Kate sat down on the sofa and Holly sat next to her. Curious and tense, Kate watched Elliott pick up some folders from his desk; then he carried them over to the coffee table and sat down on the chair nearest Kate.

He smiled sociably and leaned his forearms on the tops of his legs. aHow well do you know Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt?a Kate stiffened in shock, her heart thundering all the way up into her throat. aI thought you said this was related to my father.a aIt may be. Thatas what I want to find out. How well do you know Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt?a he repeated calmly.

aDid Evan tell you I know him?a aNo, he did not, and he wonat hear it from me, which is why I suggested you not bring Evan along.a That was definitely a kindness on his part, Kate realized, trying to rea.s.sess her opinion of him. aLet me ask a different question,a he said patiently. aHowlong have you known him?a aA couple of days. We b.u.mped into each other in Anguilla.a aAnd youad never met him before then?a aNo.a aHow well do you know him?a he asked, returning to that question.

aNot well at all,a Kate said half truthfully.

aYouare quite certain?a aIam positive.a His expression was disappointed, regretful as he held her gaze and opened the top of the folder. With a flick of his wrist, he sent enlarged color photographs of Kate and Mitch.e.l.l, locked in pa.s.sionate embraces, sliding across the shiny surface of the coffee table.

Kate stifled a moan and jerked her gaze from the proof of her intimacy with Mitch.e.l.l.

Holly leaned forward for a closer look.aHoly c.r.a.p,a she breathed. She picked up one of Mitch.e.l.l and Kate on the balcony at the Enclave right after they checked in. He was standing in front of her with his hands braced on the wall on either side of her, grinning at hera"the moment when she had been laughingly confessing she thought he hadnat brought any clothes. aIad love a copy of this one,a Holly said into the charged silence. aAnd this one, too,a she added, picking up a photograph of the two of them kissing pa.s.sionately on the beacha"when he had been naming the languages he spoke. His hand was shoved into the hair at her nape holding her mouth to his and his arm was angled down across her back, clamping her hips tightly against his. aI wish it wasnat so grainy.a Holly picked up another one taken that night; in this one his right hand was over Kateas breast, and she fanned herself with it. aMy G.o.d, Kate, I am impressed. I truly mean that.a Oblivious of everything except the explosion of anger inside her, Kate stood up, glaring at Gray Elliott through furious tears. aHow dare you!a aHow well do you know Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt now?a he asked calmly, but he sounded like a prosecutor to her.

aThe answer to that is obvious. You didnat need to ask me anything. You have the evidence.a aIad like an explanation.a Holly leaned around Kate and said mildly, aGo to h.e.l.l.a Then she stood up and looked at Chicagoas most eligible bachelor with cool, disappointed hauteura"as if he were a c.o.c.kroach, but one who should have, could have, been a higher-level insect. aMy sister is Laurel Braxton. Sheall be representing Kate in this matter should you have some purposea"other than being a voyeura"to question Kate about those pictures again.a aI do have a higher purpose, Miss Braxton.a aDr.Braxton,a Holly corrected, and he looked duly chastened and a little surprised.

aDr. Braxton,a he agreed; then he realized head been distracted and looked at Kate, who was madly swiping tears off her cheeks. aKatea"that should be Miss Donovan, I a.s.sumea"since weare unlikely to have a cordial relationship hereafter?a Kate gave him a glacial stare, and he said with charming chagrin, aIam glad to see Iam right about something.a Kate wasnat buying his superficial boyish charm; shead already had all she could stomach of that from Mitch.e.l.l. aWhat possible excuse can you have for invading my privacy by taking those photographs and then humiliating me by bringing me here and making me look at them?a aYour fatheras death. All I wanted to know was how long youave known Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt so that I can rule him outa"or ina"as a possible suspect. The Wyatt family has had two deaths from unnatural causes recently, and your father makes a third instance. Itas a little odd for someone to have such a cataclysmic effect on people surrounding him, but Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt seems to be one of those people.a It was strange, inexplicable, but at that moment, Kate felt a fierce desire to protect the same man she despised for her own reasons from being attacked again because he was the b.a.s.t.a.r.d grandson of the Wyatt family, therefore beneath contempt to people like Evan and, apparently, Gray Elliott. aI met him in Anguilla a few days ago for the first time. The rest is in those pictures. He couldnat possibly have had anything to do with my fatheras death, and there is no way on earth that man killed his brother. He was very fond of him!a aHe talked about William with you?a aBriefly. I pried it out of him. He told me he was deada" No, thatas not right,a she amended quickly when she saw the flare of interest in Elliottas gray eyes. aI didnat know his brother was William Wyatt, but when Mitch.e.l.l talked about him, I a.s.sumed the brother was dead.a aWhy?a aBecause when Mitch.e.l.l told me about him, he said . . .a Kate had all she could do to keep from weeping as she repeated the words that had seemed so poignant at the time. aHe said . . . aMy brotheras name was William.a a aWhen did he say William was dead?a aDonat you listen?a Kate said, almost stamping her foot in frustration. aMitch.e.l.l used the wordwas, so I a.s.sumed that meant that William was dead. He never said William was dead.a aAll right, Iam clear on that. Now, will you explain to me how you know he was fond of William?a aI could tell by the way he talked about him. It was obvious that he cared for him.a He nodded, thinking that over. aOkay,a he said, looking convinced. aYou made an a.s.sumption, based on Wyattas tone and expression, that he was fond of William?a aYes,a Kate said, dying to grab her purse and get out of there.

