Catherine cast a casual glance at the small watch on her wrist. “But you didn’t disappear quite that well. I have wants and warrants out for your arrest in three states…” She leaned back with a sigh. “Maybe a long time in coming, but…hey…payback’s a bitch.” She nodded to the two plain clothes officers that stepped from the table next to them. “You have the paperwork. Please…read them their rights and escort them from the premises.”
“We appreciate the heads up, lieutenant.”
“Just don’t let them slide through. I don’t want them back in Seattle anytime in the future,” she said flatly, closing her eyes and draining the wine in her glass.
“They were after money, weren’t they?” Anna said after a long minute, her head on Carter’s shoulder. A little smile formed when two waiters brought out large plates of appetizers. She leaned up and kissed him softly. “Thank you.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“We do know our girls,” Aaron finally felt safe enough to speak, his hand up with a gesture that had their wine replaced. “It’s a vegetable,” he whispered loudly when Catherine lifted a stuffed mushroom and seemed to ponder. He relaxed enough to laugh at the face she offered.
“Ohh…it’s good…buttery…” She said after a cautious bite, lifting one and holding it to his lips. “You did good,” she said with a nod at Anna.
“You didn’t have to shoot anyone,” she said with a half-smile.
“The night’s young,” she said cheekily, glancing around and pushing against the table for leverage to rise.
“Where are you going, Catherine?” Aaron helped her up, ignored her grumble and adjusted the table when she wobbled only a little.
“Turning…I want to watch the entrance,” she slid over the cushioned bench seat, stretched her leg out while the others also shifted slightly now that two people were gone from the large oval table. “Better…thank you. You really need to relax,” she said with a little frown at Aaron. “What’re you gonna be like if we decide to have a baby?”
“For that, I’m setting up a video camera outside the house to watch you get out of that car,” he answered with a chuckle that matched those at the table.
“Oh…that is just…that’s cruel,” she mumbled. “I’ll sit there and grow old before I ask you for help.”
“Wanna bet?” He came back softly.
Catherine lifted a grilled shrimp and met Anna’s eyes. “They were after money.” She finally answered quietly. “As near as I can tell, it’s all they’ve ever been after…and they raised Maryanne the same way. I’m so sorry, Anna.”
“It isn’t your fault, but thank you for helping it end.” Anna winced and slanted a glance at Carter. “They didn’t pay you, did they? For the work you did finding us.”
“If you even think that’s been on my mind, I need to knock you around a little more,” he said with a shake of his head. “The payment I got wakes up singing in the shower in the morning. That’s more than enough, believe me.”
“Oh…you are so good with those words,” Anna turned and kissed him, her gaze falling to the palm he held up, a gold ring lying in the center. Her eyes flew to his and back. “What’s that? No, no, I know what that is…you…are you asking me to marry you?”
“At this point, I’m just going to plan it and tell you where to arrive, less stressful for my ego,” Carter declared dryly, taking her hand and sliding the pink marquis diamond into place before kissing the small pucker of a frown on her lips.
“Smart man,” Aaron agreed with a nod.
Neither of them were prepared for the squeal and wide flung arms that almost had Carter out of his seat. His arms reacted quickly, circling and holding her against him, his face buried in her shoulder as she hugged him. Then she was free, twisting across the narrow oval table to show Catherine.
Anna leaned back and lifted a crunchy piece of bread. “Where did you get the information, Catherine?”
“Interviews…financial records…I know there was a nanny secured for you both from the date of your birth until you were three and a half,” she said after a bite into another mushroom. “I spoke with her. I’m guessing you guys became pretty self-sufficient and the occupants didn’t want the eyes on them that would and could report something fishy going on in the house.”
“I don’t remember half the things you do,” Aaron said quietly with a glance at his sister. “But when you talk about them, I can see them as if it’s still there.”
