Thicker Than Water

Chapter

Ten

THE STUDY WAS full of frazzled looking frustrated men and women. Kyle entered, closed the door, stripped off his coat, and tossed it over the tall back of the chair near the desk. “Anything?”

he asked the two men behind the large, square desk.

“No, sir.” The younger of the two looked up. “Sir, is there any point to this anymore?”

Kyle gave him a withering look. “Of course there’s a point.

The governor’s going to make his announcement tomorrow, and if we don’t find a way to clean up little Mrs. Stuart’s family act, we’ve got a lot of money that’s going to pull out like gang-busters.” He picked up a folder and studied it. “I’ve already gotten calls warning me.”

“Well, sir, unless you can talk to Mrs. Stuart, I’m not sure we’ve got anything here.” The man sighed and dropped his pen-cil. “I’ve checked financial, legal, tax records, DMV, credit…I’ve never seen people so clean in my life.”

“Oh, c’mon.” Kyle put the folder down. “You can’t tell me a bitch like that doesn’t have some skeletons. I don’t buy it.”

“He’s right, sir,” said the older man, a gruff, bear-like figure with a thick, grizzled beard and shrewd eyes. “Here’s the file recap.” He handed it to Kyle. “High school valedictorian, graduated mcl from Miami, worked for ILS for sixteen years, never late on her taxes, no tickets, no police record except for—”

“Except?” Kyle glanced at him. “I knew there was something.

What is it?”

The aide shook his head. “An incident several years back involving some fight at a bar. Some kids got attacked.”

Kyle looked delighted. “By her?”

“No,” the man replied. “She defended them. Put two of the assailants in the hospital, despite the fact they were armed with shotguns. The cops gave her a glowing commendation.”

Kyle frowned. “That’s not the answer I wanted.”

The younger man shrugged. “Never even paid her electric bill Thicker Than Water 159

late, sir. There’s just nothing there.” He shuffled some papers.

“And forget the parents. The mother’s Eastern money we don’t want to mess with, and the father’s got a military honor sheet longer than my leg.”

“Mmm.” Kyle’s face went still, only his eyes darting back and forth over the documents. “Real hero, huh?”

“Yes, sir.” The man nodded. “He was MIA for seven years.

Went in after a bunch of guys that had gotten captured and let himself get captured so they could get free.” He glanced down.

“Medal of Honor for that one, sir.”

Kyle snorted. The rest of the staff watched him uneasily.

“Well, if they won’t oblige us by handing us a scandal, I suppose we’ll have to manufacture one.”

The door opened. They all looked up to see Cynthia Stuart standing in the doorway, primly erect, her hands folded before her. She took a step inside and looked at all of them.

“Ah, Mrs. Stuart.” Kyle put on a charming smile. “We were just discussing transition plans.”

Cynthia closed the door and walked forward, scanning all their faces before she reached her late husband’s desk and stopped by it. “Please don’t waste your time. I’ve come here to inform you that you are all, as of this moment, fired.” She paused and took a pleased breath. “Please leave, or I’ll have security escort you out.”

For a moment there was nothing but shocked silence. “That would be now. At once.”

Stunned, they picked themselves up and edged out of the room. They jostled each other at the door and waited to clear it before uttering vicious whispers.

Only Kyle remained, staring at Cynthia with hooded eyes.

“I’m sure you don’t—”

“Most especially, I certainly do mean you as well, Mr. Evans,”

Cynthia said sharply. “It’s simply a pity that all I can do is fire you.”

Even Kyle was caught off guard by the icy tone. “You don’t know what you’re doing. I’ve got some information that could be very, very damaging—”

“I most certainly do.” She enunciated the words very carefully. “Roger is no longer here to protect you, and you will leave this house immediately, or I’ll have security drag you out of it and toss you over the wall.” Her voice rose. “You will not stay in my home one more second or visit even one more second’s abuse on my children. Out! ”

Kyle’s eyes narrowed as he circled the desk. “Think you can just order me around like that, lady? Better think again.”

160 Melissa Good He was stopped in his tracks, the back of his collar and belt held firmly and yanked, jerking him back several paces. A low, Southern-tinged drawl crawled over his shoulder.

“Ah do believe this lady asked you to leave.”

“Let me go.” Kyle struggled. He was jerked further back, where he collided with a large body.

“G’head.” Andrew lowered his voice. “Fight me, you bastard,

’cause I’m looking for one real small excuse to rip off yer arm and beat you with it.” The voice dropped further. “’Cause I can.”

Kyle stopped struggling, turned his head, and met Andrew’s pale blue eyes.

“And ah will,” Andrew rumbled. “Now, you figger my kid kicked yer ass round ’bout a year ago, and she’s a damn sight nicer than I am.”

For a moment, it could have gone either way, then Kyle glanced away. “If you put it that way, fine. I’ll be out of here as soon as I gather my gear. The information I have will certainly screw you over, too, you fucking sailor.”

Andrew swung him around and shoved him towards the door, adding a boot to the butt to hurry his progress. Kyle stumbled forward but caught himself on the chair, and, after grabbing his jacket, left the room without a single backward glance.

“Well.” Cynthia exhaled. “Thank you, Commander Roberts.”

She glanced at the door. “I’m afraid he might try to turn this to his advantage, however. He has quite a legal mind.”

“And ah have me a smart wife.” Andrew ambled across the room and drew back the heavy window curtains. Ceci slipped out, putting the cap on a small, nifty looking video camera. “Who don’t like to take chances.”

Ceci gave Cynthia a smile. “Well done. Couldn’t have done it better myself, though I suspect my daughter could have.”

Cynthia Stuart let out a long, relieved sigh. “I have so dreamed of doing that. For such a long time.” She collected herself and straightened. “I believe I need a drink after that, however.

Will you join me?”

“Absolutely.” Ceci curled her arm around Andrew’s and smiled. “We should talk.”

Andrew looked thoughtfully at the door. “Ya’ll go on; I’ll catch you up,” he said, gently disengaging his arm and heading after Kyle.

IT WAS DARK in the hall, but Dar’s night vision was up to the task. She glided down the steps on bare feet without a whisper of sound and crossed the huge foyer with a quick look in either Thicker Than Water 161

direction.

The big house was quiet, but not silent. Its walls creaked, and there were soft sounds of cutlery clinking somewhere off to one side that indicated not everyone was sleeping. Dar paused in the doorway of the main hall to listen, only moving on when she was sure no one was headed her way.

She wasn’t even sure why she was doing this, except that she knew if she told Kerry what was going on, and she hadn’t even tried looking, her partner would be upset. It would be like she’d quit, and Dar clearly remembered Kerry’s reaction to that the last time she had just given up.

So here she was, slinking like a thief in the night, creeping across the marble floors to the door of Roger Stuart’s study. Again she paused to listen, one hand on the knob. Certain that she was alone, she opened the door, slipped inside, and closed the door behind her, thanking anyone who was listening that the hinges were well oiled.

The office was dark. Through one window, a bit of light from outside threw soft gray shadows over the room. A shiver went down her back as she imagined the room’s former occupant watching her malevolently from the next dimension, and the stirring of her usually dormant imagination almost sent her right back out of the room. Then her logic centers took hold and she forced herself towards the other end of the study.

Here, shelves of books and handsome oak inlaid cabinets lined the walls. Dar touched a few of the books, but they were mostly never read sets; the cabinets opened readily, displaying cut crystal decanters of whiskey and not much more.

She studied the desk, then turned on the desk lamp and bathed the surface in bright gold. The leather desk pad showed faint impressions, and if she looked at an angle, she could almost make out words, pressed there by a dead man’s hand.

