Betrayal (23 page)

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Authors: Fern Michaels

BOOK: Betrayal
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Yes, it was time Debbie was punished for all her lies.
And he knew just where to hit her.
Right in the good old pocketbook.
No one valued money more than his wife.
No one.
 
 
Debbie wondered what Alex's attorney could want. It had to be more than searching for Kate. He had an investigator. If he wanted to find her that badly, he would have. No, she knew it had to be something else. She knew Fitzpatrick was the last man, outside of the inmates, to see Alex alive. Could he have known something he shouldn't have? Had Alex revealed the secret that he swore he would take to his grave? She doubted it, but she wasn't going to take a chance. Because of her secret, she'd never had to worry about finances. If Don had known, he would have sweated bullets. After all these years, he was still mooching off the money good old Alex had put in trust for Emily, with Debbie as the trustee. She laughed at the thought, but Alex's money had also enabled her to open her own real estate office, which in turn supported Don's drinking habits and Sara's eating habits. Emily, though unbeknownst to her, would never have to worry where her next meal was coming from. Let her think good old Mom was working her ass off to send her to that stupid animal school. She was so much like Alex it was pathetic. Animal lover. Friend of the friendless. An aid to the elderly. It almost made her gag, Emily was such a do-gooder. At least she didn't have to look at her. She called now and then, but had never returned home since her high school graduation.
No one else knew her secret. Except Sara, the nosy little bitch. All those years ago, she'd overheard her and Alex talking about Emily. They had planned Alex's downfall, and it had worked. She'd done what she had to do for her family. Anyone else in her shoes would have done the same thing. She never thought Alex would be convicted, but she hadn't realized what an accomplished actress Sara was. When he was sent to prison, she'd felt a little bit of guilt, but not for long. Alex Rocket thought he was better than most. Well, she would have the last word. Lo and behold, she did, and it was even better than she could have imagined. She wondered what Kate would think if she knew how Alex had betrayed her? Debbie laughed. Maybe she would try to find her, too. Later. For now, she had a phone call to make.
Punching in the numbers, she looked at her nails. She needed a manicure. She would ask her manicurist to start coming to her office. Debbie didn't have time for such menial tasks.
“Hello,” the male voice said.
“Is this Coleman Fitzpatrick?” Debbie asked in her sweetest voice.
“Yes, it is.”
“This is Debbie Winter. I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you. My husband, he's not well, called me. He said you called. I'm afraid he can't be of much help these days. He's been quite sick for the past few months.”
“Ah, Mrs. Winter. Yes, I spoke to your husband. I explained that I've been searching for Mrs. Rocket. I thought there might be an off chance you all might know how to get in contact with her.”
“Absolutely not! After what Alex did to my daughter, why, they're the last people on earth I'd want to stay in contact with. Pardon me for asking, Mr. Fitzpatrick, but aren't you an attorney? Don't you have an investigator to do your dirty work?”
“Yes, I am an attorney, and yes, I do have an investigator to do, as you put it, my ‘dirty work.' We were unable to locate Mrs. Rocket. That was my reason for the call. As I said, I had hoped there was a chance you or Mr. Winter would know how to reach her.”
Debbie's brain was spinning in circles. Something was up.
“I have no reason to stay in touch with Kate. We never liked one another in the first place. Mind if I ask why you want to get in touch with Kate after all these years?”
“It's personal, Mrs. Winter, I'm sure you understand. Thank you for taking the time to return my call.”
Dial tone.
He'd hung up on her. Well, she still had a few contacts and more than a few tricks up her sleeve. She would find out exactly why Coleman Fitzpatrick wanted to contact Kate. She'd bet anything it had something to do with Alex's estate. This Fitzpatrick might hold the key to Alex's protected fortune.
She'd been around Naples long enough to earn a few favors. Debbie would spend the rest of the day on the phone calling them in.
“Melanie, can you come back to my office?” Debbie called over her intercom. Melanie, she thought, that was the girl's name.
“Yes, Mrs. Winter?” Melanie said. “What can I do for you?”
Debbie liked this girl. “I'm going to be in the office the rest of the afternoon. I'll be on the phone. Hold all of my calls, reschedule any appointments for the day. And more than anything, I do not want to be disturbed unless the place is on fire. Do you think you can do this for me?”
“Of course, Mrs. Winter. Is there anything else?”
“No, now go on. Get back to the reception desk. And remember, don't bother me unless it's life or death.”
“Of course, Mrs. Winter.”
