Hideaway Page 7

  “Probably, but I’ll check. Aunt Maureen and Uncle Harry are still here. And Miranda and Jack, some of the kids, too.”

  “Are we going home today?”

  “We’re going to see. You remember Sheriff Buckman from last night? He needs to come talk to everybody.”

  Putting down the fork, Cate gripped her hands together under the counter, stared at her plate. “Did he catch them?”

  “I don’t know, Catey, but you’re safe.”

  “Are you coming right back? After you go upstairs, are you coming right back?”

  “Right back. And G-Lil and Grandpa will stay right here with you.”

  “And Nina?”

  “Nina’s a little busy right now,” Lily said easily. “Why don’t we get out one of those jigsaw puzzles you like so much that make me say all those bad words.”

  That brought a smile. “Can we do one in the living room so we can see the water, and have a fire?”

  “Great idea.” Hugh stood. “But I pick the puzzle.”

  “Not an easy one!” Cate scooted off the stool to scramble after him. Then stopped, her eyes imploring her father. “You’ll come right back.”

  “Right back,” Aidan promised.

  “Time and love, Aidan,” Lily reminded him as he looked after his daughter.

  He nodded, and walked back to the stairs, went up. In the bedroom, he opened the curtains, let the light wash through the room.

  He moved to the bed, sat where Charlotte lay, her hair like a luxurious tangle of that sunlight. Gently, he brushed it back from her face, kissed her.

  She didn’t stir—even without a pill she tended to sleep deep—so he took her hand, kissed her fingers. Said her name.

  “Charlotte. You need to wake up.”

  She stirred then, and would have rolled over if he hadn’t stopped her. “Charlotte, wake up now.”

  “Just let me sleep for another . . .”

  Her eyes popped open, instantly filled with tears. “Caitlyn!” Already weeping, she flung herself into Aidan’s arms. “God, God, how could I have slept when my baby’s gone? How could I have—”

  “Charlotte. Stop. Stop. Catey’s here. She’s safe. She’s right downstairs.”

  “Oh, why do you lie to me? Why do you torture me?”

  “Stop!” He had to pull her back, give her a little shake to cut off the rise of hysteria. “She’s downstairs, Charlotte. She got away. She’s safe, and downstairs right now.”

  Her eyes went blank. “What are you talking about?”

  “Our girl, Charlotte?” Tears clogged his throat again. “Our brave little girl climbed out a window. She got away, she got help. Dad and I brought her home last night after talking to the police. She was asleep by the time we got home, and you were under, so—”

  “She—she climbed out a window? Oh my God! Did they—The police, you called the police?”

  “The family who helped her did. Sheriff Buckman and his deputy will be here in about ten minutes to—”

  “They’re coming here? Did they catch them? Did they catch the men who had Caitlyn?”

  “I don’t know. They wore masks. Cate didn’t know where she was. It was a gift from God she found this house, this family who helped her, took care of her until we got there. Charlotte, she’s downstairs. You need to get up.”

  “Oh God, oh God, I—I’m so groggy from the pill. I’m not thinking straight.” She tossed the covers aside, leaped out of bed. Since she wore only a silk nightshirt, Aidan stopped her before she could run from the room.

  “Sweetheart, you need a robe at least. The police are coming.”

  “What do I care about—”

  He took the one laid over the foot of the bed, helped her put it on.

  “I’m shaking, I’m shaking. This is all like some terrible dream. Caitlyn.”

  Weeping again, she ran from the room, rushed down the stairs. She let out a wail when she saw Cate sitting on the floor working on a puzzle.

  She leaped again, fell to her knees and pulled Cate close and tight against her. “Caitlyn, Cate. My Catey. My baby! I can’t believe you’re—”

  She cut herself off, showering kisses over Cate’s face.

  “Oh, let me look at you, let me look. Oh, my darling, did they hurt you?”

  “They locked me in a room, but I got away.”

  “Oh, how could this happen?” She dragged Cate to her again. “When I think what might—That Nina! I want her arrested!”

  “Charlotte.” Even as Hugh tried to speak, Cate wiggled free, pushed away.

  “Nina didn’t do anything! You can’t be mean to Nina!”

