“I’ll call you later.” Dar hung up and immediately dialed her parents’ cell phone number. It rang four times, then went to the voice mail. “Damn.” She waited for the message to end, then left her name and cell number. As she closed the phone, she considered her next course of action.
“Dar?” Kerry’s voice burred sleepily. “What’s wrong?”
Dar gazed down at the half open green eyes peering up at her.
“Hm?” She made a questioning noise, to buy herself some time.
“How’s your head?”
“Woozy.” Kerry remained where she was, one hand stroking idly across Dar’s belly. “That stuff’s strong. You shoulda warned me.” Her eyes closed for a moment, then reopened. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Should I? Dar didn’t want to add to the stress already piled on her lover’s shoulders, but she was reluctant to lie to her. “Someone from the government, or so they claim, came looking for that information at the office. I thought he was from Gerry’s office, but…”
Kerry absorbed that. “Damn. I thought you took the core dump out of the building.”
“I did,” Dar said. “Dad has it.”
Kerry shrugged. “Then it’s okay, right?”
Dar met her eyes with a troubled look. “Except that now Gerry knows someone else is looking for it, because I was stupid enough to tell him.”
Thicker Than Water 127
“Oh.” Kerry looked apprehensive now. “What does that mean?’
“I don’t know.”
“Could someone else have found out about it?” Kerry asked.
“Or…did this come from my father?” She hesitated. “What does Dad say? Anyone been asking him?”
“I don’t know,” Dar said. “The folks are not answering the phone. Maybe they took the boat out.” She opened the phone and dialed. “Hello? Yes, this is Dar Roberts; can I talk to the dock mas-ter please?” She waited. “Slip 1452, is it berthed?” There was a short wait before the man came back on the line. “Yes? Thanks.”
She hung up. “Boat’s in the dock.”
Kerry was now more or less awake. “Want me to call Colleen and have her run down there? I think she’s the closest.”
Dar nodded silently and handed her the phone. She listened to Kerry dial and watched as she pushed the disheveled hair back off her forehead and leaned on one elbow.
“Hey, Col,” Kerry said softly. “Yeah. No, thanks. Thanks. I loved the basket.” She listened. “No, what I…What? Where are you? Our place?” She looked at Dar. “Mom and Dad asked Col to puppy sit. Said they were going out of town for a few days.”
Dar blinked. “When was this?”
Kerry asked. “About two hours ago,” she relayed to Dar. “Did they say where they were going? No? I don’t get it.”
Out of town? “They didn’t mention anything about going out of town,” Dar said, in a puzzled tone. “Did they?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Kerry just sat there thinking for a minute. “I don’t get it.” She yawned and leaned against Dar.
“Why would anyone be trying to get that information from you?
The general already has it, and my father already had it.”
“Beats me. Guy said he was from the military appropriations committee.” Dar shrugged.
Kerry took hold of her wrist. “My father was on that,” she said. “Could he have told them?”
Oh boy. “I don’t know,” Dar murmured. “But if he did, we’ve got a problem.”
They heard the distinct slamming of a door somewhere nearby. They looked at each other, then at the door, as footsteps—
heavy and determined—headed in their direction. “I think that problem’s going to have to wait.” Kerry rolled off the bed.
Dar got out after her and followed her across the carpet, but stopped when Kerry paused and put her hand out, touching Dar’s chest. “What?”
“They’re my family.” Kerry intently searched Dar’s face.
“Please. Let me take a stab at handling them. Stay back for now.”
128 Melissa Good Dar frowned.
“Please?” Kerry brushed Dar’s lips with her own. “I have to face them sometime, Dar. You can’t beat them all up for me.”
“Why not?”
“Dar.”
Dar sighed. “Okay.” She opened the door for Kerry. “Go get
’em.” She gave her a pat on the butt, and watched until she disappeared around the edge of the corridor leading to the stairs. She waited an additional moment, then slipped out, padded to the landing, and cocked her head to listen.
CYNTHIA STUART SAW the broad back go past her, and she hurried after it. “Edgar?”
Edgar stopped, then turned and looked at her. “Cyndi, I heard you had that whore under this roof.” He stared accusingly at her. “We had a bargain.”
“Edgar,” Cynthia frowned, “this really is none of your business. If I choose to—”
“Cynthia, it is my business,” Edgar said flatly. “Roger was my brother, and you know how he felt about that woman and the godforsaken way she chooses to live.”
“Yes.” Cynthia sighed. “I am well aware of how he felt.”
“Then how could you?” Edgar asked. “How could you invite her in here, push her in all our faces, when we all know how he felt, how that ate at him. Good Lord, Cynthia, what the hell’s wrong with you?”
“Edgar, listen to me.” Cynthia was upset. “I know you have strong feelings, but—”
“Strong?” Edgar’s voice rose. “No, you don’t understand. I hate her. I hate her and everything she stands for, and I hate what she did to this family and to my brother.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Cynthia snapped back. “You don’t nearly know the truth of that.” She stepped closer. “Do you think Kerrison simply decided to turn against Roger for no reason?”
“There is no reason that can explain what she did.”
“Yes, there is.” A quiet voice interrupted them. Both turned to see Kerry standing there, watching them with wary green eyes.
“But you know what? I don’t owe you any explanations.”
“Kerrison,” Cynthia put up a pacifying hand, “please, let me handle this. I’m sure—”
“Mother, this has to stop somewhere.” Kerry looked her uncle in the eye. “What is it you want from me, Uncle Edgar?”
Edgar stared at her, his nostrils flaring. “I want you to go to Hell,” he said softly and bitterly.
Thicker Than Water 129
“Edgar!”
“It’s all right, mother,” Kerry replied softly. “Uncle, tell me something. Do you want me to burn in Hell for exposing my father’s illegal activities to the press, or because I’m gay?” She held his eyes, her body shaking inside and her guts churning. Part of her regretted asking Dar to stay behind, but she knew she had to face this, one way or the other.
A flicker of indecision crossed his face, then his jaw firmed.
“You’re a disgrace to this family and an abomination in the eyes of God!” he yelled, then turned, walked down the stairs, crossed the foyer, and exited into the study.
Kerry released the breath she’d been holding, and relaxed her shoulders.
“Kerrison...” Cynthia lifted a hand, then let it fall.
“There’s nothing you can say,” Kerry said. “I’m sure there’ll be a lot more people here tonight that feel that way.” She looked at her mother. “But you know what? I don’t care.” She drew in a breath. “I can’t change what I did, and I can’t change who I am.”
Cynthia hesitated, then twitched Kerry’s sleeve straight.