A Carol for Kent

by Hallee Bridgeman

  She dropped Lisa and Amy off at Amy’s house, thankful to get away from the talk about Bobby Kent being the star of the party, then turned to go home to wait. It was ridiculous for her to feel so nervous, but for some reason, she couldn’t help it. She’d loved him with a strength that had frightened her when she was in college, then despised him with an equal passion ever since. Now she didn’t know how she ought to feel, or how to act.

  Carol glanced at the clock on the dash as she pulled into her driveway and saw she only had a few minutes to prepare herself for his arrival. She laid her head on her steering wheel and prayed for some strength to get through the next few hours. The headache was nearly blinding her by now, and she couldn’t stop the nervous tightening of her stomach. She took a deep breath and sat up, then went into the house to lie on the couch until he arrived. She would unload the presents later.

  THE doorbell’s ring woke Carol about an hour later and, as she sat up, she realized she felt a little better. She moved through the house and opened the door. Bobby stood there, his white Stetson in his hands, and once again she felt compassion for this man because of what had been taken from him… and what had been taken from Lisa.

  “Bobby,” she greeted, stepping aside so he could enter.

  “I really appreciate this, Carol,” he said. He stepped through the doorway, then stopped just inside the threshold, letting Carol lead the way in her home.

  “Have any trouble finding the place?” she asked.

  He waved his hat in the direction of her driveway. “Rental’s got a GPS. You have a really nice home, Carol.”

  She led the way and they moved through the foyer with the formal dining room to their right. They walked past the carpeted stairwell, beyond the formal living room on their left and the entrance to the kitchen on the right, and into the den at the end of the house. She turned on a lamp near the couch and waved a hand in the direction of the room.

  “Have a seat, Bobby. Do you want some water or a coffee or something?”

  “No, but thank you.” He set his hat down on a side table and folded his long body into a chair. He cleared his throat. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous,” he admitted with a smile. His smile came to his lips more to set himself at ease in his emotional discomfort than to soothe her.

  Carol laughed, recognizing that they shared that feeling in common. She sat down on the couch facing him. Looking into his eyes for the first time in almost nine years, she felt a lot of tension suddenly fade away. “I was thinking the same thing,” she confessed, then she sobered. “I’m sorry, Bobby. You’ve missed so much, and it’s not your fault.”

  “It’s not yours, either.”

  She shrugged. “In a way it is. I went to your parents because I didn’t know how to find you. But later, you weren’t exactly hidden. I just never pushed.”

  He leaned forward and she could see sparks of anger smoldering in his eyes, though she detected no other sign of emotion. She decided he would make a tough witness if she ever had him on the stand. “They said they told you I wanted nothing to do with you or my child. Is that right?”

  “Yes, but I just let it go.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I thought about trying a few times, especially lately, but I didn’t want to seem like I was needy or begging.”

  He looked around the room and she tried to see her home through his eyes. She saw an elegant, tastefully furnished house in a prestigious neighborhood. “You seem to be doing fine without having to beg.”

  “Yeah, well, not really. Your parents give me money every month. I thought it was from you.”

  “Oh, I bet it was. Their deception went pretty deep, it would seem. Carol, you have to believe me. If they ever mentioned you or our daughter, it would have been so different. I didn’t know. The thought of them handing you money like an allowance…” Bobby’s voice trailed off in disgust.

  “I needed it when I was still in school. The bigger you got, the bigger the checks got, until I didn’t have to work anymore while I was taking classes. Then, after I passed the bar, I thought about going into private practice so I wouldn’t need your money anymore. But I wanted to work for the Commonwealth Attorney so badly that I kept accepting the money. I’ve had dozens of offers from local law firms, and I thought that if you ever pulled your support away, I could take one of them up on their offer and still be able to maintain. Lately, I’ve just been putting most of it in a trust account for Lisa.”

  She stood. “I’m really thirsty. I’m going to get myself an iced tea. Are you sure you don’t want anything?”

  “I’ll take one, too, since you’re having one. If you don’t mind,” he agreed.

