She Never Knew Page 15

“How exciting! I’m so happy for you!”

  “Now it’s my turn to change the subject.” Mary said. “How’s that darling nephew of mine? He’s adorable, I love the picture you sent me.”

  “Tyler is a mother’s dream, let me tell you.” Kat smiled into the phone. “He’s a good boy, has lots of friends in preschool, and knows half of the state capitals.”

  “Really? That’s impressive at his age.” Mary marveled.

  “I think so. He’s always been very interested in worldly things whereas most kids seem to be interested in action figures.”

  “So I shouldn’t send him a Sponge Bob t-shirt?”

  Kat laughed. “Definitely not. He’s never shown an interest in action heroes, but his best friend is a fan of them, so they get along great when they don’t share each other’s toys.”

  “I’ll bet!”

  “It sounds like he’s been good for you, Kat.”

  “He saved me, Mary.” Kat declared. “I don’t know where I would be without him. I can’t imagine how different my life would’ve been.”

  “I’m glad you have Tyler, but I’m sorry you went through such a traumatic ordeal.” Mary was referring to the rape.

  “Me too, but I’ve come to terms with it. It took me a long time, but I did speak to a psychologist recently and she gave me some perspective. I’m grateful to her.”

  “Do you mind if I ask who she is?”

  “Doctor Margaret Sullivan. Do you know her?”

  “I know of her. I’ve attended conferences where she was a guest speaker. She’s one of the best in her field, Kat. I’m glad she was able to help you.”

  “She wants to see me again for a follow-up visit. I can honestly say that I’m looking forward to it. She’s been very supportive.”

  “That’s what it’s all about.” Mary agreed. “You know, I had called you once about three years ago but your number had been disconnected.”

  “Yeah, I moved out a month after I got back from the funeral. That was when I was—it was a bad time.”

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, Kat.”

  “Well, you know what? You’re here now, and that’s what’s important.” Kat cleared her throat. “I would love to see you.”

  “I would love to see you too. In fact, that’s why I called. I’ve got some free time in the middle of August, which is only a month away. If it’s okay, I’d like to come down to see you and meet my nephew.”

  “Oh, Mary! That would be terrific! I won’t be teaching until September so that will work out well for me.”

  “Where do you teach?”

  Kat explained her role as an online instructor for the University of Millstone. She told Mary that she tutored home schooled children throughout the school year as well, but that she had taken time off during the summer to spend more time with Tyler as well as focus on some church-related projects.

  “Sounds like you have a pretty good set-up there yourself, kiddo. Okay, I’ll look at my schedule here and make some arrangements.” Mary confirmed. “I can call you back this weekend with a tentative date, how’s that?”

  “Perfect! I look forward to it.”

  “And I’ve got your email address from your letter, and I’ll reply to it so you’ll have my email address as well.”

  “Good.” Kat smiled. She was feeling better already. Tyler was safely home, she and Daniel had reached a new level in their relationship, and now she was on speaking terms with her sister.

  “So, are you okay now? You sound like you’re okay.”

  “Yes, I feel much better after talking with you.”

  The sisters chatted for a few more minutes about Tyler and their jobs. Before they hung up, Mary gave Kat her contact numbers with promises to talk over the weekend.

  Chapter 27

  As Darryl pulled his car into the parking lot of his motel, he breathed a sigh of relief. It had taken him nearly all day to reach his destination and he was tired. It had rained most of the afternoon and the fact that he had had a flat tire during the trip didn’t help matters, either. He had stopped again a couple of times after that to eat and refill his gas tank. Since he had already spent his final paycheck, he was using Michelle’s credit card to make purchases. Originally, it was intended for emergency purposes only, but Darryl didn’t care. As far as he was concerned, this trip was an emergency. He didn’t come all the way out here just to turn around. No, he came out here to take care of some unfinished business.

