Betrayal - Fern Michaels [11]
Kate could see by the look of anguish on Emily’s face that her younger sister’s behavior was very worrisome to her.
“It’s just these tantrums she’s having. Her eyes glaze over, it’s almost like she’s another person. Last week I caught her snooping through my drawers. I chased her out of the room into the kitchen.” Emily paused. “There was a knife on the kitchen counter. Sara grabbed it and said if I told on her for snooping, she’d slit my throat.”
“Emily, you’ve got to tell your parents. This is very abnormal behavior, not some childish prank.”
“I know, but it’s like I said. They’ll baby her, and she’ll promise never to do whatever she’s in trouble for again, then it’ll be back to her same old crap.”
Kate would talk with Alex later. Then they could decide what to do.
“I can’t imagine Sara doing something so mean, but she’s still a young girl. I doubt that she was serious.” Kate wasn’t one hundred percent sure of this, but for now, she’d keep the thought to herself.
“You wouldn’t say that if you’d seen the look on her face. Aunt Kate, she truly scares me. I just want you and Uncle Alex to watch out. There’s no telling what the little monster will do at this point,” Emily said.
Kate nodded, forced a smile. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now why don’t you run along to the kennels. Alex is waiting for you.”
“Okay, I’d like that. Thanks, Aunt Kate. I feel better with you knowing what’s really been going on with Sara.”
“Don’t worry about her just now. Let’s just enjoy this visit.” Kate ruffled Emily’s smooth blond ponytail. “Now get out of here and have some fun.”
“I knew I could count on you,” Emily shouted as she headed for the kennels.
Kate was extremely worried about Sara. If she would threaten her sister with a knife, who knew what else she would try. She was going to speak to Alex as soon as they had a minute alone. Together they could decide if this was something they needed to share with Don and Debbie before they left on their cruise, or if it was something that could wait. Kate didn’t like to put things off. She’d find a few minutes to corner Alex during the day. Something told her they shouldn’t put off having this discussion.
Chapter 3
“Do you believe Emily?” Alex asked Kate. She’d repeated Emily’s concerns to Alex while he took a shower. She didn’t want to take a chance of being overheard. The bathroom was the safest place in the house at the moment.
“Of course I do. Emily doesn’t go around making up this kind of stuff. And besides, what would be the point? She’s very concerned about Sara, and, frankly, I’m a little nervous having her in the house for two weeks.”
There was something unsettling about the twelve-year-old. It wasn’t just the things Emily had revealed to her. There was more. The word evil kept coming to mind. Kate couldn’t mention that to Alex. At least not yet. She’d do her best to get through the next couple of weeks. She’d just have to be extra vigilant. In two weeks, the girls would return to Naples with their parents. She and Alex would go about their daily lives as before.
Alex turned off the shower. Kate handed him a large bath towel as he stepped onto the pink, fluffy rug.
“I think your worry is unnecessary. This is probably just some preteen phase she’s going through. Maybe she’s trying to get attention. We’ll keep our eyes and ears open. I’ll put her to work in the kennel with Gertie.” Alex laughed. His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. Kate loved to see him smile. It could brighten the worst of her days.
Kate tossed the towel over the hamper and handed Alex a dark green bathrobe.
“We might need to warn Gertie. Let her know what Emily’s observed. If anyone can help straighten out a rotten kid, it’s Gertie,” Kate said. She knew this from personal experience. She wondered if Gertie had the skills to handle a child like Sara. Maybe she should tell Debbie what Emily had witnessed. No, she would wait. She’d made a promise, and she would do her best to keep it.
Besides, Gertie had