“How do you shower with that cast on?” Kate asked.
Jack got off the stool. “Come on and I’ll show you.”
“You wish,” Kate said. “Go on. You’re beginning to stink.”
Acting like he was hurt at her comment, he went down the hall to his bedroom.
“Tub,” Sara said.
“What?”
“He gets in the tub with his leg over the side. He’ll stay in there for at least an hour. What do you want for dinner?”
“Answers,” Kate said and Sara agreed.
They had a much-needed quiet night. The repercussions of Gena’s lies went through their minds. Like dominoes, one lie built on top of another one until they all fell down. Or in this case, two people ended up under a tree, their disappearance not even noticed.
The question they didn’t speak aloud was “Did Roy kill the two women?”
The next morning, Kate and Sara were in the kitchen making breakfast. High-fiber cereal and skim milk for Kate; bacon and eggs for Sara.
A sleepy-eyed Jack, wearing only pajamas bottoms, came in on his crutches and wanted some of all the food.
He’d barely taken a bite when the doorbell rang. Then rang again and again as someone began pounding on the door.
“Stay here until I see who it is,” Jack said over his shoulder as he went to the door.
Ignoring his order, the women were close behind him.
Jack seemed ready to do battle, but when he looked through the glass panel beside the door, he said, “Oh, hell,” turned away and went back to the kitchen.
Sara looked out. “Make that double hell.” She followed Jack.
When Kate looked out, she saw a woman holding a newspaper, her thin face red with rage. She was older and had a hard look about her, as though she’d seen and done too much in her life. She had on tight shiny leggings and a red top with sparkles around the collar. Her shoulder-length hair was white blond.
She was still ringing the bell and kicking the door. Sara and Jack were nowhere to be seen. “Cowards!” Kate called out, then took a breath, put on a smile and opened the door. “Hello!” she said cheerfully, her hand extended. “I’m—”
“I know who you are. One of Jack’s. And a Medlar. Double curse on you. Where is he?” She didn’t give Kate time to answer but strode ahead. “Jackson!” she shouted. “Come out and face me!”
It took him a moment, but Jack entered the living room. He’d pulled on a T-shirt. “What do you want, Krystal?”
Behind them, Kate nodded. She remembered. Roy’s second wife and Evan’s mother.
Krystal waved the newspaper in Jack’s face. “Youdid this. To Evan’s father! How could you do that to my son? How could you...do...that?”
The woman’s energy was beginning to leave her. Kate went to her, put her hand under her arm and led her to one of the blue couches. Sara was peeping around the corner, so Kate motioned to her to get something to drink. Jack was reading the newspaper she’d brought.
When he finished, he sat down across from Krystal and put the paper on the coffee table. Kate knew him well enough to see that he was so angry that it was a wonder steam wasn’t coming out of his ears. She sat down beside Krystal.
“This is your fault,” Krystal said. “Flynn never tried to investigate your father. You must have told him—”
“You think he’d listen to me?” Jack said. “He hates me more than he did Roy.”
“Not Roy. He’s yourfather. You should call him Dad.”
Jack’s mouth went into a straight line of absolute stubbornness, and Kate knew she was seeing a glimpse of what Roy Wyatt’s temper must have been like.
Sara appeared with a tray full of drinks. She’d cleaned out the fridge of cans and bottles, had poured a cup of coffee and made a mug of tea. Not fancy, but certainly plentiful.
