She Waits (27 page)

"Hannah, it makes perfect sense. If what Doc said was true, and Jonathon had a wandering eye like your father, then he was not home very much. And when he was, he was not very attentive to Miranda. It's very possible Maggie is Nathan's daughter. Don't you see the possibility?"

Hannah nodded slowly. "Yes, I do, and honestly, I've thought of the possibility many times. It's just something you don't discuss. Miranda never confided in me about anything like that. Neither would Nathan. So I suppose it is possible."

"But if it were true, why would Nathan want to kill Miranda?" Mac asked.

"As we said, perhaps he wanted her and she refused him, or he wanted to continue the affair, and she refused him," I said. "Or maybe Jonathon found out and couldn't bear it."

"I can't imagine Nathan involved in this. I just can't," Hannah whispered.

"Maybe he's protecting Sarah. She's very unstable, Hannah, you know that. Unfortunately, we have a woman intruder but a button belonging to Nathan's jacket in Bedford's apartment," Teri said. "This is confusing."

"Just because the button was from Nathan's coat does not mean he was wearing it. Remember, I initially thought the intruder was a man. It turned out to be Sarah, I'm sure of that. So, if we all agree Nathan wouldn't do anything to Maggie and doesn't have the stomach for murder, then the alternative is Sarah. Sarah who threatened Bedford, and fought with Jonathon and used Allison. And let's not forget her romp in the woods." I was sure of what I was saying. "My only other issue is the fight Bedford overheard with Jonathon about the clinic. And we have to face the facts: If we're looking at everything honestly, the clinic is Sarah's life. I'd love to know what happened there because the next entry in Bedford's little notebook is Sarah taking Maggie's car the same day Jonathon was killed in a hit-and-run. Coincidence? No such thing." I got up and stoked the fire absently. Then I walked over to the doors and looked out at the woods. "Miranda, if ever Maggie needed you, she needs you now."

Hannah looked right at me. "Well, are you going to go bring her back?" she asked.

I looked at all of them and sighed. "Look, she's a grown woman, with a definite mind of her own. She's got ten minutes."

I picked up a magazine and started leafing through it. "The hell with ten minutes," I said, angrily. "Okay, I'm going. I don't like this at all. Boy, she'd better be in trouble, that's all I have to say. If I'm not back or haven't called in half an hour, call Steve," I said.

They gave me a worried look. "Kate, don't go off," Mac started.

"Mac, do you think Maggie would do this and not at least call?"

"Take Mac with you," Hannah pleaded.

I shook my head. "I'm probably over reacting, so I'll feel like a big idiot. However, I'd rather feel like an idiot all alone, thank you," I said seriously. I looked at Mac and Teri. "Half an hour."

"Be careful," Teri called after me as I left.

"Geez, don't say that," I said, helplessly, and closed the door.

Chapter Twenty-Five

I parked a few stores down from Allison's and turned off the engine. I sat there for a moment and watched as someone turned the sign in the door to "Closed" and shut off the lights. I felt a little foolish.
Shit Ryan, the woman is in love, and scared to death. Wouldn't you want to be with the woman you loved? If you had any idea what that is like, that is
. I was about ready to tell myself to shut up and start the car when I thought I saw a flashlight scanning the inside of the store.

I got out and walked across the dark street. With all the other shops closed, no one was around. I walked down the alley behind the shop and tried the back door. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. As I walked in, I smelled a pungent odor.

My blood ran cold as I realized it was gasoline. I cautiously shut the door and walked around the shop. Careful not to knock anything over, I strained my eyes against the darkness to see anything, or anyone.

Then I heard a muffled noise. I slowly turned and, in the far corner, I noticed a railing and staircase that led, more than likely, to Allison's storage area downstairs. I looked around for something to use to protect myself, like a cane or baseball bat, and found nothing--nothing I could lift anyway.
What was this junk?

I looked over the railing and could see a faint light. The odor of gasoline was everywhere. I got panicky and slowly descended the stairs.

To my horror, I saw Maggie and Allison sitting in chairs, bound and gagged. I ran over to Maggie, she had a horrified look on her face as she frantically shook her head.

I knelt and took her gag off.

"Kate behind you!" she screamed.

I turned and jumped at the same time.