  The motel was located on the outskirts of Lakesboro. Darryl wanted to be closer to town where Kat lived, but for as long as he was staying, he couldn’t afford the higher rates. For now, this place would do. The motel wasn’t fancy, but it wasn’t run-down, either. It was simply outdated and did not offer the amenities most people were accustomed to. That was fine with him as all he really needed was a place to sleep. He would be spending much of his time scoping the area and the movements of his former instructor.

  When Darryl inspected his room, he was pleased to see that it was a suite. This meant he had a mini refrigerator and microwave in addition to a small living space that was separated from the bedroom. On the coffee table were several take-out menus of local restaurants, one of which was within walking distance from the motel.

  After he placed an order, Darryl turned on his GPS and searched for nearby grocery stores. He already had Kat’s address programmed in as he planned to drive by her house later that night. Initially, he had planned on retiring for the night, but the anticipation of seeing where his former instructor lived was too much for him. The fact that he had made it this far only fueled his excitement.

  Twenty minutes later, Darryl returned to his suite and shoveled his meal down his throat. With renewed energy, he mapped out the points of interest he would hit that evening. First, he would find a body shop to replace his tire. He had driven on the spare during the last leg of his trip and didn’t want to take the time to exit the highway. Next, he would shop at a grocery store to stock up on frozen entrees and beer. Finally, he would drive through Kat’s neighborhood on his way back to the motel. He wanted to get a feel for how she lived and if he would be easily seen during the day.

  So far, everything was going according to plan. But as Darryl drove around, he worried about drawing attention to himself. He had a busted tail light from when someone had smashed it in the parking lot of a bar he’d frequented. Until he got it fixed, his car would not pass inspection. The last thing he needed was to get pulled over by a cop for questioning, especially when he was hundreds of miles away from home. He knew his appearance was shifty in nature and any excuses he provided would most likely be viewed with skepticism. He had to be careful.

  Two hours later when Darryl finally reached Kat’s neighborhood, he was thankful she didn’t live in a gated community. He drove slowly, encouraged by the fact that most of the lots were heavily wooded and the houses were set far back from the road. He felt this was to his advantage and that he had a better chance of remaining undetected.

  When Darryl saw Kat’s house, he felt a surge of adrenaline. This is it, he thought. As he came to a slow crawl, he turned off his headlights and studied the massive colonial-style brick home. The moon offered a generous view of the front yard which revealed an assortment of playground equipment. He deduced that a child lived here but wouldn’t let that assumption deter him from completing his mission. His eyes drifted to the lights that shone inside the windows. Movement in the house was evident but Darryl couldn’t see its occupants. He chided himself for leaving behind his binoculars at the motel. It didn’t matter anyway, he reasoned. The next few days would tell him everything he needed to know.

  Before he left, he saw what appeared to be a large lake behind Kat’s backyard. So, not only is she a snob, she’s rich too, he thought with resentment. Maybe I can get her to give me some money too.

  His expression grim, Darryl slowly drove away. It was time to return to the motel and call it a day. Besides, there was a ball game on TV that he wanted
to watch and the beer in the back seat was getting warm.

  Chapter 28

  I’m so glad you guys could make it tonight.” Kat said happily, taking the apple pie from Rhonda and Robert followed Kat into the kitchen. The pie was still warm and its aroma was heavenly.

  “We are too!” Rhonda agreed, looking over her shoulder at her husband. Robert had scooped up Tyler and was tickling him. “Eli’s missed him terribly.”

  “The feeling is mutual. Tyler was going berserk all day.” Kat set the pie on the counter and inhaled the scent of cinnamon-spiced apples. “How about we have dessert first?”

  “How about we have that first?” Rhonda suggested, eying the shrimp cocktail platter that Kat had prepared. Stepping behind her friend, she inched for a closer look. “Wow, these look nice!”

  Kat had used water goblets as opposed to the traditional appetizer serving dish. In each goblet, red leaf lettuce served as the base to hold Kat’s homemade shrimp cocktail sauce. On each rim, five perfectly cooked jumbo shrimp rested with their tails extended upward.

  “You’re drooling.” Kat teased, handing her friend a napkin.

