“How about with a hydraulic nail gun on full power?”
His meaning was so clear that Kate couldn’t think of anything to say.
He didn’t say any more but got up and went to the single room where he lived in Sara’s house.
When Kate was alone, she found that she couldn’t move. She was frozen in place, her eyes wide, her mind feeling like a centrifuge. What had just happened? Was Jack saying what she thought he was?
She didn’t go to sleep until the wee hours, then was awakened by her phone screeching loudly. It was Melissa from the office calling.What now?she thought. They were out of coffee? There was a palmetto bug on the floor? Alligator in the bathroom and Melissa wanted Kate to get it out?
But what Melissa said was that some man was putting the Lachlan House up for sale, and he was demanding that Kate get the listing. Melissa’s tone suggested that she considered that unfair. “It’s probably because you’re so famous.” That was meant as a jab.
Kate was used to Melissa so she wasn’t bothered. “Lachlan House? That name sounds familiar but I’m not sure why.”
“It’s the name of this town. Remember?”
As always, Kate ignored her coworker’s nastiness. “Maybe I should go see the lister.”
“No. He wants you to go to the house today.” She rattled off some stats of the house, including words like “magnificent” and “million dollars.”
“Why—?” Kate began, but stopped. She knew it was no use asking Melissa what was going on. “Okay. Send me photos. I’ll get dressed and go see the place. Is there a lockbox on the door?”
“I don’t know. It’s notmylisting. But then, I’m never considered in any of this. For years I’ve had to worry if some killer was going to mistake me for you and kill me, but that doesn’t mean anyone tells me anything. I just have to endure all of it and—”
Kate hung up. There wasn’t a word she hadn’t heard Melissa say. One time she’d glared at Kate and said, “Why haven’t I been considered as a suspect in your murders?” She sounded like a murderer was a celebrity. Later, when Kate told Sara, her aunt said, “Melissa is a victim-type, not a murderer.” Jack and Kate had agreed.
Since that call, Kate thought about how everything had turned upside down. It looked like they were yet again setting out to solve an old murder. They’d done it before, working together, depending on each other—but now things were different. True, her father was with them, but that added, not subtracted.
But the estrangement she felt with Jack was so uncomfortable she didn’t know how she was going to function. Not even a skeleton in a closet was taking her mind off the problem.
There was a Publix every mile or so. To Floridians, the stores were a way of life, not just for groceries.
Jack pulled into a parking lot. He turned off the engine but didn’t look at her. “Seafood? Salads? What should we get?”
Kate was silent for a moment. “I can’t do this. What you said last night was too much.”
“Right.” His voice was hard and cold. He opened the door and started to get out.
“No!” she half shouted. She knew he was taking what she’d said the wrong way.Stubborn pride, Sara called it.It runs in the Wyatt blood.Kate glared at Jack. “Do not leave this truck.”
He closed the door and looked straight ahead.
She took a breath. “I’ve had days of your innuendos, your hints, and the new way you look at me. I want you to tell me what’s going on.”
“I...”
She knew he was struggling with pride. “It’s me,” she said. “You can tell me anything.” She was quiet and listened.
He started again. “I’m trying to get up the courage to ask you what Sara would callthequestion. I greatly fear rejection.” Turning, he gave her a look that had no armor on it. He was putting all his feelings out for her to accept—or to destroy.
Kate felt happiness flow through her like lava down a mountain. Until that moment she’d had no idea how much she wanted this. Months without Jack had left an emptiness in her that she hadn’t been able to fill. “Are you talking about sharing a house?”
He nodded, not sure if she was agreeing.
“Children?”
His eyes began to sparkle. “Yes.”
“You and me? Home? Family? Everything?”