Debbie thought her new receptionist might be a bit of an airhead. But if she followed the rules, she'd see to it that she kept her job for a while. She had no tolerance for laziness and stupidity. Some of the girls she hired to man the phones didn't have a clue how to put a call on hold. God, what was this world coming to?
She remembered her days at the deli in New York. She'd been in high school. She practically ran the business, from placing all the food orders to planning the menus. She'd never really learned to cook, but she could make a mean hoagie when she wanted to. She'd had to work in order to eat. Her mother was drunk most of the time. Her father had left when she was young. She didn't remember that much about him. Her goal in life had been to leave New York and marry a rich man. She'd met half her goal. And while she wasn't rich, she didn't have to roll change to eat.
She got up from her desk and closed the door. Melanie had forgotten to close the damn thing when she left. Maybe she was stupid after all. Oh, well, Debbie had more important things to occupy her time.
 
 
Coleman was tired. He wasn't getting any younger either. He'd spent the first half of his day on the telephone, something he wasn't very fond of, but he knew it was necessary. He was going to retire. He'd sold his house three months ago. He had six months before the new owners moved in.
Halfway there
, he thought.
Time flies.
He had made a promise that he'd yet to fulfill. If he didn't do this before he formally took off for the mountains, his retirement would consist of nothing but looking for Kate Rocket so that he could make good on his promise to Alex. He'd tried numerous times to get Kate on the phone after Alex's death. Twice he'd flown his plane to North Carolina, thinking that if he were at her doorstep, she wouldn't be able to turn him away. She surprised him when she refused to see him. He'd thought they were friends.
He'd never opened the large manila envelope Alex had entrusted to him. It was for Kate's eyes only. He respected that. As far as he was concerned, he had three months to find Kate.
His investigator had located her three years ago in Orlando. He'd even come up with an address. Coleman had made a few trips to Orlando, but he'd never found her. He had a feeling Kate didn't want to be found. He understood her grief. He'd lost his wife to cancer. All those years ago he'd wanted to offer comfort to Kate. He could have told her that time does ease the pain. He had good memories of his wife. Kate had had good times with Alex. It was just the last half-year of his life that they'd agonized over the arrest and the trial. It had been a sad time for the couple.
He would make one more attempt to find Kate. If not, well, he'd cross that bridge when he had to.
Chapter 26
K
ate stopped at a Burger King, had a quick bite, then headed back into Debbie's office. She would put a down payment on the condo if that was what it took to get her into Debbie's presence. She'd continue with her plan, no matter what. But female to female, Kate knew if the wannabe beauty queen didn't recognize her, then she was good to go.
Kate waited in the parking lot for another half hour to kill some time; she didn't want to seem too eager. She brushed her hair and reapplied her lip gloss. She added a touch more blush to her cheeks. Five minutes later she was in the reception area for the second time.
“Mrs. Ramsey, you're a little early. I'm not sure if Randi's back from her last showing. I'll check.”
Rocket wasn't the most common name. Ramsey was her maiden name, so she felt comfortable using it. If she tried to pass herself off as Cindy Lou Who or Suzy Q, she wouldn't be able to keep up with her own lies. It was best to keep it simple.
Kate remained at the reception desk. She peered down the long hallway, hoping to catch a glimpse of the owner, but the door to her office was closed. Did this mean she was in and working, or did the other associates keep the door to the boss's office closed when she was out of the office? Kate would see if she could pick up anything from—she leaned back to look at the nameplate by the girl's computer—Melanie. Yes, Melanie liked to gossip. She was back. “Randi isn't here. Why don't you relax with a magazine while you wait. We've got all the current issues.”
“Uh, you know, Melanie, I could use a Coke or something cool to drink. Would it be okay if I waited in the kitchen area?”
“Oh, I'm so sorry! Of course. How rude of me. Mrs. Winter would kill—”
“What am I going to kill you for this time, young lady?” Debbie Winter asked as she rounded the corner.
“Oh, uh nothing. Mrs. Winter, I was just telling Mrs. Ramsey that she could wait in the kitchen. She's got an appointment with Randi, but she isn't back from the last showing.”
Kate stood three feet away from Debbie. She hadn't even glanced her way. She was still Debbie. Too much makeup, though Kate thought her clothes were fine. She wore a pair of white linen slacks with a pale pink blouse. Pink sandals matched her blouse. She'd learned a bit of style since she'd seen her last.
Debbie glanced at her watch. “What time is the showing? I may be able to take, what did you say your name was?” Debbie asked Kate.
