Betrayal - Fern Michaels [107]
Kate watched him for any sign of judgment. Nothing. Yet.
“When Sara accused Alex of doing all those horrid things, I wanted to choke the life right out of her. I couldn’t, I knew that. Or I couldn’t and get away with it, that’s what I thought. Alex was already in a hell of a mess, and I certainly did not need to add to his troubles. When you came to the house and told me Alex had been killed, I spent week after week plotting Sara’s death.” She took a sip of tea.
“Kate, let me say this. If you’re waiting for me to judge you for whatever it is you may or may not have done, I’m not here to judge you. We all screw up. I’ve spent my life defending people. Most of them just made a simple mistake. But in the eyes of the law, some mistakes are a crime. Now, before you go any further I want to assure you that whatever you tell me stays in this room. As your friend, Kate, not as an attorney. Nonetheless, would you please hand me a dollar as a retainer so that just in case, I can claim attorney-client privilege to protect you from having to reveal in a court of law anything you might tell me.”
After handing Coleman the asked-for money, Kate said, “Thanks, Coleman. I was sure I could trust you, but I’ve always known that.” She realized what a waste the past five years had been. But she wasn’t going to abandon her plans, just rework them a bit.
“I felt horrible having those kinds of thoughts about a child. The second year, I decided it wasn’t just Sara that I wanted to get even with. Debbie was also a thorn in my side. I never really liked her. Now I like her even less. Hell, I don’t like her at all. When she and Don brought the girls for all those visits, I thought it best to pretend I enjoyed her company. We had nothing in common, except the girls. You know that Alex and I weren’t able to have children.” Kate paused. This was the hard part. She hadn’t come to terms with it yet, but she would. She wanted to.
“I often wondered why you two never had kids. Suzanne and I chose not to, now I wish we had. But go on.”
“Alex was married right out of college. Her name was Anna. She died of leukemia not long after they’d married. It was a sad time for Alex. Inside that envelope that you’ve waited so long to give me . . . Alex and Debbie had a one-night stand. Emily is Alex’s daughter.” Tears were streaming down Kate’s face. She rubbed her eyes with the hem of her shirt. She’d said it. Emily is Alex’s daughter. There’d been no anger or jealousy when she read this, only relief that a part of Alex lived on.
“So. What happens now?” Coleman asked.
“All those years when Debbie and Don brought the girls to visit, it was so Alex could be with his daughter. She looks so much like him, I don’t see how I missed it. He and Debbie swore they’d never tell Don or me because they knew how much it would hurt Emily and us. Debbie can be a real bitch, but she agreed. Alex set up a trust fund for Emily. She’ll never have to work a day if she chooses not to. But I’ve learned she’s studying to be a vet; it’s so like her. She adored the time she spent with Alex at the kennels. While I loved the dogs—heck, I miss having them around more than you know—it’s Emily that the kennels should belong to. Not me.” Kate felt light, almost as though she were floating. She hadn’t felt this way since before Alex died.
“And just what are you going to do about that?”
Kate looked at Coleman as though he’d lost his mind. “There isn’t really anything I can do, is there?”
“Don’t you think Emily would want to know Alex was her father?”
“Maybe. But it’s not my place. The decision not to tell her was made by her parents. I don’t see that I have any right to shock her with something like this just now.”
“Have you thought of discussing it with Debbie and Don?”
“No! I’m sorry, I don’t think I can. At least not yet. There’s more than I’m telling. For now, I need to keep it this way. I need some time to think through what this means. For me and Emily. And Don. Alex said he didn