Something hit me and I went flying into a bunch of boxes that came showering down on me. I was stunned but still able to kick the boxes away. As I struggled to get to my feet, preparing for another attack, I saw Sarah, wild eyed and smiling wickedly.

I made a move toward her then abruptly stopped when I saw she had a small handgun pointed at my midsection. It was a definite equalizer. I straightened and stood perfectly still.

"Good girl, Miss Ryan, though you're not as stupid as I hoped. Now, step over there, into the light." She motioned with the gun.

I slowly made my way toward the desk and stood by the desk lamp.

Maggie and Allison sat right in the line of fire. As Sarah moved forward, I noticed a kerosene lamp on another desk. She saw me looking at it.

"Be careful, scarecrow," she said, pointing to the gasoline can. "You are tenacious. I'll give you that. I thought you'd give up," she said sweetly.

"When, Sarah? When you broke into the house the other night and left that sick note on Maggie's pillow?"

She gave me an approving look. "Very good! You figured it out. What gave me away? I thought the disguise went well. I love disguises. I do so
love
Halloween," she said maniacally.

My mouth was completely dry as I tried to swallow. This woman was nuts. "Your perfume," I said. "I thought you were wearing it at Hannah's party as well. You were, weren't you?"

"Yes, yes, I was. You're very good. That was stupid of me." She laughed then stopped abruptly. "You know I have to kill you now."

"Please, Aunt Sarah, you don't want to do this," Maggie pleaded.

Sarah raised her eyebrows. "Oh, but I do, dear. You have
no
idea how much," she said and pointed the gun at her.

I took a step and Sarah turned the gun on me and said playfully, "Ah, ah, ah. No sudden movements or I'll blow your meddling head right off."

She turned back to Maggie. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused? Between you, your whore of a mother and the whole Winfield family, it's been quite an exasperating twenty years, I must tell you," she said, shaking her head.

She walked over to Allison and took the gag off. "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" she asked flatly. "You are a grave disappointment to me, Allison. I had such hopes for you," she said, almost sadly as she stared off into the distance.

"Sarah, please don't do this," Allison pleaded.

"Shut up, you useless cow," Sarah said then sighed with mock exasperation.

We all were silent for a moment; I could hear my heart beating in my ears. I cautiously looked around for something--anything.

Then the crazed woman blinked. "Where was I? Oh, yes, Maggie dear," and she stared off again, but this time she had the gun pointed at Maggie.

"Sarah, why did you kill Miranda?" I asked quickly.

I noticed Maggie and Allison were completely shocked. It was all clear to me now. All the pieces fit. A little late, but...

Sarah whirled around to me and stiffened. Her face looked pained and white.

"So, you figured that out, too. My, my, you have been a busy bee."

She gave Maggie a disgusted look. "Did you know your whore of a mother was sleeping with your Uncle Nathan--
my
husband?" she asked. "And--"

Maggie interrupted her. "Yes, I did."

Sarah screamed at her. "Don't interrupt me again!"

Spittle flew from her mouth, making her look like a rabid animal. I instinctively took a step then stopped.

"Good thinking," Sarah said viciously without looking at me.

Clearly, this woman hated interruptions.

She took a deep breath and put a hand to her hair to straighten it. "Did you also know that your uncle is also your father?" she asked, laughing helplessly. "Oh, the trouble you've caused."

I looked at Maggie. She was ashen. Sarah looked from Maggie to Alison.

"I'll take your vapid looks as a no," she said, obviously very satisfied with herself. She looked at me. "How about you? I bet you knew."

I watched Maggie who looked sad and confused. She undoubtedly was thinking about her life.

I gave Sarah a hateful look. "I had an idea," I said, with disgust. "It seemed a plausible conclusion from Nathan's affair with Miranda and from the pictures in her locket. I'm sure a paternity test would eliminate any doubt. However, I have a bigger question: Why did you fight Jonathon over something as stupid as the clinic?"

It was then I realized my mistake. Never say stupid to an insane woman with a gun. Especially when it's pointed at you.

"Stupid? That clinic was my life, Miss Ryan. It was mine, all mine. The only thing in my life that was my own. Except for Charlie. Alexander fucked me and then took it and gave it to Jon, who was going to fuck me and sell it to a big medical group in Chicago. And you know I
simply
couldn't let that happen."