aDid you also a.s.sume, based on Wyattas behavior, that he was fond of you?a Kate didnat see the question coming, wasnat prepared for his drawing that parallel. Tipping her head back, she closed her eyes, and swallowed. aYou can see that I did,a she whispered.

aThatas it,a Holly said brightly, aweare leaving.a She dug her sisteras business card out of her purse, thrust it at him, and headed for the door with Kate right behind her.

Elliott turned and watched them. aMiss Donovan?a he said.

Kate turned and glared at him.

aIam sorry,a he said solemnly. aLooking at those pictures, it was impossible to know that you were emotionally as well as physically involved with him. Iam sorry you got burned.a Kate refused to let him get off with an apology, let alone such an insincere one, but she kept her dignity and said calmly, aYou would have put me through this even if you had known. What makes you think youare any different than he is?a IN THE CARon the way home, Kate told Holly the whole story, and ended by telling her that Evan expected Kate to handle seeing Mitch.e.l.l at the Childrenas Hospital benefit. aI donat know how Iam going to face him after what he did to me.a aI know exactly how youare going to do it,a Holly a.s.sured her, aand I will coach you. In fact, if Evan has room for me at your table, Iall come along for moral support.a aWeall make rooma"a aThe first thing you need is a fabulous gown, which calls for a trip to Bancroftas.a aActually,a Kate admitted, aEvan already phoned Bancroftas to arrange for a personal shopper to help me pick out a gown for Sat.u.r.day.a aEvan can pay the bill, butIam your new personal shopper.a

Chapter Thirty-three.

STANDING OUTSIDE THEinterrogation room and flanked by Lily Reardon and Jeff Cervantes, Gray Elliott watched MacNeil and his regular partner, Joe Torello, getting ready to begin interviewing Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt.

aWho are they?a Cervantes asked.

aPearson and Levinson,a Gray replied.

aThePearson and Levinson? Together in the same room?a Lily said, looking reluctantly impressed. aIam surprised they didnat refer Wyatt to a criminal defense lawyer.a aThey will when the time comes.a Lily reported directly to Gray and handled cases that he was particularly interested in; Jeff reported to her and would a.s.sist her at Wyattas trial. aHave we gotten any reports back yet on what the searches turned up?a she asked.

Gray shook his head. aNot yet.a aWho brought Wyatt in this morning?a Cervantes asked.

aHe came in on his own. Levinson called me at home last night when Wyatt was still en route. It seems someone tipped Wyatt off about our searches, and he figured out on his own that our alleged confession was bogus, and that he was our actual suspect.a aAnd he landed at OaHare anyway?a aAs you see.a aThe act of an innocent man?a Lily suggested.

aOr a moderately clever one who wants us to arrive at that conclusion,a Jeff stated.

aI think heas more than moderately clever,a Gray said. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out an article head found on the Internet and had translated from Greek to English that morning. aSix years ago, a Greek reporter talked Stavros Konstantatos into giving him an interview about the key to his successes and how he managed to squeeze out his compet.i.tion.a Gray showed them the picture from the article, in which the Greek tyc.o.o.n was proudly holding up his arms, fists clenched. The translated caption beneath the photograph read,aI have two fists with which I do battle. With my right fist, I wield the power and might to vanquish those who would oppose me. My left fist is subtle; it uses reason, shrewdness, and restrained force against my enemies. I strike with either fist.a aWhat does this have to do with Wyatt?a Lily said, handing the page back to him.

aMitch.e.l.l Wyatt was his aleft fist,a a Gray said. aHe refers to him as that in the body of the article.a Cervantes peered through the two-way gla.s.s. aInteresting, the way heas sitting in there.a The table was oblong with two chairs on the long side facing the two-way mirror, and one chair at each end. Wyatt was sitting on the side facing the two-way mirror, but head angled his chair away from the table and was sitting with one foot propped on the opposite knee, his back to Pearson. A tablet and pen were on the table near his elbow, along with an untouched cup of coffee provided by MacNeil. aHeas turned his back on one lawyer, and heas ignoring the other.a aHe doesnat think he needs them,a Gray speculated. aI think he intends to handle this entirely by himself.a aHis lawyers undoubtedly warned him not to donate any of his DNA by drinking anything we give him,a Cervantes said. aHe also knows this is a two-way mirror and that weare probably standing out here.a As if on cue, Wyatt turned his head to the right and looked straight toward them.

as.h.i.t,a Lily said. aHeas even better looking in person. If thereas a heteros.e.xual woman or a gay man on the jury, Iall never get a conviction.a Gray ignored that and tipped his head toward the gla.s.s. aHere we go,a he said. aMacNeil is going to start off with the photographs to give him the idea we may have been following him for months.a MacNeil thumbed through the photographs he and Childress had taken, and selected a close-up of Wyatt and Donovan kissing on the balcony at the Enclave. aLetas work backward toward the day of your brotheras murder, shall we?a Wyatt quirked a brow at him and said nothing.

aCan you explain this for me?a MacNeil said, and casually tossed the photograph on the table.

