“Fine,” Caitlin said, groping for a plan. “I’ll walk out.”
“If you do anything to draw the attention of Loverboy, I’ll shoot him too. I’m fairly certain he’s unarmed.”
“Leave Jack out of this,” she said between gritted teeth.
“Oh, the kitten has claws? How amusing. Walk please. I don’t have all evening.”
Caitlin hesitated before pulling open the door, trying to remember the layout of the building. To her immediate left, past the bathroom, was the entrance to the cafeteria. Beyond it was a door that accessed a dining courtyard outside. Caitlin assumed that this was the direction Theresa intended to go, as the other way led them right past Jack.
“He is very good looking,” Theresa murmured. “Would be a shame to mess up those handsome features with a well-placed shot.”
Caitlin’s hand clenched on the door handle. But she didn’t reiterate her demand to leave Jack alone, because she didn’t want to push her into doing something out of spite. Of which she seemed fully capable.
The chairs, Caitlin remembered as she began opening the door. There were chairs stacked along the hall. Maybe she could grab one and hit Theresa with it, or push it into her path, or something.
Keeping that in mind as she walked out the door, Caitlin looked down the hall to the right. But none of the chairs seemed close enough to grab without Theresa realizing what she was up to. However, she didn’t think the other woman was aware of the fact that she was wearing a vest. If she shot at her, chances are Caitlin would survive.
But it would also bring Jack running. And he wasn’t wearing body armor.
“Move it,” the other woman hissed, seeming to read her mind. “And quietly. You draw someone’s attention, they’re dead.”
“I don’t think so,” came a deep voice, and Caitlin yelled out as the door began to close and she recognized the figure behind it. He brought the chair down with tremendous force, smacking Theresa in the head.
She fell to the floor, and Caitlin glanced up into eyes she knew so well. “Peyton.”
His chest rose and fell as he looked down at his mother.
“She killed my dad,” he said, just as Jack came around the corner, swearing a blue streak. “And my baby.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“SOME white knight I am,” Jack muttered. “Sitting on my ass by the vending machine while the crazy bitch corners you in the bathroom.”
“You saved my life once,” Caitlin said. “I think that’s enough. And I’m the idiot who left my pepper spray in my purse instead of taking it to the bathroom with me. She had to have come in through the courtyard. That door is supposed to be locked when the cafeteria is closed.”
“Apparently some members of the staff leave it propped slightly so they can go out there for smoke breaks. I have the feeling they’ll be looking for new employment.”
Caitlin leaned her head on Jack’s shoulder. “I feel like an old dish towel.”
Jack was pretty wrung out himself.
The door to the intensive care unit opened, and Caitlin’s brother came out. Only two of them were allowed in Connie’s room at a time, and Caitlin had deferred her visit, feeling Lance needed some time alone with his fiancé. Given the revelation of the baby’s paternity, and everything else that had happened, Jack agreed with her.
Lance spotted Caitlin and Jack sitting in the waiting room and walked toward them, looking like he’d aged a hundred years. He dropped into the chair beside Caitlin. “The bitch killed our parents.”
“That’s what she claimed. I see no reason to disbelieve her.”
Lance dragged both hands down his face. “I’m glad you’re okay. I love you, and would do anything in the world for you. But I need to get out of here for a little while. Clear my head.”
They’d already done their interviews with the police. Caitlin just wanted to talk to Connie before they went home.
“I’m sorry,” Caitlin told him. “I don’t know what else to say.”
“None of this is your fault. None of it. I feel pretty sure that when we start digging, we’re going to find out that Theresa did indeed mess with your will somehow. She’s psycho, but she has an excellent legal mind. It’s one of the reasons I tolerated her for all these years. If there’s a loophole or a way around a roadblock, she’ll find it.”
“She obviously came unraveled, though. She had to realize she had zero chance of getting away with kidnapping me from the bathroom. I told her that Lydia was dead.”
“I don’t know what was going through her head,” Lance said. “And right now, I don’t care. Jack. Thank you for looking out for my sister. I hope this hasn’t scared you off. But what the hell am I saying. Your kind thrives on challenge and drama. I’m going to go find a bed. When I figure out where that bed will be, I’ll call you.”
He leaned over and kissed Caitlin’s cheek, and then shook Jack’s hand.
“I hope the bed is in Jamaica,” Jack said as the other man walked out. “He deserves a break.”
“He didn’t say anything about Connie. About where they stand.”
“Probably because he doesn’t know that himself just yet. Another reason for Jamaica.”
“I know I can’t expect him to simply forgive her, but I hate the idea of her recovering from surgery and losing a baby, and being all alone.”
