Nick’s cell phone began to ring. He reached over and picked it up off the desk and glanced at it.
“Dad, it’s Kim. I’m going to take it in the other room.”
Franklin watched Nick walk from the office.
“How are you doing?” Nick asked as he answered the phone.
“They know who killed my mother. It was the senator.”
“I don’t understand.” Nick walked into the kitchen and sat down on a chair, holding the cell phone by his ear.
“It was my fault. She told him she was going to tell me the truth. That he was my father. He killed her to keep the secret, and then he expected Carter to cover up the murder like he had the rapes. But Carter didn’t want to, and he accidently shot Harrison.”
“How is any of this your fault?”
“Because I forced Mom’s hand. If she hadn’t gone there that day, he would never have killed her. If she wanted to tell me the truth, why didn’t she just tell me? Why did she have to go to him? She hated him.”
“I don’t know, Kim, but none of this is your fault. So, I guess this lets Adam off the hook.”
“Not only did Angela try to frame him but she’s the one who ran over Emily.”
“Why did she do that?”
“She’s nuts.”
“I’d love to come over, but it’s starting to snow.”
“Actually, I wanted to call and let you know that I’m planning to leave first thing in the morning, if it isn’t raining.”
“What do you mean? Where are you going?” Nick found himself holding the phone a little tighter. He stared out the kitchen window. The snow was coating the limbs of the pine trees in white.
“I’ve decided to go home. It’s time, now that I know what happened to Mom.”
“I don’t want you to leave. What about the house, your mother’s things?”
“You’ve been wonderful, and I will miss you, but I’ve decided to sell the house. Knowing Harrison bought it and why makes it impossible for me to keep it. I’ve decided to hire a mover to pack everything up and put it in storage back home. I can take my time going through mom’s things. I’ll get someone from Emily’s office to list the property.”
“Isn’t there something I can say to convince you to stay?”
“Your dad needs you. I have obligations back home, and as for Coulson, there is nothing for me here.” They sat in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Kim added, before hanging up, “Thank you, Nick. I mean that. Thank you for everything.”
Chapter 29
“Yoohoo! There’s no one home. She left about an hour ago,” Sissy Harper called out to Adam as he stood on Carol’s front porch, ringing the doorbell.
Kim’s car wasn’t parked in the driveway, but Adam assumed it was in the garage, considering all the rain they had been having. Today, however, the sun was shining and the only clouds in the sky were milky white and non-threatening.
Adam turned toward the voice and saw the neighbor scurrying in his direction, waving her hand. She was the same woman who had greeted Kim with a casserole the day he and Kim returned from Clement Falls, when he had taken her there to meet the man whom she had believed was her father. Adam stepped off the porch and walked toward Sissy.
“Do you know where she went?” Adam asked, assuming Kim had gone somewhere locally.
“Oh, she’s gone home.”
“Home?” He felt as if someone had punched him in the gut.
“Oh, yes. She came over to see me before she left.”
“Did she say when she would be back?”
“She’s not coming back, oh no. She told me to expect some movers to arrive next week. She even gave me a key to let them in. They’ll be packing up all Carol’s belongings and taking them to Arizona. I believe she has already listed the house with a real estate agent.”
“Are you sure? I thought she intended to stay until the end of the year.”
“Well, I guess they found out who killed her mother, so there was no reason for her to stay. Apparently, it was Senator Coulson. Can you believe that? I guess he went a little crazy, but I don’t know why he killed poor Carol.”
Sissy continued to chatter on, but Adam didn’t hear a thing she said. He kept thinking about how Kim was gone. She hadn’t even bothered to call him and say goodbye. In a daze, he thanked Sissy for the information, got into his car, and drove to his mother’s house.
When he arrived there, he found Alex and Garret sitting on the front porch swing, enjoying the sunny December afternoon.
“Kimmy left. She went back to Phoenix,” Adam told his mother and Garret as he walked up the front walkway.
“Garret was just telling me,” Alex replied. Her foot pushed against the porch ever so lightly, keeping the swing swaying back and forth. Adam walked up to the porch and sat down on a step close to his mother and stepfather. It was still a little damp from the recent rain, but Adam ignored it.
“How’d you know?” Adam asked Garret as he leaned back on the stair railing.
“Sam called me this morning. I guess she stopped at the police station on her way out of town. She wanted to let Sam know she was leaving.”
“How could she just leave like that?” Adam asked. “Without saying goodbye?”
“Adam, these last few weeks had to be rough on Kimmy. Imagine losing her mother like that and then learning about Harrison and all the secrets. My heart breaks for that poor girl,” Alex leaned against her husband’s shoulder.
“But aren’t you going to go get her, bring her back? She’s your niece, Garret.”
“I think the best thing right now is to give Kimmy a little space. She may not want us in her life right now, but we’ll find a way to let her know we’re here for her if she ever needs us.”
“I don’t want to lose her again,” Adam insisted.
“Adam, are you in love with Kimmy?” Alex asked.
“I’ve always loved her.”