“People are different. The shrink I talked to says a lot of it would have been cemented into her memory because she drew pictures of it and wrote about it, whether she understood it all or not,” Catherine slid her palm beneath his. “And there are triggers. The photo…actually seeing and hearing Amelia’s voice.”
“So…we were just kept so they could get money from the other grandparents,” Anna said with a long sigh. “And when the parents were taken away…the Austin’s disappeared because they lost their leverage. Why didn’t the Ellison’s let us live with them, then? Once the parents were out of the way…”
“I don’t have that answer, Anna, I’m sorry. I haven’t spoken to them,” Catherine straightened up, her gaze on the short blonde crossing the room after a brief word with the front desk. “Vianne…All set up?”
“You know what this is going to do across the country in the news?” She said, glancing around the table. “Vianne Summers.”
“Oh…manners…sorry…Aaron Carson, Carter Shipley and Anna Carson, my friend the reporter, Vianne. She’s going to work the last part for us.”
“I don’t…don’t have to go near him?” Anna forced the words to come out strong as she stood up, waiting while the bill was settled with Catherine and Vianne at the front of the restaurant.
“No, you do not,” Catherine said firmly, clearly. “But I want him to see us. You and Aaron. I want him to know who brought him down. And I have people in the area, Anna. He won’t get to you, I promise.”
“She’s good, honey, believe me, I know,” Vianne Summers was a little older than they were and a lot more seasoned. She adjusted the professional dark and form fitting suit, meeting her camera person outside the room along with the man she had cleaned up to bring along for the show.
Carter held Anna tightly to his side as they entered the large fund raising ballroom. Tables, music, food and lots of hand shaking and laughing. William Barrows was on the makeshift stage, talking to people coming up to him, a body guard on either side of him. His eyes were on continual scan of the room.
Aaron and Carter saw the slight hitch in the man’s stance when he caught sight of them standing off to the side, just watching.
“A few minutes of your time, Mr. Barrows?” Vianne held the microphone, her smile bright and deceptive.
“Always interested in sharing our policies and beliefs,” the man said firmly, his gaze shifting slightly so he could still see the couples watching him.
“Oh…I have a friend I want you to meet…” She nodded to someone off to the side, turning back in time to see the candidate pale considerably. “Does he look familiar?”
“Rod? Hells bells! I thought you were dead!” Chuck Spencer left the man escorting him and would have rushed forward but for the bodyguard that stepped into his path. “Hey…get outta the way…he’s my brother!”
“I’ve never seen you before…”
“Really? Mr. Barrows…or is it Spencer? Are you aware that they have your DNA on file from the charges when you were under eighteen? And because you’re a declared candidate, those sealed files can be opened once we’ve established that there might be a link,” Vianne kept the camera on him.
“Get out of here…get these people…”
“You don’t think the citizens have a right to know their candidate was a convicted pedophile? That somehow…he assumed the identity of another man…” Vianne moved quickly when the hand shot out from the bodyguard, reaching for her microphone. “Ah-ah-ah…”
Anna pushed away from Carter, crossing the floor before
either her brother or Carter could react. Purposeful, direct and angry.
“Shit.” Both took off after her, coming to a halt behind Vianne.
Catherine came up beside Anna, a little slower but her attention focused.
“You aren’t William Barrows. Your name is Rod Spencer,” Anna said firmly, staring at him like he was a specimen. “You used to sell drugs and…and rape children.”
Later on the video tape, they’ll see the action clearly and still be stunned.
In the instant, one of the body guards raised a hand and put it on Anna’s shoulder, taking a firm hold. Briefly.
Anna was distracted but her body knew the moves she’d practiced for years. One heeled foot rose and came down hard on his instep, while her elbow reared back and the flat of her palm caught him in the center of his chest. It shot forward with such contained power, it sent him to his knees gasping for breath.
Carter blinked twice, his head swiveling from the delicate looking woman he was madly in love with to the crippled body builder kneeling on the floor, breathless.