  She had already set glasses out in the kitchen. It took seconds to add ice and tea to each one. When she returned to the room, she found him looking at the sea of photographs that lined the top of her piano. He reached out with a finger and ran it over a photo of Lisa grinning around her second birthday cake. He turned when she came into the room and took the glass from her with a smile.

  “I’ve spent all afternoon feeling miserable and angry. I’m not going to let myself get down about this,” he asserted as he tipped his tea to her in a salute. “I have to trust God’s timing, or I’ll be consumed with bitterness. I’m happy I’m Lisa’s dad. You’ve had to do it on your own so far, and you seem to have done a wonderful job. But, I want to have a role in her life now, in some way. I want to know all that you can tell me about her. We’ll mark today as a new beginning.”

  Her headache receded further. “Good. Come on and sit down.”

  They sat at each end of the couch. “Tell me about her,” he said.

  “She’s so smart.” Carol smiled. “She takes piano lessons and seems to be a natural. She’s in ballet, but only because her best friend, Amy, is in it. She loves Jesus and church. That’s a huge part of our social life.”

  As Carol talked, she relaxed even more. She told him stories as they came to her, not in any particular order, and had him laughing more than a few times at the pictures she created with her words.

  Around ten, she asked, “Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”

  She stood to lead the way to the kitchen when she heard her work cell phone ring from her purse by the door. The real world came back suddenly.

  “I have to get that,” she said. She rushed to the foyer and grabbed the phone out of the purse she’d hung on the coat rack. As she answered it, she headed back to the living room. “Carol Mabry.”

  “I’m at Lake Reba. You’re going to need to get here,” Mitch said by way of greeting. He gave her directions and told her they’d wait on her.

  She grimaced and looked at Bobby as she hung up the phone. “I have to go to work. I’m sorry.”

  “At ten o’clock on a Saturday?”

  “I’m on call, and there’s been a murder.” She unplugged her personal cell, shot Amy’s mom a quick text to let her know she was out of the house, and turned to him. “I really need to leave, Bobby. You’re welcome to stay until I get back.”

  “I need to go check into a hotel. I’d planned on staying at the ranch, but clearly, that’s not going to work.”

  It didn’t take her half a millisecond to wage an internal debate with herself. “It’s late. I have two guest rooms. Why don’t you stay here tonight?”

  He walked toward her and stared down at her as if studying her face. Finally, he smiled and drawled, “I really appreciate the hospitality, Carol. I’ll wait right here.”

  She stepped away from him and nodded, already shedding the persona of Carol Mabry, mommy, and slipping on the Carol Mabry, A.C.A.

  CHAPTER 5

  “BARBARA Daniels, 22, waitress at a diner about three miles from here. Engaged to one Antoine Berkley.” Mitch looked up from his notepad and looked at Carol.

  “Is Antoine a person of interest?”

  Miss Daniels’ corpse lay spread eagle on an island of manicured grass in the otherwise black asphalt parking lot of Lake Reba Park. Her frame
was illuminated by the street light above her and also by flickering candles. At her head, at each hand, and at each foot, red candles burned, pooling wax at their bases like spilled blood. She wore a black pantsuit with a bright yellow top, black heels adorned with yellow bows on the toes, and a yellow beaded bracelet. Her auburn hair had been pulled back and styled in an intricate twist.

  Mitch shook his head. “Of course, but I really don’t like him for it. Too much detail here to be a copycat. Feels like the same guy who did Darla Cody.”

  Carol took a few steps closer to the body and Mitch unconsciously stepped up alongside her, as if shielding her. When she looked up from the corpse and met his eyes, he continued, “Besides, he has a decent alibi. He was on his way back from DC when we got a hold of him on the phone.”

  “So, two hundred miles away in front of a thousand witnesses?”

  Mitch nodded. “Something like that.”

  Carol could see the shine of subtle yet elegant makeup reflected in the street light. She carefully knelt and inspected the wire around the victim’s neck.

