Key West

by Stella Cameron

  “I don’t want to freshen your pain, but you said there was a crash and you lost the baby. And you were seriously injured.”

  She began making the coffee herself. “The Volvo looked as if it had already been to the wrecking yard. I saw pictures.”

  “You lost control. I got an old newspaper clipping and it detailed your injuries.”

  “They assume I lost control. I don’t remember anything.” He bemused her. “If you’ve seen a clipping, you know the whole story.” When did he get a clipping, and where? And the clipping would have detailed their baby’s death.

  “I wanted to hear about it from you,” Frank said. He stood beside her and lifted her hair away from her scars. “So horrible. I noticed at once, but why dwell on what can’t be changed? You will never look the same. And there were so many bruises and lacerations. The broken jaw. The hip. Your toes. It’s amazing you didn’t die.”

  He was the same old Frank, the same man who dwelled on the superficial. “Yes. I have a lot of other scars from lacerations.” She didn’t care how repulsive he found the details. “On my back. And from burns on my hip.”

  Frank’s mouth turned down. “I am so sorry. It must be very hard for a woman like you to have so much visible damage.”

  “No, Frank. I was never the one concerned about physical appearance. Remember? That was you. How did you escape?”

  “They got careless for just long enough. Α crowd of tourists wandered into an area where they didn’t belong. Those men ordered them away, I can tell you. And I wandered away with them. I had been brought to the States, to D.C. for some reason. I had no documents, but I went to someone who could produce enough ID for me to be able to establish that I am who I say I am, and flew down here at once. I’m not kidding myself, though. I’d give it twenty-four hours at the most before the press gets a hint and they descend.”

  Rain hit the windows so hard the panes rattled. The sky had turned a deep purple, and wind drew down the palms like loaded slingshots.

  Sonnie gave Frank a mug of steaming coffee. “I need to go out, Frank. You’ll be fine here. Did you talk to Romano yet?”

  The expression on his face shocked her. Something very near hate made hard brackets for his mouth. He quickly produced a smile. “I wanted to see no one but you, Sonnie. You are the one I have wronged. I had months to think about that and to suffer about that.”

  “You look tired,” she told him. “Take a nap while I’m out. Can I get you anything?” She was desperate to go to Chris.

  “I’m not tired. And you know I never nap. Don’t leave me.” He patted the chair beside his. “I just want to look at you. I’m sure the baby would have looked just like you.”

  Sonnie closed her eyes. “I should have been able to save her.” She began to ache.

  “We won’t speak of it again unless you want to,” Frank said. “But I would like us to start another pregnancy, cara, and soon.”

  Sonnie sat down, but opposite Frank rather than beside him. “You’ll have to give me space.” She couldn’t tell him she wanted no part of him, not now or ever. Just the thought of being intimate with him disgusted her. “I’ll have to think things through.”

  He looked down into his coffee and stirred it slowly with a spoon. “It’s the ex-cop, isn’t it? Christian Talon. You two have got together and you don’t want to give him up. He is different for you, exciting. But tattoos, cara?” He smirked. “I understand, but you will get over him. These things happen when a person is lonely and grieving.”

  “Sonnie? It’s me, Billy,” Billy called from the foyer. Sonnie had been too engrossed to hear a car outside, or someone coming into the house.

  “Sonnie, where are you?”

  “We’re in the kitchen,” Frank said, grinning, apparently at the prospect of delivering another shock.

  “We’re to expect the edge of a hurricane. It’ll be major winds and a lot of rain, but not the whole thing.”

  Billy burst in. Wearing black sweats and carrying an oversize black bag—and with her hair drawn back into a single braid—she looked wholesome and appealing.

  “Surprise,” Frank said, getting up.

  Billy dropped her bag. Her mouth opened and remained so.

  “It’s so good to see you,” Frank said, and folded her in an embrace Billy returned with evident pleasure. He put a forefinger on her lips. “Don’t start asking questions. Those will have to wait until I get settled in. The press will be a nuisance. Then various government agencies. It’ll be busy, but I want to enjoy this time with Sonnie first.”