  Robert came up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You know why she made those, don’t you?” He winked at Kat.

  “Oh, that’s right.” Rhonda drawled, beaming at Kat. “She did it for Daniel.”

  “Stop it, you two.” Kat said, laughing. “I made one for each of you because I think we all deserve a treat.”

  “Yeah, right. Whatever.” Rob laughed. “Hey, when’s your boyfriend coming over?”

  “He’s not my—” Kat looked pointedly at her friend. “What lies have you been feeding your husband?” Before Rhonda could retort, the doorbell rang.

  “You stay away from those!” Kat wagged her finger as she went to answer the door.

  “Hey.” Daniel said, eyes twinkling. He wore khaki slacks with a dark green shirt that made Kat’s insides melt. He held up a bottle of white wine.

  “Hi, yourself!” Kat grinned. “Come on in. Robert and Rhonda arrived just a few minutes ago.”

  Kat led Daniel into the living room and introduced him to Robert. The two men shook hands and exchanged pleasantries while the sound of stomping feet could be heard on the stairs.

  “Daniel!” Tyler exclaimed, running up to him. Daniel scooped him up and gave him a bear hug. Kat had spoken to Tyler the day after he ran away and helped him understand that Daniel was only trying to cheer her up when William died. When Tyler realized Daniel’s intentions were pure from the start, he felt guilty. He had promised his mother he would be on his best behavior going forward. When Tyler went back upstairs, Daniel chuckled and said, “Apparently, I have been forgiven.”

  When Rhonda and Robert stared at him in puzzlement, Kat laughed and gave them the short version of when her son left the house in search of William. While they were sympathetic to William’s fate, they expressed their gratitude to Daniel in bringing Tyler home to safety.

  “I did what any decent person would have done.” Daniel insisted with a wave of his hand. He was embarrassed by the lavish attention so he changed the subject. “What is that wonderful smell?”

  “That’s probably Rhonda’s apple pie.” Kat answered. “I hope everybody’s hungry. Let’s start with an appetizer, shall we?”

  “Works for me.” Rob agreed. He was glad to see Kat smiling again and sensed that Daniel had something to do with it. Whatever it was, he hoped that Daniel would make her happy.

  Kat took the bottle of wine from Daniel and inspected the label with delight. “Johannesburg Reisling! “This is one of my favorites!”

  “I’m glad you approve.” Daniel smiled, pleased with Kat’s reaction.

  “Who wants a glass?”

  An hour later, after an exquisite meal of baked cod and seasoned vegetables, the adults settled in Kat’s living room to enjoy apple pie and coffee. The boys had eaten macaroni and cheese for dinner and had gone downstairs to the playroom.

  Robert described his business ventures to Daniel while Kat revealed to Rhonda that she and Mary finally made contact.

  “Kat, that’s wonderful!” Rhonda leaned over to give her friend a hug. The men aborted their conversation and turned their focus on the women.

  Kat looked at Daniel and explained that after he left the day he helped locate Tyler, her sister had called. “We talked for quite a while. I had written her a letter recently and really didn’t expect to hear back from her.”

  Daniel smiled at Kat, excited that things seemed to be looking up for her. “It sounds like it went well.”

  “It went very well, actually.” Kat shifted on the couch so she was facing Daniel. “She said she was pretty miserable about the whole situation and wanted to reach out to me.”

  “You both reached out to each other.” Rhonda pointed out.

  “Just hearing her voice after all these years was pretty amazing.” Kat began to sniffle. “And you know what the best part of this is? She’s coming to visit in a couple of weeks.”

  “Wow, Kat, that’s terrific!” Rhonda beamed. The others nodded in agreement.

  “The Lord works in mysterious ways.” Robert said.

  “Looks like your prayers have been answered.” Daniel said softly.

  Kat glanced shyly at him. “Yes, they have.”

  After Daniel excused himself to go to the bathroom, Kat went to the kitchen to make another pot of coffee. A few minutes later as she approached her living room, she stopped short when she heard Daniel’s name. She didn’t make it a habit to eavesdrop on other people, but what she heard set off warning bells in her head.