“Don’t touch me,” she growled, taking a step toward Barrows, who smartly backed up. “I am not four years old anymore.”
“Sorry, lieutenant…” A breathless voice spoke at Catherine’s side. He figured they were in the clear since she was smiling. “She moves fast.”
“Yeah…yeah, she does…it’s okay…”
“No comment, Mr. Barrows? Your brother says it’s been years since you’ve seen one another. In fact, he says the last time he saw you was when you gave him an envelope of money to pay for your cremation…did you have that death predicted at the county fair?” Vianne continued to press, very aware of the crowd gathering around them and the other reporters scrambling for data. “I’ve also received information from an inside source that an explosion causing the death of two people is linked to you through your fingerprints left on the igniting device. But it was never pursued because the police department believed you died a few days later.”
“You’ve made some serious accusations…”
“Are you willing to take a DNA test to prove you aren’t related to Chuck Spencer?” Vianne saw the fury in his eyes, a pair of cold eyes she’d seen too many times in her career. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “Because Chuck already volunteered and I have the results here and on file with the police department.”
Catherine nodded and touched Anna’s hand lightly. “It’s over. The feds will take over now…and the press,” she said gently. “Where’d you learn those moves?”
“Books,” Anna said with a little grin, turning her shoulder away from the sputtering Barrows as the reporters and agents descended on him in a collective mass, waving a warrant requesting he supply his fingerprints for comparison. She liked being tucked next to Carter and walked easily with him toward the elevator. “I’m starving.”
“That is an interestingly feral grin,” Carter commented as he guided her into the elevator.
“Try sparing with her…you see that a lot if you move wrong,” Aaron told him, pulling Catherine against him with a long sigh. “Tell me it’s over.”
“I’ve talked with the feds and the police departments in the other states,” Catherine said quietly, her palm up and on his cheek. “It’s over. Spencer is going to be tied up for a long, long time. The Austin’s…out of the picture for the rest of their lives.”
“Thank you,” his mouth settled on hers.
“Let’s go home,” she answered happily.
Chapter Thirty
Carter didn’t like the silence. And it annoyed him that he couldn’t think of how to fix it.
He held her while she cried last night, his heart wrenching because he’d finally come up against something he couldn’t find a fix for. She didn’t offer an explanation for the tears and he hadn’t been strong enough to ask. Not then.
“We’re going in the limo?” She swallowed hard and took a deep breath.
“We are,” Carter felt her balk slightly then step forward, the sunshine yellow and white pin stripes in the jersey dress she wore shimmering around her knees as she slid onto the seat. He caught the smallest glimpse of brilliant red coloring on toes peeking through the opening of the shoes she’d chosen. With the exception of the corset style ribbing that began beneath her breasts and ended at the rise of her hips, it was the perfect Sunday dress.
“I suppose I’d better get used to it, though…” She stared at the palms twisting in her lap.
“I’m sorry…but I wanted to be alone with you without distractions,” he answered honestly. “At least until we get to Aaron and Catherine’s.”
“They’re riding with us?” She asked, perking up a little, her gaze still skittering slight from his.
“They are. Aaron asked if I would mind…and I don’t,” he took a long, slow breath. “You’ve been distant, Anna…and I’m not talking about inches…what’s wrong?”
She’d known this was coming. Felt it for the last few days.
Felt the itch to read things she’d written and lived and remember. She kept staring at the ring he’d bought for her. The ring of promise that he put on her hand. And her mind went to the previous night, the way he held her without nagging questions when she was a mess.
It was a finer gift than any diamonds, but she hadn’t told him that. Yet.
