Justice for Sara (13 page)

Tuesday, June 11
6:00
P.M.

A week passed without incident. Not with her existing bakeries. Not with Liberty’s small mind. A week without threats, property damage or baseball bats.

Tish had been by with paperwork for her to sign. The owner of the Riverview property had accepted her offer. The inspection was next week. Kat had begun interviewing contractors about the build-out.

She’d spoken to Jeremy and Danny almost daily. Danny had invited her to coffee twice. She had accepted once, though sitting there with him had felt weird. He had offered to escort her to Jeremy’s announcement party tonight, but she had refused. She wasn’t going.

She had seen nothing of Luke, but had almost called him several times to see how the investigation was going. Each time she had stopped herself. He would contact her when he had something to share, and the truth was that her desire to talk to him was about more than the investigation.

And that was somewhere she had no intention of going.

Digging through the boxes had been slow going. Each thing she unpacked held a different memory. And every memory had been precious. The unicorn figurine her dad had bought for her in Greece, the shells she’d collected on a family vacation to Destin, Florida. Photographs. The shirt she’d been wearing when she’d gotten her first kiss. A favorite blouse, a dress Kat remembered wearing to an eighth-grade dance.

She’d unpacked Sara’s hair ornaments. A lot of them. In various colors and designs. Sara had long, honey blond hair and she’d almost always worn it pulled away from her face.

Jeremy had even packed up all Sara’s cosmetics. The scent of her sister had spilled out when she’d opened that box, wrapping around her like a hug. She’d lost it then, crying so hard and for so long that her eyes had been puffy and bloodshot for twenty-four hours.

Slow going because with every new item she stopped and remembered. Sometimes she cried. Sometimes she laughed. At yet others, a stillness had fallen over her as she allowed herself to wonder, “What if?”

Was she moving forward? Exorcising the demons of her past? Or was she simply picking at scabs, so many of them she would be left bleeding and raw forever?

The knock on her door surprised her. She glanced at her watch, then went to the door, peeking out the sidelight before she opened it.

Luke?
She ran her fingers through her hair, an involuntary attempt to smooth it, before she swung open the door. “This is a surprise.”

“I’m here to pick you up.”

She glanced past him, another involuntary action, half expecting him to be with backup, here to arrest her. “Pick me up?”

“For Jeremy’s party.”

Kat noticed then how nice he looked. Light blue button-down shirt, open at the throat. Pressed khakis. Freshly shaved.

“I’m not going.”

“Sure you are. With me.”

“Did Jeremy put you up to this?”

“All my idea. Can I come in?”

She stepped aside so he could enter, then closed the door. “I’m not going,” she said again.

“He’s your cousin. Your only family. You need to be there.”

That’s what Jeremy had said. She disagreed. This was Jeremy’s moment, she intended to let him have it without the past intruding.

She told Luke so.

He shook his head. “He can’t hide you or the past. You need to be front and center from the start. That way when things heat up during the election, his opponent can’t use you as a weapon against him.”

She hesitated. He saw it. “I’ll wait while you get ready.”

Kat pictured it: A room full of the Northshore’s movers and shakers. People who had known her parents, worked with her father, with McCall Oil. People who knew her whole story. Whispering as she walked by. Exchanging glances.

She didn’t know if she could do it.

“I’ll hold your hand the entire time,” he said.

Kat shook her head. “How do you do that?”

“What?”

“Read my mind.”

“Not your mind,” he said softly. “Your eyes.”

Nothing he could have said would have affected her more. “It’ll take me a few minutes. I have to shower, too.”

“No problem. That’ll give me something to think about while I’m waiting.”

She grinned at that, then hurried to get ready.

Kat decided on a simple sheath in a deep pink. Strappy sandals. Her mother’s pearls. For courage. She fixed her hair as best she could, added a bit of blush, mascara, lip gloss.

She was a baker, not a socialite. Truth was, she had damn little in the way of clothes to choose from and only a vague idea if what she was wearing was appropriate for this kind of event.

He stood when she entered the room. She saw by his expression that he thought she looked good, he didn’t have to tell her. But she hoped he would anyway.