  “Violin?” Mitch asked.

  “Think so, but I can’t tell. The fret end isn’t visible without moving her head.” She used a penlight from her keychain to shine on the wire. “Looks like it, though.”

  Mitch nodded. “No one knows it was violin string. And the candles are a perfect match. That, and she’s gussied up like the Cody girl was.”

  She sat back on the heels of her tennis shoes and looked up at Mitch. “Why would a waitress at a diner be wearing a business suit in a park?”

  “Maybe she had a date?”

  “With a fiancé out of town? Besides, not exactly date clothes. More like business clothes. Expensive business clothes at that.”

  “Maybe she had a job interview?”

  Carol nodded. “Maybe.” She rose to her feet. She eyeballed Mitch as if evaluating whether to say what was on her mind before she spoke again. “Mitch, I know the report’s probably on my desk. But, do you know if the autopsy showed any sexual assault to Darla Cody?”

  “None. Absolutely no sexual activity. Nor was there any bruising anywhere on her body other than the obvious strangulation.”

  She waved a hand at Barbara’s body. “Doesn’t this scream sex crime to you?”

  Mitch slipped his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “How? Victims are fully clothed. Nothing is violated in any way.”

  “I don’t think she owned these clothes. I think our killer dressed her like a paper doll after she was dead. I think the body was carefully dressed and arranged. Even if he didn’t violate her, it still feels sexual.”

  He grinned. “Oh. It feels that way.” He stressed the word and made Carol laugh.

  “You hush. You know what I mean.”

  “I do. I’m not entirely convinced, but I do know what you mean.” He looked at his watch. “Want to get together Monday and go over reports?”

  “Absolutely. Nine?”

  He grimaced. “Better make it ten. I have to break in a new partner starting Monday.”

  “Oh? Someone get promoted? Was it Johnson from Fourth Precinct?”

  “Nah. He’s coming here from DC. Apparently, he has friends in high places in this town.”

  Raising her eyebrow Carol asked, “From DC?”

  “Yeah. Rumor has it that there was a he-said-she-said dispute that didn’t go his way. I don’t know any details and have been ordered not to let it cloud my judgment. You know me, Carol. I’ll give everyone a fair shake. And I never did cotton to gossip, especially coming from that town.”

  She nodded and stepped backward. “Let me know what the fiancé says. Call me any time about it.”

  “I will. I have a uniform there now with him. I’m on my way. Want to come?”

  She shook her head. “No. I have some things left undone at home. I’ll just talk to you about it later.”

  SHE found Bobby in the living room, asleep on the couch, his head pillowed on his arm at one end, and his feet hanging over the side on the other end. She thought about waking him and telling him to go to one of the bedrooms, but she didn’t have the heart. He’d been through a lot of emotional turmoil in the last few hours, and even in sleep, she could see the fatigue on his face. She went upstairs and grabbed a blanket, then took it back down and covered him with it.

  Before she turned off the lamp, she took a good half a minute to really look at the man who shared so many features with her daughter. He was remarkably handsome and his face looked relaxed and peaceful in slumber. Oddly, she felt like giving him a soothing pat on the cheek just as she often did with Lisa. She resisted the urge and turned out the light.

  She went upstairs, but felt too restless to sleep. It wasn’t quite midnight, so she decided to call her best friend, Aria Williams.

  “You’re up late,” Aria said by way of greeting.

  “How did the MTV awards thing go?” Aria, an accomplished pianist, collaborated on soundtracks for her brother Adam’s motion pictures.

  “The whole song award was a ruse. Adam was actually getting honored as sexiest director or something. He was horribly embarrassed and it was absolutely hysterical. My sides are still hurting from laughing so hard.”

  Knowing how serious Adam was, Carol grinned. “I’m sorry I missed that. I remember his mortification at being named one of People magazine’s Sexiest Men of the year. You remember when he was ranked higher than Trent Scott a few years back? He actually called me about my opinion on suing them for slander. I had to talk him down and convince him that they were complimenting him and that any press was good press.”