One word caught her eye, she leaned closer, and touched the pad as she recognized—even with breaks and gaps—her lover’s name. But that was all she could make out, just the “Kerrison,”

and then part of one word, “bo.” For it to be there at all, it had to be recent.

As intriguing as that was, Dar reluctantly tore her attention from it. She pulled out a drawer and hunted through it, finding it mostly empty. The next, and the next were the same, and the fourth contained only a Bible and a folded wool sweater. “Least one of them’s useful.” But the papers she sought were not there.

She straightened, then froze, finding a pair of somber eyes looking back at her. “Ah.”

Kerry walked across the room and faced her across the desk.

162 Melissa Good

“What in the dickens are you doing?” She folded her arms.

Rats. Dar leaned a bit on the desk top. “Thought you were asleep. I was just trying to clean up a detail or two.”

“Detail?” Kerry looked around and then back at her. “About what? Why are you in here, Dar? What are you looking for?” She kept her voice very low, though not quite a whisper.

Ah well. She had been hoping to put off telling Kerry about Alastair’s call until they were on the way home. With the stress of being with her family so high, the last thing Dar felt she needed was to hear more trouble. Now, she had little choice.

“I’m looking for the papers I gave him,” Dar replied quietly.

“Alastair needs them. Otherwise, the deal is off, and I’m no longer your boss.”

Kerry’s jaw dropped, literally.

“And they’re not here. So,” Dar circled the desk, and turned off the light, leaving them in darkness, “let’s go back to bed. I can at least say I tried.”

“Wait. I thought—”

Dar took her arm. “Word got out that the senator had them.”

She nudged Kerry towards the door. “C’mon. Don’t worry about it, Ker. Whatever happens, happens.”

Don’t worry about it. Kerry felt numb. She’d woken in darkness to find Dar gone. Instinct had led her to the study, and now…

She sighed. Now, she almost wished she’d just stayed in bed.

“Okay.” It was all just too much. She wrapped her fingers in Dar’s nightshirt and let her lead her back upstairs to their room. “Were you serious about—?”

“Yeah,” Dar whispered as they nearly tiptoed down the hallway. “But it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.”

Dar closed the door to their room behind them and put her arms around Kerry. “Yes, it is. I don’t regret any of it, Ker. Honestly.”

Kerry looked up into her eyes and read the truth there. Feeling the tears well up and the ache in her heart shortening her breathing, she put her palm against Dar’s cheek. “It’s not okay,”

she managed to get out. “Dar—”

“Shh.” Dar kissed her forehead. “I love you. That’s what matters to me. You matter to me. ILS can go jump off a bridge, for all I care.”

Kerry leaned against Dar and closed her eyes, surrendering to her own mind’s exhaustion. It was just a sucky end to a sucky day.

“STUPID BASTARDS...LITTLE whore bitch. Fire me, huh?”

Thicker Than Water 163

Kyle was furious. He threw his car into drive and headed through the intersection, foot pumping the gas as he just missed a man walking across the street. “Get out of my way, jackass.”

It was bitter cold out, and his hands were stiff as he curled them around the steering wheel. Of all the endings he’d expected for the night, this was the last he’d have imagined. From her? The milkmaid? The woman without two brain cells to rub together?

“Bitch.”

He knew what was behind it. No question. The little dyke whore daughter was behind it. She’d gotten to mommy dearest; probably brought up that old story about what he’d done to her.

Stupid kid.

It hadn’t even been memorable. At least for him. Just another nubile conquest, and he’d even convinced himself she’d enjoyed it. She’d been lusting after him anyway, right? Yeah.

“Stupid bitch,” he repeated, cursing himself for the nth time for not getting back into the country just a week earlier. The sum-mons from the senator had sounded so important, so urgent. Stuart had wanted him there immediately.

Could it have been for the contracts? Lately, he’d started to get the feeling Stuart was putting him off, avoiding him since he’d been pushing that investigation so hard. But the sudden call had reassured him he was still in good graces, still needed.

Still important.

Well, at least he’d found a nest egg. Kyle patted his briefcase.

With what he had in there, he could blackmail himself into retirement, and to hell with it.

The road curved in front of him and he followed it, the snow covered fencing on either side whipping past as he sped up, enjoying the power of the car’s engine.

He never looked in the rearview mirror, so he never saw the cold blue eyes that rose up from behind him, or the long arm that reached across his body to grab the steering wheel. He merely felt a huge hand wrap around his mouth, cutting off his scream of alarm as the car swerved and plunged off the road in a moment of icy nightmare.

A huge, dark tree rose up in front of him and he couldn’t avoid it, the steering wheel held in an iron grip even as his foot came off the gas and he tried to brake. The front of the car imploded, crushing him from the waist down, in a wave of pain so intense he almost passed out. Almost.

The hand removed itself, and he screamed.

“Ah could jest leave your sorry ass here jest like this,” a voice said in his ear.

“Asshole! You bastard! Augh!” Kyle tried to turn to see his 164 Melissa Good attacker, but he was pinned in place. “You son of a bitch!”

The blue-eyed wraith chuckled. “Yeap. Ah am an asshole, mister. Lotsa better men than you found that out.” Andrew clamped a hand on Kyle’s jaw and slammed it shut. “But I ain’t no bastard, like you are.”

“Gprfm.” Kyle struggled impotently.

“Ah just wanted you to know, ya’ll piece of scum, that what you done way back when to that little girl just come home to bite your ass,” Andrew whispered into his ear. “Got anything to say

’bout that?” He released Kyle’s jaw.

“I enjoyed every fucking minute of it,” Kyle spat.

“Thought so.” Andrew took hold of Kyle’s jaw and savagely yanked it to one side and slammed the top of Kyle’s head with his other hand. A sharp crack sounded in the car over the hissing of the demolished engine.

Then it was quiet.

“May t’Lord God have mercy on ya’ll,” Andy said, after a moment of silence. “’Cause He’s a better man than me.” After a slight delay, he slammed his shoulder against the back door, slid out of the car, and cocked his head as he heard sirens in the far, far distance.

A house overlooked the crash site, and there were lights on.

He could see silhouettes in the window, and a door slammed nearby, accompanied by the crunch of someone running in the newly fallen snow.

In the other direction, a thick blanket of white formed an unwritten page, and towards the road, headlights approached, their brilliance dancing off the soft surface.

Andrew paused, then looked up and studied the branches for a moment before he crouched and leaped, grabbed a branch, and pulled himself up into the tree. A dusting of snow fell under him, then it all went silent again.

AS SHE WOKE the next morning, Kerry half remembered her dream. It had been something about rabbits. Her eyes drifted open and bemusedly regarded the colorful fabric she was lying on, recalling that every time she dreamed of animals, it was always one of those really weird dreams that made no sense and usually involved her being naked.

She wondered briefly what a psychologist would make of them—especially the one with the talking bears. A smile spread across her face and she turned her head a little, and took in the room with a vague sense of the unreal.

It seems brighter in here today, she thought, eyeing the window Thicker Than Water 165

which now let in the pale winter light.

Wonder what time it is. Kerry closed her eyes and snuggled closer, reflecting on how much a good night’s sleep could do for a person’s outlook. She felt much more centered, and she considered that perhaps it was because she’d faced the worst and endured. She’d been tying herself up in knots imagining what her reception would be like, and now…

Well, now she knew. She took in a deep breath, filled with heated air and Dar’s scent. It had been as bad, or worse than she’d expected, but knowing, she discovered, was far better than wondering. Knowing, you could deal with, plan for, and defend against. Wondering just kept you unbalanced.

Now she knew the worst, both with her family, and the fall-out from Dar’s actions with the Navy. Looking at the sun, she realized that life did just go on, despite all its problems. Life would go on now. They would go on together.

