Whatever It Takes (18 page)

“Yes. Her husband’s with her. Doctor told her to take it easy for a couple of days but said she and the baby are fine.”

“Anyone else hurt?”

“No. Thank God. Scared the hell out of a lot of people, but that’s about it. Thankfully no window washers were on the platform at the time.”

“The eye patch for your black eye?” Kathleen said.

“Yes. Figured Violet and Sophia would get a kick out of it. They have a fondness for pirates.”

“You’re sure it was an accident?” Kathleen said.

“Just one of those weird things.” He looked down at his watch. “It’s a little early, but would you mind collecting Sophia and Violet now? Just in case it’s a slow news day and this incident made the news, I don’t want the girls to hear about it from someone else.” 

Now that she knew he was all right, Kathleen welcomed the chance to get away. The worry she’d had for Eli had turned into a distinct unease at her extreme reaction. She needed to be alone and regroup. “I’ll head there now.” 

Without waiting for a response, she did an about-face and strode quickly down the hallway. 

Eli called out, “Kathleen, wait.”

She jerked to a stop but didn’t turn around. A hand touched her arm, and she looked up into Eli’s concerned face. “You okay?”

Doing what she knew how to do, what she had practiced her entire life, she gave him the calm, poised response he should expect from her, along with a smile that had just the right amount of impersonal professionalism. “I’m fine. Just not a big fan of hospitals. We’ll see you soon.”

She took off again, this time slower, less frantic. No way in hell did he need to know how very scared she’d been, or the turmoil churning inside her. When she saw him again, she’d have her head on straight and her veneer back in place. 

Torn between following her or doing the smart thing and letting her have some space, Eli made himself turn away, returning to where Justice stood.

“Is she all right?”

 Eli was a little surprised to see a hint of anger in his friend’s eyes. “She’s fine. This just brought back bad memories for her.”

Justice raised a questioning brow. “You’re sure that’s all it is?” 

“What do you mean?”

“You wanted her to come to Dallas. You wanted her to work for you. Is there something else you want from her?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You tell me.”

“You know damn well why I wanted her in Dallas. She needed help. And yes, I wanted her to work for me. My daughters need the protection. She’s the best at what she does, and she needs the money.”

“And that’s it?”

“You got something to say,” Eli growled, “say it.”

“She’s turned out to be an asset to the Justice group. And I like her. I don’t want to see her get hurt. She’s been hurt enough.”

“Why the hell would she get hurt?”

“She was with me when I got the notice you were here. I saw how she reacted. She cares for you more than most people care about someone they work for. If you don’t feel the same way, you need to back away before she—” 

Justice broke off abruptly, obviously seeing something in Eli’s expression. “I’ll be damned. How’d I miss it?”

“You’ve had a lot on your mind. You’re entitled to one miss. And before you ask, Kathleen and I are a long way from anything happening. She’s still vulnerable, and I doubt she’s even admitted to herself she’s attracted to me.” 

He looked back down the hallway where Kathleen had disappeared. “I think for the most part I just piss her off.”

“A common feeling among those who know you,” was Justice’s wry reply.

“Yeah, so I’ve been told.” All humor disappearing, Eli said, “You got a couple of investigators who can do some digging for me?”

“What do you need?”

“Find out who rented that window-washing equipment.”

“It’s your building. Wouldn’t you be able to get that information fairly easily?”

“One would think. I’ve already checked. It was rented by a dummy corporation. Doesn’t exist.”

“You think it was meant to hit you?”

“Seems a damn inefficient way to kill someone, but stranger things have happened. Truth is, if Eloise hadn’t dropped her purse and I stopped to help her, it would’ve come right down on me and anyone close-by.”

“Do you think Adam could have been behind it?” 

 “Well, it might give him an opportunity he wouldn’t otherwise have.”

“Such as?”

 “Like get special release to attend his brother’s funeral.”

“And then find a way to escape.”

“Exactly. Last time we talked, he had a Texas-sized smirk on his face when I told him he’d rot in jail for the rest of his life. Maybe it’s time for another brotherly chat.”

Chapter Twenty-two

Glad to have something to occupy her thoughts, Kathleen picked the girls up from school. Even though Eli had acted as if today’s incident had been inconsequential, she wasn’t so sure. Because of that, she was hypervigilant on the way home. Nothing would happen to these children under her watch. 