Wyatt leaned slightly forward, looked at it, and then at MacNeil. aArenat you a little old to need an explanation?a MacNeil slapped another, similar photograph on the table, but this one was taken the night before at the villa, and Wyattas hand was on Donovanas breast. aExplain this.a Wyatt barely flicked a glance at it. aWhat part of it donat you understand?a aThatas interesting,a Gray said. aI didnat think it would be this easy to get a reaction out of him.a aHe looks completely unperturbed,a Lily argued.

aNo, he clenched his jaw, but just for an instant there. Heas angry, and heas also very adept at hiding it. Remember that at trial.a MacNeil took his time putting the photos back into the right folder, letting Wyatt see that there were many folders of photographs in the stack of files. aMaybe we should start from the beginning, instead,a MacNeil announced. aWhere were you on the day William Wyatt disappeared?a aI donat know what day that was,a Wyatt replied calmly. aHe was gone for several days before his wife and son realized he wasnat at the farm and reported him missing.a aHave you ever been to the Wyatt farm?a aNo.a aYouare sure about that?a aPositive.a Detective Torello took over. Reaching into an envelope, he removed a clear plastic evidence bag containing a leather b.u.t.ton with a pattern and insignia on the front. aDo you recognize this?a Torello asked.

Pearson and Levinson tensed. aYou donat have to answer that,a Levinson said quickly.

Wyatt ignored the warning. aIt looks like the missing b.u.t.ton from one of my overcoats.a aDo you know where we found this b.u.t.ton, Mr. Wyatt?a When Wyatt didnat reply, Torello said, aWe found it wedged under the cover on the well where your brotheras body was found. That well is located a few feet from the property line of the Wyatt farm, which you say youave never been near. Do you want to rethink that answer?a aNo, it was right the first time.a aCan you explain, then, how this b.u.t.ton from your coat turned up at that farm?a aI canat explain it.a Torello perched a hip on the corner of the table. aHow do you suppose a b.u.t.ton that you admit came from a coat of yours got snagged on a well cover on a farm youave never been to?a aI repeata"a Wyatt said patiently, aI canat explain it.a Lily shot a pleased look at Gray and was surprised to see that he was frowning, his hands shoved into his pockets. aHeas not our man,a Gray said in answer to her puzzled stare. aAnd heas sure he can prove it.a aWhat do you mean? How?a aI donat know, but I have a hunch heas getting ready to tell us. Heas glanced at his watch twice and heas getting fed up.a In the interrogation room, Torello regarded Wyatt steadily, and when he said nothing more, Torello put pressure on him. aLet me tell you how we think your coat b.u.t.ton got snagged on that well covera"a aIam sure it would be a very entertaining, imaginative story, but Iam a little short of time. Do you have anything else you want to discuss other than this b.u.t.ton?a When Torello frowned at him and said nothing, Wyatt said, aIall take that to mean you donat. In that case, hereas what you need to know: William disappeared in November. The coat that b.u.t.ton came off of was made for me in London and delivered to me in Chicago at the end of December.a MacNeil stepped forward and said in a conciliatory agood copa tone, aWhere was the coat purchased and can anyone there verify the date it was delivered?a aIall give you my London tailoras name. He can also tell you where the b.u.t.tons came from, and verify that I have no other clothing with identical b.u.t.tons.a aWhere is the coat now?a aI sent it back to him so that he could order a new b.u.t.ton and mend the hole left by the last one. Is there anything else, or are we finished?a aNot quite,a MacNeil said. aWhen did you first discover the b.u.t.ton was missing from your coat?a aIn mid-January. I took the coat out of the closet and realized the b.u.t.ton was gone. I donat know where I lost it.a Gray Elliott stared through the window. aEither he doesnat know, or he doesnat want to believe it.a Without shifting his gaze, he said, aTell MacNeil to come out here.a Cervantes knocked on the door and poked his head into the interrogation room. aIam sorry to interrupt. Detective MacNeil, could I have a word with you?a MacNeil strolled out, closed the door, and looked at Gray. aAre you buying Wyattas story?a Gray nodded. aFor now, yes. Get Wyattas pa.s.sport, and tell him not to leave Chicago until weave checked with the tailor and had a look at that coat ourselves.a Wyatt took one look at MacNeilas face when he walked back into the interrogation room and stood up. Wordlessly, he pulled his pa.s.sport out of his inside jacket pocket and tossed it onto the table; then he picked up the coffee, took a swallow, and put the cup down. aThereas your DNA, voluntarily given. Try not to mix it up with anyone elseas while youare finishing your investigation. Anything else?a he clipped, while his attorneys rose to their feet and picked up their briefcases.