“Mmph.” Kerry exhaled and wriggled a little in contentment as Dar’s arm tightened around her. Dar had been her anchor through it all, she acknowledged quietly. Like a rock she’d stood there, being a windbreak, something to lean against, and a shelter when it all had gotten to be too much. Kerry opened her eyes again and looked up at her lover in deep affection, almost jump-ing when her eyes met amused blue ones looking back at her.

“Yeah?”

Dar’s eyebrows lifted.

“Didn’t think you were awake,” Kerry said with a sheepish grin. “I was just lying here thinking about how wonderful you are.”

The dark brows lifted even further, giving Dar an almost comical look. She laughed softly and stretched in Kerry’s embrace, arching her back and tensing her muscles before relaxing back onto the bed’s surface.

“Mm…that was like a carnival ride. Can we go again?” Kerry asked.

Dar eyed her with a faint smile. “You’re in a good mood. Feeling better today?”

Kerry nodded. “Yeah. How about you?” She carefully touched Dar’s shoulder, feeling it move under her fingers as Dar experimentally flexed it.

“Eh. Stiff, but not as bad as yesterday.” Dar sounded mildly surprised. “It’s not throbbing anymore.” Another experimental movement yielded the same results. “Cool.”

Kerry smiled and gave her a hug. “Glad to hear that.” She regarded the window. “Looks like the weather got better, too.

Hey, wanna get dressed and go for a walk? I could show you my 166 Melissa Good favorite sledding hill before we take off.”

Dar remembered her last walk in the cold. “All right.” She eyed Kerry. “But you better keep me warm. It looks like the arctic tundra out there. And how about we find some breakfast first? I noticed you didn’t get much off that table last night.”

“I don’t like pate,” Kerry said. “And neither do you. There’re just so many crackers topped with bits of roast beef and horserad-ish I can handle.” Her nose crinkled in distaste. “Besides, I wasn’t really hungry.” A low rumble made her chuckle a little. “I am now.”

“So I hear,” Dar remarked mildly. “C’mon. I may need some help in the shower.”

Kerry grinned. “Now that’s an offer I’ll never refuse.” She paused and laid a hand on Dar’s stomach. “Dar, about work—”

“Shhh.” Dar ruffled her hair. “Don’t think about it. Let’s just get through today and get home.”

Kerry sighed. Well, there wasn’t much she could do about it anyway, was there? Her eyes drifted off a bit. Or was there?

“WHAT DO YOU think?” Kerry spread her arms and indicated her body. She watched the expressions on Dar’s face cascade from quizzical to thoughtful to outright lecherous. “I meant the clothes, honey.” She sighed, blushing at the compliment nevertheless.

“Oh.” Dar laughed. “Hm.” She reviewed her lover’s choices thoughtfully. Kerry wore a long sleeved flannel shirt tucked into her nicely worn jeans, to which she’d added the cute touch of suspenders. She also had on her hiking boots. Dar thought she looked adorable. “Are you deliberately going for the non-WASP look?”

“Well, yeah.” Kerry put her hands on her hips. “Did it work?”

“I think so,” Dar said gravely. “Should I put on my fringed leather vest?”

Kerry’s eyebrows jerked up in pleased surprise. “Did you bring that?”

Dar chuckled. “No. I was joking. Would you settle for leather pants?”

Kerry looked at her suspiciously, then went to her bag and rummaged in it. “Oh.” She lifted the pants out. “You really have some? I never saw these before, Dar. Where did you get them?”

She shook out the soft, burnt caramel colored hide. “Oo…I like.”

“Thank you,” Dar replied. “And you’ve never seen them before because I won’t wear them at home.”

Kerry eyed her. “Too trendy for Miami?”

“No.” Dar took the hide trousers from her. “Too hot. I figured Thicker Than Water 167

I might get a chance to actually put them on up here, so I brought them along. Give me a hand getting into them?”

Kerry happily obliged, tugging the leather up and over Dar’s hips. They fit comfortably, not too snug, and she neatly fastened the buttons and buckled the two criss-crossing leather beltlets that lent a somewhat offbeat touch to them. The leather was broken and butter soft, and she knelt to fasten the straps near Dar’s ankles. “Meant for boots, I see.”

“Mmhm,” Dar said. “I used to have some that went with them.” She buttoned the sleeve on a tightly woven wool shirt in a creamy butter color. “Back in my wilder days.”

Kerry ran her fingers over the smooth leather, then sniffed it.

“I like them. You’re a natural for this stuff.”

Dar’s lips twitched. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should.” Kerry placed a kiss on the inside of her leg, just above the knee, then she got to her feet and offered Dar a hand. “Breakfast?”

Dar curled her fingers around Kerry’s and accompanied her to the door. “Listen, Ker, about last night—”

“Doesn’t that sound like a bad romance novel?” Kerry’s lips quirked into a smile. “It’s not over, Dar.” She looked up at her partner. “I’m going to have a look myself. Maybe I have a little insight into where he might have put that stuff. He was my father.”

Dar placed a kiss on the top of her head and just smiled.

MICHAEL HID A smile behind an English muffin as they entered the breakfast room, still holding hands. “Morning, sis.”

“Hi,” Kerry replied, releasing Dar to walk to a seat. “Morning.”

“Oh, Kerrison…” Cynthia looked up from her plate and stopped in mid speech, blinking at her eldest daughter. “Goodness.” She hesitated. “That’s very colorful, dear.”

“Thanks.” Kerry snapped a suspender at her and sat down.

Dar continued around the table and approached the serving board with pointed determination. She evaded the uniformed server and captured two plates, then proceeded to dump what she considered proper amounts of edible items on them appropriate to both her taste and Kerry’s.

“Ma’am,” the server murmured at her anxiously, “I’ll do that for you. In this household, the family prefers service.”

“In my family’s household,” Dar answered in a normal voice,

“they tossed the food down on the floor in bins, and we had to fight for it. Old habits die hard. Excuse me.” She ducked around 168 Melissa Good the woman and headed back towards the table.

Kerry covered her face with one hand, her shoulders shaking.

Cynthia rose to the challenge. “Why, Dar, I didn’t know you had siblings.”

“I don’t.” Dar set Kerry’s plate down, then took the chair next to her. “But we had a dog.”

“Ah.” Cynthia’s brow wrinkled, then she gave a little shake of her head. “At any rate, I’m very glad you chose to join us for breakfast. Did you have additional plans for today, Kerrison?”

“I was going to treat Dar to a walk in the snow.” Kerry finished buttering her muffin and took a bite. “And show her around the property. Then we figured we’d head back to the hotel and pick up M…Dar’s folks.” There was really no sense, she conceded, in stinging her mother with her usual form of address for Andy and Ceci. Not now that things seemed to be improving as far as familial acceptance went, though Kerry admitted that she was probably pushing things a little today. Just to make sure she wasn’t backsliding, she picked up a piece of bacon and bit it in half, then offered the other half to Dar.

“Ah, saved the crispy part for me.” Dar accepted the treat with a snap of white teeth. She crunched the bacon with a slight wink in Kerry’s direction. “Thanks.”

Kerry grinned back, then turned her head and met the bemused looks of her family. Take it or leave it, guys, she projected at them. This is who I am.

“You guys must be fun to watch in restaurants,” Mike commented with a snort. “Do you slurp spaghetti together, too?”

“No,” Dar said blandly. “It gets too messy. We save that for home.”

Angie nearly snorted a piece of melon out of her nose.

“Hey, I bet Richard never did that with you, did he?” Mike asked his younger sister pointedly.

Angie cleared her throat and swallowed. “Definitely not. It took me three dates just to get him to loosen his tie.” She took a sip of juice. “He’s not a romantic like Dar is.”

Round blue eyes pinned her from across the table in outraged shock.