Since it was only a half hour or so earlier than their usual pickup time, the girls were as exuberant and chatty as always, never suspecting anything unusual had happened. But, just in case Eli’s black eye looked even worse when they got home, she wanted to prepare them.

“Your daddy got a new boo-boo today.” 

“Like a splinter in his finger?” Sophia asked.

“Kind of. Except it’s on his eye. He’s going to have a little bruise there. But the fun thing is, he’s going to wear an eye patch to cover it.”

Sophia’s eyes went wide, shining with wonder. “Like a pirate?”

“Yes, just like a pirate.”

That was all she needed to say to get their imaginations soaring. They whispered to each other the rest of the way home, and the instant they walked into the house, the girls rushed upstairs. 

Even though she told herself to leave before Eli came home, Kathleen followed them. They’d seemed so excited, and she couldn’t resist seeing what they were up to. 

She walked into the playroom, which was situated between the two girls’ bedrooms. Filled with every conceivable doll, toy, and children’s book imaginable, the room was a children’s treasure trove.

The girls immediately sat down at a table in the corner and began to work furiously on something. She stood in the doorway and watched them for a few minutes, loving the way they whispered to each other. Because of their age difference, she and Alice had never had that kind of closeness. Assuming the role of caretaker instead of sister prevented that kind of camaraderie.

Pushing aside the sadness and regret, she came to stand behind the girls. “So, what are you two up to?”

Sophia looked up briefly and gave her a gap-toothed grin. “We’re writing a book.”

“About what?”

“About Daddy Pirate.”

Swallowing laughter, Kathleen gazed down at their progress. The drawing had started first. The first surprise was that she was going to be in the book, too. It wasn’t hard to identify herself, what with the long, red hair and blue-green eyes. Both girls had drawn her, and it was quite the surprise to see that Violet could well be an artist. The picture she’d drawn of Kathleen had a surprising resemblance to her face. She was slim, willowy, and, even to her own mind, quite lovely. And Eli, with an eye patch and golden-blond hair, was holding a sword, apparently armed to defend her honor.

Sophia, however, wasn’t the artist her sister was. She had drawn Kathleen as a stick figure with wild, kinky, red hair and long, skinny arms and legs. Oddly enough, the picture reminded her of how she’d looked growing up. Wild red hair and stick thin.

Eli hadn’t gotten much better treatment from Sophia. He too was a stick figure, with spiky, yellow hair, an eye patch, an unfortunate bulbous nose, and oversized teeth. 

Spotting a large, comfortable-looking chair in the other corner, Kathleen sat down to watch them for a few minutes. It was peaceful here, and the girls added to the calm with their little stage whispers as they shared what they should write or draw.

The quiet also forced her to acknowledge what she’d been avoiding. Her reaction to the possibility of Eli being injured had been off the charts. When had she started to care? And not just care…but have such strong feelings for him? Yes, she had admitted an attraction and had been fighting like crazy to keep it at that—a mere attraction. The anguish she’d felt was totally unexpected. Completely unwelcome. Falling in love with Eli Slater was a disaster in the making. One she could not allow to happen. 

She closed her eyes, fighting the need to have a good cry. Wouldn’t that top off her over-emotional day? Forcing her mind away from her worries, she allowed her thoughts to drift. The quiet, other than the soft, conspiratorial whispers of the girls, lulled her into a restless doze. And as often happened, the nightmares weren’t far behind. Like dark wisps of clouds, they swirled around her. Knowing what was happening, she tried to push herself awake, told herself not to let them take her. Instead, she found herself falling, falling. 

As usual, the dreams were a jumble of some of her most horrific moments.

She stood in a cold, sterile room, felt small, insignificant, helpless to stop what was happening. A man, a stranger, lifted Alice in his arms. Kathleen screamed—“
Alice! Alice!
”
—
and ran after her. A pair of strong hands caught her, held her back. “You can’t go with her,” a firm, female voice said. “She’ll go to a good home, and you will, too. We can’t find a family who wants both of you. Sorry.”

“No, no, no! We’re not puppies, damn you! You can’t do this!” She screamed, cried, begged. Told them she could take care of Alice, but they wouldn’t let her. She fell to her knees, sobbing as they took away her baby sister.