  “All right, you two.” Kat entered the living room and laid the coffee tray on the table. Standing with her hands on her hips, she looked at her friends and said, “Out with it.”

  “It’s nothing.” Robert shook his head.

  Rhonda rolled her eyes at the ceiling. “Robert’s got the feeling that there’s something off with Daniel.”

  “No, Rhonda. That’s not—”

  “What do you mean, something’s off?” Kat queried, looking behind her. Daniel was still in the bathroom. “Is he sick?”

  “No, that’s not it.” Obviously uncomfortable, Robert glared at his wife. Kat sat down on the couch and waited for Robert to continue.

  “He doesn’t like Daniel.” Rhonda offered.

  “What? I—no, I never said that!” Robert hissed at his wife. “Why don’t you say it a little louder so he can hear you in the bathroom?”

  Rhonda leaned back against the couch, her arms folded across her chest. She shook her head and looked at Kat.

  “All right. Will one of you tell me what is going on here?” Kat said in a low voice, her eyebrows pulled together.

  Robert leaned forward and looked at Kat. “Listen to me. It’s not that I don’t like the guy—I just met him tonight.”

  “Exactly, so I don’t understand what the problem is.”

  Robert rubbed his eyes and shook his head. “There’s just something about the way he acts I don’t like.”

  “Did he say something to offend you?” Kat inquired.

  “No.” Robert paused, choosing his words carefully. “I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something about him that I don’t trust.”

  “Well, he had a difficult childhood and I know he doesn’t like to talk about it.”

  Rhonda turned to her husband. “Honey, maybe he’s just nervous because he knows we look out for Kat. Maybe he feels a little out of place.”

  Robert poured himself another cup of coffee. “Look, I’m not trying to get anybody riled up here, okay? I don’t know, maybe I’m making way too much of this.”

  Kat looked at her friends thoughtfully. “I know you guys are concerned and I love you for that, but I’ve gotten to know Daniel pretty well in the last couple of months. Something tells me he’s a good man.”

  Robert apologized to Kat. “Then I’m sorry I upset you.”

  “You didn’t. I see th
is as genuine concern and I appreciate it. I really do.”

  “Kat, I’m sorry.” Rhonda looked at Kat sadly. “We really didn’t mean anything by this.”

  “I know you didn’t.” Kat smiled. “I would be worried if you didn’t say anything.”

  From the living room, the threesome could hear Daniel coming out of the bathroom. They all looked at each other for a moment before Kat rose to greet Daniel.

  “So, what did I miss?” Daniel smiled, looking at the solemn bunch.

  “Absolutely nothing.” Kat said. “Come, let’s have some coffee. We’re going to play a game soon. But first, Rhonda and I are going to check on the boys.”

  Throughout the rest of the evening, Kat thought about Robert’s words and how he didn’t trust Daniel for whatever reason. While she felt she had nothing to worry about, she also knew that Robert’s instincts were usually right on the mark.

  She pushed the earlier conversation to the back of her mind so she could focus on having a good time with the people she cared most about. It was almost midnight when her guests left. The boys had fallen asleep in the playroom and rather than wake Eli up, Robert and Rhonda agreed to let him spend the night.

  Daniel was the last to leave. As he and Kat stood on her front porch under the moonlight, he looked at her fondly. “Kat, I had a terrific time tonight with your friends. I see why you like them so much.”

  Kat looked up at him. She was aware of how close he was to her. A faint breeze blew over them and Kat closed her eyes, relishing in the scent of Daniel’s cologne.

  When she opened her eyes, she saw that he was studying her. He took her hands in his as he leaned over to kiss her ever so lightly on the mouth. She gasped softly, transfixed in a moment so magical that she knew she would never forget it.

  “Good night, Daniel.”

  And within seconds, he was gone.

  Chapter 29

  “Tyler, please hurry! We need to feed Marlowe before we meet Daniel at the park. I don’t want to be late.”