“Mrs. Ramsey. Kate Ramsey.” She waited for some sign of recognition. So far so good.
“Tell Randi to report to my office when she returns. It shouldn't take this long. Mrs. Ramsey, I would be happy to show you the property. I'm Debbie Winter, the owner.” She held out a professionally manicured hand.
Kate was nervous, but didn't want it to show, “If you're sure. I wouldn't want to cause you to neglect any of your clients.” The Southern accent was strong. Kate hoped Debbie didn't pick up on its falseness, even though she thought she sounded okay.
“No, I've cleared my calendar for the day. I was about to go home. Melanie, get me the paperwork on Mrs. Ramsey.”
“I had a condo I wanted to see.”
“Yes, but if you're not happy with it, we can see if we have something else listed as well. Mrs. Ramsey, let me let you in on a secret. Property in Naples is hard to come by. If you see something you like, you'd best snatch it up. It goes like that.” She snapped her manicured fingers.
“Of course. Then let's get going. I do have a schedule to stick to as well.” Kate knew she sounded snotty, but she was not going to let Debbie dictate to her. She didn't care if she was the owner of the damned real estate office.
Debbie paused before heading out the door. “Melanie, if a Mr. Fitzpatrick calls back, give him my cell number.”
Kate was surprised, but Fitzpatrick wasn't that uncommon a name. It couldn't be Coleman. Could it?
“I'm sorry. This man called me this morning. He's an attorney looking for an old friend. I thought I might have something to tell him. So are you new to the area?” Debbie asked.
It took Kate a minute to find her voice. “Yes, I've been here a few months. I was divorced, needed a change.”
An attorney looking for an old friend. What are the odds?
“You'll find plenty of eligible bachelors here, but most of them are too old to enjoy, if you know what I mean. I have a friend who might be interested in meeting you.” She felt like she was on an auction block as Debbie scrutinized her.
Kate felt sure she was hearing things. They were walking to what Kate assumed was Debbie's car. She was trying to fix her up on a date? She couldn't imagine what she'd do if they spent a couple of days together. She'd have her married off. Damn, was this how Debbie sold a hundred million dollars' worth of real estate?
“Thanks, but I'm not dating yet. I have . . . I want to enjoy being alone for a while.”
Debbie unlocked the door to a sleek white Jaguar. “Suit yourself, but the nights can get lonely.” She'd opened the door. This was too easy. “You're not married?” Kate asked.
Debbie drew in a deep breath. “Yes. My husband is very ill. I don't expect him to live much longer.”
Don is dying?
“I'm sorry. You look too young to have a husband old enough to die.”
Debbie snorted. “How old do you have to be? Oh, forget I said that. My hubby isn't dying of some terminal illness. He's just pickling his liver.”
Kate smiled. “Oh, well, that's too bad.”
They drove along Highway 41, the road to everywhere in Naples. They made a few stops and turns. “Vanderbilt Beach is a great place. This price is too good to be true. You won't find another condo like this. Come on.”
Debbie showed the parking lot attendant her ID, and he gave her a pass. They parked in what little shade there was.
Kate followed Debbie. For a minute she felt like an idiot, pretending to be someone she was not. Then she thought of Alex. This was for him, no matter how stupid it suddenly seemed.
The air-conditioning inside the lobby felt wonderful to Kate. There was no way in hell she would buy a condo there, beachfront or not.
“This is on the tenth floor. Faces the Gulf of Mexico.”
Off the elevator, they found the unit for sale. Debbie fumbled with a ring of keys, then swung the door open. She stood aside as Kate entered.
Debbie closed the door behind her. “Don't want all this cool air escaping. We're footing the electric bills for the owner until we sell.”
Kate walked around the condo while Debbie pointed out the obvious. “The kitchen has new Jenn-Air appliances. The carpeting in all the bedrooms is new.”
Kate listened as Debbie gave the stats on the condo.
“Of course, the main attraction is the view.” Debbie pulled the floor-to-ceiling blinds open. It was a beautiful view, Kate had to admit. White beaches and aqua green water.
“What do you think?” Debbie asked. She reminded Kate of Carol Merrill from
Let's Make a Deal
as she held her palm out toward the Gulf.
“Impressive.”
And I'll pick door number three
, Kate thought. She smiled.
“So? You want it or not?” Debbie persisted.
She wondered if this was the technique she used with all of her clients. If so, Kate found it hard to believe she'd sold a hundred million dollars' worth of real estate.