“That wasn’t my question. Are you in love with her?”
“I’m not sure what that means. But I care deeply for Kimmy. I believe we could be happy together. I’m comfortable with her.”
“Adam, don’t settle for comfortable. And Kimmy… she deserves more than that,” Alex said.
“Adam, your mother is right. And I’ll be honest, I feel a little protective toward Kimmy right about now, a bit like I feel toward your sister. She’s my niece and she has never had a father looking out for her.”
“Garret, I don’t want to hurt Kimmy.”
“You know, Adam,” Garret began, “I’ve found over the years that you can learn a lot about people by just observing them. Not even asking questions or talking to them but just watching and listening. When I met that young Myers fellow, I thought he was Kimmy’s half-brother, yet when I saw how he looked at her, I knew he did not consider her his sister. I don’t know how long she’s known he wasn’t her brother, but the way they looked at each other the other night, the way she leaned toward him when she needed support… well it was obvious to me, if not to them, those two young people are in love.
“I believe you when you say you don’t want to hurt Kimmy. But if you’re honest with yourself, you’ll admit you’re not in love with her. If you love her, you’ll want her to be happy and to be with the man she loves.”
“If she loves him, why did she leave?”
“Do you really have to ask that?” Alex asked. “Think of what she’s been through. Kimmy is retreating, just like her mother. Carol retreated when she was hurt.”
Chapter 30
Adam almost didn’t go to work that night, yet decided it would be best if he simply got it over with and put the false arrest behind him. If he stayed away from the restaurant, it would just heighten the curiosity of his regular customers. The story of him being led from the Lucky Lady Restaurant and Saloon in handcuffs had spread quickly through Coulson.
Angela’s and her father’s arrests had made the news, but the details were sparse, and national interest in the story wa
sn’t overwhelming. Crimes of a retired senator from a small town could not compete with the scandal of Jerry Sandusky and current antics of the GOP primary. Adam imagined Kimmy must be relieved that the story was drawing so little attention nationally. Even in Coulson, no one seemed to be aware of the fact that the senator had an illegitimate child. While it was no longer a secret that Senator Coulson was responsible for shooting Carol Myers, the connection between the two remained obscure.
The first thing Adam noticed when he walked into the restaurant was that his manager, Steve, had decorated for the holidays. With all that had happened over the last few weeks, he had almost forgotten Christmas was just around the corner.
The evening bartender had called in sick, so Adam filled in for her. The last dinner table had just paid their bill and the kitchen was starting to close down. There weren’t many customers at the bar, and Adam suspected many of the regulars were probably busy attending office Christmas parties.
He was just wiping down the oak bar top with a damp rag when Nick Myers walked in. Adam was surprised to see him, for he couldn’t recall seeing Myers at the restaurant before. Nick was alone and walked straight to the bar and sat down.
Adam tossed the bar towel to the sink and walked to Nick.
“Evening, Nick. What can I get you?” Adam greeted.
Nick just looked at him a moment before asking for a beer. A few moments later, Adam returned with a bar napkin and glass of cold beer. Adam placed the bar napkin in front of Nick and then set the glass atop it.
“She left,” Nick said, his hands fidgeting with the napkin.
“Yeah, I dropped over there earlier today. Her neighbor said she went home.” Adam leaned against the bar and looked at Nick. He had to admit, the guy looked a hell of a lot more broken up than he felt. He wondered if Garret was right.
“I spoke to her yesterday,” Nick began, “and she told me she intended to leave today. I guess I just thought she would call me before she left or change her mind. I wondered, well, if you’ve talked to her.”
“No, I haven’t spoken to her since the other night at the old man’s house.”
“I wondered what she decided to do with her mother’s house and if she’s coming back.”
“According to the neighbor, Kimmy isn’t planning to come back to Coulson.” Adam studied Nick’s face for a moment and then asked, “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
Nick looked up from his glass into Adam’s eyes. “Do you love her?”
Adam smiled at the question and then answered, “I love her. I think I always will. But in love with her, no, not that way. I’ll be honest. After this mess with Angela and seeing Kimmy again and remembering what a terrific woman she is, well… she looked damn good.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Nick glared at Adam. “She obviously looked good in her mother’s kitchen.”
“You know about that?” Adam stood up straighter, no longer leaning against the bar top. He felt a mixture of embarrassment and pride with a healthy dose of male satisfaction. “Yeah, well, that rather surprised me, too.”
Noting the anguished expression on Nick’s face, Adam felt a little ashamed about gloating over the sexual conquest. “You know, Nick, I don’t think it particularly meant anything to Kimmy. I know that doesn’t sound good, but considering how vulnerable Kimmy was and our history and that she was fairly pissed at me afterwards… Well, maybe it would be best if we just forgot about it.” Nick said nothing, so Adam then asked, “You didn’t answer my question. Are you in love with her?”
“Yes,” Nick finally admitted.