He did. “Wow. You look spectacular.”

“You’re sure?” She looked down at herself, then back up at him. “My mother always knew just what to wear, how to wear it. But I—”

“You look perfect, Kat. Trust me.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“Before I forget.” He reached into his jacket pocket. “I found your earring.”

He held it out. A diamond fleur-de-lis. The real thing, not costume. Lovely.

“It’s not mine.” She handed it back. “Where did you find it?”

“By your car. The other day.”

What she’d seen him picking up.
“Do you think—”

“It was left by your vandal? Maybe. You recall seeing anyone wearing these?”

She thought a moment, then shook her head. “Sorry. But it looks expensive. How many people would own a pair like this?”

“Over here? You’d be surprised. And since Katrina, fleurs-de-lis have become really popular.”

“Can I see it again?” She studied it another moment, then handed it back. “I guess it won’t do me much good to be on the lookout for its mate, will it? Women don’t usually wear a single earring.”

He laughed. “No, I suppose they don’t.”

He offered his arm and they headed to his car. He helped her in, then went around to the driver’s side. “Ready?” he asked as he fastened his safety belt.

“As I’ll ever be.”

They arrived at the Lakehouse fashionably late. A banner had been strung across the the upper balcony:
WEBBER FOR STATE SENATE.
Clusters of balloons decorated both the entrance and upper balcony.

Luke opened the door for her. She stepped out, smoothing her hand over her dress. “Do I look as nervous as I feel?”

“A few nerves can be a good thing.”

“Nice save.” She smiled. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

They crossed to the restaurant. Supporters spilled out and onto the grounds. The atmosphere was exuberant, celebratory.

Kat realized quickly that if she had wanted to melt into the woodwork, she had chosen the wrong dress. The great majority of the women wore black; she stood out like a peacock in her pink.

She wanted to turn and run in the opposite direction.

As if sensing her thoughts, he caught her hand, laced their fingers. His hand felt strong and warm, and she clung to it.

“The little black dress memo must still be in my in-box,” she muttered.

He laughed. “Making a statement, Ms. McCall. I like a lady with guts.”

“Let go of my hand and I’m out of here.”

He tightened his fingers around hers. “Let’s find Jeremy and Lilith.”

They wound and wormed their way through the throng of people. Kat was acutely aware of the way conversations would stop as people caught sight of her, of the hush that fell over them as she passed. And of their excited whispers when they thought she was out of earshot.

She realized this hadn’t been a good idea, but also that to turn and run would be a worse one.

Luke, as promised, kept hold of her hand. She clung to it. Not wanting to come hadn’t been about Jeremy at all, she realized. It had been about her.

So much for guts.

“You’re here!” Jeremy exclaimed when he saw her. He gave her a big bear hug.

He turned to his wife. “Look, Lilith. Kat made it!”

“Good girl,” she said and hugged her, though she had the distinct feeling Lilith wished she hadn’t come. The other woman felt as she did, Kat thought. That her being here was a distraction.

“I’m giving my speech at eight,” Jeremy said. “Downstairs in the main room. I want you right there by my side.”

“I don’t know, Jeremy. I don’t think—”

“You’re family. My family. I need you there, Kit-Kat.”

She looked to Lilith for support; the other woman wouldn’t meet her eyes. So she reluctantly agreed. A moment later, the two were off, back to glad-handing and fund-raising. She and Luke went in search of the bar.

They found it. And Danny Sullivan.

He’d obviously had several drinks. “I thought you weren’t coming,” he said.

She realized then how this must look. He’d asked her to accompany him and she’d begged off, now here she was with Luke.

“I’m sorry, Danny. I changed my mind at the last minute.”

“
I
changed her mind,” Luke said softly.

The words were territorial. As if he was staking his claim, telling the other man to back off. She flushed. It hadn’t been like that. Had it?

Danny’s gaze dropped to her and Luke’s clasped hands. “I see that.”

She wanted to explain. Or did she? She felt bad that she had hurt Danny’s feelings, but she liked her hand nestled in Luke’s, liked the fantasy that they might have a chance at romance.

Dangerous thinking, Katherine. Stupid.

