Tracie Peterson (12 page)

“Is something wrong? Did you forget something, or someone?” Melissa teased.

Cara laughed. “That remains to be seen.” Again the storm made itself known.

“Hey, was that thunder?”

“Yes,” Cara said, pulling back the edge of the drapes to look outside. “A storm’s moving in.”

“Looks like we finished our picnic just in time.”

“Look, Missy, I have something on my mind—”

“I know, I’m sorry we couldn’t work on your dilemma,” Melissa interjected.

“Well, my dilemma took a strange twist yesterday, and I thought maybe you could help me figure out what to do.”

“Okay, so what happened?” Melissa sounded genuinely concerned.

“I had a young woman come to see me at HEARTBEAT. It was late, and I was packing the last of my stuff. She came in and sat down with a tiny baby in her arms.”

“What is the great problem in that?”

“She says the baby belongs to Robert Kerns.”

“Oh,” Melissa breathed, “I guess I see the great problem for myself.”

“It seems this girl, Teri Davis, used to be a friend of the family, particularly of Kerns’ daughter, Danielle.”

“I’d say even more particularly of Kerns himself,” Melissa said sarcastically.

“No, and that’s part of the problem. She says he forced the relationship and that it happened on several occasions. Apparently when she found out she was pregnant, Kerns tried to buy her off.”

“But it didn’t work?”

“No,” Cara replied. “He wanted her to abort the baby, but Teri took the money and hid out instead. She gave birth about three months ago and now she wants revenge.”

“Revenge? She said that?” Melissa asked in a voice of disbelief.

“She said exactly that. Melissa, I don’t know what to think. I mean, I knew Kerns was scum because of what he did to me, but this is different. This is the life of a child, two children actually. Teri wasn’t quite sixteen when Kerns raped her the first time.”

“And you’re absolutely sure it was rape?”

“It doesn’t matter even if Teri encouraged him. She was a minor, and Kerns was fully aware of the laws. Teri says he manipulated her whenever he could and that her baby is the result of that coercion. I want to help her, Melissa, but I don’t know how. I can’t expose her to Kerns or he might do something horrible to her.”

“On the other hand,” Melissa began, “you could give him just enough information to make him realize there’s a problem. Maybe this is your ticket out of the campaign. You go to him and tell him you know what he did to Teri. You don’t have to explain that she didn’t have an abortion and that he has an illegitimate child.”

“He’d want more than words.”

“But you could make a good threat on words alone. If you did it right, Kerns would know you weren’t playing games and that you would expose his infidelity and illegal activities. Was anybody else around when Teri made her confession?”

“No. Joe saw her when she first came in, but he went to his office so we could talk privately.”

“So bring a photograph of her with you, just something to help Kerns understand the serious nature of the situation and that you aren’t bluffing.”

Cara thought on the possibilities for a long hard moment. “I can’t use someone else to avoid my responsibilities,” she finally said. “If I can’t get out of the campaign on my own, that’s my problem, but if I drag a helpless young woman and her baby into it . . .”

“But the threat would be enough to put him off. Tell him I’m prepared to run a full front-page story on the situation,” Melissa suggested. “Tell him whatever you want regarding the content and I’ll put it together.”

“We can’t go public yet. Teri and the baby would be endangered.”

“I suppose you’re right, but you can’t sit around and do nothing.”

Cara sighed. “I know, and that’s the part eating me alive.” Despair seemed to wrap a band around her heart.

C-R-A-S-H!
The windows rattled from the force of the thunder. And then it started to rain.

Sixteen

“You’ll want to hear this, Bob,” Russell Owens said, coming into campaign headquarters dripping wet. It had begun raining Saturday night and was still raining on Monday morning.

“What is it? I’m kind of busy.” Kerns sat studying his agenda for the day and felt a distinctly bored disregard for his sidekick.

“I wouldn’t have bothered you if it weren’t important,” Russell replied, stripping off his wet trench coat. He produced a tape recorder from the pocket.

Just then an attractive brunette with a steaming mug of coffee appeared in the office doorway. “Here, I think you’re going to like this,” she announced in a voice full of seductive promise. “I made it especially for you.”

