Fatal Disclosure (16 page)

He took the plate from her and smiled. “No need to thank me. I was just doing my job.”

“I know,” she said, then followed Laura out of the kitchen and down a hallway.

Mark’s sister pointed to a room at the end of the hall. “I’m going to put you in my room while you’re here because it has a private bathroom. I’ll take the spare room.”

“No,” Betsy protested, “I don’t want you to do that.”

“I insist. When we moved into this house, Mark made me take the master bedroom because it had a bathroom.” She pointed to a room on her left. “This is where he sleeps when he’s here, which isn’t very often.”

Betsy glanced through the open door into the bedroom and halted. A bed sat against one wall, and two glass-front cabinets containing the most beautifully carved figures she’d ever seen sat against another. Other carvings covered a desk and a small dresser. She turned to Laura, who had stopped beside her. “Did Mark do all those?”

“Yes. They’re good, aren’t they? He has quite a talent. In fact, he wanted to go to an art school and study, but he chose a college that offered a criminal justice degree, instead.”

“With such talent, why would he do that?”

Laura’s chin trembled. “Has Mark ever told you about our parents?”

“No. To be honest, I didn’t know about you until last night.”

A sad look drifted into Laura’s eyes. “That doesn’t surprise me. He doesn’t talk about his family to anyone. Did you know we grew up in Memphis?”

Betsy shook her head. “Not really. I guess I assumed he did because that’s where I first met him.”

“Our father was a federal prosecutor. When Mark was twelve and I was ten, our father was involved in prosecuting the head of a drug ring. One morning when he was leaving for work, my mother went with him because her car was in the shop. It was summertime, and Mark and I were still eating the breakfast our housekeeper had fixed when we heard an explosion.” She released a long, shuddering breath. “A car bomb killed both of them in our driveway. Mark and I ran outside, and he went wild trying to get to them, but it was no use. Our housekeeper had to hold him to keep him away from the fire.”

Betsy’s heart thudded at the thought of what it must have been like for a young boy to see his parents die that way. “How horrible.”

“Yes, it was. After the funeral we were sent to live with an aunt and uncle, but Mark has never recovered from their deaths. He decided the only way he could honor them was to become a law enforcement officer and try to get every drug dealer he could off the streets. That’s what he’s dedicated himself to doing, and he’s pushed everything else out of his life. That’s why I’m so thankful for the few times a year he comes home.”

“I understand,” Betsy said softly.

“But,” Laura hesitated as if she chose her words carefully, “I sense something different about Mark’s relationship with you, Betsy.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mark has called me several times since he’s been gone, and he’s mentioned you every time. He’s never done that before, and now he’s brought you home with him.”

Betsy shook her head. “No, he only brought me here because he was afraid I was in danger. He was only doing his job, keeping a witness safe.”

Laura’s forehead wrinkled, and she tilted her head to one side. “I think it’s more than that. If you were just a witness, he would have had his office put you in a hotel room with guards at the door. Instead, he brings you home where you can see how he lives, eat the food he cooks and meet his sister. I’m telling you, Betsy, you’re not just a witness to him.”

Without saying more, Laura showed her to the room where she would be staying and left her alone to settle in. Betsy closed the door and sat down on the edge of the bed. She’d never been so confused in her life. Was she more than a witness to Mark? She thought she had known him, but now she realized she had no idea what he was really like.

She had accused him of caring only about his job, and now she understood what drove him in the pursuit of criminals. Then there was the sensitive man he kept hidden—the one who could create exquisite carvings from a block of wood. She’d seen glimpses of that man in the past few days when Mark had put his own life at risk to protect her.

The more she was with Mark, the more she realized she had never quit loving him. But that did her little good. If Mark’s dedication to his job resulted from his parents’ deaths, then she doubted if that would ever change. There was no chance he would ever feel about her like she did about him.

Still dressed in the clothes she’d worn when they left Ocracoke, she lay back on the bed and closed her eyes. Her last thought was of how hard it was going to be to keep him from seeing how she felt.

