoughts.”
“No—that’s not it.” It was. “I just feel like it’s taken a long time for me to feel settled again.”
“And now I want you to change things up.” He put the mug to his lips. “I’ll tell you what, I think I know that you’d feel better making this decision after discussing it with your best friend.”
“Who’s that?”
“Nick. I know how close you two are and it doesn’t bother me. Everyone needs a good friend, Kate and while I hope one day you’ll consider me your best friend, I am a realistic person. You’ve known him for a long time. He’s helped you through a lot of pain. I wouldn’t dare disrespect that friendship by being jealous of it.”
Kate smiled at him, knowing he was a good man. “I don’t need Nick’s approval.” She didn’t, but the idea of a final confirmation that he was, in fact, hiding nothing from her—maybe it was what she needed to make an ultimate decision. She was a strong woman and this idea seemed to go against that belief, but it just might release her of the uncertainty she felt. She began to feel irritated with Nick, wishing he’d never said anything at all.
“Just go talk to him. You’ll feel better. And hey, I know the guy likes me so, I’m thinking he’ll give you the thumbs up.” Mike set his cup down. “I’ll tell you what. I’ve got a little bit of work that I could take care of. I brought my laptop. How about I get that out of the way while you take some time to yourself to see Nick or just to be alone; either way is fine by me. Then, when you come back, we can decide which way to go.”
Kate furrowed her brow in amazement. “You’d really be okay with that?”
“Of course I w
ould. It’s a beautiful day. I’ll set up outside on the front porch, soak up a bit of sun, and get a few things in order on my end. Later, we’ll go out for lunch or do whatever you’d like to do. Does that sound okay?”
“It sounds perfect. Just like you.” Kate rose from her chair and kissed his coffee-stained lips. “Thank you.”
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She didn’t call or text him. Instead, Kate showed up in the lobby, certain he would be home, praying he wouldn’t be hung over. She pressed the intercom buzzer to his apartment. His voice sounded a moment later.
“Yes?”
“Nick, it’s Kate. Can I come up?”
Another buzz sounded and Kate heard the latch on the door release. She moved quickly to get inside. Well, at least he’s awake, she thought, making her way on to the elevator. The doors parted on the 7th floor and Kate stepped into the hall and headed left toward his apartment. She admired the beauty of the building. Even in the corridors, it offered stunning, almost panoramic views of the bay. She could see Nick’s boat off in the distance and wondered if they’d get a chance to get out on it this summer. He rarely took it out, mostly because there never seemed to be any time.
She raised her hand to knock, but he opened the door before she had a chance. “Morning, or is it afternoon yet?” She glanced at her wrist, though she wasn’t wearing a watch.
“Still morning, I think.” Nick stepped aside. “Come in. I’m surprised to see you. Isn’t Mike in town?”
“Yes, but he’s got some work to catch up on, so I thought I’d stop by.” Kate turned as she entered the living room. “You don’t mind, do you? Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No. Not at all. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee or water; soda?”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
Nick joined her in the living room. “Have a seat.” He sat down on the chair next to her. “So what’s this about?”
“Now that this case is over and we can catch our breaths again, Mike and I discussed getting a place together.”