Betrayal - Fern Michaels [101]
“Kate?”
“Yes, I think I’d like a burrito. Cheese, extra lettuce, no beans.”
“I’ll have the same,” Coleman told the pimply-faced teenager wearing the standard purple uniform. “And two soft drinks.”
He led her to a small table by the window. “Wait here,” Coleman said, with a wink.
She nodded. Five minutes later he was back with their order. He spread out napkins for plates, peeled the paper from the straws, then gave her a packet of seasoning sauce.
“So, it’s been a long, long time, Kate. Tell me about your life now.”
Something told her she should trust Coleman with her secrets. Later. Maybe.
“After Alex’s death, I wasn’t up for much of anything. Poor Gertie. Had it not been for her, I would have gone stark raving mad. She was a godsend.”
Coleman listened. “You said ‘was.’ Does that mean she’s gone, too?”
Kate laughed. “Hardly. Gertie’ll outlive us all. She’s a good old gal.”
“Yes, I remember her well.” Coleman paused, unsure if he should bring up the subject. “All the times I called you, why wouldn’t you speak to me? I have wondered throughout the years what I might’ve said to offend you. I even made a couple of trips to North Carolina hoping to see you. And I had an envelope from Alex.”
“What envelope?” Kate asked.
“The one that Alex left for me to give to you should he not come home.”
That’s why Coleman pursued me all those times?
“This certainly is a surprise. I thought all of Alex’s things were returned when you brought his ashes.”
“They were, but Alex made me promise that I would personally see that the envelope was placed in your hands. Evidently, he didn’t trust the mail or anyone else to give it to you.”
“Then where is it?” Kate asked.
Coleman laughed. “Well, I don’t carry it around with me, if that’s what you mean. It’s in a safe place.”
“Is that why you were looking for Debbie? Did you think I would have stayed in touch with them after all the sorrow and pain they caused?”
Coleman took a healthy bite from his burrito, then wiped the dripping sauce from his chin. “This is good. Messy but good. I was at the end of my rope. I’m getting ready to retire, Kate. Before I could do so, I had to see that the envelope and whatever it contained was placed in your hands. I was getting desperate when I called the Winters. I thought they might have contacted you.”
“No, not once that I was aware of,” Kate replied.
Coleman wiped his face again. “Then I can finally retire in good conscience. I’ve kept my word to Alex.”
Kate’s eyes filled with tears at the thought of Alex. Though she thought about him constantly, considering what she’d involved herself in, the pain of losing him had lessened with time. To hear about Coleman’s dedication to him simply brought back all the memories of the time Alex spent in prison.
He reached for her hand across the small orange tabletop. “Kate, I’m sorry. I know all of this comes as a big shock to you. It’s been over seven years now. You’ve gone on with your life?”
If he only knew.
She shook her head. “I suppose you could say I’m stuck in a time warp. I haven’t accomplished much of anything since Alex’s murder. I moved around, took a government job, then I decided a change was in order. I came to Naples.”
“I would’ve thought this place would hold too many bad memories for you.”
“I guess it does. Maybe that’s why I’m here. To put an end to the bad memories, the bad times. Maybe I can start a new life.”
“You say this as though you haven’t exactly made the decision to move on, Kate. Tell me the real reason you moved here.”
Kate looked at Coleman, really looked at him. He was a very attractive man. Why hadn’t she noticed that before? Dark hair, graying at the temples. A deep