* * *

Mark heard Laura’s footsteps as she entered the kitchen, but he didn’t turn around. He placed the last utensil in the dishwasher, reached for a towel and dried his hands. Her silence told him volumes about what he could expect in the next few minutes. With a sigh, he forced himself to face her.

She leaned against the doorjamb, her arms crossed and an eyebrow cocked. A smirk pulled at her lips. “Just doing your job, huh?”

He folded the towel he still held and laid it on the counter. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She straightened to her full height and wagged a finger at him. “Oh, yes, you do. You told Betsy you were just doing your job keeping her safe. Why don’t you tell her the truth?”

“And what do you think is the truth?” He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.

“You’re in love with her, Mark. Why can’t you admit it?”

His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach, and he shook his head. “You’re wrong, Laura.”

Her eyes clouded, and she took a step closer to him. “Mark, I love you and want you to be happy. Why won’t you let yourself?”

“You know why.” He rubbed his fingers over his eyes as if he could erase the pictures that were still as vivid in his mind as they had been when he was twelve years old. “Mom died because of Dad’s work. I made a vow years ago that I would never let my job put anybody I love in danger. That’s why I stay away from you so much. I don’t want to lead anybody to this house. I don’t want you hurt, and I don’t want that for Betsy, either.”

She stepped closer and grasped his hand. “I know what it’s like to lose out on happiness, Mark. My wedding was only two months away when Chet was killed while he was working undercover. I lost my parents and the man I loved to violence. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you, too.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to me.”

“That’s what Chet said, but it didn’t stop a kid high on drugs from shooting him in the back. Why don’t you get out of this kind of work? I know you want to. Dad wouldn’t expect you to ruin your chance at happiness out of a misguided idea of being loyal to him.” She paused for a moment. “You told me Betsy is a painter. You’re a wood carver. The two of you have a lot in common besides a mutual attraction.”

He shook his head. “Now I know you’re wrong. Betsy doesn’t think of me that way.”

“Oh, yes she does. Take it from me. I can tell she’s smitten.”

He grinned and chucked her under the chin. “You’re wrong, little sister. Don’t worry about me. I’m the one who’s supposed to take care of you. Like we said after Mom and Dad’s funeral—just the two of us from now on.”

“We were children then. Now we’re adults, and there’s room in our lives for other people. God’s given you a great gift in Betsy. Don’t miss this chance at happiness. It might not come again.”

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her. “And what about your chances at happiness? Are you ready to face losing Chet?”

Tears flooded her eyes, but she smiled. “I am. I’ve made some plans I want to tell you about while you’re here, but we’ll talk about that later. Now I need to get some sleep. I’m off for the next two days, which is good because it’s the weekend. I hope you and Betsy will stay so I can get to know her better.”

“I think that can be arranged. Now go on and get some sleep. After I check with the office, I’m going to take a nap. Then tonight I’ll take you and Betsy out to my favorite restaurant for dinner. How does that sound?”

“It sounds great. I’ll see you later.”

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Smiling, she walked from the room, but the words she’d spoken troubled him. How did she know he was in love with Betsy? He didn’t think he was so obvious.

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dropped down into a chair at the table. There wasn’t time to be thinking about his feelings for Betsy. He needed to know if the code had been broken and get his mind off Betsy.

It might sound like a simple thing to just think of something else, but it wasn’t. Ever since he’d been on Ocracoke, he’d hardly been able to think of anything but being with Betsy. Maybe Laura was right. If this was his chance for happiness, he needed to take it before it was snatched from his grasp.

First, though, he had to make sure Betsy was safe from whoever wanted to kill her. After that, there would be time to decide if he wanted to take a chance on happiness or if he wanted to continue working undercover. He couldn’t do both, and at the moment he had no idea which one he wanted most.

* * *

The weekend had passed too quickly. Now it was Sunday night, and they would be returning to Ocracoke the next morning. Betsy folded her arms across her stomach, leaned back in the patio table chair, and closed her eyes. It was so peaceful here in the backyard of Mark and Laura’s house. It made her homesick for the tranquility she’d known on Ocracoke until a week ago. A gentle breeze blew across the patio and ruffled her hair. She sighed in contentment.