aYes, donat leave Chicago until you hear from us.a aIall heed that warning,a he said shortly. aAnd now youad better heed mine: If I ever see any of those photographs anywhere, I will bury Gray Elliotta"and youa"under a mountain of lawsuits filed against both of you personally, along with the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois. And while Iam at it, Iall make sure the media learns about your voyeuristic ahobby,a and your expensive trips to Caribbean islands in pursuit of that hobbya"all at government expense. In short, I will smear your names all over the press.a aAre you threatening me?a MacNeil said stiffly.

aDidnat I just make that clear?a Wyatt snapped. aNice tan, by the way,a he added. He started for the door, followed by his smirking attorneys; then he turned back and aimed his next threat toward the two-way mirror. aIall give you the rest of the afternoon to get in touch with Caroline Wyatt and explain I had nothing to do with Williamas death. If you fail to convince her, Iall bring her to your office in the morning and you can do it in front of me.a After Wyatt left, Elliott opened the door and walked into the interrogation room. aThatas the second time in one day Iave been called a voyeur,a he remarked idly, gazing at the open door. Transferring his gaze to MacNeil, he said, aMeet me in my office tomorrow at ten and bring all the files with you. I know who murdered William, but weare going to have to go slowly and build our case very carefully.a aIall be there,a MacNeil said. When he glanced up, Elliott was studying MacNeilas thinning hair.

aYour hair looks different.a aDifferent how?a MacNeil asked, then quickly looked away.

aI donat know exactly. Itas . . . fluffy.a aNew shampoo,a MacNeil mumbled.

Chapter Thirty-four.

UNLIKE LARGE FUND-RAISERS,the Childrenas Hospital benefit was an elite annual affair with an invitation list containing only 350 names, each name chosen based on the individualas exceptional charitable-spending habits. An elaborate dinner was served and a silent auction took place during the evening, with items that included fabulous artwork, museum-quality jewelry, and an occasional priceless antique. Opening bids for the least of the auction items began at $50,000, and tables for ten began at $100,000 each.

Each year, a philanthropist was honored during the dinner portion of the evening, with the mayor of Chicago making the presentation. This year, the honoree, for the fifth time, was Cecil Wyatt.

The location chosen for this yearas benefit was the Founders Club, which occupied the top two floors of Endicott Tower, a spectacular eighty-story octagon made of stone and gla.s.s, located in downtown Chicago.

Membership in the Founders Club was originally limited to wealthy descendants of Chicagoas founding families, but since many of those descendants had failed to maintain the wealth of their forebearsa"or had committed crimes even more horrendous than thata"the Founders Club had loosened its membership restrictions. Currently, in order to be considered for membership, the candidate had only to have had aa significant presence in the Chicago areaa for the past one hundred years and to be able to afford annual dues of $50,000. However, as a safeguard, membership was aby invitation only from the board of directors,a which prevented the awrong sort of personsa who otherwise qualified for membership from applying and becoming a nuisance when they were rejected.

Once a coveted membership was granted, the new member was ent.i.tled to enjoy the clubas spectacular views, its sumptuous luncheon and dinner menus, and, of course, bragging rights.

No expense had been spared on the interior decor of the club; it was designed to impress, and it did. To a.s.sist in that goal, the private elevatoras lobby was on the second floor of the club, and was an eight-sided rotunda with an elaborate wrought-iron railing around it that guided new arrivals toward a sweeping staircase that curved gracefully downward to the first floor. A grand chandelier, one story in height, was suspended from the center of the second-floor ceiling, its many-tiered gold frame dripping with magnificent crystals.

At the front of the room, standing near their table, Matt Farrell watched his wife walking slowly through the crowd on the first floor, and he excused himself to the people around him.

aLooking for someone?a he asked, walking up behind her as she stood gazing up at the second-floor rotunda, where the silent-auction items were displayed.

aJust checking to make sure everything is going well.a She was in charge of this yearas benefit, and shead been working on it for months, dealing with the various committees and the endless details, as well as handling her demanding job as Bancroft & Companyas CEO.

Matt looked up at the people on the second floor, moving from table to table with gla.s.ses of champagne in their hands, writing down bids, talking and laughing, while a string quartet played in the curve of the staircase. On the main floor, the candlelit tables were laid with sparkling crystal and china, and decorated with spectacular sprays of cream-and-red bicolor roses from South America, blooms the size of softb.a.l.l.s.

aMore than half of the people are upstairs with pens in their hands, and an army of waiters is pa.s.sing out drinks to make sure they stay loose. Youare a guaranteed success. And,a he whispered tenderly, ayou are also very beautiful.a She sent him a beaming smile, tucked her hand through his arm, gave it a squeeze, and then she nodded toward the head table, where the guest of honor was talking to the mayor.

Matt suppressed a grimace. aLeave it to Cecil Wyatt to check himself out of the hospital so he can walk up to another podium and accept another award.a As if to wash away a bad taste, he swallowed the last of the champagne in his gla.s.s. A waiter arrived instantly with a tray of refills. aHow much,a he teased her, adid you budget for liquor?a aA lot,a she admitted. aLook, thereas Mitch.e.l.l,a she added a moment later. She watched him smiling politely as group after group of his new afamily friendsa stopped to say h.e.l.lo to him or introduce themselves for the first time.

