Betrayal - Fern Michaels [27]
“Don says they’ve had to take Sara to the hospital twice. She’s been having anxiety attacks since she came home.”
Kate knew why. The little monster was having a guilt attack. “I’m glad. It serves her right for what she did. She’s old enough to know better, Alex. I know I should’ve told you, but you and the girls were having so much fun, I hated to put a damper on things.”
“Kate, what are you talking about?”
“The studio. There was no burglar, Alex. It was Sara. I’ve known about it all along. I waited to see if she’d come clean while she was here, but she didn’t. I was going to tell Don, but they left, and I never got a chance to. I’ve been meaning to call them since the girls left and tell Don what she did, but then I decided against it. It was over. I figured Sara would apologize when she was older. I think she knew I suspected her.”
Alex couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. “You’re telling me that Sara destroyed all of your earthenware, and you did nothing about it! Kate, why in the hell didn’t you tell me? I would’ve told Don. And then he would’ve . . .”
“Would’ve what? Said she’s ‘at that age’ and gone about his business. That’s what Don would’ve done. He sure as hell wouldn’t get her the help she needs.”
“I hate to say this, Kate, but it might’ve made a big difference if you’d at least told Don. You didn’t have to tell me. Now, though, this is only going to make things look worse.”
“Alex, speak in English or say something that I can understand. You’re not making sense.”
“Don called and told me Sara told him that I had . . . touched her.”
If Alex were to have slapped her in the face, it wouldn’t have been as shocking. “What?”
“You heard me. Sara told Don and Debbie that I touched her inappropriately.”
“This has got to be some horrible joke. Why would Don do this to you? To us?”
“I’ve asked myself that same question more times than I can count. He was serious, Kate. He said Sara told him I’d touched her when we visited them in Florida. Said it’d been happening for a long time.”
Kate turned ten shades of white, then red. “That little monster! Why would she do this to you? There has to be a mistake, Alex. I’m going to call Debbie myself. I’ll clear this thing right up.” Kate hoisted herself up from the chair she never quite remembered seating herself in. She grabbed the phone from Alex.
“Don’t, Kate. Don was serious. He wouldn’t joke about something like this.”
“Then what? You’re supposed to sit back and do nothing! I don’t think so! This could ruin our lives, Alex. Have you thought about that?”
“This is as much a shock to me as it is to you. I don’t know what to think at this point. I suppose I should wait to hear from Don again.”
“Did he actually say he would call you back?”
Alex thought for a minute. “No, he didn’t.”
A sharp knock at the back door caused Alex to drop the phone. Kate about jumped out of her skin. “Who’s there?” Suddenly paranoid, she peered through the curtain, hoping that whoever was there would just go away.
“Kate. Alex, it’s Gertie. Open up.”
Gertie. Jay. Bella and her puppies. Had it only been an hour ago that they’d celebrated the birth of the tiny creatures? It seemed like days.
“Gertie, sure, come in.” Kate unlocked the door, which she didn’t remember locking. Was this what fear did to a person? Did you do crazy things that were out of character and not remember?
“You two look worse than Bella. Gosh, was the champagne that bad?” Gertie asked.
“Sit down, Gertie,” Kate said.
“You two want to tell me what’s wrong? Neither damn one of you look worth a plugged nickel.”
Kate glanced at Alex, silently asking his permission to tell Gertie what they’d just learned.
“Alex just got off the phone with Don. It seems Sara’s been having anxiety attacks since she got home. They . . . She said that Alex had touched her.” Kate let out a deep breath and inhaled.
For once, Gertie was at a loss for words. She stared at Alex, then back at Kate, her warm brown