The last two days had been some of the most enjoyable she’d spent in a long time. Although she missed her family, she wished Mark could prolong his stay in Raleigh longer, but he couldn’t. Mark hadn’t exactly confirmed that the code on the flash drive had been broken, but from his long conversations on his cell phone yesterday and today, she guessed it had been. Now he was eager to get back to Ocracoke.

The back door of the house opened, and Mark and Laura emerged from the kitchen. Mark carried a tray containing glasses of iced tea, and Laura followed with dessert plates in one hand and the pound cake Mark had baked earlier in the other. Betsy still had trouble reconciling the man who seemed so at home in the kitchen with Mark’s undercover appearance.

He set the tray down, handed her a glass of iced tea, and winked. “Laura made the tea, so I can’t vouch for how good it is.”

Laura placed the cake and plates on the table and propped her hands on her hips. “You’d better watch it, mister. I’ll tell Betsy what a Casanova you were in high school and how you chased every girl in your class.”

Mark’s face turned crimson. He picked up a knife from the tray and cut a slice of cake. “Don’t believe a word of what she says, Betsy. I didn’t even date in high school.”

Laura laughed and flopped down in the chair next to Betsy. “No, he didn’t. I just wanted to see if he could still blush.”

Betsy glanced from Mark to Laura and smiled. “It’s been wonderful being here with you two. I’m going to miss you, Laura, when we go back to Ocracoke.”

“Then you’ll just have to come back. But if you want to see me again, you’d better come before Labor Day. I won’t be here after that.”

Mark had begun to cut another slice of cake, but he pulled the knife from the cake and stared at his sister. “What are you talking about?”

“I told you I had made some plans, and I suppose this is as good a time as any to tell you. I’m moving back to Memphis.”

Mark scowled. “When you said you’d made plans, I thought you meant you were ready to begin dating again. I didn’t expect you to say you were moving. Why are you doing this?”

“For many reasons.” Laura glanced at Betsy. “Mark went to work for the DEA just at the time I was graduating from nursing school. When he was assigned to Raleigh, he wanted me to join him, and I did. Now I spend most of my time alone here because Mark is seldom home.”

Mark dropped into the chair next to Laura. “I call all the time, and I come home when I can.”

“I know that, but it’s not enough anymore. I want to go back home.”

“B-b-but, that’s eight hundred miles from here.”

She smiled and laid her hand on his arm. “I know it is, but I need to do this. I need to get away from everything that reminds me of Chet and start my life over. I’ve prayed about this, and I know it’s the right thing for me to do.”

Mark fell back in his chair and continued to stare at her as if he still couldn’t believe what she’d said. Betsy saw the concern on Mark’s face and wished there was something she could say to ease his pain. Instead, she turned to Laura. “I’m happy for you, Laura. God will take care of you, and I wish you well in your new life.”

“My new life,” she murmured and glanced at Mark. “That’s what we both need, Mark. I hope you’ll think about the things I said to you about your own life. It’s time to let the past go and live for the future.”

He gritted his teeth and jumped to his feet. “Maybe it’s easier for you to do than it is for me. I can’t forget what happened in that driveway eighteen years ago.”

Tears filled Laura’s eyes. “Then I’ll pray you’ll find the strength to move past it and face a future free of that memory.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, then he whirled and stormed into the house. Betsy watched him go and wished she could go after him, but it was best for him to be alone right now.

“I’m sorry I ruined your last night here, Betsy. I knew Mark would be upset when I told him what I planned to do, but I had to tell him.”

“I hope you’ll be happy with your decision, Laura.”

She smiled. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of Chet. No matter where I go, he’s going to be with me, but God is helping me cope. In time, maybe the hurt will ease some.”

Betsy wrinkled her brow and tilted her head to one side. “What did you mean by what you said about Mark needing to change his own life?”

“I don’t know if Mark’s told you this or not, but I know he wishes he could get out of law enforcement. He’s only stayed in out of an obligation he feels he owes to our parents, but they would never want him to sacrifice his personal life the way he’s done.”