Russell glared at the woman and tossed the recorder onto a nearby chair. Kerns thought Russell’s reaction amusing. “Serena Perez, this is Russell Owens. Russell is my campaign manager and a very good one, at that. He’s come here in the midst of this deluge to bring me important information.” An evident look of tense acceptance passed between Russell and Serena.

“Dedication is an important virtue,” Serena replied, flashing dark eyes at Russell.

Kerns liked the way she commanded attention with her exotic Hispanic looks. The very short peach-colored suit made an artistic contrast to her
caf
é
au lait
skin.

“Serena is my new press secretary,” Kerns announced. “She’s worked in public relations for years and can give us her time until November. Personally, I hope to keep her on even after the election.” He eyed her with open lust.

“I see,” Russell replied, picking up the tape recorder. “If you don’t mind, this will be a private meeting.”

Serena gave him a catlike look of indifference and left the room.

“Well?” Kerns questioned as Russell secured the door. “What is it that couldn’t wait?”

“I was out of town yesterday, as you know, otherwise I would have called you at home.” The tone of his voice left little doubt in Kerns’ mind that this was a very serious matter.

“That bad, eh?” Kerns eased back in his chair.

“That and more. Where’s Cara?”

Kerns smiled. “Shaking hands and kissing babies at Westridge Mall. Why?”

Russell held up the recorder. “I have no idea what this is all about, but you may have cost yourself the campaign. This needs immediate action, or I guarantee being governor of this state will be totally off limits to you.”

Kerns assumed his stoic stare. “Play it.”

Kerns wasn’t prepared for the contents of the tape. He erupted in anger, pounding his fists against the desk and jumping to his feet. “I can’t believe this is happening. I gave that conniving little . . .” He fell silent and tried to contain his anger. “I gave her five thousand dollars to have an abortion and what does she do? She stabs me in the back.”

“So it is true?” Russell braved the question.

Kerns turned on him. “Yes,” he hissed the word. “For whatever good it does to tell you.”

“Bob, when I asked you if there were any skeletons from the past that wouldn’t stay buried, you assured me there weren’t. I’d say this is a pretty big skeleton, and from the sounds of it, this Teri Davis isn’t going to let things just drop.” Water from his rain-drenched hair dripped down the side of his face. “You’d better tell me everything,” stated Russell. “We’ll judge from that what kind of damage control is necessary.”

“I don’t want damage control. I want that girl dealt with! This is outrageous. I run grown men like a drill sergeant, but you’re telling me that one teenage girl is going to make me lose an election? That doesn’t call for mere damage control, Owens, I can tell you that much!”

“So what do you suggest? Hire her on as another press secretary?”

Kerns tried not to react to Russell’s sarcasm. He knew the man’s attitude was born out of fear that the election was over before it had truly started. Still, no one could talk to him like that and get away with it.

“Maybe she’d make a better campaign manager,” Kerns said in a low threatening voice.

“At least she knows all of your secrets,” Owens replied, sounding almost as angry as Kerns felt.

Bob started to answer, then stopped abruptly. He realized the futility of arguing with Owens. He needed this man more than ever now. “All right, truce,” he called and took his seat at the desk. “What’s happened is over and done. What I need is a permanent solution.”

Russell pulled a chair closer to the desk and took a seat. “What do you mean by permanent?”

Kerns eyed the younger man. “I mean, I want this taken care of once and for all before Cara and her devoted buddy take this any further. I can’t very well force Mrs. Kessler to continue the election if she holds a bigger trump card over my head than I hold over hers, now can I?”

“No, I suppose not, but she already knows about Teri and nothing is going to change that fact.”

“She knows about Teri, but Cara is easy to intimidate.”

“You’ve already threatened her ministry and she’s since turned that over to her partner.”

“She has a daughter,” Kerns said, not breaking eye contact with Owens for even a moment.

“What about Jordan? She may not be so quick to shut up.”

Kerns smiled. “If she starts digging in the wrong places, I’ll take care of her myself. Besides, when Cara and Melissa see what befalls Teri Davis and her child, they’ll be less inclined to interfere.”

“And what is it you suggest happen to Teri and her child?”