“When you first…burst into my life…I was afraid. I didn’t know how to love someone…except Aaron…and that was…it just was. I don’t know how to explain it. Then…then all the stuff from eons ago…the Austin’s and…” She lifted her gaze from her hands, one palm up to swipe almost angrily at the tear on her face. Her expression turned fierce. “I was wrong. I should have read my own words a long time ago and often. I loved Missy and Danny…they were part of us for almost ten years…like a really comfy aunt and uncle,” she recalled with a smile. “I read some of it last night…while you were working on something…and everything exploded,” she whispered hoarsely. “I realized I had never allowed myself to grieve for her…for me…and you never questioned, never hesitated last night…just comfort and your arms and that’s so incredibly wonderful,” she met his eyes and offered a watery smile. “Thank you.”
Carter didn’t think. Just felt the sharp fireball inside his stomach, his hands out to grip her waist and haul her over his lap, his arms surrounding her and he buried his face against her throat.
“You’re very…very…welcome, Anna…” His words whispered over her throat, their heads together and quiet surrounding them. “I didn’t know what was wrong…or how to make it right. Some ego part of me thought…expected to have the ring tossed at me,” he confessed quietly.
“I’m sorry…I should have talked to you…”
“I’ll nag next time, I promise,” he decided he’d never get enough of her kisses, his mouth tasting the salt of her tears before just relaxing and holding her close.
“Never, ever stop talking to me…” she snuggled down, barely looking up when the door was pulled wide a minute later.
“Aww…geeze…you two…” Aaron winked at Carter after helping Catherine slide across the seat and climbing in next to her.
“Oh…I think it’s nice,” Catherine leaned back into him, relaxing against him when he wrapped his arms around her. “See…it’s called love…and it feels really, really good.”
Aaron was quiet for a long minute. He caught Carter’s eye.
“You spoke with them?”
“A long chat on Friday morning,” he agreed with a slight nod. “They were…surprised…hopeful, I think. They’ve known about you both for about eight years. You started getting involved in charities and benefits. All those snazzy dresses hanging in the closet,” he met the wide eyes with a crooked grin. “You’ve both been in the society pages repeatedly. Something the Ellison’s began to devour when it was shown to them eight years ago by some friends who…” He drew in a long, slow breath. “Evidently you bear a striking resemblance to your father. Se
veral friends of the Ellison’s brought the photos to their attention.”
“They didn’t contact us,” Anna lifted her head, sliding as gracefully as possible to the seat at his side, her palms wrapped around one of his, mostly to keep hers from shaking.
“They believed it was what you wanted,” he said softly. “They believed the media about your deaths because of the explosion. Which we now know was Spencer working to clean everything from his past. When they were given the first photos of you both at twenty-five, they thought they were dreaming. That it had to be some sort of mistake. They had you both quietly investigated. The Carson twins surfaced from ‘Nowhere, Texas’ at the age of fourteen. It was a little obvious for people searching. And they were convinced and followed you through the years, watched. Because you didn’t contact them after the explosion, they believed it was what you wanted. So they respected the silence.”
“It was a joint decision,” Aaron said, a little loud and very firm when he saw tears filling her eyes. “We wanted to be left alone for a while. Then we got involved in life, Anna.”
“I know…” but it was nice to lean her head on someone’s shoulder. To close her eyes and not think. “I know.”
Carter glanced over at Catherine. “You’re looking lovely today.”
“Thanks…dresses…” her head shook at the laughter from behind her. “Who knew…I’m not all that sure I handle the girl thing as well as some.” She didn’t see Aaron close one eye and look at her oddly.
“You are a girl…I’ve checked,” he said after a short pause.
“Not a clothes kind of girl, though,” she felt a tinge of heat in her cheeks and stabbed her elbow into his side.
“That’s the Catherine I know and love,” he said through his teeth.
“I can do this girl thing, buddy, don’t think I can’t,” she told him firmly, trying to convince herself. “It’s lots easier to just kick in doors…” She mumbled amidst the laughter. “Wow…those are some doors…” She whispered, sitting up straighter and peering out the side window as they wove along a driveway.
WindSwept Narrows: #16 Anna Carson & Catherine Jenkins Page 24