  “She was supposed to watch you, take care of you. I trusted her. Oh, I’ll never forgive her. For all we know she was part of this. My sweet baby girl!”

  “It’s not Nina’s fault.” Again, Cate pushed away from Charlotte’s reaching arms. “You told me where to hide. You told me to play hide-and-seek and hide up in the tree where nobody would find me and I’d win!”

  “Don’t be silly.”

  Before Aidan could speak, Hugh held up a hand, got slowly to his feet. “When did your mother tell you where to hide, Catey?”

  “Stop badgering her! Hasn’t she been through enough? Aidan, it’s time we took our daughter out of this house. Time we took her home.”

  “When, Caitlyn?” Hugh repeated.

  “In the morning before the celebration.” While her voice shook a little, Cate kept her gaze steady on Charlotte’s face. She didn’t look at her mother as if studying a stranger, but as if finding something she’d always known.

  “She said let’s go for a walk, even before Nina got up. Early. And she said she had the best hiding place, and when she showed me, she said not to tell anybody. It was our secret, and to make hide-and-seek the last outside game.”

  “This is ridiculous. She’s confused. You come with me right now, Caitlyn. We’re going upstairs to pack.”

  “ ‘Them.’ ” Pale as death, Aidan moved forward, stood between his wife and daughter. “When I told you Cate was here, was safe, first . . . It was shock, not relief. I see that now. And you said ‘them.’ Did the police catch them, the men who took her.”

  “For Christ’s sake, Aidan, what difference does that make? And I was coming off a sleeping pill. And—”

  Her father’s voice, so cold when he spoke, had Cate shivering. Lily drew her back.

  “Because when you took the pill, we only knew of one. One man. But it was two. It was two. How did you know that, Charlotte?”

  “I didn’t!” Her robe swirled around her as she turned, as she pressed a hand to her heart. “How could I! It’s just a figure of speech, and I was groggy and upset. Stop it. I want to go home.”

  Something in Cate’s belly shook, but she stepped closer again. “I couldn’t remember when I talked to the police, but now I do.”

  Lily took Cate’s hand. “What do you remember?”

  “He said, when I pretended to be asleep, when he talked to somebody on the phone. He asked are you using the nanny’s phone? And how if they ever checked, she’d get blamed.”

  “Caitlyn’s confused and God knows what they did to her when they—”

  “No, I’m not.” Tears spilled down her cheeks, but the eyes that shed them stayed hot. “I remember. You told me where to hide. You said make it the last game. And he asked if you were using the nanny’s phone. Because it was you. I knew it. I knew it inside, G-Lil, so I didn’t want to see Mom this morning. I only wanted Daddy.”

  “You stop this nonsense right now.” As Charlotte made a grab for Cate, Lily blocked her.

  “Don’t you dare touch this child.”

  “You get out of my way, you washed-up bitch.” Charlotte’s angry shove didn’t move Lily an inch. “You get your fat ass out of my way or—”

  Eyes glittering, Lily pushed her face into Charlotte’s. “Or what? You want to take a shot at me, you soulless excuse for a mother? You couldn’t act your way out of a room with one door if
the door stood open, and you’re not acting your way out of this, you low-rent never-will-be. You go right on and take a poke at me, and you’ll be waking up on the floor with that nose Aidan paid for spouting blood.”

  “Stop!” Throwing up his hands, Aidan pushed between them while Hugh drew Cate away. “Stop this. Charlotte, Lily, I need you both to sit down.”

  With a toss of her hair, Charlotte jabbed a finger toward Lily. “I’m not staying in the same house with her. I’m going up to get dressed. Aidan, we’re leaving.”

  He gripped her arm before she stormed out. “I said sit down.”

  “Don’t speak to me that way. What’s wrong with you?” Sobbing, she fell against him. “I can’t stay here! Aidan, oh, Aidan, that woman hates me. She always has. Did you hear? Did you hear what she said to me? How can you let her insult me that way?”

  “I’ve got plenty of other ways to insult you,” Lily tossed out. “I’ve been saving ’em up for years.”

  Aidan sent Lily a silent plea that had her holding up a hand, gesturing peace.

