Chasing the Night - Iris Johansen [37]
“Bitch,” Catherine said.
Kelly shook her head. “No. You don’t understand. She doesn’t mean any harm. She just wants me to go away.”
“She’s your mother,” Eve said.
“Maybe the stork got the babies confused.” She met Eve’s gaze. “Don’t pity me. Because sometimes I want her to go away, too. Does that make me a terrible person?”
“It makes you human,” Eve said gently.
She nodded. “That’s what Daddy said. But Daddy was angry with her most of the time himself, so I couldn’t be sure.”
“Be sure,” Catherine said. “So you called Venable, and he came and picked you up?”
“He didn’t want to do it. He argued with me. He even hung up on me. But he called back. He said he’d thought about it, and my place was with you.”
“After he realized that you’d be the perfect roadblock to my plans,” Catherine said dryly. “He threatened to do everything he could to stop me from upsetting their plans for Rakovac. Then here you come, and it’s a golden opportunity.”
Kelly nodded. “You’re probably right. He was kind to me, but I think he may be a devious man. But I didn’t care, he gave me what I wanted.”
“A trip to Atlanta and the chance to be dumped on Eve’s doorstep.”
“Yes, and he promised to talk to my mother and convince her that he’d placed me in a secure home where I would receive excellent therapy.” She smiled wistfully. “It won’t take much to convince her. It’s what she wants to hear.”
“Eve’s home may be secure, but I’m leaving it within the next few days,” Catherine said. “And I’m as far from being a therapist as I could possibly be. I’m pretty screwed up myself right now. I could strangle Venable.”
“You’re not screwed up. You’re one of the sanest people I’ve ever met.”
“Your experience is limited.” She pushed the mug closer to Kelly. “Drink your chocolate. Then we’ll talk about where you’re going to spend the next six months.”
“Here, with you.”
“I can’t take care of you.”
“I don’t want you to care for me. I want breathing space until I can figure a way to run my life myself.” She lifted her chocolate to her lips. “I think the best thing for me would be to go and stay at school. I attend the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Then no one would have to bother with me.”
“A college?” Eve said. “But you’re only fourteen.”
“I’m very smart. All the professors decided that I should be at a think tank. Some of them wanted to send me to Harvard, but Daddy said he didn’t want me at a place with that high, edgy profile. He thought the pressure would be less on me in a Southern school. I like it okay there.” She paused. “Daddy told me that I was going to be all right as far as money was concerned. He set up some kind of trust for me. But public opinion matters to my mother, and she wouldn’t let a bank be my guardian. I’m too young, and she’d get a lot of bad press. But if enough time passes, maybe I can work it out.”
“Then perhaps Venable could persuade your mother to send you to school instead of a rehabilitation home,” Catherine said. “I’ll get on the phone and talk to him.”
“It won’t do any good. She won’t give in while there are still media stories about me. And you said that Venable wants me here. He’s not going to help you.”
“No, heaven forbid that he gives me a break.” Catherine drew a deep breath. “Kelly, being with me wouldn’t be good for you. If I thought anything else, I’d take a chance and let you stay with me. But it might even be dangerous. Venable knew that, and he still sent you. I can find you a safe place. I know a lot of people who owe me favors.”
Kelly smiled slightly. “Did you save their lives, too?”