  “I remember that,” Aria said with a giggle. “Don’t make me laugh anymore. My sides actually hurt. My poor brother. I think he will retire after this one. He’s not happy.”

  “Maybe he just needs to grow a really unattractive beard and gain fifty pounds.”

  “In Hollywood, that would just become the new fashion.” Carol heard Aria’s husband, Nick, in the background. “Nick is telling me to quit making fun of my brother.”

  Feeling her smile fade, Carol said, “I need to talk to you.”

  She could tell Aria heard the seriousness of her voice when she asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “Remember last year when I said you’d know who Lisa’s dad was if I told you his name?”

  “I do. And I remember you not telling me his name.”

  Taking a deep breath, Carol said, “Does the name Bobby Kent ring any bells?”

  There was a bit of a pause before Aria said, “Wow. I can see it.”

  “Yeah. Me, too. I don’t know how everyone in the world can’t see it.”

  “You have to give me a second. I’m just putting you and Bobby Kent together in my mind right now.”

  “Aria!”

  “Oh, no. That’s not what I meant.”

  Aria Suarez was a savant with an intellect that exceeded genius. Carol had known her since they were high school Army brats in Columbus, Georgia. Sometimes, conversations with Aria didn’t go as planned, so she just waited her friend out.

  Aria said, “I thought Bobby Kent was supposed to be with Melody Mason for a long time. Since she got married, they keep putting him with Harmony Harper.”

  Carol snorted. “Yeah, right. Like Adam Suarez is supposed to be with Julianne McNeill.”

  “Ah, got it.” There was another pause and Carol knew that her brilliant scientist best friend was making mental connections and drawing logical conclusions that would dazzle normal human beings. Just a few heart beats passed before she spoke again. “So, why are you calling me at midnight on Lisa’s birthday? What happened?”

  Carol took a deep breath, then launched forward, telling her about the moment she got to the ranch and ending with finding him asleep on her couch. When she finished speaking, she let Aria digest what she’d said.

  “Okay. What now?”

  Carol lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. “Now, I have to introduce my 8-year-old to her fath
er. And, somehow, I have to forgive his parents.”

  “You’ve held onto some pretty intense anger toward Bobby for a long time. Have you let it all go?”

  Examining her heart, she took a moment before answering. “I hope so. Honestly? Welcoming him into my home and telling him all about Lisa was kind of the exact opposite of how I envisioned our reunion going down, I can tell you that. Like night and day. I’ve thought all kinds of terrible things over the years, but never that Harriet and Robert had lied to me. Lied right to my face. And Lisa’s! It’s unfathomable.”

  Aria took a deep breath and released it. “It is. I’m so sorry.”

  Something occurred to Carol when her thoughts wandered to the man sleeping on her couch. “You want to know something? I feel worse for Bobby. They’re his parents, after all. I can tell he’s seething inside, like completely furious, but he totally hides it.”

  Aria asked, “Is that healthy?”

  Carol snickered, “Not sure I know him well enough to answer that question accurately.”

  “Oh, Carol,” Aria uttered.

  “I mean, I know him. At least, I know who he used to be. I know who he was in college. He was calm, cool, and collected at all times. I’ve known his parents since Lisa was born. He’s really different from his father, but eerily similar, if you know what I mean. But I don’t know anything about what he’s done for the last eight years anymore than he knows about me or Lisa.”

  “So what’s next?”

  Carol ran through all the obvious scenarios in her imagination and answered, “I have no idea.”

  “Is there anything we can do?”

  “Keep us in your prayers.”

  “Always. I’m going to call you at work every day and pester you now, you know.”

  Carol barked a laugh and they talked for another half hour. She bounced between laughter and tears as she and Aria shared the news of events of the last week. When she hung up, she felt better, just knowing her friend would listen anytime and pray. She thought it would take her a while to fall asleep with the thoughts and concerns that swirled through her mind, but after the emotional roller coaster she’d ridden for most of the day, she fell fast asleep almost the very second her head hit the pillow.