"So, you took Maggie's car and went to Chicago," I asked. It was all becoming clear to me.

"How did you...?" She stopped and took a deep, angry breath. "Bedford. I
hate
that guy. He was the rat in the Winfield woodpile. Allison tells me you found a notebook."

Maggie shot a look at Allison, who hung her head. What a dupe. "Don't blame Allison," Sarah said. "She can't keep her trap shut. What Charlie saw in you, I will never know."

Sarah leaned against the desk. I stole glance at Maggie and Allison: Both looked petrified.

"We found a man's coat button in Bedford's apartment. That was you?" I asked.

"Yep. I was looking for the same thing you were, earlier that morning. I thought if I dropped Nathan's coat button, someone would find it. Allison told me you thought the intruder was a female, so I needed to throw you off the track. Clever?" she asked, giggling.

It was then I noticed her hand was shaking. I figured it was not a good time to aggravate her any more. "Yes, it was very clever."

"Thank you," she said and curtsied politely.

She was just plain nuts and I was running out of time.

"Okay, enough talking," she said tiredly. "You bore me."

She picked up a gasoline can from behind her. She began to pour it all over the floor and on the boxes.

"Now, Miss Ryan, come over here please. Come, come, don't be shy," she motioned with the gun.

I glanced at Maggie; she had tears in her eyes.

"Katie, no," she pleaded, quietly.

"Very touching," Sarah said impatiently.

"Why Sarah?" I asked again, looking for time. "Was it so horrible that Maggie would have control of the clinic now that Jonathan was dead?"

She glared at me and I thought for sure she was going to shoot me right then and there.

"Yes, it was!" she spat out angrily. "Do you have any idea what I've done for that clinic? I gave my life, and deserved to have it, but no, that old fop Winfield had to give it Jon, who had to give it to Maggie, who will now,
give-it-back-to-me
," she said emphatically, then sighed. "They all talked about me behind my back, you know," she said with psychotic frankness. "They did. They thought I couldn't hear them, but I heard them. I heard them all the time, plotting to get Miranda-the-Lovely in. Miranda-the-Lovely, Miranda-the-Whore. I even heard them in my sleep. But I got them in the end," she said, glaring at me.

I was petrified and my heart beat like a drum.
Okay, Steve, anytime.

Sarah continued, wiping the saliva from her mouth. "Well, I hated her," she said. "I hated her so much I wanted her dead! Do you understand me, dead! But I got the old fool and Jonathan to get me on the Board. I deserved it. Then Nathan had to whore around and get Miranda pregnant. They were ruining everything, all my plans. Everything was fine until a few months ago," she said vehemently. "Jon was a greedy man, just like his father."

She was now pacing like a caged lion. She then stopped and looked at me.

"I wanted it all. I wouldn't let them destroy what I planned." She gave me a quizzical look. "Did you know I seduced Maggie's grandfather? He thought he could discard me, so did Jonathan. Well, I proved all of them wrong.

"Maggie is the only stumbling block, and soon she'll be out of the way. She'd already be dead if you hadn't come along last Thursday, you and your stinking dog. That put a crimp in the weekend festivities," she said and looked at Maggie. "You were supposed to die on Halloween, like your mother. But no! Nature girl had to show up. But no matter."

"Why did you kill my mother?" Maggie asked.

"Why did you kill my mother?"
Sarah repeated in a whiny voice. "God, you are such a little sap," she said, appearing completely exasperated. "You
are
like your father." She looked at me. "Go ahead, you tell her," she said and rolled her eyes in a psychotically comical fashion, waving her gun in the air. "No, let me, we're running out of time. Quite simply, Nathan was going to leave me, and that could not happen. And she came so willingly," she said almost reverently.

"Why did she come so willingly?" I asked. The question bugged me this entire week.

Sarah looked down, raised her eyebrows and smiled like a child. "Well, I told you I liked Halloween. I left her a note on her pillow, too, as if it were from Nathan, saying that he loved her and needed desperately to talk to her. I put on Nathan's clothes and the stupid idiot thought I was Nathan and came to me with open arms," she said, chuckling in disbelief. I was terrified.