Нора Робертс - Hideaway

“When, Caitlyn?” Hugh repeated.

“In the morning before the celebration.” While her voice shook a little, Cate kept her gaze steady on Charlotte’s face. She didn’t look at her mother as if studying a stranger, but as if finding something she’d always known.

“She said let’s go for a walk, even before Nina got up. Early. And she said she had the best hiding place, and when she showed me, she said not to tell anybody. It was our secret, and to make hide-and-seek the last outside game.”

“This is ridiculous. She’s confused. You come with me right now, Caitlyn. We’re going upstairs to pack.”

“‘Them.’” Pale as death, Aidan moved forward, stood between his wife and daughter. “When I told you Cate was here, was safe, first … It was shock, not relief. I see that now. And you said ‘them.’ Did the police catch them, the men who took her.”

“For Christ’s sake, Aidan, what difference does that make? And I was coming off a sleeping pill. And—”

Her father’s voice, so cold when he spoke, had Cate shivering. Lily drew her back.

“Because when you took the pill, we only knew of one. One man. But it was two. It was two. How did you know that, Charlotte?”

“I didn’t!” Her robe swirled around her as she turned, as she pressed a hand to her heart. “How could I! It’s just a figure of speech, and I was groggy and upset. Stop it. I want to go home.”

Something in Cate’s belly shook, but she stepped closer again. “I couldn’t remember when I talked to the police, but now I do.”

Lily took Cate’s hand. “What do you remember?”

“He said, when I pretended to be asleep, when he talked to somebody on the phone. He asked are you using the nanny’s phone? And how if they ever checked, she’d get blamed.”

“Caitlyn’s confused and God knows what they did to her when they—”

“No, I’m not.” Tears spilled down her cheeks, but the eyes that shed them stayed hot. “I remember. You told me where to hide. You said make it the last game. And he asked if you were using the nanny’s phone. Because it was you. I knew it. I knew it inside, G-Lil, so I didn’t want to see Mom this morning. I only wanted Daddy.”

“You stop this nonsense right now.” As Charlotte made a grab for Cate, Lily blocked her.

“Don’t you dare touch this child.”

“You get out of my way, you washed-up bitch.” Charlotte’s angry shove didn’t move Lily an inch. “You get your fat ass out of my way or—”

Eyes glittering, Lily pushed her face into Charlotte’s. “Or what? You want to take a shot at me, you soulless excuse for a mother? You couldn’t act your way out of a room with one door if the door stood open, and you’re not acting your way out of this, you low-rent never-will-be. You go right on and take a poke at me, and you’ll be waking up on the floor with that nose Aidan paid for spouting blood.”

“Stop!” Throwing up his hands, Aidan pushed between them while Hugh drew Cate away. “Stop this. Charlotte, Lily, I need you both to sit down.”

With a toss of her hair, Charlotte jabbed a finger toward Lily. “I’m not staying in the same house with her. I’m going up to get dressed. Aidan, we’re leaving.”

He gripped her arm before she stormed out. “I said sit down.”

“Don’t speak to me that way. What’s wrong with you?” Sobbing, she fell against him. “I can’t stay here! Aidan, oh, Aidan, that woman hates me. She always has. Did you hear? Did you hear what she said to me? How can you let her insult me that way?”

“I’ve got plenty of other ways to insult you,” Lily tossed out. “I’ve been saving ’em up for years.”

Aidan sent Lily a silent plea that had her holding up a hand, gesturing peace.

“Sit down, Charlotte,” Aidan repeated.

“I will not sit in the same house, much less the same room with that woman.”

“This isn’t about Lily. This is about Caitlyn. It’s about you being a part of what happened to her.”

“You can’t believe any of that. I’m Caitlyn’s mother! Our baby’s upset, confused.”

“No, I’m not.”

Charlotte whipped her head around, struggled for a moment as Cate stared at her with those hot, streaming eyes. “We’re going to get you the help you need, Catey. You had a terrible ordeal.”

“You told me where to hide. You said, ‘Let’s go for a walk before anybody gets up, and I’ll show you a secret hiding place.’”

“I did not! You’re mixed up. You must’ve gone for a walk with Nina, and—”

“She went with you.” Rosemary, trembling a bit, stood in the wide entranceway. “I saw you. Yesterday morning, I saw you and our Cate outside when I stepped out to smell the sea.”

“You’re dreaming. You’re all conspiring against me! You—”

“Be quiet. Be quiet and sit the hell down.” Sick, sick to his bones, Aidan pulled Charlotte to a chair, pushed her into it. “Nan. What did you see?”

“I saw them walking together, and I thought, how sweet, the two of them walking together so early, when the sun’s still rising over the hills, when it’s starting to glitter on the water. I almost called out, but I didn’t because I wanted the two of you to have that moment to yourselves.”

“What have you done?”

“I haven’t done anything! It’s just like you,” she spat at Aidan. “Just like you to take everyone’s side against me.”

“No,” he murmured. “In fact, it’s not.”

He glanced toward the window as the gate signaled. “That should be the sheriff.”

“I’ll open the gate.” Lily walked out to the controls.

“If you try to get out of that chair,” Aidan warned as Charlotte started to push herself up, “I’ll just put you back in it.”

“If you put a hand on me—” She broke off, cringed back when he took a step toward her. “You’ve lost your mind.”

Covering her face with her hands, she fell back on her usual defense. Tears.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Sit here, Catey girl. Ma, come sit with Cate.”

“You believe me, don’t you, Grandpa?”

“I do.” He gave her a hard hug before giving her butt a light pat to send her toward a sofa. “I’m sorry to say, I do.”

He went to his mother, put an arm around her as he walked her to Cate.

“Lily,” he said when she came back, “would you go ask Nina to come in, bring her phone?”

“Don’t you dare bring that liar in here.”

“Shut up. Spill all the fake tears you want, but shut up. I’ll get the door,” he told Aidan.

As he started for it, his sister rushed down the steps. “What’s going on? We heard the shouting.”

“It appears Charlotte had a part in Cate’s kidnapping.”

“You— What?”

He scrubbed his hands over his face. “Do me a favor, see if you can get someone to put coffee together. The police may want some. Then you should get Harry, come down and listen. Ask, for now, Miranda and Jack to make sure the kids stay upstairs, or go down to the theater. It’s going to be a hell of a show here, and one they shouldn’t see.”

“Hugh, why would you think she’d— All right,” she said when he just shook his head. “I’ll take care of it.”

When Hugh opened the door, Red and Michaela were just getting out of the car.

“Good morning, Mr. Sullivan. How’s Caitlyn?”

“Hugh,” he said. “Please, both of you, make it Hugh. We’ve had some … developments this morning. Cate’s remembered something. She remembered more details.”

“That’s helpful.” But Red studied Hugh’s face, saw the terrible strain, the terrible anger. “Did they do more harm to her than we knew of?”

“No, no, nothing like that. It’s…” He had to uncurl the hands he’d balled into fists at his sides. “You’d better hear for yourself. Please come in.”