Kerns folded his hands. “I don’t much care so long as it’s permanent. The more
eternal
the solution, the better. Do you understand what I’m saying here, Russell?”

Owens paled. “I think so. You don’t care how I handle the situation or what happens to the people involved, as long as this whole thing goes away.”

“Exactly right.”

“But what about the baby? After all, the child is your own flesh and blood.”

Kerns eyed Russell with contempt for the reminder. “The child is dead as far as I’m concerned. I paid for the abortion, remember?”

“Yeah,” Owens answered.

Kerns could tell the light of understanding was just beginning to dawn in Russell’s mind.

“How do you want it—”

Kerns interrupted. “I don’t want to know anything. The less I know, the less I can confess. As far as I’m concerned, Teri Davis was a poor orphaned teen who ended up in one foster home after another. My family tried to befriend her and she robbed us blind. If I’m questioned beyond that, I’ll have nothing to say.”

Russell nodded. “As unpleasant as the job is, I’ll take care of it right away.”

“Good,” Kerns replied, seeing that Owens had reconciled himself to the situation. “I leave tomorrow on our statewide campaign tour, and of course Debra and Danielle are going to accompany me. By the time you join us in Wichita, I’ll expect the matter to be resolved.”

“Consider it done.”

****

Russell Owens smiled to himself as he walked to the car. It was still raining, but nothing could daunt his spirits in light of what he’d just managed to do. Pressing the rewind
button on the microrecorder, he waited for a moment, then pressed play.

“The child is dead as far as I’m concerned. . . .” Kerns’ voice was clear. Russell hit the stop button and popped out the tape. This was going to be his insurance policy for controlling Kerns in the years to come. He’d do the man’s dirty work, but it would come at a considerable price.

Seventeen

When September rolled around, Danielle Kerns had left the campaign trail to return rather reluctantly to college in Topeka. She wasn’t the least bit scholarly minded and wished instead to open a dress boutique that would specialize in designer fashions. Her father refused to listen to her idea, however, and so hoping to win his elusive approval, she headed back to school.

Danielle walked from room to room, feeling the emptiness. An uncomfortable silence held the fashionable house captive. Mrs. Gleason, their housekeeper, was on vacation visiting her daughter in Canada. Staring out of the kitchen window, Danielle missed the companionship of friends and family more than ever. Her brother, Gary, now newly graduated from the University of Kansas, had moved to Dallas in an effort to distance himself as far as possible from his father. They’d never gotten along, and often Danielle had found herself playing mediator between the two. The fights always stemmed from her father’s desire to control them without investing any real part of himself in their lives. That much Danielle had learned from her brother. Gary was a good friend to her. He always listened to her dreams and encouraged her to break free from their father’s stranglehold and live her own life. Unfortunately, Danielle knew she wasn’t made of strong enough stuff.

On this particular September morning, Danielle couldn’t help but think of Teri Davis. They’d been friends for such a long time, and it seemed so out of character for Teri to just pull out of college and leave without a word to anyone. Danielle shuddered to think of what might have happened to her.

Noting the hour, Danielle realized there was little time for daydreams and regrets. Grabbing her books and purse, she headed for the door just as the telephone rang. It was probably her mother, Danielle decided and deposited her things on the hallway table. Debra Kerns was possibly the only person who understood Danielle’s plight, and because of that, Danielle loved her mother more than anyone else in the world.

“Hello!” Danielle greeted with a warm eager voice.

“Dani?”

Danielle nearly dropped the receiver. “Teri, is that you?”

“Yeah, surprise,” the girl responded in a voice that sounded less than enthusiastic.

“Teri, I can’t believe I’m talking to you. I was just thinking about you and how it’s been almost a year—”

“I know,” interrupted Teri. “Look, Dani, I called because I wanted to explain about that year.”

“Are you all right? Where are you?” Danielle asked quickly. Suddenly nothing mattered as much as seeing Teri again.

“I’m okay. I’m living here in Topeka . . . well . . . actually outside of town,” she said, hesitating. “I’m going to give you the address, but you’ve got to swear you won’t give it out to anyone else. Not even your family.”