When Cecil arrived at Mitch.e.l.las elbow and drew him aside a moment later, Meredith shook her head a little as if to clear it. aI still canat get used to seeing Mitch.e.l.l with Cecil. Weave known Mitch.e.l.l for so long, and heas stayed with us so many times, that I canat believe he waited six months to tell us he was Cecilas grandson. If we hadnat seen him at Cecilas birthday party, Iam not sure wead know it now.a aHow thrilled would you be to find out youare related to a domineering, egocentric old man? Oh, wait . . . youare already related to one of those,a Matt teased, and Meredith burst out laughing; then she pressed a kiss to his cheek. aShhh,a she whispered, amy father is right behind you.a aThatas not good. Change places with me,a he joked. aI donat like having my back turned to him.a He was half serious about the last part, Meredith knew, and for good reason. Her father had destroyed their marriage when they were young, and when Matt strode back into her life ten years later, her father tried to interfere again and almost lost Meredith in the process. For her sake, Matt tolerated her father, but head never forgiven him, and he never would.

aIam indebted to him tonight for persuading the Founders Club to let us use this place for our benefit,a she said. aIt was a real feather in our cap.a aHe didnat do it for you,a Matt teased. aHe did it to showme that he could still do something for you that I canat do. Former steelworkers from Gary, Indiana, canat be members here, no matter how successful they become. Do you know how I know that?a Meredithas shoulders shook with laughter, because she had a pretty good idea what the answer was. aHow do you know that, darling?a aYour father told me. Fifty times. This week alone.a Meredith smiled, but her attention had reverted to Mitch.e.l.l. aOh, look, Olivia Hebert has him by the arm. Itas so funny to see him squiring a little old lady, instead of some gorgeous woman with an exotic name, and he does it with such patience and lan.a aMitch.e.l.l does everything with lan,a Matt replied, drily, aand itas easy for him to be patient tonight, because he knows heas leaving for Europe tomorrow. He told me he canat wait to put an ocean between himself and Chicago.a Meredithas expression clouded. aSomethingas been bothering him.a aSomething other than being accused of murdering his brother, having to surrender his pa.s.sport, and being forced to remain in the city until Gray Elliott checked out his story, you mean?a Meredith ignored the irony in his tone and nodded emphatically. aSomething besides that. Those problems are over, and since Caroline is with him tonight, sheas obviously accepted that he had nothing to do with Williamas death. Whatever is on his mind isnat related to any of that.a aI havenat noticed anything different about him.a aMen donat notice subtleties about other men,a she said with a sigh. aHas it occurred to you that heas never mentioned Kate to us? She was so important to him that he was going to fly back and forth to the Caribbean to see her every night, but he hasnat mentioned her once. I tried to work around to the subject a few days ago by asking him if there was anyone special in his life. He said no.a aMitch.e.l.l doesnat talk about the women in his life.a aMitch.e.l.l called Zack in Rome to talk about Kate,a Meredith argued. aI wonder what happened to her.a aShe never went aboard the yacht. When Zack asked him what happened, Mitch.e.l.l said athings got complicated,a a Matt reminded her, as a waiter with a tray of canaps stopped at his side.

aI know. Oh, well, I guess that leaves the way clear for Marissa.a Matt paused, his arm outstretched toward the tray. aOur daughter, Marissa?a aWhen I kissed her good night, she told me sheas decided to marry Mitch.e.l.l when sheas old enough.a aIam not ready for this,a he declared, finally selecting a canap from the tray.

Meredith grinned. aYour future son-in-law appears to be making his way in our direction.a aKATE,a HOLLY SAIDsympathetically, awe canat spend the night in the ladiesa lounge. Drink this and letas go.a As she spoke, Holly removed Kateas empty champagne gla.s.s from her trembling hand and subst.i.tuted her own gla.s.s for it. aBottoms up,a she coaxed.

aMitch.e.l.l is down there,a Kate said, her voice shaking with nerves. aI saw him from the balcony.a aI know that. Now, letas make sure he sees you.a aIam not ready to go out there.a aYes, you are.a Mindlessly, Kate sipped her gla.s.s of champagne, the second one in ten minutes. aHow do I look?a Holly strolled around her for a final inspection. Reminiscent of the slinky, glamorous gowns worn in 1930s movies, Kateas pewter satin gown was bias cut, with a heart-shaped bodice and a narrow halter strap that made a V between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. To complement the gownas retro look, her hair had been styled into smooth waves and swept back on one side, held in place with an antique amethyst-and-diamond comb borrowed from Evanas mother. aI love that Veronica Lake hairstyle on you,a Holly decreed. aThat antique comb will make everyone think your earrings are real instead of costume jewelry,a she added, admiring the mock amethyst-and-diamond earrings dangling from Kateas ears partway to her shoulders.