“I'd really like to look at more property. This is the first place I've seen.”
She whipped the blinds shut. “Well, don't say I didn't tell you. This will be gone in a week, if not less.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” Kate couldn't wait to get back to her car. Debbie was still the same self-centered bitch she'd always been.
“I'll see what Randi has listed. You know, I walked out of the office without the damned paperwork. That's not like me,” Debbie said.
Kate was surprised she'd actually admitted she had faults. Debbie had always been quick to blame others for her shortcomings.
“That's fine. I have things to do this afternoon anyway.”
When they climbed in the Jag, Debbie turned the air-conditioning to high. “This heat frizzes my hair. I'll never get used to it. Thank God for central air and swimming pools.”
Kate smiled. Debbie had always worried about her hair. Nothing new there. She'd hoped Debbie would mention her children, but since they were headed back to the office, Kate decide now was the only chance she would get.
“Debbie, do you have children? I can't remember if you said you did or not.”
Debbie shot her a glance that said she knew she was full of it but answered her anyway. “I have two daughters. They're grown. The oldest is training to be a damned vet, do you believe that? My youngest, well, she hasn't found her place just yet. She helps out at the office occasionally. What about you, do you have kids?”
Kate didn't know whether to tell the truth or lie. She decided to go in between. “I had a stepdaughter.”
“Had? Did she die or something?”
Kate was still shocked at her crassness. “No, her father and I divorced.”
“So she didn't like having a stepmother, huh?” Kate rolled her eyes. “Actually, we got along quite well. There was a situation that she couldn't control. I haven't seen her in a while.”
“Take my advice. Forget about her. Kids aren't all they're cracked up to be. I spent the best years of my life raising two selfish little girls. How do they thank me? One goes away to college, and the other, well, she's a real prize. Something's wrong with her. She's not right in the head, hasn't been since she was a kid, but that's an entirely different story. Oh don't get me wrong, I love my girls. I just wish they were more like me.”
And God help us all
, Kate silently prayed.
They pulled into the parking area before Kate had a chance to reply.
She didn't want to go back inside the office. “I'm running late, Debbie. I'll call Randi tomorrow and see what other listings she has for me.” She took her keys out of her purse.
“Well, whatever. The client is always right. If you change your mind about that date, call me. This guy would be perfect for you.”
“Thanks, but like I said, I'm not ready to date.”
“Whatever, later.” Debbie entered the office with a wave of her hand.
Kate jumped in her car, cranked the engine, and put the AC on. It was hotter than hell inside the vehicle.
She'd learned so much today. She'd already surmised that Emily was studying to be a veterinarian. Now she knew it for sure. How wonderful!
Kate was so happy for her. Emily had always loved animals as much as Alex did. He would've been so proud to know that all that time she'd spent with him at the kennel had made such an impression.
And then there was that message Debbie had left for Coleman. Kate couldn't imagine what the chances were that Coleman would contact Debbie in hopes of finding her. Maybe someday, when she accomplished her goal, she would call him. She'd prepared for this for the five years she had spent working at the IRS. She wasn't going to allow a friendship to stand in her way, no matter how nice Coleman had been to her in the past.
Then there was Sara. It was evident she was giving her mother a hard time. This didn't surprise Kate. Years ago she remembered Gertie telling her she thought Sara had mental problems. She'd been right.
Don was an alcoholic. That really didn't surprise her at all. He always overindulged. Year after year, what could you expect? That must be why there were no employment records for him. It looked like Debbie was the breadwinner these days.
It was time to put her plan into action. She now knew where her first magical strokes would take her.
 
 
“What the hell do you mean my account is overdrawn? I've never bounced a check at this frigging bank. You go back and check your records. I have thousands of dollars just sitting in your bank!” Debbie was so pissed she broke one of her cardinal rules about smoking in the office.
The hell with it, I own the damn place.
“What? When?” Debbie shouted to the bank manager. “I'm coming down there right now.”
If she found out Don had managed to get access to her bank accounts, she'd throw his worthless ass out in the street.
I don't know why I keep him around anyway. He's as useless as tits on a boar.
She raced down Highway 41 to the Sun Bank. Telling her she was overdrawn by $43,000! She knew to the penny how much money she had in her accounts. There was plenty to cover her expenses each month. She was not overdrawn. One of those teenyboppers that worked at the bank had screwed up her accounts. If she had to rip each and every hair out of that stupid bank manager's head, she would. He'd assured her this wasn't a mistake. He said that she herself had made the withdrawals.

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