She Wanted It All - Kathryn Casey [87]
“So, what are you and Jennifer doing tonight?” Steve asked.
“We’re going with Amy to the lake house,” Christopher said. Steve didn’t look pleased, and Christopher realized he probably shouldn’t have answered as he did. Steve didn’t know the boys slept over in the girls’ rooms, and he wouldn’t have approved. They came and went by a back entrance, without his seeing. Still, Steve didn’t object.
By seven-thirty that evening Christopher, Amy, and Jennifer were on their way to the lake house at least a forty-five-minute drive, unless they went with Celeste, who drove so fast she could make it in half an hour. In Austin, Kristina and Justin were meeting his parents for dinner.
A few hours later, around ten, the phone rang at the lake house. “I’m going to bring Meagan over,” Celeste said. “Steve’s drunk and he’s being mean, hitting her.”
“Okay,” Christopher said. When he hung up, he told Jennifer and Amy about the conversation.
“That’s really strange. I’ve never seen Steve hit Meagan,” Jennifer said. The others agreed. They’d never seen Steve abuse the dog in any way.
Just before eleven, Celeste arrived at the lake house with Nikki and Meagan.
“Steve’s in a really bad mood. She’s better off here with all of you,” Celeste said. The teens all looked at each other. Celeste seemed even more manic than usual, walking hurriedly about the house, constantly looking at her watch. She talked just briefly, then called Kristina on the telephone.
“Will you be home by midnight?” Celeste asked.
“Yes,” she said. “I’ll be there.”
“Good,” Celeste said. “I’ll see you at the house.”
Quickly, Celeste turned and left, taking Nikki and leaving Meagan with the teens.
As soon as she was gone, Christopher said to the girls, “She’s acting really strange.”
“I’m surprised she took Meagan in the car,” Amy said. “Meagan hates going in the car. Her legs just shake.”
“Maybe it’s just the whole thing about the trip,” Jennifer said. “She’s just dreading it.”
After eleven, Justin and Kristina pulled into the driveway at Toro Canyon and went inside. It was dark. “Mom,” Kristina called out. Celeste didn’t answer.
Looking for her, Kristina walked into the master bedroom and saw Steve sleeping in bed, wearing his oxygen machine for his sleep apnea. He seemed peaceful, and she didn’t notice that Meagan, who habitually slept at the foot of the bed, was missing.
“My mom’s not here,” Kristina told Justin. Then she picked up the phone and called the lake house. Jennifer answered. “Where’s our mom?”
“She should be home soon. She left here a while ago,” Jennifer answered.
“Okay,” Kristina said, and hung up.
Meanwhile, Celeste walked into Tracey’s house on Wilson. Tracey hadn’t been expecting her.
“Are you going to do it?” she asked.
“I’m ready,” Tracey said.
Celeste was in an anxious mood as she paced around the house. “Kristina’s home, but I’ll have her in the bedroom with me,” Celeste said. “And I dropped Meagan at the lake house. She’s protective of Steve, and I don’t want her there when you shoot him.”
Tracey’s mind was reeling. First, she didn’t like Kristina being home, despite Celeste’s assurances that she was a sound sleeper and wouldn’t wake. But it was the comment about Meagan that Tracey found confusing. Celeste had told her repeatedly that Steve beat the dog. Why would a dog be protective of an owner that abused it? She asked, and for a moment Celeste faltered. Then she said, “Meagan’s a barker. She barks at any noise. I just didn’t want her to wake the neighbors.”
That made more sense to Tracey. Especially when Celeste explained that she’d decided the neighbors could be a problem. In fact, she’d made some changes. The Dennisons directly next door investigated when they heard noises in the night. “If you drive up the front, they’ll see you,” Celeste said. Instead, Tracey was to back up to the workers