  When he released her, Billy said, “Frank. We were told you were dead. Romano was told. We’ve been beside ourselves. Oh, thank God it wasn’t true.”

  Sonnie’s desperation to get away made her head hurt.

  “You’ve got to help me with Sonnie, Frank,” Billy said. “I’m sorry to ask at a time like this, but I’ve got to get her to a place where she can have some peace and some excellent therapy. You can’t imagine how hard these months have been on her.”

  Frank frowned and pushed his mug back and forth on the table. “I’m here now. I can take care of my wife.”

  “Things have happened,” Billy said. “Romano being the biggest problem of all. Your brother thinks you’re dead. I’d rather not say this, but he’s moving to get his hands on everything that was yours and Sonnie’s. He’s done terrible things to Sonnie. Those scratches on her face happened when he was trying to force her to remember the accident. And he told her that they were going to marry, and then he’d shut her away.

  “The thing is, he’s somewhere around, but I don’t know where. I think he intends to get to Sonnie and find a way to have her declared incapable of looking after herself. He wants to have her put away—after marrying her.”

  “He can’t marry her,” Frank said lightly. “My brother thought I was dead or he would never have behaved so. He was not himself.”

  “I was supposed to pick you up in the morning, Sonnie,” Billy said. “But with Romano out there and angry, I think we should go now. Just grab your bag and come with me.”

  “I can’t.” The only place she was going was to Chris.

  “Make her come with me, Frank. I’ll keep in touch to let you know exactly where we are. I’ll find a safe place for us to wait it out. I think Romano will come here—I think he’ll be here soon. Can you deal with him?”

  Frank shook his head slowly. “You underestimate my brother’s love for me. All will be well now that I’m back. But you’re right; it will be a good thing to allow us time together, alone. Do as Billy tells you, Sonnie. Get whatever she wants you to get and go with her.”

  “I’m not sure—”

  “I have told you to go,” he said, still smiling, but with the old steel in his tone. “Billy will keep in touch, and I’ll tell her when it’s a good time for you to return.”

  “All right,” Sonnie said to Frank. What was she thinking of? This was the perfect way to get out of here. “I’ll go because you do need time alone with Romano.”

  “Call me,” Frank told Billy, and it was on Billy that his warm smile lingered when she left the kitchen with Sonnie. “Get your things,” Billy said. “Your papers.”

  Why should she need papers? Sonnie thought. Betrayal hurt, and she was increasingly convinced that her own sister wished her harm.

  “Everything’s already in my bag,” Sonnie said, catching up the straw bag she used for shopping. It bulged with accumulated debris she needed to throw out.

  Still Billy hesitated. “You’ve got your birth certificate, driver’s license, any legal papers? Your passport? A copy of your will?”

  Sonnie sensed a net falling over her. She patted Billy’s arm and said, “All present and correct.”

  Billy said, “Okay, let’s go.”

  Chris crouched behind the shrubbery fence that separated Sonnie’s house from the place he’d always think of as being Ena’s. He was still playing mental contortions with the Robertses. There seemed to be no conn
ection with Sonnie, or with Key West. And he wished he knew where Ena had gone.

  The cell phone gave its single beep and he crouched deeper to reply. “Yeah. Yeah, Flynn. You sure? Can you tell how long ago? I agree with you. I’d lay odds they’re on their way here. Billy’s not with them, though. She’s already here. And Flynn—the black moped from next door is parked at the side of the house. I do believe our Frank may have ridden in on it. I don’t have a single fact to substantiate the hunch, but I still think I’m right.

  “I’d like to walk in and grab Sonnie. Yeah, I know that could be a lousy idea. Hold on. Someone’s coming out of the house. You start coming this way, Flynn.”

  The front door had opened. Sonnie came out, followed by Billy. “Billy and Sonnie are leaving,” Chris told Flynn. “Sonnie’s looking around as if she hopes to see something.”

  Roy poked him in the back and said, “She’s looking for you. Can’t you pull her out of there now?”

  “And risk getting her shot by someone who’s using her to draw me out? That’s only a possibility, but I’m not taking any chances.”

