Нора Робертс - Hideaway

Under the soaring ceilings, in front of the panoramic view of sky and sea, Red studied the fascinating tableau.

The little girl with the tear-streaked face and angry eyes sitting under the protective arm of her great-grandmother. The curvy redhead he recognized from the movies perched on the arm of the sofa to flank the girl.

Like a guard on protective duty.

The stunning blonde in the white silk robe weeping while her husband—because he recognized the blonde, too—stood behind her chair. Not in comfort, but another guard.

“My mother, Rosemary,” Hugh began, “my wife, Lily. And, ah, my sister, Maureen.”

“Coffee’s coming. Harry’s getting dressed.” One glance at Hugh had her going to the sofa, to sit at her mother’s other side.

United front, Red thought. With the blonde most definitely cut out.

“This is Sheriff Buckman and Deputy Wilson. And here’s Nina, Caitlyn’s nanny.”

“Get that woman out of my sight!”

At Charlotte’s explosion, Nina took a stumbling step back. “Miss Lily said I needed to come in, and bring my phone.”

“You’re fired! Do you understand the word?”

A small woman, barely twenty-five, she’d always acquiesced to Charlotte. Had always been intimidated by her. But now Nina squared her shoulders. “Then I don’t have to listen to you or do what you say.”

Charlotte—and Red thought it fascinating how quickly tears turned to temper—started to spring up. Aidan gripped her shoulder, shoved her down again.

“Don’t you touch me. Sheriff, you have to help me.”

And, Red noted, how quick tears came back.

“Please, please, they’re abusing me. Physically, verbally, emotionally. Please.” That beautiful face with its brimming eyes turned up to Red. The hands lifted in a plea.

“We’re here to help,” he said easily. “How about everybody takes a seat?”

Another woman rolled in a trolley. He could smell the coffee.

“Thanks, Susan.” Maureen popped up. “I’ve got it from here. Susan helps my mother take care of things around here. Susan, you can go on back. Here’s my husband. Harry, this is Sheriff Buckman and Deputy Wilson. You should sit down,” she murmured to him.

Before he did, he walked over to Cate, bent from his height of six-five to give her an exaggerated kiss. “You were a sleepyhead when I saw you last night.”

He took a chair, stretched out his long legs.

Since there was plenty of seating, Red took a chair that gave him the best angle on the blonde and the child. Mother and daughter. Because something very wrong simmered between them.

“How are you doing today, Cate?”

“I’m not scared anymore. And I remembered she told me where to hide.”

She lifted her hand, pointed that accusatory finger at her mother.

“She’s confused. Those monsters must have given her something that’s warped her memory. She doesn’t know what she’s saying.”

“I know.” Cate stared straight into her mother’s eyes.

Charlotte looked away first.

“She woke me up early yesterday for a surprise, she said. She doesn’t get up early unless she has a call, but she was already dressed, and she had my jacket, and my shoes.”

“I did not!”

“You did, too.”

“Charlotte,” Rosemary said with a sigh. “I saw you. I saw them walking, out front, about a half hour after sunrise.”

Red held a hand up before Charlotte could interrupt again. “I’d like to hear what Cate has to say.”

“I won’t have you interrogating my child.”

“I don’t believe that’s what I’m doing.” Red barely flicked Charlotte a glance before giving Cate his full attention. “What I’m doing is listening. Tell me what you remember, Cate.”

“She said we’re going for a walk, and we did. And I was excited because it was a secret, she said.”

Though her voice sounded fierce, she knuckled tears from her eyes.

“She said she had the best hiding place, and I should play hide-and-seek as the last outside game, and use that place—the tree by the garage—and no one would find me. So I’d win.”

“Yoga,” Aidan murmured. “God, how could I be so stupid, so blind? I woke, and you were just coming into the bedroom. You had on yoga pants, a tank, and said you’d taken your mat out by the pool to do some yoga.”

“Which is exactly what I did, or is that a crime now?”

“Black yoga pants,” Rosemary said, shutting her eyes, bringing it back. “A black-and-white flowered tank.”

“Yes.” Aidan nodded.

“Obviously, Rosemary saw me coming back from the pool, and she’s confused.”

“Seems to be a lot of ‘confused,’” Red said easily. “Cate seems pretty clear on it.”

“She’s still in shock, may still be under the influence of whatever those monsters gave her.”

“That would be the monsters who took her to the Wenfield cabin, about three miles from here as the crow flies.” He kept his eyes on Charlotte’s as he spoke. “Maybe you figure they’re confused, too.”

He watched her pale, watched her fingers dig into the arms of the chair. Smelled the lie before she spoke it.

“They’re criminals, liars. They’re working with that heartless bitch.” She flung a hand out at Nina. “Turning my own flesh and blood against me, and for money.”

“I’d cut off my hand before I’d hurt or let anyone hurt my Caitlyn. I’ll take a lie detector test,” Nina said to Red. “I’ll do anything you want.”

“She talked to him on the phone—not Nina,” Cate insisted. “He asked if she’d used the nanny’s phone, and said good. He called her ‘lover.’ And his phone, when it rang, it was ‘The Mexican Hat Dance.’ I know because we learned it in dance class.”

Nina’s hand flew to her mouth, but didn’t quite smother the gasp.

“See, she’s guilty.”

“I did nothing.” Nina took out her phone as she rose, put in the code, handed it to Red. And leaning down, whispered, “I have something to say, but I don’t want to say it in front of Caitlyn.”

He nodded, shifted to smile at Lily. “Ma’am—and I want to say I’ve sure enjoyed your movies over the years—I wonder, since we all have this fine coffee, if you’d take Cate back, maybe get her a drink.”

“You want to say something you don’t want me to hear. It happened to me. I should hear.”

She had a stubborn line between her eyebrows when they came together. He had to respect that. “That may be so, honey, but I need you to give me just a couple minutes first. I’d really appreciate it.”

“Come on, sweets. Let’s get us a Coke.”

“I don’t allow my child to drink carbonated sugar!”

“Well, bless your heart.” With that eyebrow arch for Charlotte, Lily took Cate’s hand. “Guess who’s not in charge today?”

Red waited a minute, then nodded to Nina. “What do you want to say?”

“I don’t want to say it. I wish I didn’t have to, and I’m so sorry, Mr. Aidan. I’m so sorry, but Ms. Dupont…” Embarrassed color flooded Nina’s cheeks. “She’s been having sex with Mr. Sparks.”

“Liar!” Surging up, a flurry of white silk, Charlotte slapped at Aidan when he tried to stop her. She leaped at Nina. She managed to get a swipe of nails down Nina’s cheek before Michaela restrained her.

Even then, she struggled, kicked back.

“You’re going to end up in cuffs,” Red warned her in the same tone he might’ve used to comment it looked like rain. “Assault, and assaulting an officer. You better sit back down before you end up cooling your temper in jail.”

“My lawyers will sue you both out of your jobs. And bury you,” she told Nina.

Slow, calm, Red got to his feet. “Sit down. Or I’ll charge you here and now, have you taken in, booked. Nina, do you want medical attention?”