”Yeah, she gets that from her father,” Kerry said blithely.

Cynthia had assumed a noble, serene air, apparently content to let the conversation flow over her unimpeded. “Commander Roberts is a terribly nice man. He has quite a lovely sense of humor.” She had finished her breakfast and she stood, folded her napkin, and left it neatly in place. “I must attend to some business matters. If you wish, Kerrison, after your plans are completed, perhaps you might stay for lunch.”

Thicker Than Water 169

Kerry considered the somewhat late time of the morning and nodded. “Sure. Our flight’s not until three.” The funeral service was scheduled for four that afternoon, and the focal point would be at the cemetery, not there at the house. They would be left in peace, at least for a little while.

Her mother nodded, then left the room.

Angie propped her head up on her fist and just looked at Kerry. “You are such a brat.”

“Me?” Kerry asked innocently. “Why? I’m not acting out, I’m just acting normal.” She crunched another strip of bacon. “I’m not going to sit here dressed in lace and pretend that’s how I live. I don’t.”

“I think you look really cute,” Mike said. “Angie’s just jealous

’cause she’d never be able to pull off that outfit.”

“Neither would you,” Angie gave him a withering look,

“hippo butt.”

“Look who’s talking,” Mike retorted. “You’re the one who gets her clothing at—”

“Michael,” Kerry said.

He stuck his tongue out at her.

“Remind me again why I wanted siblings,” Dar said to Kerry, with a look of wry amusement. “You know I—” She fell silent by necessity as Kerry stuffed a piece of muffin into her mouth.

“Hush.” Kerry put a fingertip on her nose. “You don’t have siblings because you’re one of a kind.” She smiled at Dar’s charmed expression. “Now, chew, so we can go explore.”

Dar obliged, chewing and swallowing the bit of muffin while she watched her lover and her family trade banter. At least, she sighed, as long as we are here dealing with this disaster, we aren’t back home having to deal with the Naval one waiting for me on my desk.

Dar thoughtfully nibbled another piece of bacon . My ex-desk.

Oh well. She’d figure out something. They had savings in the bank, after all.

THEY WALKED THROUGH the grounds surrounding the house, with Kerry pointing out favored spots from her childhood.

Then they turned out of the gates and walked along the road, its surface sloping up towards the crest of a nearby hill.

“It’s such a different environment,” Dar commented, crunching a bit of snow under her boots. “It’s like you have two worlds in the North, a winter one and a summer one.”

Kerry tucked her gloved hands inside her pockets and watched her breath plume as she exhaled. “That’s true. You’re more aware of the passage of time up here, I think. I always liked 170 Melissa Good spring and summer better. We were out of school in the summer, and at least for a while, that was fun, because I got to go to summer camp.”

“Mm.”

“Winter was always full of social stuff,” Kerry went on.

“Dress ups, and press events, dinners…For a while I tried to get interested in current events so I’d have something intelligent to say when they pointed the camera at me, but after a few instances of that, I got told to just shut up and look good.”

Dar looked at her.

Kerry shrugged. “What can I tell you, Dar? They didn’t want to hear what I had to say, or maybe they were afraid I’d develop an embarrassing view on something.” She chuckled softly. “If they’d only known.”

“Did you?” Dar asked. “Develop a view different from your father’s?”

Kerry considered the question. “I liked some of his positions on things. I thought his view on keeping families together was good, though now after knowing what was going on with that other woman, the hypocrisy kind of stinks. He knew a lot more about international politics than I did, and I didn’t have the matu-rity to understand the machinations he was going through here locally to control funding and maintain a conservative majority.”

Dar grunted thoughtfully.

“I didn’t really start disagreeing with him until I was in college,” Kerry went on. “When I got exposed to the wider world and the many kinds of people in it.”

“Ever talk to him about that?”

“No.” Kerry shook her head and leaned forward a little as they started up a steeper part of the hill. “I tried once, but he told me if that’s what college was doing to me, he’d put a stop to it.”

Dar simply stopped walking. Kerry moved on a few steps, then turned and regarded her. “I want to know something. How in the hell did you become the woman that told me to go to hell in Miami?”

Ah. Good question. Kerry walked back to Dar, took her hand, and led her upward toward the crest of the hill. “It wasn’t something that happened overnight. It was something that was building a little at a time, until I got home after I graduated college with my degree, and was told I was being put to work as a spokes-woman/receptionist in one of my father’s crony’s companies.”

They got to the top of the hill and Kerry paused, regarding the view. “I knew I had a choice. Either put my money where my mouth was and get the hell out of here, or stay here and accept the inevitable.” She walked to a tall, almost bare tree and patted its Thicker Than Water 171

bark. “So I came up here that night and spent hours looking up at the stars, and finally made my decision.”

Dar joined her. “Not a popular one.”

“No.” Kerry exhaled. “After I’d accepted Associated’s job offer that next morning, I called Brian and told him, then I just packed, told my parents I was taking the job and left.” She leaned on the tree. “But they didn’t make it easy. He kept after me con-stantly. They hoped they’d wear me down and I’d just give up and come home.”

Dar gazed at her. “And I almost made that happen.”

Kerry turned and looked at her. “Almost. But you also were what made me choose my life over their plans for it, and that more than makes up for what might have been, Dar.” She decided to lighten up the conversation. “So, here we have my very first decision tree.”

Dar studied Kerry’s face for a few moments, then relaxed into a smile. “Nice view up here.” She indicated the opposite slope.

The hill was fairly steep, and featured a long stretch of even whiteness, ending in a clear area at the bottom with only a few trees that might provide a dangerous impediment. “That where you used to slide down?”

“Yep.” Kerry sighed. “Wish we had a sled; I’d love to take you for a ride.”

“Well,” Dar removed her small penknife from her pocket,

“first things first.”

Kerry walked to Dar and eyed the knife. “Honey, I love you, but you can’t cut down the tree with that to make a sleigh for me.

I just won’t let you,” she warned with a serious look. “I’d rather get the car and drive to Wal-Mart.”

Dar laughed.

“No, really, sweetie.” Kerry took the knife from her fingers.

“Give me that.” Dar swiped the tool back. “I wasn’t going to cut the damn tree down.” She circled the trunk and found a good spot. “Just do a little carving.” She set to work with Kerry peering over her shoulder.

“Oh.” Kerry smiled. “Okay.” She turned away and explored the hilltop, kicking bits of half buried wood around with the toe of her hiking boot. The wind was stiffer up there and it blew her hair back, stinging her eyes with its chill as she gazed down the slope.

“That night seems so long ago,” she said to the air. “I was so scared. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, or where I might end up.” The branches overhead chuckled together. “But I looked up at those stars, and they told me to follow my heart.”

She turned and watched Dar. Dar’s brow was creased in concentration as she carved careful letters. “And that’s what I ended up 172 Melissa Good doing, isn’t it?”

“You say something to me?” Dar poked her head around the tree trunk. “Almost done.”

Kerry strolled to Dar and kissed her on the nose. “Take your time, Geppetto.” She admired the neat heart shaped cut and the curved letters taking form under Dar’s skilled hands. “I bet you could carve wood, if you wanted to.”

“Isn’t that what I’m doing?” Dar finished a K and started on the S. “Or do you mean like sitting on the porch in a rocking chair whittling kind of thing.” She flicked a piece of bark out of her way. “I think I’ll wait for retirement for that, when I’m too old and creaky to do anything else.”

Kerry rested her chin on Dar’s shoulder and exhaled. “We can be old and creaky together. Can you imagine what great memories we’ll have by then?” She had a touch of wonder in her voice.

“What an amazing thought.”

Dar finished her work and turned her head. “You like?”

