Summer Secrets - Barbara Freethy [137]
"He was, but I would have gone in after you tonight, Tyler, if Sean hadn't done it. I let him because I thought he was stronger, and I didn't want to make the same mistake as the last time. I didn't want to cause a bigger problem, with Sean having to rescue me instead of you and Dad."
"I know you would have jumped in, Kate. Your bravery has never been in question." He paused. "Only your judgment. Why did you cover it up? Because your father cheated during the race? Because Jeremy had something on him? What? What was the reason?"
She could have told him that it hadn't started out as a cover-up, that they'd just let people believe what they already believed, that Jeremy had died going down on the Betsy Marie, but was that really the truth? Or just the truth she'd told to herself? Hadn't a part of her always known that things hadn't been done quite right, that if there was an investigation, her father might be in serious trouble?
"It was family loyalty," she replied finally. "I was afraid my father might go to jail."
"Because if the cheating came out, what was an accident could have looked like murder. So you chose to protect your father."
"Yes, I did," she said fiercely. "Ashley and Caroline, too. I was the oldest. I had to watch out for all of us. And he was our father, the only parent we had left."
"How could you look Jeremy's parents in the eye? How could you look Sean in the eye, knowing what you knew?"
"Weeks passed before that happened. His parents were notified by the race officials long before we ever got home. In fact, they held Jeremy's funeral and placed his headstone before we sailed back into the harbor. They had come to terms with what happened, believing that he'd gone down with the Betsy Marie, that he'd died heroically trying to save others on the boat. The Mayday calls painted those sailors as heroes. It was easier to let it be, to leave it alone. It was too late to tell the truth. Jeremy was dead, whether he'd died off of our boat or not."
Tyler frowned. "Do you really believe that, Kate? Do you really believe you were right?"
She met his gaze and saw the sharp, ruthless pursuit of the truth in his eyes. "Not completely," she admitted. "But I wasn't thinking clearly at the time. I did love Jeremy. I was emotionally distraught when he drowned. I couldn't believe it at first. I thought it was a horrible nightmare. But I couldn't wake up, and every time I closed my eyes I saw Jeremy's head going under the water. I felt his hand slipping out of mine." She took a breath, emotion threatening to overwhelm her. "I've seen two people die, two people that I loved very much. I guess I didn't want to lose anyone else."
"Like your father?"
"Like my father," she agreed. "I can say I'm sorry, but it won't change the facts. I lied, whether it was by omission or not. I am sorry, though. I didn't realize how one lie could spiral so far out of control, how our lives would be forever influenced by that one hasty decision."
"You must have been worried that K.C. would recover his memory. He knew Jeremy hadn't been onboard his boat. That must have given you some sleepless nights. He could have recovered his memory at any time and blown the whistle on you all. In fact, your father thinks he does remember, that's why he's come back now."
"Then why hasn't he said anything?"
"I have no idea. Perhaps he's waiting for the right moment." Tyler paused. "Your father wanted to die out there tonight. He gave up. He knew you weren't going to race with him on Saturday, that he wouldn't ever get the Moon Dancer back. He was going to let us drown."
His words horrified her. "Oh, my God, Tyler! I had no idea. I just thought the storm came up too fast or he drank too much and couldn't get the sails going right. I didn't know he quit on you. That's a first. McKennas don't quit," she said with a bitter sadness. "You don't know how many times I've heard those words spoken."
"But you don't quit, do you?" Tyler sent her a hard look that she didn't understand.
"What