by Mary Ellis
Like teenagers, they raced back to the car, arriving almost at the same time. ‘I beat you by a foot,’ Kate crowed.
‘Only because I let you win.’ Beth unlocked the doors with a press of a button. ‘And that’s enough sightseeing. We’d better search for a place to stay.’
‘I’ve already made up my mind. Set your GPS for the Vacation Inn and Suites on West Main Street. They have a free breakfast bar, free WiFi and free parking. No doubt there’ll be a couch in the room. All the reviews say it’s very clean, with an outdoor pool if you want to soak your head before heading home to Savannah.’
‘Shouldn’t we check out more than one place?’
‘Why bother? This one I can afford if I don’t stay too long. Plus Main Street turns into Bay Front Parkway, so I’ll be within jogging distance of water.’
Beth headed back to the highway. ‘Fine, but with your impulsive mindset you’ll probably marry the next man you meet.’
Kate turned her face to the window as unbidden thoughts of Eric surfaced. Eric had been her first boyfriend – the first man she ever cared about. Now marriage to him was out of the question. ‘I intend to grow old with dogs, cats, and maybe a pet lizard. Let’s just get to the Vacation Inn so I can check in and unpack. Tomorrow is Saturday, visiting day at Santa Rosa Prison, and I still want to get in a swim tonight.’
As Beth stepped on the gas, Kate leaned back and tried to picture Liam as a hardened inmate. But no matter how hard she tried, an image of a lanky, sandy-haired boy with freckles simply refused to budge.
Kate awoke to the sound of Beth snoring in the other queen-size bed. She thought about burying her head beneath the pillow, but the first rays of dawn were already streaking the sky. Kate decided to let Beth sleep while she started the coffee and went for a run. Nothing like running along the bay in the cool morning air to clear away cobwebs. Last night she and Beth had splashed around in the pool, eaten greasy pizza, and fallen asleep listening to country music on her iPod. Actually, she liked having Beth’s company for a few days, especially since Beth kept a small Beretta and large Glock with her at all times. But when she faced Liam Weller for the first time since his incarceration, she would be alone.
‘There you are.’ Beth shoved a cup of coffee into her hand the moment she walked through the door. ‘Drink this, then jump in the shower. We’d better get a move on.’
Kate added a fake creamer, since no one stopped to buy milk. ‘What’s the big hurry? I told you Milton is less than an hour from here.’
‘Yeah, but visiting hours end at two and no one will be processed after one o’clock.’
‘Where are you getting all this information?’ Kate gingerly sipped before gulping a mouthful.
‘From a page on their website – Frequently Asked Visitation Questions.’ Beth tapped the screen on her phone. ‘Did you fill out and mail the visitation application?’
‘Yeah, right before I left Savannah.’
Beth’s eyes bugged out. ‘That’s only a little over a week ago. You’re sunk! It takes thirty days for approval.’
‘Will you please relax? I called my friend at the Florida Industrial Commission. She has friends in high places and promised to ask the warden for special permission for me.’
‘Just you? I don’t get to meet your brother?’
‘Not until you’re both in your forties.’
‘Fine, but you’d better get moving. If they still need to call the warden, it will take extra time.’ Beth pushed her toward the bathroom. ‘You can drink your second cup along the way.’
‘What about the free breakfast?’ Kate called through the door.
‘We’ll fill our pockets and eat on the road. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were purposely dragging your feet.’
Kate turned on the water and stared into the mirror. You might just be right.
‘And remember,’ Beth hollered. ‘No shorts, tank tops, Spandex, tight clothing, or fishnet stockings. And nothing either desert tan or jungle green camouflage and nothing see-through.’
The image of someone wearing all those clothes simultaneously made Kate smile. ‘I’ll wear nothing but long, black and baggy.’
After wolfing down scrambled eggs with hash browns and filling their to-go mugs, they set out for Milton in a somber mood.
Beth was first to break the silence. ‘You know Liam will have changed a lot since you last saw him.’