A simple heart, with four initials and a plus sign. Kerry sighed in deep satisfaction. “I love.” She kissed Dar on the lips.

“Thank you.”

Holding hands, they walked back down the hill. Kerry knew they were watched from behind kitchen curtains, knew the whispers, knew the scandalized looks they were garnering, and the only thing that knowledge evoked in her was an intense desire to laugh.

There were cars in the driveway when they got back to the house. One, Kerry realized, was Andy and Ceci’s rental car, and she nudged Dar and pointed to it. “Hey!” The other was Richard and Angie’s, and she guessed her brother-in-law had come over.

The third she didn’t recognize.

“Huh. Thought they were going to wait at the hotel for us,”

Dar commented as they strolled up the walk. “Hope everything’s okay.”

The front door opened as they approached, and the major domo gave them a brief smile as they entered the house.

It was quiet, but they could hear voices from the solarium, and one of those voices was easily identifiable from its low, drawling tones. Kerry led the way into the garden and waved at the group seated near the end of the glassed-in area. “Hey, folks.”

“Goodness!” a clear voice erupted, and a small, silver haired form popped up from the bench like an albino meerkat. “Kerrison!

There you are.”

Kerry stopped and blinked, then smiled. “Aunt Penny!”

Her aunt hurried around the bench, rushed over to her, and gave her an enthusiastic hug. “Hello, my dear. You look wonder-Thicker Than Water 173

ful,” Aunt Penny said with enthusiasm. “Hello to you, too, Dar.

It’s good to see you again.”

“Same here,” Dar responded cordially, having developed a liking for Kerry’s perky elderly relative.

Aunt Penny clasped both of their arms and led them to the benches, where Dar’s parents and Cynthia Stuart were seated.

“And I’ve just met your lovely parents, Dar. Wonderful!”

Dar felt her face reacting, saw her father’s do likewise, and heard her mother snicker; she realized they both probably wore the same expression. She walked over, took a seat next to her father and exhaled, extended her leather covered legs out a little and regarded her boots as she listened to Kerry and Aunt Penny exchange pleasantries with Cynthia.

“Oh, listen.” Kerry broke the flow of conversation. “I have to get something from our room—I’ll be right back.” She exchanged a glance just slightly too long with Dar as she passed, and touched her partner’s shoulder as Dar patted her calf in understanding.

“Right. Ah…” Cynthia frowned. “Well, Penny, tell us what you’ve been up to? It’s been so long.”

“Well, dear, since I was banned from your house while your husband was alive, that’s not so very surprising, now is it?”

Penny rebuked mildly. “But I’ve been doing some interesting things, so I’m glad you asked.”

Cynthia had the grace to look embarrassed. “I’m so sorry, Penny.” She sighed, glancing furtively at Ceci and Andrew.

Ceci rallied to the occasion. “Don’t worry. Andrew and I are banned from so many households for so many reasons, we don’t even bother with Christmas cards anymore.”

Andy chuckled. “Ain’t that the truth.”

Penny patted his knee, giving Cynthia a reassuring look at the same time. “As I was saying, dear…”

DAR SAT BACK to listen, half an ear listening for Kerry moving around the house behind her, and most of her thoughts fastened on what her partner was up to.

“You ready to go home?” Andrew asked in a low voice.

Dar glanced at him. “Does it show?”

Her father patted her knee, then poked it. “Whacha got here, Dardar? Alligator pants?”

“Leather.” Dar chuckled, smoothing the hide. “Stuck in the back of my closet.”

Andrew studied the garment. “Ah do believe I remember when you got them there pants.” He glanced around and lowered his voice again. “D’jya hear what happened last night?”

174 Melissa Good

“No.” Dar leaned on the arm of her chair. “What?”

“That there lady fired all them hangers-on,” Andrew said.

“Just went in and told them to git.”

Dar’s eyes brightened. “Yeah?” She was pleasantly surprised.

“All of them?”

Andrew nodded solemnly. “Yep. Even that feller we all did not like.”

Kyle? It had to be. Dar muffled a grin, giving Cynthia mental points she hadn’t expected to tender. “Good for her,” she whispered. “About damn time. Wait ’til Kerry hears.”

Andrew sat back with a satisfied grunt, folding his arms across his chest. He was dressed in his usual jeans, but this time with a heavy sweatshirt against the cold weather and a pair of sturdy military boots. “I do believe she’ll be happier for it.”

“Sure,” Dar said. “She’s hated that bastard most of her life.

Just wish she’d have been there to see it.”

Her father’s lips quirked a little. “Wall, just so happens your momma was there with that little camera thing of hers. So we can have us a picture watching session later on.”

Dar looked at him in surprise. “You were there?”

“Yeap.”

“Huh.”

“Didn’t think we’d let you kids have all the fun, didja?”

Dar covered her face with one hand and shook her head.

After a moment of watching her, Andrew leaned over again.

“Hey, Dardar?”

“Hm?”

“Things work out all right with Gerry?”

Dar stared past the people in the room to the far wall. “Not really. But that was my choice and my fault, so if I pay for it, it’s only fair.” She kept her eyes forward, even when she felt the warmth of her father’s hand on her shoulder. “You taught me that.”

The pressure increased as Andy squeezed her arm. “Yeap, I did. But if it’s all the same t’you, I think you made the right choice, doing what you done.”

Dar managed a smile. “Thanks.”

IT WAS A plain wooden door, set in a half forgotten hallway behind the library and the study, the senator’s official “working”

area. Kerry approached it and rested her hand on the rough, slightly irregular surface for a moment before she turned the knob and pushed the door inward.

Unlike the big study, this room was small, almost intimate. It Thicker Than Water 175

smelled mostly of books and dust, age and use. Along one wall, under the window, was a desk with an old style wooden desk chair. The other three walls were covered in bookshelves, and they, unlike the outer study, were filled with well-read and tat-tered books.

Kerry just stood in the middle of the room and looked around. It was, perhaps, the third or fourth time she’d ever been in there, and even though the memories she had were hazy, the room didn’t seem to have changed.

This was her father’s private office. Here, he worked on the family financial business, or read books that interested him rather than advertised his achievements. Here, on the walls, hung old certificates from his younger years and pictures from his college days.

Kerry knew she only had a few minutes to search, but she had to pause and study the pictures—stern men standing together, her father in the front row near the middle, almost unrecognizable.

Almost.

Except that the face in the picture held lines she recognized from the mirror she looked into every day. The truth was there in front of her, a truth she knew she couldn’t set aside. She had been a part of this man, no matter what he’d done to her. Kerry touched the edge of the picture frame, staring intently at it. Then she shook her head, went to shelves, and scanned the books on them.

Military histories. He’d loved them, she recalled, and now, thinking that, she remembered his reaction to Dar’s father and a little puzzle seemed to click into place. He’d always admired sol-diers, heroes. His most prized appointment had been to the Military Appropriations Committee. Surely, he’d taken the time to research Dar’s family. Kerry wondered what he’d decided about them. Had he changed his mind? Would he have ever changed his mind about her? About Dar?

With a sigh, she walked to the desk and gingerly sat in the chair, expecting but not getting a protesting squeak from the antique springs. She was reaching for the first drawer when a flash of color to her right caught her eye, and she half turned to look at the desk top.

Pictures were balanced along the back edge of the desk. To her utter surprise, she found herself looking back from one of the frames. Nestled between pictures of Angie and Mike, to one side of a smaller framed shot of her parents together, was not only a shot of her, but a recent one.

Dumbfounded, Kerry brought it closer as if to verify the evidence of her own eyes. She recognized the picture as one she’d had taken of herself for the corporate newsletter on her promotion 176 Melissa Good to vice president, so her expression was appropriately business-like.