  “You’re right,” Flynn said on the phone. “If Romano and Lesley are on their way to your location, I’ll be close behind. If not—”

  “Just get here,” Chris said and tucked the phone back into his breast pocket. “Wait for Flynn,” he told Roy. “I’m going to follow them. I move better on my own.”

  Thirty-five

  Billy insisted on driving her Porsche, even though Sonnie pointed out that she knew the area better.

  “You don’t like to drive,” Billy told her.

  Sonnie didn’t press the issue again. Damp from the short walk to the car, they got into the Porsche, and steam on the windows instantly shut out the world. “Would you mind stopping by the Nail?” Sonnie said, doing her best to sound casual.

  “Yes, I would mind,” Billy said. “What’s the matter with you? You heard me promise Frank I’d look after you.”

  “I don’t see why going to the Nail wouldn’t be—”

  “No,” Billy said. “Not now. I’ll take you later, if you like—when I know things have settled down.”

  They left the driveway and headed toward the airport. “Billy,” Sonnie said, “it’s good of you to want to help out, but you’re overreacting. And you’re being overbearing. Let’s stop and talk about this, please.”

  Billy gave the car more gas and they shot along South Roosevelt.

  Sonnie held on to the door and said, “Where are we going?”

  “We’re just going. I’m not sure where. I thought we’d look for a nice, quiet place. Maybe we’ll let the family know where we are. Maybe we won’t. We’re going to find that peace we talked about.”

  “Okay. How about the beach?”

  Billy snickered. “In this weather and at this time of night?”

  This would be the worst possible time to tell her sister she didn’t want to go anywhere without Chris. She’d be patient, and get in touch with him as quickly as possible.

  “Feel that?” Billy said as the wind buffeted the car. “It doesn’t scare me. I feel excited. This is going to be some experience, and it’ll change both of our lives.” She laughed, and the sound was too uncontrolled. Sonnie turned away and rubbed a sweaty space on her window to look out over the beach.

  Billy pulled in at the airport and parked near the main doors. “Why are we stopping?” Sonnie asked.

  “Got to pick up a package,” Billy said. “Sit tight.” Sonnie waited until she was alone and tried Chris’s cell number. He didn’t answer.

  She was putting the phone away when she felt more than saw someone approach the car. The driver’s door opened and the seat slammed forward. Romano climbed into the back, a worried frown muting his striking face. “Don’t be angry with Billy,” he said. “I spoke with her for hours to persuade her to give me this chance to talk to you.”

  “No,” she said. “Please get out of the car.”

  The door opened again and Jim Lesley slid in. Billy joined them and pulled away from the curb before Sonnie had time to voice another complaint.

  “Hi, Sonnie,” Jim Lesley said. “I’m hitching a ride with you and Billy.”

  “Why are you doing this?” Sonnie asked Billy. “You said you and I were going to find common ground together.”

  “And so we will.” She paused before leaving the front of the airport and setting off. “Surely you aren’t so paranoid that you’re afraid of giving rides to two old friends?”

  “Please let me out.” Sonnie unlocked her door.

  Billy promptly locked it again. “Don’t be a fool. You’ll kill yourself.”

  Sonnie snapped the lock open again.

  “Stop that,” Billy said. “Before you make me angry enough to slap you.”

  Sonnie thought she heard Romano laugh softly.

  “Relax, Sonnie,” Jim said. “You’ll soon feel a whole lot calmer. We’re going to concentrate on .making you as comfortable as possible.”

  Clearly Billy was on her way to the overseas highway. “This is a charmed venture,” she said. “If the storm had already notched up a bit, we could have gotten unlucky enough to be caught in a swarm of evacuees.”

  “Obviously these people aren’t normal,” Romano said. “To me the storm becomes a terrible thing. The sooner we are away, the better.”

  Sonnie sat very still. She had walked into a trap. Romano and Jim Lesley wouldn’t be getting out and going on their way after a “ride.” Billy, Romano, and Jim had plans for her. And they weren’t plans she’d like.