‘I’m prepared for that.’ Kate glanced in the mirror to make sure no one was following them.
‘The website said you have to lock your firearm in the trunk and take in only a small coin purse with less than fifty dollars.’
‘I know, Beth. I read the rules, all except the dress code. What I don’t know is how to approach this. Hey, Liam, I was just curious: Who have you been talking to that resulted in my boyfriend’s car blowing up and threats against my life?’
‘Maybe he’s talking in order to save his life inside.’
‘Then I need to know that. And his attorney needs to know, if Liam even has a lawyer.’
‘Sounds like you might be softening a little toward your old swimming instructor.’
A lump of emotion rose up and lodged in her throat. ‘I might be, but all that could change the moment I see him. Liam could be nothing but a trash-talking, hate-filled criminal who isn’t the least bit interested in a relationship with me.’
‘How can I help?’ Beth asked.
‘I might have an answer for you on the way home, but right now I need to mull this over in my head.’
Her friend remained silent for the rest of the drive. But once the razor-wire fence and imposing guard tower loomed into view, Kate’s gut twisted into a knot. Everything she knew about prisons was from the movies and TV shows with dubious accuracy. She remembered watching a program about a Civil War prisoner camp from which some Pennsylvania coal miners tunneled their way to freedom. Nothing that would prepare her for Santa Rosa.
Once on the grounds, Kate followed the signs to visitor parking and chose a spot between two pickup trucks. After locking her purse and gun in the trunk, she hugged Beth as though she might never be released.
Beth took hold of her shoulders. ‘Be brave. Remember, deep inside this is the same boy who taught you to swim.’
‘I’ll be fine. You make sure you don’t attract the attention of the guard tower. They have even more firepower than you.’
Without a backward glance, Kate marched through the door and joined the other females in line at registration. She tried to look tough and savvy, but pulled off only aloof and bored.
‘What’s your old man in here for?’ asked a voice over her shoulder.
Kate half turned to a buxom redhead wearing enough makeup for three women. ‘My old man is dead. I’m here to see my brother.’ Turning back around, Kate realized the redhead was asking about a spouse, not her father. No matter … I don’t have either one. Advancing one position, she concentrated on not making eye contact. When it was finally her turn, Kate repeated the explanation she’d rehearsed a dozen times.
The guard stared, then frowned, and then pointed at the wall. ‘Wait over there while I call the warden. Next.’
Just as she concluded this visitation wasn’t going to happen, another guard materialized on her left. ‘Come with me. Your brother is waiting in the visitation park.’
As she followed him down the hall, Kate visualized a park with swing sets, sandboxes, and colorful umbrella tables, where loved ones caught up on family news while birds chirped in branches overhead. What she found when the guard opened the door was a dozen picnic tables arranged in a grid in a fenced-in dirt courtyard. No colorful umbrellas, no sandboxes, no swing sets, and certainly no trees for Tarzan-like escapes. But there were families, young and old, black and white, all reconnecting with sons, brothers, husbands, and boyfriends. Inmate dads rocked babies in their arms or held toddlers in laps. The sound of their laughter was better than noisy birds anyway.
The guard pointed in the gen
eral direction, and Kate threaded her way between tables to where one man sat alone. With his back to her, the man was so still he might have been sleeping.
Inhaling a deep breath, she stepped around the table. ‘Liam?’
A ruddy-faced, clean-shaven man with short hair the color of wet sand half rose to his feet. ‘Yep, it’s your big brother.’ Gone were the long, tousled locks and closely clipped beard. Liam had gained at least forty pounds, but there wasn’t an ounce of fat on his muscular frame. ‘Good to see you, Katie.’
‘What happened to your freckles?’ She sat on the opposite bench.
‘Haven’t a clue. Sixteen years, and that’s your first question?’ A smile deepened the crow’s feet around his piercing green eyes. Those were the only things that had remained the same.
‘Sorry,’ she sputtered. ‘I’m a fish out of water at this.’
Liam sat down and reached across to clasp her hand. ‘It’s okay. I’m so happy to see you, nothing you say could be wrong.’