It was an original. She could see the softly matted sheen, very different from the print in the glossy catalog. How had he gotten it?

She put it down again, a little shaken. It took all her will-power to turn her eyes from the photo and pull open the drawer to look inside it.

DAR’S CELL PHONE rang. She gave everyone an apologetic look, then stood and stepped outside the room to take the call.

“Hello?”

“Well, hello, Dar,” Alastair said. “Any luck?”

If there was any consolation to be found, Dar took it from the anxiety she could hear in Alastair’s voice. “No. Alastair, those papers could be anywhere. I’m sure he didn’t leave them just lying around his house, for God’s sake. They’re probably in a vault someplace.” She hesitated. “Listen, just…We should be home tonight. Have Bea book me on the first flight Tuesday.”

Alastair sighed.

“I want a day or so to get things settled,” Dar said. “And to give Kerry a few days. She’s pretty shaken up right now.”

“I’m sure,” Alastair murmured. “Take your time, Dar.”

Dar leaned against the wall and tried not to feel sick to her stomach. “Hey, Alastair?”

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry.”

Alastair was silent for a moment. “Well, you know, Dar, jobs are jobs, but family is the important thing in life.” He hesitated.

“Right?”

It didn’t make either of them feel any better, Dar suspected.

“Right.” She heard soft footsteps coming down the hall and glanced up to see Kerry approaching. “I’ll call you later.”

“All right. Bye.” Alastair hung up just as Kerry came within earshot. Dar clipped her phone to her leather beltlet and reached out to give Kerry’s arm a gentle rub. “No luck, hm?”

Kerry shook her head. “He has…I mean, he had a little private office. I tried there.”

“S’okay.” Dar produced a smile for her, warm and genuine.

“C’mon. I think your aunt was about to tell us funny stories about you and a birthday party.”

Kerry rolled her eyes, but allowed herself to be bumped towards the doorway. Just shy of it she stopped and waited for Dar to come up behind her. “He had my picture on his desk, Dar.”

Thicker Than Water 177

Dar’s eyebrows shot up in honest surprise.

“I just don’t understand.” Kerry sighed and continued on into the room, giving her family a smile she didn’t really feel.

KERRY WAS GLAD Aunt Penny had stopped by, even though she did tend to tell embarrassing stories about her. At least one of my relatives, she reflected, actually likes me and doesn’t mind saying so. “We just took a walk up to the hill,” she said, in answer to her mother’s query. “I wanted to show Dar my old sledding spot.”

“Goodness, do you still have that Flyer around here, Cyndi?”

Aunt Penny asked. “I quite remember young Kerrison here doing battle with a tree on it years ago.”

“Ouch.” Kerry rubbed her nose in memory. “No, that one’s been gone a long time.” She spared a sad thought for its passing.

“Dar was going to chop down a tree and make one, but I convinced her we didn’t have time.”

Everyone looked at Dar, who looked back with devastating innocence. “Tell you what. We’ll go up to Aspen and I’ll make it up to you. You can watch me take out a few trees.”

Kerry grinned. “You’re on. After your shoulder heals, that is.”

“Oh yeah. Get that cleared up just in time fer her to break a laig.” Andrew chuckled.

Everyone laughed along with him, even Dar, who folded her arms over her chest. “I wasn’t the one who took out six ski instructors and a sled dog. Or that tent.”

“Mm…I remember that.” Ceci grimaced. “That dog was really mad.”

Cynthia leaned forward, placing her hands precisely into her lap. “That sounds very interesting. Do you ski, Commander?”

“Not very well.” Ceci ignored the snort from her husband.

“Between him and Dar, they cleared the slopes.”

Another chuckle made its way around the small circle. “Well, isn’t that fun.” Aunt Penny patted Kerry on the knee. “Sounds like you have your work cut out for you, dear.”

“Yes,” Cynthia agreed quickly. “Do stay for lunch, will you, Penny? It’s almost served.”

They all got up to go into the dining room. Kerry brought up the rear and was surprised when her mother held out a hand, slowing them both down. “What’s up?”

“Kerrison, could I speak with you, briefly?” her mother asked. “Alone?”

Ah. Kerry ran over the list of possible subjects and decided it was probably safe, unless her mother was going to give her “that 178 Melissa Good speech,” and it was a little too late for that. “Sure.” She waved at Dar, who was waiting in the doorway. “G’wan. I’ll catch up.”

Dar studied her for a moment, then nodded and slipped out of the room, leaving them alone together. “So,” Kerry turned and leaned against one of the large planters, “what’s on your mind?”

KERRY WAITED FOR the voice to stop, keeping her eyes fastened on the shifting sun outside the glass panes. Then she turned. “I can’t believe you’re asking me that.”

“Kerrison,” Cynthia held up a hand, “please, at least consider it. You would be excellent in this role.”

“Mother,” Kerry took a breath and held her temper, “I’m very happy with the life I have. I’m not changing it.”

“I’m not saying you aren’t, dear,” Cynthia said. “And certainly, I realize you’re very attached to your friend Dar, and she would be welcome here, as well.”

Kerry regarded her for a moment. “You really don’t get it, do you?” She sighed. “No, mother, I won’t accept a position here.”

She paused. “For one thing, you can’t afford me. Dar pays me a hell of a lot better than father ever paid anyone.”

“But…” Cynthia stopped. “Well, I’m sure…” She stopped again. “It’s not just the money, Kerrison. We want you to come back here and be part of your family. Surely you can understand that.”

“For another thing,” Kerry went on as though she hadn’t heard, “I don’t like Michigan.” She absorbed her mother’s slightly shocked look. “I love living in Florida.”

“But—”

“Dar and I have a wonderful life together, mother. Why would I want to change that?” Kerry asked in frustration. “Don’t you understand yet? This isn’t some passing phase I might grow out of.”

Cynthia took a seat on a nearby bench and folded her hands.

“I do understand that you and Dar are very fond of each other, dear.”

Kerry sat next to her. “No, you don’t understand. We love each other.”

Cynthia was silent.

“I love Dar with all my heart,” Kerry said. “She’s my life.

We’re partners in every sense of the word. She’s everything I could ever have wished for in someone to share the rest of my life with.” She waited for comment and got none. “So, though I’m really glad you fired that bastard Kyle, and the rest of those useless dog poops, I’m not going to come here and take their place.”

Thicker Than Water 179

Cynthia sighed. “Kerrison—”

”I’m going to go home and take my jacket off and play with my dog and soak in the hot tub with Dar under the stars tonight, just because we can,” Kerry said. “And, I’ll Catch up on my business email and get ready to go back to work.”

They were both silent for a few moments. Kerry exhaled and rubbed her temples. “Look, I know that’s not what you wanted to hear, and honestly, I do appreciate the welcome you’ve given both me and Dar.”

“Actually,” Cynthia murmured, “I quite like Dar. I find her intelligence refreshing.”

The way to my heart, Kerry realized with a weak internal laugh, is through praising my partner. Imagine that. “It’s one of the things I like most about her.” She smiled at her mother. “She’s smarter than I am.”

“Surely not.” Cynthia frowned. “You’ve quite a good brain, Kerrison. You’ve always had.”

“Funny, you and father were always so ready for me to end up as a receptionist.” Kerry felt the words slip out. “I never thought my brain ever entered the plans.”

“That’s not so. He was very proud of your skills, especially when you were in high school,” Cynthia said. “He was simply anxious to channel them into something practical.”

“I think I found something more practical than reception work to channel them into,” Kerry remarked dryly.

Cynthia got up, walked to the frosted windows, and gazed out. “I thought perhaps you would at least think about this, Kerrison.” She exhaled. “Yes, I realize you do have your own life and all that, but this is not such a terrible thing I’m asking, is it? We just want you to be a part of our lives, as well.”