They both hesitated while two women whoad been using the adjoining bathroom walked through the mirrored lounge area. The women smiled and nodded as they strolled past, then they opened the door to leave and a blast of laughter and music filled the lounge.

Holly waited until the door closed again; then she removed the empty champagne gla.s.s from Kateas fingers, and took Kateas hands in hers. aI promised you that Iad coach you and tell you how to get through this,a she said, looking solemnly into Kateas wide, overbright green eyes. aAnd I deliberately waited until now, when the moment is at hand.a Turning Kate toward the mirror, she said, aLook at yourself. You are absolutely stunning. This is your night, Kate. Itas your debut as Evanas future wife, and tonight youare going to find that even the biggest sn.o.bs here will welcome you as one of their own. They already know youare not a trashy gold digger; youare the daughter of a Chicago restaurateur who was something of a celebrity in his own right. Youare his successor. You also have a natural elegance and poise that people notice, and you have a warm heart that makes you infinitely appealing. Are you following me so far?a Embarra.s.sed by all the flattery, Kate smiled and said, aIam following that, tonight, you want me to think Iam wonderful.a aYouare wonderful. Now, this brings us to Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt. Sometime in the next couple of hours, youare going to come face-to-face with hima"a Three women, laughing and talking, walked into the lounge to check their makeup, and Holly and Kate both turned to the mirror, pretending they were doing the same thing.

Kate reached into her purse for her lipstick, but her entire body was in flight mode at the thought of looking into Mitch.e.l.las blue eyes and seeing that hard, handsome face again. Head made her laugh, head made her moan with pleasure, and then head held her in his arms as if he never wanted to let her go. Worse, much worse, head made her care so much that she thought she was in love him.

And then head sent her back to break up with Evan, never intending to be there when she returned.

Viewed with the clarity of hindsight, she realized now that everything Mitch.e.l.l did from the moment she met hima"even sending for an ambulance and doctor to help Maxa"was done to ensure the accomplishment of his ultimate goal. There was no doubt in her mind now that head sent her that b.l.o.o.d.y Mary himself and then sauntered into the restaurant to introduce himself. In fact, just thinking about the way head made a date with her after she spilled the drink on him made her grind her teeth:aIf I were you, Iad offer to take me to dinner . . .a Of all the egotistical, c.o.c.ky, overconfident . . .

He must have been amazed and very pleased when he introduced himself and she didnat recognize his name. Her ignorance made it so much easier for him, and so much more fun, as he seduced Evan Bartlettas witless girlfriend.

aStop going over everything he did in your mind!a Holly said urgently, the instant the other women departed. aJust for tonight, you have to forget all the awful details and be completely objective, or you wonat be able to pull this off! The simple reality is this: Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt is a man with an ego thatas so fragile he needed to seduce you to get even with Evan for knowing his secret.

aIf youad agreed to jump into bed with him after the two of you had dinner at the villa, it would have been over with that night and you wouldnat have gotten emotionally involved. Instead, you insisted on knowing something about him first, so he had to come back to you and tell you about his brother; then he had to start actively seducing you in the garden. Once he realized you werenat going to sleep with him in Evanas hotel room, he had to get a hotel in St. Maarten. In St. Maarten, he warned you not to have any illusions or false expectations about going to bed with him. He told you he didnat want complications or amagic,a he just wanted an afternoon of good s.e.x with you. Again, you turned down his offer, so he had to come back at you withthat aLetas get complicateda"I felt everything you did last nighta routine.a aAre you saying that what happened was partly my fault?a aG.o.d, no! Iam trying to make you see that hurting you wasnat his actual goal; his goal was to either coerce Evanas silence or bring Evan down to his level by having a fling with Evanas girlfriend.a Kate shivered at the coldness of his logic and the ruthlessness of his methods.

aIall tell you something I havenat said before,a Holly continued. aI think that, at some point, Wyatt had a better time with you than he expected. Otherwise, head have patted you on the b.u.t.t when he finished having s.e.x with you the first time and sent you back to the villa.a aWhy would he do that when I was such an eager,cooperative bed partner?a Kate said with bitter self-recrimination.

aThatas a good point, but why would he also take you to a casino, and, most revealing of all, why would he sit up in bed with you and watch the sunrise? Guys who only want s.e.x from a woman, roll off her afterward and go to sleep.a To Kateas shame, she clutched at that morsel of consolation, not because she believed it, but because she desperately needed something to reduce the humiliation she felt.

aHowever,a Holly continued brightly, athat doesnat change the fact that heas a cold, calculating b.a.s.t.a.r.d with a giant ego and that youare ent.i.tled to exact whatever petty revenge you can tonight.a aHow can I do that?a Kate asked, leaning back against the vanity table and eyeing Holly with fascination.

aYou have to treat him as if he was nothing but a completely forgettable flirtation.a aHeas not going to buy that. He knew how I felt. I left to go and break up with Evan and promised to hurry back.a aYes, but he canat be one hundred percent sure you did it! Furthermore, he canat be one hundred percent sure that you werenat just using him as a temporary stud in Evanas absence. In fact, he canat be one hundred percent sure that you didnat know who he was all along and that your goal wasnat to pry some juicy details about his life out of him to share with all your friends!a aWho would do such a thing?a Kate scoffed.