With a pang of guilt, she broke eye contact. ‘Sorry I didn’t visit sooner.’
‘You were angry, and you had every right to be.’ Liam squeezed her fingers. ‘I promised to bust you out of the foster system, but instead I started breaking into cars and hanging around with creeps. I was on a downhill slide with no inclination to stop. I’m the one who’s sorry.’
‘Well, I’m not mad anymore.’ Kate managed a small smile. She was practically giddy that he still had all his teeth and his speech wasn’t peppered with expletives.
‘You think I’ve changed? The last time I saw you, Katie-girl, you had knobby knees, hair down to your waist, and braces on your teeth. Look at you now.’ Liam whistled through his teeth. ‘What are you – twenty-five? Get hitched yet?’ He glanced at her ring finger.
‘No-oo.’ She dragged the word into two syllables. ‘Nothing has even come close to marriage and I’m twenty-six.’
‘Any kids?’
‘Of course not. That’s not how we were raised.’ Kate regretted her harsh tone the moment the words left her mouth.
‘Begging your pardon, Miss Priss,’ he drawled. ‘I forgot your foster homes worked out better than mine. You turned out to be a respectable woman.’
‘S’pose so. Hey, I bought food at the canteen. The website said you could take this back with you. Are you hungry?’ She pulled the bag of snacks up to the table, spread out a napkin, and dumped out the bag. ‘Save the bag. I wrote down my cell number should you need it.’
‘I’m always hungry.’ Liam picked up an apple and took a bite. ‘Since you’re not a housewife changing diapers all day, tell me what you’ve done for the last sixteen years.’
Kate pondered for a moment. ‘Let’s see. I was ten when you went away so I was in fourth grade. After that came middle and high school.’ She ticked off details on her fingers. ‘In my senior year, my foster mom helped me apply for scholarships. When the University of Florida offered me a full, four-year ride, I studied criminal justice. Go Gators,’ she added as an afterthought.
Liam grinned. ‘I’m proud of you.’
‘I had planned to go to law school, but I soon disabused myself of that notion. I can never remember trivial facts, and law school involves tons of memorization.’
‘I’ve never heard anyone use “disabuse” in a sentence before.’ Liam laughed from his belly. ‘But I know what you mean about law books. I’m doing research in our library and have fallen asleep more than once.’
‘I’m glad they have a library and law books available here,’ she said, even though she couldn’t remember ever seeing Liam with a book.
‘Wha’cha do after college?’
‘I came back to Pensacola and found a job in a law office. Then this lady – the sister of someone I met at church – helped me get a job at the Florida Industrial Commission in Tallahassee.’ Kate jumped ahead in the story. No need to mention why she had to leave Pensacola in a hurry. ‘Government jobs pay well and have great benefits.’
Liam finished the apple and tucked the core into his shirt pocket. ‘Are you still working there, building up a fat retirement for old age?’
She shook her head. ‘No, I quit and became a private investigator. The pay isn’t so great and no fat pension after forty years, but it’s a lot more exciting.’
Liam studied her, as though contemplating how much of what she said was the truth. ‘Makes sense. Anyone who can hold their breath under water as long as you and run a six-minute mile shouldn’t sit behind a desk all day.’
‘That six minutes might take seven or eight now, but I’m working on it.’ Kate opened the bag of chips, not because she was hungry but for a distraction. ‘What about you? Are they treating you okay in here?’ As she shifted her focus to the imposing gray building with armed guards posted everywhere, she realized the stupidity of her question.
Liam merely shrugged. ‘We don’t get milk and cookies at bedtime. They read my mail and listen in on phone calls, but I’m okay. Last month I fired my worthless lawyer and requested a new public defender. But at least I’m staying in shape.’ He flexed an impressive bicep. ‘I got a few friends. The gangs usually leave me alone. And I just got transferred to the kitchen. They’re training me to work in a restaurant when I get out.’
