“And I haven’t been through enough?” she countered. “If you won’t give me my daughter, I’ll come back with the police.”
“I guess you’ll have to do that,” Maurice said. “Because I won’t let you drive off with Kate, not in your present state of mind. She’s Oliver’s daughter, too. And, regardless of what you think right now, he’s entitled to some consideration. He’s paid his debt to society.”
Panic fluttered at the edges of Jane’s mind. She had to get her daughter and get out of here. She was afraid Oliver would show up before she could return with the police and the Burkes would hand Kate over. Without any proof that he’d broken his parole or done anything wrong, she wasn’t sure Detective Willis or anyone else could help her. They’d tell her this was a family dispute, that it’d have to be handled in divorce court.
Saying a silent prayer, she nodded stiffly. “Fine. I’ll be back.” She stalked off.
Trying to make her reaction as believable as possible, she reversed out of the driveway, parked around the block and returned to the house on foot.
From the side window, she could see Noah, Wendy, Betty and Maurice in the living room, talking intently—which meant Kate was still in the back room, being sheltered from the conversation.
Jane could only hope….
Her heart banged against her chest as she slipped through the gate leading into the backyard. Betty and Maurice had a Saint Bernard, but Horse knew her well enough that he didn’t bark. He was so big and lazy he probably wouldn’t have bothered to get worked up, anyway, even for a stranger. He stood and lumbered over to greet her and, when she’d given him a pat, resumed his nap on the comfortable pad in his doghouse.
“Good dog, Horse,” she whispered and made her way to the rear entrance of the house.
Because the Burkes were expecting the police at their front door, not a kidnapping through the back, Jane wasn’t surprised to find the door unlocked. Kate often came out to play with the dog or use the swing set, so it was generally open during the day.
Stepping inside, she moved as quietly as possible, quickly arriving at the room the Burkes had converted to an extra bedroom for Kate. She played here, watched Disney movies here, even slept here upon occasion.
Jane was worried about the noise her daughter might make when she entered the room. One squeal could give them away. But Kate was so mesmerized by Cinderella dancing with Prince Charming that when Jane cracked open the door, she didn’t look up.
It was Jane who spoke first. “Kate, you must be very quiet, okay?” she whispered. “Mommy’s come to get you, but Grandma and Grandpa mustn’t know we’re leaving.”
“Mommy!”
“Shh.”
Kate’s eyebrows gathered above her glasses. “Why are we whispering?”
“I just told you. We can’t let anyone hear us.”
“Why not?”
“I’ll tell you in the car. Promise me you won’t make a sound. If you’re very, very quiet, Mommy will buy you an ice cream cone.”
Kate started to clap enthusiastically, but Jane stilled her hands. Then she embraced her daughter, nearly overcome with relief to have Kate in her arms.
“Grab your shoes,” she said. “You can put them on in the car.”
“But it’s cold outside.”
Jane pressed a finger to her daughter’s lips as a reminder. “That’s okay. We’ll turn on the heater as soon as we’re inside. We have to hurry, Kate. Move fast.”
Kate must’ve sensed the gravity of the situation because she grew very somber. “Won’t Grandma be mad?”
“No, Grandma will be fine. She’s busy, and I don’t want to disturb her. We’ll call her later, okay?”
Although Kate seemed puzzled by this answer, she didn’t argue. She quietly collected her shoes and allowed Jane to take her hand and lead her out. But they hadn’t quite reached the back door when Jane heard what she’d been listening for all along: Oliver’s voice in the living room.
“What did you say?” Oliver asked. Fear was sending rivulets of sweat down his back, making his starched shirt stick to him. He felt frantic, cornered. How had Jane, of all people, done this to him?
“Jane’s been here and gone,” his mother said.
The panic swelled. “You didn’t let her take Kate….”
“No. Kate’s coloring in the back room.”
“Good.” He sighed in relief and started to cut through the living room, where Noah, Wendy and his father were sitting, watching him anxiously. What had Jane told them? Whatever it was, he’d have to repair the damage. But not now. He didn’t have time.
His mother caught his arm before he’d taken five steps. “Jane claims she’s bringing the police.”
All the more reason to hurry. “We’re having some marital problems,” he explained. “But don’t worry. We’ll work it out.”
“We hope so,” his father said.
His mother’s eyes darted to Noah, then she cleared her throat. “There’s something we need to tell you.” Sympathy softened her expression as she drew him toward the couch, toward the others.
Oliver attempted to extricate himself. “If she’s bringing the cops, I’d better get Kate and go. Who knows what that Detective Willis will do? There’s no need to have Kate involved in some tug-of-war. Especially since things’ll be fine once Jane cools down.”
“We’ve got a few minutes,” his mother said. “Jane just left. And this…this is important, too. It might explain some of Jane’s behavior, help you understand what’s really happening. I think we should get it all out here and now, then put it behind us.”
The stunned silence he’d encountered since his arrival finally seeped through Oliver’s preoccupation, convincing him he had to deal with the damage Jane had caused right now. Quickly. “Listen, I don’t know what Jane told you, but you can bet it’s not true. I’ve always treated her like a queen. We’re in the middle of an argument, that’s all.”
“Sit down, Oliver,” his father said.
His father’s somber demeanor made Oliver even more nervous. He did as he was told, but only because he was always polite to his parents. “What is it?” He glanced from one face to the next. Everyone looked ashen, especially Noah, who was hanging his head and staring at the carpet.