The nightmare shifted. “Skinny Kat, Skinny Kat, can’t even swing a bat!”

They taunted, laughed, made fun of her. Pinched her so hard she had bruises for days. The house was full of kids. She was just another one. No one cared until it was time to blame someone.

“Kath-a-leen.” Her foster mother stood over her, her face lined with wrinkles, her breath stinking of cigarettes. “Did you break that vase?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Don’t you lie to me. Joey saw you do it.”

“But I didn’t.”

Smack! “Don’t you talk back to me. Don’t I give you a roof over your head and food to eat?”

Mouth pressed together, Kathleen knew not to answer with the truth. She shared a room with three other girls. Barely had room to move. And the food was minimal and tasteless.

“I’ll teach you not to lie if it’s the last thing I do!” Slap! Slap! A thick belt replaced the slapping hand. 

Kathleen fought back the tears, refused to show the pain and remorse the woman wanted.

Another shift, another shadowy figure.

“I’m sorry, Miss Callahan. We found your father on the bank of the river. Coroner has ruled it an accidental drowning. He must’ve fallen from the bridge.”

Daddy was gone...but she still had Alice.

“I don’t care what you say, Kathleen. I don’t have to stay with you, and I don’t want to stay in school. It’s boring. I’m twenty years old. I have my own money that you can’t touch. I can do what I damn well please.”

Kathleen reached out for her, her mind screaming for her to say something, say anything, to keep Alice with her. And then she was gone, a puff of smoke in the wind.

The horror came faster now. A screech of tires. People shouting. Emily screaming. And the pain…oh, sweet heavens, the pain was agonizing.

The blast of a gun made her jerk. Alice! She was screaming over and over. Kathleen fell on top of her, protecting her, already knowing it was too late. No. No. No. Not Alice. No!

Doctors, their eyes sad but resigned. “We’re sorry, Miss Callahan. The fragment dislodged. We couldn’t save her.”

Alice lay on the bed. So pale, so pretty. So dead.

The scene shifted again. She stood over another dead body. Murky at first, then her vision cleared. Eli lay facedown, blood pooled around him. Just like Alice.

Not Eli! No, no, no!

“Kathleen! Wake up. It’s a dream. You’re having a dream. You’re safe. Kat. Wake up now. It’s just a dream.”

Opening her eyes, she blinked up at Eli, who was on his knees in front of her. His hands gripped hers, his eyes filled with worry.

“Sorry.” She shook her head quickly to dispel the horror. “Must’ve fallen asleep.” Then, gasping, she looked over her shoulder, fearful that Sophia and Violet had heard her scream.

“They’ve had dinner and have already been settled into bed. Teresa said she hated to wake you, you looked so peaceful.”

She blinked again, trying to get a grasp on reality. It had been too real. That last part. It had just been too damn real.

“Didn’t mean to drop off like that.” She tried for a smile, then winced as she saw the bruising around his eye. “Looks sore. How does it feel?”

“Not bad. I’ve had worse.”

“Did you wear the eye patch for the girls?”

Brown eyes twinkled with amusement. “Yes. I’m now Pirate Daddy.”

“They’ve drawn pictures and were already planning a series of books when I dozed off.”

He stood and, since he already had hold of her hand, pulled her up with him. “Come see what they’ve done.”

He didn’t move away when she stood, and she bumped into him, the heat of his body against hers causing a visceral reaction she hadn’t anticipated. Heat flooded through her as an unexpected need rose within her. 

Refusing to acknowledge her reaction, Kathleen took a step back, tugging at her hand. Instead of letting her go, Eli said softly, “Kat? Look at me.”

She lifted her eyes to his, saw tenderness, a simmering desire. Her heart pounded, part want, part panic. If he kissed her, what would she do? 

A little smile twitched at his mouth, and he looked like he was about to say something but then stopped himself. Instead, his hand squeezed hers gently. “Come see what they’ve done.” He said again as he pulled her forward, toward the table. 

Both disappointed and relieved, she followed him to the small table where several pages were neatly stacked and a small trash can beside the table held multiple wadded pages. Apparently, several story attempts had been started and scrapped. Though Violet was most definitely the more talented in drawing, Sophia was well on her way to being a storyteller. She already had five paragraphs about her Pirate Daddy.