  “Sit down, Charlotte,” Aidan repeated.

  “I will not sit in the same house, much less the same room with that woman.”

  “This isn’t about Lily. This is about Caitlyn. It’s about you being a part of what happened to her.”

  “You can’t believe any of that. I’m Caitlyn’s mother! Our baby’s upset, confused.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  Charlotte whipped her head around, struggled for a moment as Cate stared at her with those hot, streaming eyes. “We’re going to get you the help you need, Catey. You had a terrible ordeal.”

  “You told me where to hide. You said, ‘Let’s go for a walk before anybody gets up, and I’ll show you a secret hiding place.’ ”

  “I did not! You’re mixed up. You must’ve gone for a walk with Nina, and—”

  “She went with you.” Rosemary, trembling a bit, stood in the wide entranceway. “I saw you. Yesterday morning, I saw you and our Cate outside when I stepped out to smell the sea.”

  “You’re dreaming. You’re all conspiring against me! You—”

  “Be quiet. Be quiet and sit the hell down.” Sick, sick to his bones, Aidan pulled Charlotte to a chair, pushed her into it. “Nan. What did you see?”

  “I saw them walking together, and I thought, how sweet, the two of them walking together so early, when the sun’s still rising over the hills, when it’s starting to glitter on the water. I almost called out, but I didn’t because I wanted the two of you to have that moment to yourselves.”

  “What have you done?”

  “I haven’t done anything! It’s just like you,” she spat at Aidan. “Just like you to take everyone’s side against me.”

  “No,” he murmured. “In fact, it’s not.”

  He glanced toward the window as the gate signaled. “That should be the sheriff.”

  “I’ll open the gate.” Lily walked out to the controls.

  “If you try to get out of that chair,” Aidan warned as Charlotte started to push herself up, “I’ll just put you back in it.”

  “If you put a hand on me—” She broke off, cringed back when he took a step toward her. “You’ve lost your mind.”

  Covering her face with her hands, she fell back on her usual defense. Tears.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “Sit here, Catey girl. Ma, come sit with Cate.”

  “You believe me, don’t you, Grandpa?”

  “I do.” He gave her a hard hug before giving her butt a light pat to send her toward a sofa. “I’m sorry to say, I do.”

  He went to his mother, put an arm around her as he walked her to Cate.

  “Lily,” he said when she came back, “would you go ask Nina to come in, bring her phone?”

  “Don’t you dare bring that liar in here.”

  “Shut up. Spill all the fake tears you want, but shut up. I’ll get the door,” he told Aidan.

  As he started for it, his sister rushed down the steps. “What’s going on? We heard the shouting.”

  “It appears Charlotte had a part in Cate’s kidnapping.”

  “You—What?”

  He scrubbed his hands over his face. “Do me a favor, see if you can get someone to put coffee together. The police may want some. Then you should get Harry, come down and listen. Ask, for now, Miranda and Jack to make sure the kids stay upstairs, or go down to the theater. It’s going to be a hell of a show here, and one they shouldn’t see.”

  “Hugh, why would you think she’d—All right,” she said when he just shook his head. “I’ll take care of it.”

  When Hugh opened the door, Red and Michaela were just getting out of the car.

  “Good morning, Mr. Sullivan. How’s Caitlyn?”

  “Hugh,” he said. “Please, both of you, make it Hugh. We’ve had some . . . developments this morning. Cate’s remembered something. She remembered more details.”

  “That’s helpful.” But Red studied Hugh’s face, saw the terrible strain, the terrible anger. “Did they do more harm to her than we knew of?”

  “No, no, nothing like that. It’s . . .” He had to uncurl the hands he’d balled into fists at his sides. “You’d better hear for yourself. Please come in.”

  Under the soaring ceilings, in front of the panoramic view of sky and sea, Red studied the fascinating tableau.

  The little girl with the tear-streaked face and angry eyes sitting under the protective arm of her great-grandmother. The curvy redhead he recognized from the movies perched on the arm of the sofa to flank the girl.

  Like a guard on protective duty.

  The stunning blonde in the white silk robe weeping while her husband—because he recognized the blonde, too—stood behind her chair. Not in comfort, but another guard.