Kerry searched the ceiling, looking for patience and finding precious little. “Why?”

Cynthia turned. “Pardon?”

“Why?” Kerry repeated. “Why is it so important that I come back here?”

Cynthia frowned. “Is that a serious question? You are my daughter, and a member of our family.”

“No, I’m not,” Kerry replied quietly. “Have you forgotten? I was thrown out of this family a year ago.”

Her mother exhaled. “That wasn’t…Your father was very upset at the time, Kerrison. He was simply frustrated and angry.

As were you.”

Kerry looked at her. “I’m sorry. You all stood there and let him do that. You stood by while they threw me into an insane asy-lum. Then you let him bully my brother and my sister into shun-180 Melissa Good ning me at the hearings.” Her voice had gotten louder and louder.

“And now you think I want to come back?” She stood. “Are you nuts?”

Cynthia stared at her in shock.

“Why in the hell would you think I wanted, or what’s more, needed you?”

“Kerrison!” her mother gasped. “Think of what you’re saying.

No one meant any harm to you—”

“Bullshit!” Kerry was really angry now. “You never cared a rat’s ass about me. All that mattered was what I looked like, how many eligible boys I could bring over to the house for daddy to wind around his finger, and how soon I could get married to become a family brood cow.”

“Kerrison—”

“Don’t call me that,” Kerry spat, her breath coming quickly.

“I don’t know who the hell you people think you are, or what gave you the right to bastardize my life for all these years, but—”

The door opened and Dar entered, pale blue eyes flashing, her hands flexing lightly as she bolted to Kerry’s side and glared at her mother. “What the hell is going on in here?”

Kerry drew in a breath and released it, then touched Dar’s side. She could feel Dar’s ribs expanding and contracting, the muscles under her fingertips taut and almost vibrating with tension. “My mother wants me to give up my job, and my life, and come home to be her office manager.”

Dar looked at her, then at Cynthia, who turned her head in discomfort. “Nice. I think I can outbid her, though.”

Kerry laughed humorlessly.

“What the hell is your problem?” Dar asked Cynthia.

Cynthia looked thoroughly upset. “I’m trying to bring my family back together. There’s no crime in that.” She patted her coiffed hair. “I can see it was a mistake to ask, however.”

Kerry closed her eyes and felt sick to her stomach. She leaned against Dar and felt Dar’s arm curl around her in a reassuring hug. “Why can’t you just let me be happy?” she asked in a very quiet voice. “Is that too much to ask?”

“I...” Cynthia paused, then sighed. “I have no idea what that is, so perhaps I simply can’t understand your viewpoint, Kerrison.” She sat down. “I’m just trying to do what I feel is right.”

Dar glanced down and caught the reflection of light off the tears that rolled down Kerry’s cheeks. “What’s right is for you to accept Kerry for who and what she is. And stop trying to remake her into an image that was never her to begin with.”

“I have known my daughter far longer than you have,” Cynthia said stiffly.

Thicker Than Water 181

“You never knew her at all,” Dar said. “And no, you can’t have her back. She was never yours to begin with.”

Kerry sniffled and peeked at Dar from under damp lashes.

“My, aren’t we possessive,” she murmured with a wan smile.

Dar looked at her.

“Nice feeling,” Kerry whispered. “Thanks.”

“Hmph.” Dar kissed her gently on the head. “C’mon. Let’s go home.”

“Wait.” Cynthia held a hand up, then walked to them.

“Please, let’s not leave in anger again.” She touched Kerry’s arm.

“I’m sorry, Kerrison. You’re right. I don’t understand what it is you want. Please believe that I was only trying to help you.”

Kerry sadly looked at her. “I know. I’m sorry I lost my temper. There’re just so many things I get so angry about when I think of them.”

Her mother glanced down at the marble floor.

“Maybe seeing Kyle brought a lot of that back. He was always the worst.”

A soft throat clearing made them glance at the now open solarium door. It was one of the butlers. “Mrs. Stuart? There’s a policeman here to see you.”

Cynthia blinked in honest astonishment. “To see me? What on earth for?”

“I don’t know, ma’am. He mentioned something about an accident,” the butler replied. “Shall I show him in here?”

Dar and Kerry exchanged looks, then looked at Cynthia. Cynthia lifted her hands in a tiny gesture of puzzlement, then nodded.

“Certainly. Please do so.”

THE OFFICER ENTERED, taking off his hat and giving Mrs.

Stuart a respectful nod. “Ma’am.”

“Come in, Officer,” Cynthia said. “This is my daughter Kerrison, and her friend Dar. What can we do for you?”

The policeman gave them both brief nods of acknowledgement, then turned back to Cynthia. “Ma’am, I’m sorry to bother you. I know this is a bad time, but we’re investigating an accident that happened near here, and we just need to ask you some questions.”

Cynthia looked properly and politely bewildered. “Me? Well, certainly. Please sit down.” She took a seat and waited for the officer to join her. Kerry and Dar took advantage of a nearby bench. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t been out of the house for quite some time. I’m not sure what I can hope to tell you.” She glanced at Dar and Kerry. “My daughter was out for a walk earlier. Per-182 Melissa Good haps it’s she with whom you wish to speak. Kerrison, did you see anything while you were out?”

Kerry shook her head. “No. Nothing except trees, snow, and a couple of buried cars.”

“No, ma’am, it’s not about something you might have seen.”

The policeman flipped open a pad and checked his information.

“Do you know a man by the name of Kyle Evans?”

It was the last thing any of them expected. “Why, yes,” Cynthia replied slowly. “He…well, at least until yesterday, he worked on my…late husband’s staff.” She fell silent. “Has something happened to him?”

“I’m afraid so, ma’am. He was driving down the highway last night and apparently passed out at the wheel. His car ran off the road and hit a tree.” The officer hesitated. “He’s dead, ma’am.”

Kerry blinked, absorbing the news with a wild mixture of emotions. She took a deep breath and released it slowly, knowing that as a human and a Christian, she should feel some sort of sor-row for the passing of another mortal.

She didn’t.

Oh, well. Kerry looked up at Dar, who had an interested, speculative look on her face. “What are you thinking?” she whispered.

“Poetic justice,” Dar answered succinctly. “And, gee…now your father will have someone to talk to down there.”

Kerry winced.

“Sorry. You asked,” Dar murmured. “I’m not going to pretend to be even slightly sorry that bastard’s dead. I only hope he didn’t ruin the tree.”

“My goodness,” Cynthia had been saying. “I can’t…I hardly know what to say.” She shook her head. “What time did the accident occur? He left here just about midnight, I believe.”

The officer nodded. “About one a.m., ma’am. Do you have any idea what he’d been doing between the time he left and then?

Only takes about a ten minute drive to get where he was.”

“I haven’t a mortal clue,” Cynthia answered, stunned. “He gathered his things and left in quite a hurry. I’m afraid he was quite upset. I had just released him and the rest of my late husband’s staff from employ.”

“Ah,” the officer grunted, writing that down. “Was he a drinker?”

“I have no idea. Certainly in social situations. I never had any reason to believe it was more frequent than that.” Cynthia looked at Kerry, a touch helplessly. “Did you think so, Kerrison?”

Kyle, A drunk? “No.” Kerry shook her head as the policeman looked at her. “I haven’t lived here for over a year, but Kyle was employed by my father for many years prior to that. I never Thicker Than Water 183

thought he drank, or in fact, did drugs or anything like that.” She paused thoughtfully. “In fact, he was a health freak.”

The officer nodded again. “That seems right, ma’am. His car had a lot of equipment in it, and gym clothes.” He closed his book.