“You’re here.” He squeezed her hand. “And I think that was your brother’s way of telling you that it’s okay with him if you stick around for Connie. He just can’t do it himself.”
Her blue-eyed gaze shifted his direction, hitting him like a brick, as it sometimes did.
“You’re probably right.” She drew in a breath. “Should we go see her?”
“You sure you don’t want to go alone?”
“Honestly, I’d feel better if you were with me this first time.”
“Then you got it.”
They pushed the button on the wall requesting admittance to the ICU, and gave both their names and the name of the patient they were visiting.
When they approached her cubicle, Caitlin froze. “She looks so fragile,” she whispered.
“She’s alive,” Jack reminded her. “And from everything I’ve seen, I’d say she’s a fighter.”
They entered the cubicle, and Jack stayed near the door, out of the way of the various machines that Connie was hooked in to. It reminded him of visiting Jesse last year, after he’d been shot, and he experienced a brief but intense rush of thankfulness that his brother had made it. It was touch and go for a bit.
Connie did indeed look fragile, her normally dusky skin an almost translucent white. But her eyes, when she opened them, seemed fairly alert. She spotted Jack first, and then shifted her head slightly to see Caitlin standing by her bedside.
And reached out a limp hand.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice weak and raspy.
“You just focus on getting better,” Caitlin told her, taking her hand as gently as she could.
Connie was silent for several seconds, seeming to drift back into sleep. But then she started talking. “Tried to stop it. Thought at first it was Peyton. But… she must have used his phone… to text. Or probably a spoofing app that made it look like his number. Couldn’t be traced back to her that way. Would have thrown him… under the bus if she had to.”
Caitlin stared at her friend in dawning horror, and then darted a disbelieving look at Jack.
“Connie. You’re saying that you… knew?”
“Saw text from Hal. Cox. On Peyton’s phone. Thought Peyton was plotting to… get back at you. Left for Savannah while he was in… shower. Threw my phone away so he couldn’t contact me. Lied about it being stolen. Can’t believe someone… found it.”
Jack glanced at Caitlin. His first loyalty was to her, but the lawyer in him had to at least say something. He took a step closer. “Connie. Why don’t you let me call Elise.”
“Don’t want… attorney. Want to tell Caitlin… what happened.”
He nodded. “Then that’s what you should do.”
Her breathing was fast and shallow, and it was obvious the conversation was a strain on her, but she kept hold of Caitlin’s hand.
“The first text was double checking the address. I was surprised to see that it was yours, but thought… maybe Peyton asked Hal to deliver something. Next text said never mind. He’d check back when the deed was done. I panicked, because he used a knife emoji. Stupid. Thought he was funny, I guess. Started driving. Got there late… saw your purse. Your purse spilled in the road. Your glasses were there, one of the lenses broken. Like they’d been stepped on. The door to your car was still open. Door locked. Took the key from the gnome’s butt and let myself in. Heard… laughing in the bedroom. Hal… Hal… was drinking wine from a bottle. The wine I bought for Lance to bring you. You were naked on the bed. Not really conscious. He… he was touching you and sort of forcing wine down your throat, and laughing.”
Jack listened, mesmerized, even though he could guess what was coming next.
“The knife was on the table. On top of your book. I grabbed it. He didn’t know I was there until I accidentally knocked over the lamp. Then I stabbed him. Three times.”
“Connie.” Silent tears streamed down Caitlin’s face. “Oh my God.”
“There wasn’t much blood at first, and so I stepped closer, wiped my fingerprints off the blade. But he wasn’t dead yet. He reached back and pulled out the knife, tried to stab me with it. But the blood… he started bleeding really badly. I thought… make it look like it was a date, a one night stand gone wrong. No one would blame you. Messed some of it up. Didn’t know about the computer glasses. Couldn’t think straight. Had to protect you. But had to protect… my baby, too. Couldn’t tell.”
“Connie,” Caitlin repeated, the name catching in her throat. “Connie.”
“It’s okay if I… go to jail now. Baby’s dead.”
She closed her eyes, letting her hand slip from Caitlin’s.
“Excuse me,” said a nurse, peeking her head in and glancing at the monitors, which registered Connie’s elevated heart rate. “I think you better leave now. The patient has had enough.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Early morning sun streamed through the open window, through which water could be heard bubbling over rocks. Caitlin watched the play of light on the ceiling as she lay there, lazily contemplating getting up and starting some coffee, or maybe just sitting on the porch, enjoying the bright spectacle of fall in the mountains.
But then a heavy arm wrapped around her, and she decided that she could stay right where she was just a little longer.
“Mmmpf.” Jack grunted.
“Good morning to you, too.”