  “My mother, Rosemary,” Hugh began, “my wife, Lily. And, ah, my sister, Maureen.”

  “Coffee’s coming. Harry’s getting dressed.” One glance at Hugh had her going to the sofa, to sit at her mother’s other side.

  United front, Red thought. With the blonde most definitely cut out.

  “This is Sheriff Buckman and Deputy Wilson. And here’s Nina, Caitlyn’s nanny.”

  “Get that woman out of my sight!”

  At Charlotte’s explosion, Nina took a stumbling step back. “Miss Lily said I needed to come in, and bring my phone.”

  “You’re fired! Do you understand the word?”

  A small woman, barely twenty-five, she’d always acquiesced to Charlotte. Had always been intimidated by her. But now Nina squared her shoulders. “Then I don’t have to listen to you or do what you say.”

  Charlotte—and Red thought it fascinating how quickly tears turned to temper—started to spring up. Aidan gripped her shoulder, shoved her down again.

  “Don’t you touch me. Sheriff, you have to help me.”

  And, Red noted, how quick tears came back.

  “Please, please, they’re abusing me. Physically, verbally, emotionally. Please.” That beautiful face with its brimming eyes turned up to Red. The hands lifted in a plea.

  “We’re here to help,” he said easily. “How about everybody takes a seat?”

  Another woman rolled in a trolley. He could smell the coffee.

  “Thanks, Susan.” Maureen popped up. “I’ve got it from here. Susan helps my mother take care of things around here. Susan, you can go on back. Here’s my husband. Harry, this is Sheriff Buckman and Deputy Wilson. You should sit down,” she murmured to him.

  Before he did, he walked over to Cate, bent from his height of six-five to give her an exaggerated kiss. “You were a sleepyhead when I saw you last night.”

  He took a chair, stretched out his long legs.

  Since there was plenty of seating, Red took a chair that gave him the best angle on the blonde and the child. Mother and daughter. Because something very wrong simmered between them.

  “How are you doing today, Cate?”

  “I’m not scared anymore. And I remembere
d she told me where to hide.”

  She lifted her hand, pointed that accusatory finger at her mother.

  “She’s confused. Those monsters must have given her something that’s warped her memory. She doesn’t know what she’s saying.”

  “I know.” Cate stared straight into her mother’s eyes.

  Charlotte looked away first.

  “She woke me up early yesterday for a surprise, she said. She doesn’t get up early unless she has a call, but she was already dressed, and she had my jacket, and my shoes.”

  “I did not!”

  “You did, too.”

  “Charlotte,” Rosemary said with a sigh. “I saw you. I saw them walking, out front, about a half hour after sunrise.”

  Red held a hand up before Charlotte could interrupt again. “I’d like to hear what Cate has to say.”

  “I won’t have you interrogating my child.”

  “I don’t believe that’s what I’m doing.” Red barely flicked Charlotte a glance before giving Cate his full attention. “What I’m doing is listening. Tell me what you remember, Cate.”

  “She said we’re going for a walk, and we did. And I was excited because it was a secret, she said.”

  Though her voice sounded fierce, she knuckled tears from her eyes.

  “She said she had the best hiding place, and I should play hide-and-seek as the last outside game, and use that place—the tree by the garage—and no one would find me. So I’d win.”

  “Yoga,” Aidan murmured. “God, how could I be so stupid, so blind? I woke, and you were just coming into the bedroom. You had on yoga pants, a tank, and said you’d taken your mat out by the pool to do some yoga.”

  “Which is exactly what I did, or is that a crime now?”

  “Black yoga pants,” Rosemary said, shutting her eyes, bringing it back. “A black-and-white flowered tank.”

  “Yes.” Aidan nodded.

  “Obviously, Rosemary saw me coming back from the pool, and she’s confused.”

  “Seems to be a lot of ‘confused,’ ” Red said easily. “Cate seems pretty clear on it.”

  “She’s still in shock, may still be under the influence of whatever those monsters gave her.”

  “That would be the monsters who took her to the Wenfield cabin, about three miles from here as the crow flies.” He kept his eyes on Charlotte’s as he spoke. “Maybe you figure they’re confused, too.”