aThe women in your new social circlea"which also happens to be the same social circle heas accustomed to,a Holly said flatly. aBelieve me, I know what theyare like. I grew up in their Temple of Brittle Humor and Barren Hearts. Evan understands instinctively how the game needs to be played, thatas why he wanted you to be here tonight. Heall make sure Wyatt sees you with him, laughing and talking and holding your head up. In doing that, Evan will be ill.u.s.trating to Wyatt that heas so insignificant that nothing he does could possibly matter to either of you.a aAnd to think,a Kate said with a rueful smile, aIam supposed to be the one with the knowledge of psychology.a aThey donat write psychology books to cover the mind-set of the elite few. Anyway, you get the picture now, right?a aRight.a aSo, here is theonly emotion youare allowed to display when you b.u.mp into Wyatt tonight. Here is the only emotion that will get you some revengea"a aI give up,a Kate said, smiling at Hollyas dramatic pause. aWhat is it?a aAmus.e.m.e.nt! You are going to treat him withamus.e.m.e.nt a"as if you know an amusing little secret that he doesnat know about.a aWhat sort of secret knowledge could I possibly have?a Kate asked, frustrated.

aThatis the very question heall start asking himself. That is the question that will trouble him for a long time.a MATT ANDMEREDITHexchanged smiling glances with Mitch.e.l.l as he tried to maneuver his aunt in their direction while she clung to his arm, chattering happily and making him stop every few steps so she could introduce him to someone else. He was over a foot taller than she, and in order to hear her, he had to tip his head way down.

Matt walked over to the bar and ordered vodka for Mitch.e.l.l. By the time Matt returned with the drink, Mitch.e.l.l was finally arriving with his aunt. Holding the drink out to him, Matt said, aHereas your reward for the successful completion of a long and arduous journey.a aI can use it,a Mitch.e.l.l replied. Lifting the gla.s.s to his lips, he glanced up . . .

And he saw Kate.

He froze, staring, his brows drawn together in disbelief that she was here, and that the jean-clad girl with curly red hair whoad kissed him on the balcony in St. Maarten was the glamorous redhead in a sophisticated satin gown strolling casually through the roomful of wealthy socialites, many of whom were drawing her aside to kiss her on the cheek and chat with her.

aThatas Kate Donovan,a Matt provided, following his gaze. aHer father died recently, and I understand sheas going to try to run his restaurant. Have we ever eaten at Donovanas when you were here?a aNo.a aWeall have to do that when youare here next time.a Drily, he added, aI never had much luck getting reservations with less than two weeksa notice when her father was alive. Maybe Kate will give us a break.a Olivia happily made her own contribution to the discussion. aDid you know Kate just got engaged down in the islands?a she asked Meredith and Matt.

aNo,a Meredith said, watching Mitch.e.l.las gaze stray briefly to Kate again.

Olivia nodded emphatically and included Mitch.e.l.l in the question. aIsnat that a romantic way to get engaged?a aI wouldnat know,a he said smoothly, curtly.

aThe announcement was in theTribune on Thursday,a she added. Peering forward, she saw Kate leaving the people whoad stopped her to talk, and Olivia called out cheerfully, aKate, dear, come over here!a Satisfied when Kate looked up and nodded, Olivia turned to Mitch.e.l.l and added, aYouave met the future bridegroom, Mitch.e.l.l.a aHave I?a aYes. Sheas engaged to Evan Bartlett.a Mitch.e.l.l stared at the vodka in his gla.s.s. aReally, to Evan Bartlett?a he said with a cold, ironic smile.

Meredithas gaze flew to Mattas and he gave an imperceptible nod of understanding. This was Mitch.e.l.las aKate.a Kateas knees shook and she wished she had more than a few drops of champagne left in her gla.s.s to give her courage, but she managed to look calm and composed as she obeyed Oliviaas summons and prepared to face the man who had used her and left her. ah.e.l.lo, my dear,a Olivia said. aI hope you and Evan will be very happy,a she added, and then pressed a kiss to Kateas cheek.

It was the identical ritual Kate had been through fifty times that nighta"a greeting, followed by best wishes, followed by a salutatory kiss on the cheek. Shead a.s.sumed an hour before that this was some sort of prescribed engagement ritual known to everyone in Evanas social circle. Mentally she braced herself for Mitch.e.l.l to follow the same ritual as Olivia added with quaint formality, aMay I present my nephew, Mitch.e.l.la"a Somehow, Kate managed to execute her plan flawlessly: She looked at Mitch.e.l.las shuttered eyes as if she knew an amusing little secret. aWeave already met,a she replied, leaning slightly forward and turning her cheek in automatic expectation of his salutatory kiss.

aa"and weave already kissed,a Mitch.e.l.l replied coolly, ignoring her cheek.

Matt stepped swiftly in front of a startled Olivia, smilingly tucked her hand through his arm, and escorted her toward her table.

