Just Take My Heart - Mary Higgins Clark [62]
“Absolutely. It would be an honor.”
“Of course, I don't mean to say that Katie should live with you. That wouldn't be appropriate, even though she'll be at Choate for most of the next three years. I have friends who have offered, but when you're trying to figure out what is the best situation for Katie, it's pretty damn tough.”
Katie was crying silently, and Gregg's eyes were moist but his voice was composed. "On the business side, I made some calls to?night when I got home from court. I spoke to two of my top guys in the agency. They would be willing to buy me out for a fair price. That means I'll have enough money to finance an appeal. And there will be an appeal. Richard and Cole have done a good job but I had the feeling when we left court today that they looked at me differ?ently. I may have to hire different lawyers for the next round.
He tightened his arm around his daughter. “Katie has a trust fund that will see her through to a graduate degree at an Ivy League col?lege if that's what she wants.”
Michael felt as though he were watching a terminally ill man making a living will. He also knew that Gregg had not finished re?vealing his plans.
“I have enough behind me to maintain this apartment for at least a couple of years. By then I hope I may be back here.”
“Gregg, I agree that it is inappropriate for me to live with Katie, but she certainly can't live here by herself when she's not at school,” Michael protested. “And I'm still not conceding that this worst-case scenario will happen,” he added hastily.
“She's not going to be alone,” Gregg responded. “There is a wonderful lady who loves her and wants to be with her.”
As Michael looked at him, Gregg Aldrich seemed to be gathering strength. “Mike, I know that today, in the eyes of most of the people in the courthouse and most of the people in your audience, I came across horribly. But one person, a very important person, believed me.”
Gregg tugged his daughter's hair. “Come on, Katie, cheer up. We've got the vote of someone who, unfortunately, is not on the jury but whose opinion means everything to us. She has sat in that court?room every day from the very beginning. Of all people, she was the one most emotionally invested in seeking justice for Natalie.”
Momentarily stunned, Michael waited.
“Mike, Alice Mills called while Katie and I were having dinner. Alice told me that when I was on the stand today, she understood what I was saying. She absolutely believes that I was looking out for Natalie, not spying on her. She was crying and said how much she has missed Katie and me, and that she bitterly regrets ever thinking that I could have hurt Natalie.”
Mike saw that there was a difference in Gregg; a sort of calm had come over him.
“Alice told me that she has always considered Katie as her granddaughter. If I am convicted, she wants to be with Katie. She wants to take care of her. I told Alice that she was like a gift from heaven. W talked for a few minutes. Alice agreed that she would move here if things don't go well in court.”
“Gregg, I guess that I should be stunned, but I'm really not,” Mi?chael said, his voice hoarse with emotion. “I could tell when Alice testified, and as I have watched her every day in court, that her guts were being torn out. I could almost sense her wanting to help you when Emily Wallace was beating on you.”
“I know it sounds insane, Mike,” Gregg said quietly, “but what so upset me today was I felt as if I were trying to explain to Natalie why I followed her to Cape Cod.”
Just Take My Heart
41
Zach had concocted a story to tell Emily and any of the other neighbors who might nosily inquire about the change of plants in his walkway. He planned to say it was the first time he had ever planted mums, that they had brought on a severe asthma attack, and that one of his friends had dug them up for him. He was almost sure that since it had been dark when he removed them,