Part 21 (1/2)
”I love you.” He kissed her again, gently this time.
”I'm not a child you can distract,” she finally answered when she could talk.
”I hope you don't think this is a distraction. I've never been more serious about anything in my life. I love you.”
As she watched the expression on his face, Sarah's anger began to slowly fade. She did love him. Whatever else she'd lost in the last few days, she'd found Daniel. The light from the bedroom window caught the clean, straight line of his nose and the generous bottom lip. She could see the faint stubble of a beard, but it only gave him a rugged look, heightening the deep blueness of his eyes. He was so handsome, and so good.
”I take you very seriously,” she answered.
He slowly released the grip on her arms, rubbing where he'd held her tightly. ”I'll let you go if you promise not to take a swing at me.”
She couldn't help but grin. ”It depends.”
He tightened his grip slightly. ”Then I'll say this fast. Your mother made a mistake.”
”And my father died because of it,” Sarah answered. She wasn't angry anymore.
”That may or may not be true. I don't think it is. I think your father died because some ruthless, evil men preyed upon your mother and then turned their energy toward destroying him. Your father was a scapegoat, and I think I'm beginning to figure out who betrayed him.”
”Who?” The last remnants of Sarah's self-pity fled. ”Who?”
Daniel pulled her up to a sitting position so they could face each other. ”Chef Andr6, for one.”
”How?” Sarah didn't believe what he was saying.
Daniel quickly related what Mora had told him. ”Don't you see? There was a lot more money. The gang thought they were really buying your father off. Not just Mora or her wifely influence-they thought they'd paid him to leave them alone. Then when he started investigating Betty Jean Corley's death, zealously investigating, they thought he'd double-crossed them. And -”
”They set him up.”
”They paid off Graham Estis.”
”And G.o.d knows who else.”
”Right.”
”Very possibly, Agent Jenkins.”
Daniel took a breath. ”That's a distinct possibility. Jenkins pursued your father relentlessly.
He might have been paid to do it.”
”And Gottard?”
”There is a chance that somehow they've gotten to him. This time, I was the sacrificial lamb.” His face reflected chagrin, sorrow, and a bitter acceptance. ”I was perfect. The renegade. The guy they could trust to break the rules to get to the truth. That's me. All they had to do was wind me up and set me in motion and I did all the rest, including put my friend in danger and then get framed for his murder.”
”But they haven't charged you yet,” Sarah noted.
”That's the beauty of it. If I'm charged, they'd have to take me into custody. But they need me to be here with you, to lead you into the trap they've set to snare you.”
”Why?” Sarah asked again. That was the same old question that applied to everything that was happening to them. ”Why? This was all years ago.”
”That's what I don't know, but I'm beginning to know where to look to find an answer.”
”And where is that?” Sarah could feel the excitement radiating from him. He was on the trail. She could feel it.
”Think about it. Every event you've catered recently was Southern.”
”But that's not unusual,” Sarah interrupted. ”I cater Southern events almost exclusively. That's my hook, my forte.”
”I know, but at every recent event, except that birthday party for the Georgia senator, there have been very powerful people. Businessmen, legislators, congressmen. Movers and shakers. And let me point out that the child's party was the first thing you've catered where no one was poisoned-or nearly poisoned.” He told her about the lab reports on the pork chops.
”You're right.” Sarah saw it all begin to make sense. ”Maybe at first they only wanted to use me to make a few folks sick.”
”I think it was more than that. I think they intended to frame you for murder. By poisoning people. That way, they'd get rid of the roadblocks and also put you behind bars. It would be the perfect revenge.”
”Who are these people?” Sarah asked, her voice small and worried.
”Your mother doesn't know. She had only a telephone contact.”
”How are we going to find out?”
”We're going back to Was.h.i.+ngton.”
”And?”
”A lot depends on Paul Gottard.”
Sarah leaned forward and grasped Daniel's knee. ”You aren't going to trust that man, are you?”
Daniel's grin was tight. ”Absolutely not. I'm going to use him exactly the way he's used me. Now, let's book a flight home before we're accused of killing Graham Estis. It wouldn't surprise me to see that happen, since you haven't obliged by killing someone at one of your dinner parties.” ”No one has died, yet,” Sarah said. ”Thanks to Familiar
Chapter Eighteen.
Well, this is a little more my style. Sarah insisted on a seat for me, in a carrier, but at least I'm not stuffed into some bag with underwear and socks. And I'm relieved to be getting back to Was.h.i.+ngton. Magdelene is going to have a fit. I can only hope she hasn't reported my disappearance to Eleanor and Peter. They'll be worried sick.
All of these duties! How have I become so un-catlike that I'm worried about how humans feel? I must have caught this from Sarah. She's always worried about people. But thank goodness she and Mora made up. Now that was one heartwarming scene. It took ten years off Mora's age -she actually began to bloom. And then she ripped that upholstery off that old sofa and all that money flew around the room. Sarah told her to spend every dime of it and not to look back. An excellent suggestion. Now all we have to do on our end is resolve this mystery and make sure that everyone lives to see the money spent and justice done.
Chef Andre. That garlicky smell. It could easily be connected. Sarah scrubs her hands with lemon. But anyone who cooks or eats garlic a lot... I'm heading straight over to the White House as soon as we land. I want to speak to Socks. He can help with this, since I'm sure the great chef has prepared some specialties for the First Cat. Socks will be able to give me some pertinent details. Even if he isn't a 'Drained Observer, he is a cat. By definition, he's astute and observant. Oh, yes, Socks will be my ace in the hole.
As for now, I'm going to charm the attendant into a sample of that first-cla.s.s chow. It's not the best food I've ever tasted, but flying always gives me an appet.i.te. And besides, that little brunette has a million-dollar smile. Even if the cuisine ain't caviar, she is choice.
SARAH PACED the length of her shop behind the tightly drawn shades. The call from Chef Andre had been so unexpected, so bizarre, that every nerve in her body jangled. It was almost telepathic. And he'd sounded so worried and concerned, asking about Mora and Jean-Claude. If Daniel weren't hiding upstairs, listening to everything that happened, Sarah knew she'd be scared to death.
The tap on the gla.s.s was gentle, but it made Sarah jump. Peeking through the blinds, she saw the tall chef standing hunched against the cold. Heart pounding, she opened the door to him.
”Sarah!” He examined her. ”Thank goodness, you're okay.”