Moments later, Luke put a glass of champagne in her hand. She drank it, then another. They roamed, ending up on the balcony, gazing at Lake Pontchartrain.

The bubbles felt celebratory. They tickled her nose as she sipped, then went straight to her head, making her deaf to the whispers and blind to the glances.

“It’s time,” he whispered against her ear.

She nodded and let him lead her downstairs. Jeremy and Lilith were already on the dais; he waved her over, smiling broadly.

She had to let go of Luke’s hand. She crossed to the dais, took Jeremy’s outstretched one. He kissed her cheek and she took her place, standing behind him to his left. In that moment, looking out at all those faces, many of which she recognized, the truth came crashing in on her.

It was they who should be squirming. Reluctant to face her. They who accused her. Who continued to accuse her after the jury’s acquittal. They who sent anonymous letters, who vandalized her home and vehicle, who made threats.

And one, a killer, who should be very nervous indeed. Because she wasn’t going to stop until she flushed him out.

Jeremy began. “Welcome, friends and supporters! Thank you for coming out tonight to celebrate with me and my family. My beautiful wife, Lilith. Who I couldn’t do this without.”

They kissed to thunderous applause. Lilith beamed at him, and Kat was struck again by what a perfect couple they made.

“And to my family,” he said when the clapping had subsided. “My cousin Katherine McCall. Family is everything. And on that platform, on those values, I intend to run for senate of the great state of Louisiana!”

The assembled group once more broke into applause. And her presence was forgotten. If her history was going to hurt Jeremy’s chances at winning a state senate seat, it wasn’t in evidence now.

He was smart. And charismatic. Never a misstep, it seemed. He was holding the crowd in the palm of his hand.

She shifted her gaze from him to Luke. Their eyes met. He smiled and the curving of his lips affected her like a caress. Her pulse fluttered; she warmed.

What would making love with Luke be like? Tender or frenzied? A slow burn or a white-hot blaze?

Kat jerked her gaze away, afraid everyone would know what she was thinking. Read her eyes, the way Luke seemed able to do. That they would feel the sexual pull between them.

How could they not? she wondered. It was electric.

She forced her thoughts in another direction. To Sara’s killer. Was he here? Watching her and secretly laughing? Making his plans?

And what of her letter-writing fan? Was he here? Were they one and the same?

She studied each face. Her gaze landed on Danny Sullivan. He was staring at Jeremy, his expression malevolent. As if he
hated
him. She caught her breath, loudly enough to earn a glance from Lilith.

Kat looked apologetically at her, then back at Danny Sullivan. And discovered he was gone. Something about that felt wrong, ominous.

She suddenly understood Lilith’s three gates.

Kat skimmed the crowd for him, working to hide her panic. She came up empty.

Applause jerked her back to the moment. Jeremy had finished his speech. She clapped and smiled appropriately, hugged her cousin, all the while thinking of Danny. Of the animosity that had emanated from him.

Luke found her. “What happened up there?”

“Did you see Danny Sullivan leave?”

He shook his head. “Why?”

“I just have this feeling … he was looking at Jeremy so strangely. As if he wanted to hurt him.”

Luke’s expression changed. “Let’s fan out, see if we can find him. You check upstairs and the bar, I’ll hit the men’s room and the perimeter. Meet me back here.”

Danny was nowhere to be found. Kat rubbed her arms, chilled. “Maybe I imagined it,” she said.

“Do you think you did?”

She paused, then shook her head. “No. But I don’t know if I trust myself right now.”

“Let’s get some air.”

He caught her hand and they crossed Lakeshore Drive to the lakefront. It was a lovely night. The moon big and bright, the breeze off the lake making the June night feel milder than it was.

They strolled on the pathway, holding hands, not speaking. He stopped under the canopy of one of the ancient live oaks that dotted the lakefront.

“Kit-Kat,” he said softly, turning to face her. “I like that.” He trailed a thumb down her cheek. “It suits you.”

“We can’t see each other, Luke. We both know that.”

“Do we?”

Those eyes of his were sucking her in. As was his touch, the warmth emanating from him. She laid her right hand on his chest. Beneath her palm, his heart thundered.