  “You’re upset,” Jim Lesley said. “Stress is bad for a person who has been suffering as you have for so long. I want you to take some medication. Nothing strong. Just something to calm you.”

  Something to drug her, Sonny thought. “I prefer not to take medications,” she said. “But thank you. I’ll ask if I think I want something.”

  Silence followed and Sonnie watched out the window as they moved rapidly along the overseas highway. Some of the lesser keys, those that could only be reached by boat, repeatedly disappeared behind high waves. When they reached Big Pine Key, the palms bowed almost to the shape of croquet hoops, and garbage rolled as if swept by a giant broom. The car shot to the next stretch that was suspended above the ocean. Sonnie felt as if she were in freefall. Nothing appeared to touch anything else, and the car might well have been riding through foggy air.

  Water arced over the roadway, and for moments the surface became real again. Palm fronds littered the way. The occasional coconut bowled along. Billy only drove faster.

  “I’m glad people seem to be staying off this road,” Jim Lesley said. “Makes it easier.”

  “You do know I’m sorry about what happened the other evening, don’t you, Sonnie?” Romano asked.

  “Consider it forgotten,” she told him. To antagonize him would be a poor idea. “I’d have expected you to want to be with Frank now.” Mistake, mistake. She should not open that topic.

  “I am shocked,” Romano said, but there was anger in his voice. “Jim advised me to wait a little before going to Frank. To give me time to work through my feelings. Of course I am ecstatic that he is back safely, but I am overwhelmed. It is all too much. Jim is kind enough to say he will help me deal with what I feel.”

  “Billy,” Sonnie said, “please could we go slower?” Instead of slowing down, Billy drove even faster. And she laughed. “This is fun. Lighten up, for God’s sake.”

  “We’re being followed,” Romano said. “Or I should say, if the motorcycle behind us doesn’t pass and go on his way, I think we can assume we’re being followed.”

  “Νο one even knows what we’re doing,” Jim Lesley said, but he sounded anxious.

  She had confirmation of her fears, Sonnie thought. These people who should be her friends were planning to do her harm.

  “Fuck,” Billy said. “We’re being followed, all right. It’s that idiot washed-up cop of Sonnie’s.”

  “Could be
a coincidence,’’ Dr. Jim said.

  “Damn, I should be driving,” Romano said.

  Billy laughed. “Just make sure you’re strapped in. Just in case things get really good.”

  They were still over open water, and nothing broke the force of the wind. Sweat made Sonnie’s back slick. She held on to the door and the edge of her seat.

  “The freakin’ fool’s coming alongside,” Billy said. She looked at the road ahead and saw nothing. There was also nothing behind.

  Chris drew level with Billy and motioned for her to roll down the window. She shook her head and gave the car more gas.

  He caught up again and made the same motion.

  Billy took the window down a crack. “Get out of my way,” she yelled.

  “Storm warning has been upgraded,” he shouted at her. “Best turn back and get off this highway.”

  Billy laughed at him, but he was looking at Sonnie, and she couldn’t keep tears of longing from her eyes. He set his jaw.

  Although Billy rolled the window shut and looked ahead, dismissing Chris, he stayed with the car, riding alongside all the way. His face was stark. His hair streamed. He narrowed his eyes against the wind. Billy held the wheel in a white-knuckled grip and constantly corrected against the battering. Chris seemed to use the car as a partial windbreak. When he parted his lips, his teeth were clenched. He repeatedly ducked his head to find relief from the explosive buffets.

  “You’ve got to get rid of him,” Jim said. “You know that.”

  “I know what Ι have to do. Romano, keep an eye open behind. Jim, help me watch in front. This will need to be perfectly timed, and we can’t have any witnesses. I’ll have to concentrate on him, too. He’s going to wish he’d opted for hot chocolate in front of the fire.”

  “Stop it,” Sonnie cried. “Leave him alone. He’s riding beside us is all.”

  “Shut up,” Billy said. “You were always a whiner.” She turned the wheel slightly to the left. Chris veered away, and when he straightened out, Sonnie saw how grim his expression was.