“Why are you awake and speaking in complete sentences already?”
“Because I got a text from Lance.”
One silvery eye popped open. “Where is he now?”
“Jamaica.”
That elicited a chuckle. “Finally, the man shows some sense.”
Lance had been missing in action over the past few months, texting her only occasionally to say that he was okay. He’d stuck around long enough after Theresa’s arrest to place the company in the hands of a couple of trusted managers, and then taken off for parts unknown.
He’d finally made an appearance about a week ago, announcing his decision to sell the company outright to a competitor. Caitlin supported his decision one hundred percent, and hadn’t given him any trouble. Neither had Theresa, since she was in jail awaiting trial on a number of charges, including records tampering from when she acted as Caitlin’s guardian. Of course, that was the least of her worries at this point.
She’d been deemed a flight risk, and denied bail.
Connie was also facing several charges, although she had an excellent attorney in Elise, who was confident that she could get them reduced. Connie was not in jail, but she was, surprisingly, staying with Peyton, who was behaving more responsibly than Caitlin had ever thought possible. Caitlin wasn’t sure what was going to become of them, but found herself hoping for the best. They were both damaged souls who’d had crappy parental role models, and had made a hell of a lot of mistakes.
But both of them had risked themselves to help her, unquestionably saving her life. There was a lot of road that would need to be paved for her to find her way back to each of them, but roads were paved one brick at a time.
“I’ll give you twenty dollars if you make the coffee,” Jack said.
She turned her head toward him.
“Okay, thirty. But that’s my final offer.”
“We’ve been here three days,” she reminded him. “You haven’t made the coffee yet.”
“That’s because that machine is archaic. I think I saw some archaeologists outside with pickaxes, probably wondering why we stole their relic.”
“You’re so spoiled.”
“Hey, you’re the one who wanted a rustic cabin. I gave you rustic. Ergo, you should make the coffee.”
She sat up, laughing at his logic. “I can’t make the coffee if you don’t move your arm.”
“We could have sex before you make the coffee.”
“I don’t remember that being part of the ‘rustic’ deal.”
“Of course it was. You need to remember to read the fine print, woman. Have I taught you nothing?”
“I can think of a few things.”
That really got his attention. He leaned up on one arm. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. Like how to negotiate.”
He frowned. “You want me to make the coffee.”
“Coffee for sex seems like a fair compromise.”
“Sex first?”
“I’m more energetic after that first cup.”
He shot her a dirty look, but rolled over, throwing off the sheet as he went. “You drive a hard bargain, Cavanaugh.”
She, as usual, admired his posterior as he walked away. “I learned from the best, Counselor.”
He muttered something and Caitlin laughed, until he peered back around the doorframe.
“Caitlin?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
And that was the best deal she’d negotiated yet.
Thanks for reading! If you’d like to read more about the Wellington family, be sure to check out the other books in the Southern series:
SERENDIPITY: https://www.amazon.com/Serendipity-Southern-Comfort-Book-1-ebook/dp/B008YMC8HY/ref=pd_sim_351_9?ie=UTF8&dpID=51RGD03ef3L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_OU01_AC_UL160_SR100%2C160_&refRID=TNZRVC7J2RNYK91CT76K#nav-subnav
FORBIDDEN: https://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Southern-Comfort-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00BAJY0VK/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=K7KBK9QPWNPX1AR5PRGZ#nav-subnav
DECEPTION: https://www.amazon.com/Deception-Southern-Comfort-Book-3-ebook/dp/B00D5CLUWW/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=86C8N9S3M08D5F1M6FAS#nav-subnav
NEMESIS: https://www.amazon.com/Nemesis-Southern-Comfort-Book-4-ebook/dp/B00FJ5JK6Q/ref=pd_sim_351_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZSRNYT50HFVPDQ304ETZ#nav-subnav
OBSESSION: https://www.amazon.com/Obsession-Southern-Comfort-Book-5-ebook/dp/B00ICL2GD8/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=NHPK7MQKW92WG0FD3KBS#nav-subnav
And don’t miss the Sweetwater Trilogy:
MR. WRITE: https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Write-Sweetwater-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00K58FV7E/ref=pd_sim_351_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=MRDTAZ6GA2DD1PESQR7S#nav-subnav
ADMIT ONE: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O4CQXVU/ref=series_rw_dp_sw#nav-subnav
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U1FH2L4/ref=series_rw_dp_sw#nav-subnav
For news about upcoming works and general chitchat, be sure to follow me on social media.
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sp; Lisa Clark O'Neill, The Southern Comfort Prequel Trilogy Box Set
The Southern Comfort Prequel Trilogy Box Set Page 89