“Well, I’m sorry to have to pass that information along to you, Mrs. Stuart. I realize it’s lousy timing.” He settled his hat back onto his head. “You confirmed when he left here, that’s all I really needed. We’ll try to backtrack now and see where he went first.”

“Officer,” Dar said, “it seems like a lot of investigating over a car accident.”

The man eyed her shrewdly. “We like to be sure, ma’am, especially when it’s a former employee of a government family.

We just want to make sure everything’s what it seems to be.” He touched the hat brim. “Mrs. Stuart, Ms. Stuart, ma’am.”

His footsteps sounded loud on the parquet floor, and the door opening and closing echoed softly in the silence that he left behind him.

“Well,” Cynthia said, “what a shock.”

“Mm,” Kerry agreed. “Yeah…Oh my God, I wonder if Brian knows?”

Cynthia gasped softly. “Oh! We should call him at once.” She got up and hurried from the room, leaving them behind without so much as another single word.

Kerry sighed and leaned against Dar. “Wow.”

“Yeah.” Dar’s voice was quiet. “You okay now?”

Kerry considered that. “Yeah. I feel better, kinda. I think I was wanting to get that out of my system for a while.” She paused. “What I said to my mother, I mean.”

“Mm.”

“Let’s go home.”

“You mean it this time?” Dar gave her an affectionate look.

“You’re not teasing me?”

“Let’s go.” Kerry stood up and offered Dar her hand. “Let’s get Mom and Dad and get the hell out of here. But we have to make one stop before the airport.”

Dar followed her out of the room, their hands still clasped.

“Where’s that?” she asked, as they walked across to the dining room.

“Dairy Queen,” Kerry replied firmly.

KERRY TOOK HER hot fudge sundae and sat down at the bench table, her eyes flicking around the interior that called up memories of high school and summer. Most people didn’t go for ice cream in winter, though there was a scattering of other people 184 Melissa Good in the store, but that was one of the nice things about living in the tropics, it was almost always summer. Always ice cream season.

Kerry dug herself up a spoonful of vanilla ice cream and put it in her mouth. “You know, it’s hard to believe.”

“What is?” Ceci was maneuvering around a banana split.

“That they sell decent ice cream here? I always thought so. We went to Carvel when we could.”

“Kyle.”

Dar had her arms folded on the table, and she was sucking a thick chocolate milkshake through a somewhat uncooperative straw. She paused in her efforts and looked across the table at Kerry. “Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

Kerry twirled a bit of hot fudge on the end of her spoon. “I really want to be horrified that someone died, and you know, I just can’t.” She glanced furtively at her in-laws. “I can’t pretend I’m not glad that happened to him.”

“Why should you?” Ceci asked.

“Why should I pretend?” Kerry poked her ice cream.

“Because it’s polite, and I was raised to be polite. It’s not nice to gloat over the fact that someone you hated is dead.”

An awkward bit of silence followed. After it had gone on a while, Dar cleared her throat and patted Kerry’s hand. “I’m glad he’s dead. And I’m glad I wasn’t raised politely, because it feels good to be glad he’s dead.”

Ceci snorted softly.

“No offense,” Dar added hastily.

“That feller done wrong by you, kumquat,” Andy pro-nounced, not looking up from his dish of completely vanilla ice cream. “Don’t you feel bad about him being dead.” He glanced up. “I sure do not.”

Kerry glanced up at him, noting the faint smile around the edges of his mouth. “Yeah, I know,” she murmured, suddenly unsure. Her eyes shifted to Dar, who blinked and studied her hands, an expression on her face that Kerry had come to know as the one that meant she’d done something she wasn’t sure Kerry was going to like.

“Andy’s right.” Ceci broke the moment. “You’ve got nothing to feel bad about, Kerry. The man was a jerk, and his jerkiness caught up to him last night. He was probably frothing at the mouth so badly it got in his eyes and made him veer off the road.

Poetic justice.”

Poetic justice. Kerry pondered that term. As far as she knew, she was the only poet at the table. Finally, all she could do was shrug, and make a mental note to talk to Dar later about that look of hers, though she suspected she knew what was behind it. Ah.

Thicker Than Water 185

Maybe I’ll just let it go.

“Mm.” She took a spoonful of ice cream and put it in her mouth, then almost choked on the spoon when her name was called from behind her. She turned to see a willowy blond woman obviously heading right for her.

She had about six seconds to figure out who the woman was.

Kerry found her early schooling coming in desperately handy as she flipped through names and faces the way her father had taught all of them, searching for this one.

College? No. Church? No. Debating club? No.

“Well, Kerrison! I’m just amazed to see you here.” The woman arrived next to the table, her lips twitching into a brief, false smile. “Or maybe not.”

“Hello, Corinne.” Kerry returned the smile. “How wonderful to see you after all these years.” Her eyes slipped past Corinne.

“Do you work here?” She spotted a man in what appeared to be a supervisor’s uniform behind her.

“Work?” Corinne chuckled. “My husband owns the store. I’m just here picking something up for him. Oh, by the way, I’m sorry about your father.”

“Thank you.” Kerry replied.

“You’re staying in town?” Corinne’s eyes darted briefly to Kerry’s table companions. “I thought you’d be on your way to the funeral. Or, well, I thought you would, at any rate.”

Bitch. Kerry leaned one arm on the back of the bench seat, aware of Dar stirring restlessly across from her. “No, we’re on our way to the airport. And please forgive my manners. Corinne, this is my partner Dar Roberts, and her parents Andrew and Cecilia.”

She looked at Dar. “This is Corinne…” She glanced back at the blonde. “What is it now?”

“Henderson.” Corinne gave the rest of the table a brief nod and frosty smile. “Well, I’m sure you can’t wait to get on your way. It was certainly nice to see you. I’m sure we won’t have the pleasure often and everyone,” her smile turned sickly sweet, “has been asking about you.” She lifted a hand, turned, and went back to her table.

Kerry felt Ceci move, then before her eyes, a brown blob flew through the air and splatted against Corinne’s back.

Corinne turned, startled, as Kerry whirled and faced forward, her eyes nearly popping out of her head. “Did you just do what I think you just did?” she hissed at Ceci.

“Sure.” Ceci licked her spoon with relish. “Damn good aim, if I say so myself.”

Dar wrapped her lips around her straw and put on an innocent look as she met Corinne’s staring eyes. Next to her, Andrew 186 Melissa Good merely sniffed and took another bite of his pristine and fudge free ice cream.

Kerry covered her eyes with one hand. “What is it about people around me that encourages food fights? Corinne is going to lose her mind.”

“What mind?” Dar asked at the same time as Ceci snorted.

“You know, Kerry, you really should consider giving up Christianity,” Ceci said. “All that guilt, all that angst. Go pagan.

We just enjoy our mischief and die happy.”

Dar grinned as she watched the confused Corinne try to look over her own shoulder at her back, then apparently decide she’d been imagining it all as she slipped into her expensive silk lined leather jacket. She accepted the gloves the manager handed to her, then left, shaking her head, after glancing back at Kerry and finding nothing apparently amiss.

“Old friend?” Dar asked.

Kerry peeked from between her fingers. “Is she gone?”

Dar nodded.

Kerry put her hand down and picked up her spoon. “No, she was never a friend. She was someone I went to high school with who was convinced everything I had, everything I got, was because of my father and not because I earned it.”

“Ah.”

“Sometimes I believed that,” Kerry added softly. “I think everyone did.”

“Well, I’m sure everyone doesn’t think your father bought Dar for you,” Ceci remarked practically. “Way out of his price league, for one thing.”

“Hey!” her offspring protested.

Kerry smiled at that and relaxed. “No, I’m sure they don’t.”

She thought back to past times. “I’m sure they don’t. I’m sure I don’t care what they think, either.”

She was sure, wasn’t she?