“Then why the hell are you sitting here? Kimmy deserves someone who’s willing to fight for her, and if you’re just going to sit here on your ass and do nothing, then maybe I’ll go get her. Hell, I don’t imagine it’ll take much for me to fall in love with her.”
“Are you trying to piss me off, Keller?” Nick asked. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to punch Adam in the face or agree with him. Why am I sitting here? he wondered.
“Maybe. In all seriousness, I’d like to see Kimmy happy. You know, when my dad died, she really helped me through a rough spot. I was so self-absorbed that I didn’t even realize that I had it so much better than she did. Sure, I lost my father, but at least I had one once. And a damn good one at that.
“I don’t imagine you ever met Carol Myers, but she was different. Of course, now I understand why. But that doesn’t change what it was like for Kimmy growing up in that house. It makes me feel guilty for all the times I whined about my mother to Kimmy when I had a pretty terrific mother.”
“I just don’t want to press her right now, considering all that’s happened.”
“Well, Garret seems to think she needs a little space, time to take everything in.”
“Does the Coulson family intend to pursue any kind of relationship?”
“I think so. From what Garret said, I get the feeling they are going to let her know they are here for her, but he doesn’t want to pressure her. Let it be on her terms. Maybe, Nick, that might be a good strategy for you, too, since Kimmy has retreated to Arizona.”
“Are you telling me you wouldn’t have a problem with me and Kim?” Nick asked.
“I wouldn’t think you’d care.”
“Well, for one, I believe Kim cares deeply for you. She insists she is no longer in love with you, but you will always have a special place in her heart, and I believe if I tried to stand between that relationship, I might find myself on the losing end. Yet, at the moment, I’m there anyway. There is also the fact that you now happen to be her step-cousin.”
Adam thought about it for a moment and then laughed. “You know, you really need to get together with Kimmy. We can have so much fun teasing her about how she only gets involved with guys she’s related to—first a cousin, then a brother. How sick is that?” Adam laughed.
Chapter 31
Alexandra Coulson told her family they didn’t need to get her anything for her birthday. She had everything she wanted, considering Adam’s recent vindication. Of course, no one listened, and Kate arranged for a surprise birthday brunch at her and Russell’s home. Alexandra wasn’t particularly surprised; her sister threw the same party for her each year in spite of the fact that Alex insisted she hated surprise parties. Each year, when Alex pointed this out, Kate would laugh and say, “That’s okay; you are never surprised anyway.”
Alexandra felt especially blessed on this year’s birthday and graciously thanked her sister for the party before opening up all her gifts.
In Arizona, late that Tuesday afternoon, Kim Myers sat in the real estate office sorting through her email. Most of it was junk mail, which she quickly deleted without reading. One was personal. It was from Nick Myers.
* * *
Nick wrote:
Kim, I found your email address on your real estate website. I hope you don’t mind me contacting you at this address.
The last time we spoke, you told me you intended to leave the next morning, if it wasn’t raining. I foolishly assumed that since you hadn’t called me to say goodbye one more time that you had changed your mind.
Telling myself you would still be there, I drove to Coulson Saturday afternoon, but you were already gone. You have no idea how I regret not getting in my truck the moment I got off the phone with you on Friday. I should have come to you then.
I’ve been thinking a lot about you, and us. I understand why you feel the need to get as far away from Coulson as possible, considering all that you have learned. But please don’t allow Harrison Coulson to destroy us, like he did our parents.
I love you, Kim. I believe you love me.
I considered getting in my truck and driving to you, but I want to give you time to think things over and to adjust to your feelings. I understand that it is too soon for us to move in together, considering we haven’t even known each other a month. I also understand it will take you time to get comfortable with my father because of the strangeness of our history.
I had this hope that you would move back to Coulson and practice real estate and you and I could continue to see each other. I understand now that that is asking too much from you.
Maybe we could try this as a long distant relationship for now. I could come down there, and we could spend time together.
I don’t want to walk away from us.
Let me know what you think. I love you.
Nick.
* * *
Kim sat at her desk staring at the computer monitor. She took a deep breath, telling herself not to cry and then forwarded a copy of the letter to her personal email account before deleting the message. She wasn’t prepared to respond. Kim didn’t know what to say. One thing she did know was that just thinking of Nick made her physically ache while thinking of Adam no longer made her heart race.
After closing her email account, Kim looked out the office window and noticed a florist delivery truck pull up in the front of the real estate building. She wondered briefly who was getting flowers, and then a few minutes later, was surprised to find the florist deliveryman standing at her doorway.
“Kimmy Myers?” the man asked. He held a large poinsettia plant. They weren’t especially romantic flowers, so Kim didn’t assume they were from Nick. Perhaps a client or vendor had sent them. However, they never called her Kimmy.
“Yes.” Kim smiled. She reached for her purse to give him a tip, but he set the flowers on her desk and left before she could give him one. Kim set her purse back under the desk and reached for the card sticking on the side of the plant. Instead of a tiny florist card, the envelope was standard size. Kim opened the envelope, pulled out a slip of paper, and read the message inscribed in handwriting.
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