Kate thought about mentioning Eric’s restaurant, but what was the point? She and Eric had broken up, and Liam wasn’t getting released soon. It was time to get to the point of her visit. Visiting hours would end while she was dancing around the subject.
‘Come to think of it, I did have one serious boyfriend. We just broke up.’
‘The guy’s probably kicking himself for letting you get away. What went wrong? Did he try to tame the wild-child too soon?’
‘Actually, he’s probably grateful he didn’t end up dead. Knowing me could be hazardous to a person’s health.’ As she locked gazes with him, his expression sobered.
‘Better give me the details, sister. You’re freakin’ me out.’
Kate cleared her throat. ‘I left out some past history.’ Kate cleared her throat. ‘After your trial and conviction, every once in a while someone would call the house and ask for me. When I came to the phone, the guy would just breathe heavily and hang up. My foster mom thought it was some lovesick boy.’
‘But you didn’t. You thought it had something to do with me?’
‘Not at first, but after I started driving it seemed like I was being followed.’
‘You get the guy’s license plate?’
‘That’s what made me suspicious. Even though it was always a different car, mud was always spattered on the front plate. Then, right before I left for college, I picked up the phone and someone said, “You remember anything yet, sweetheart? I strongly advise against it.”’
Liam’s ruddy complexion paled. ‘You think he was referring to the robbery.’ He issued a statement, didn’t ask a question.
‘What else could it be? Then I went away to college and heard nothing until my junior year when the hang-ups started again. Right before graduation, I got another warning about not regaining my memory.’
‘Why didn’t you go to the police?’ Liam demanded.
‘Because I was afraid it would come back on you. I’ve seen prison movies – men getting stabbed with plastic forks sharpened into blades.’
Liam neither agreed nor denied, but his eyes darkened. ‘Tell me the rest.’
‘When I came back to Pensacola, the threats got nastier. I was living alone in a tiny apartment then.’
‘Did you at least tape-record some of them?’
‘No, what was the point if I wasn’t going to the police? But I changed my name before I moved to Tallahassee to work for the Florida IC and for a long time I was left alone.’
‘Then the guy tracked you down in Tallahassee, so you high-tailed it again.’ Liam’s expression registered disappointment.
‘Yeah, but this time I bought a gun, learned to shoot, and took self-defense classes. Plus, now my co-workers are a
bunch of pistol-packing PIs instead of secretaries and clerks.’
This made her brother smile. ‘Little Katie-girl … who would have thought? I still don’t understand what this has to do with your ex-boyfriend.’
‘I’m getting there. Sixteen years is a long time. My new boss at the detective agency sent me to Charleston for a missing person case. That’s where I met Eric, because I rented a room above his family’s restaurant. I thought he could be the one, until my mysterious enemy resurfaced and blew up his car. I can’t take a chance on Eric getting caught in the crossfire.’
Liam’s jaw tightened while his fists clenched. ‘Someone blew up his car and you’re sure it’s the same man?’
‘Yep, it was the same voice. And the guy called me Kathryn and Kaitlyn and Jill – that was my most recent name change. In Charleston, I’d been using a car titled to someone else, my phone was registered to the company, and I’d cut my hair short. Yet the guy still found me.’ Kate let a few moments pass. ‘And his final threat was more specific. He said my boyfriend shouldn’t turn the key in his black Expedition parked outside Office Max. And if my brother didn’t keep his mouth shut, there wouldn’t be any advance warning next time. I called Eric in the nick of time.’
‘A bomb …’ he asked, ‘hooked to the ignition?’
‘Yes. Eric didn’t believe the threat was real, so I pressed the remote start button and his car exploded.’
Liam lifted his eyebrows. ‘So you blew up his car? How did that go over?’
‘At first not well. So, to make a long story a tad shorter … Eric and I broke up. I left Charleston in a hurry and came home to deal with this mess once and for all.’ She waited until her brother met her eye. ‘Now I want the truth, Liam: Who have you been talking to?’
TWO
‘What do you mean Liam doesn’t have a clue?’ Beth asked for the third time once they reached the interstate.