Stunned, but utterly determined to appear lighthearted and calm no matter what he said or did, Kate tipped her head to the side and gave him a playful smile. aHavenat you any good wishes for me?a she teased.

aLet me think of the right one.a He paused a moment; then he lifted his gla.s.s in a mocking toast, and said, aTo your continued success in climbing up the social ladder, Kate.a Mitch.e.l.las accusation that she was a social climber caused Kateas resolve to slip several notches. aDonat tempt me to throw another drink at you!a aThat would be inexcusably middle cla.s.s,a he said scathingly, aand youare trying to move up into the big leagues. In the big leagues, we cheat, we lie, and we f.u.c.k each otheras brains out in private, but we do not indulge in public displays of temper.a Mitch.e.l.l saw the banked emerald fires leaping dangerously into flames in her eyes, and he deliberately threw verbal gasoline at her. aTake some advice and remember the rules the next time you pick up a stranger in a hotela"a aShut up!a Kate pleaded furiously.

aa"so that you can cheat on that pompous a.s.shole youare marrying!a Kateas temper and anxiety exploded simultaneously, and she silenced him with the only means availablea"she flung what was left of her champagne at his face. There wasnat enough liquid to reach her target, but a few drops. .h.i.t his chest and splotched his shirtfront, and with a mixture of fright, shame, and satisfaction, she braced for an explosive reaction.

aThat gesture lacked the spontaneity it had in Anguillaa"a he remarked imperturbably as he began casually flicking droplets off his shirt,aa"however, this color is a definite improvement.a Kate gaped at him; then she jerked her head to the left, where a solicitous waiter was already lowering a tray of champagne. Belatedly desperate to appear normal, Kate traded gla.s.ses with him and picked up a napkin with shaky fingers; then her attention swerved back to Mitch.e.l.l as he continued in that same cool, conversational drawl, aHand me your napkin and paste an apologetic smile on your facea"a Kate automatically handed him the napkin.

He took it and completed his sentence, his gaze on the spots he was dabbing off his shirt. aa"or else Bartlett may figure out heas marrying an amoral b.i.t.c.h with an ugly temper.a aIam warning youa"a Kate said frantically, but she had nothing to threaten him with, so she glanced around to see if they were being observed and tightened her grip on the stem of her champagne flute, because it seemed like the only solid reality to cling to in a world gone mad.

When she didnat complete her threat, Mitch.e.l.l slanted a glance at her and noticed her fingers tightening on her champagne gla.s.s. Without taking his eyes off his shirtfront, he said in a silky voice, aIf you so much as tilt that gla.s.s in my direction, youall be sprawled on your a.s.s before the first drops. .h.i.t the floor.a Mistaking her stillness for indecision, he lifted his head and looked at her with eyes like shards of ice. aTest me, Katea"a he invited softly. aGo ahead. Test me.a Kateas stricken paralysis gave way to a trembling realization that repelled her so much it reduced her voice to a shaking whisper when she said it aloud. aMy G.o.d . . . underneath all your phony charm and slick social polish, youare actually . . . amonster. a Instead of being insulted or angered, he looked at her in baffled amus.e.m.e.nt, then he chuckled and shook his head. aWhat were you expecting to find there, sweethearta"a heartbroken, jilted lover?a Before Kate could react to that, he touched his gla.s.s to the edge of hers in a mockery of a toast and said in a bored voice, aGood-bye, Kate.a He left, and Kate found herself staring straight into Meredith Bancroftas narrowed eyes. Without a word, Meredith turned on her heel and followed him.

Chapter Thirty-five.

aTHAT KID GIVESme the creeps,a MacNeil told Gray as he stood outside the interrogation room watching a tearful Billy Wyatt give Joe Torello the details surrounding his fatheras aaccidentala death. Theyad picked the boy up that morning and brought him in for questioning, accompanied by Caroline. aI canat believe she hasnat called the family lawyer yet.a Folding his arms over his chest, Gray contemplated Carolineas somewhat surprising behavior. aI think sheas feared Billy had something to do with his fatheras death from that day in my office when he called Wyatt for us. She looked shocked and a little sickened by his ad-lib performance. Later, when I told her the b.u.t.ton found at the well was the same as the ones on Mitch.e.l.l Wyattas coat, she accepted that very quickly. She didnat ask me if wead made sure, or checked all of his other clothes for identical b.u.t.tons, or any of the questions youad expect her to ask. Caroline has been on Chicagoas best-dressed list several times; she knows handmade b.u.t.tons are very unusual.a aI still canat figure out why she hasnat called a lawyer yet.a Gray thought about that for a moment. aShe loved William, and she loves Billy. I think she figures her only chance of saving her son is to make him tell the truth and get it off his chest. The family lawyer is Henry Bartlett, and she knows Bartlett will do whatever Cecil tells him to do. Cecil would tell him to shut Billy up and then find a way to get him off.a aI donat know how she can stand to be in the same room with the kid.a aThatas easy. Sheas blaming herself for not realizing how much damage Mitch.e.l.l Wyattas presence in the family was doing to her son.a In the interrogation room, Torello handed Billy a pen and a tablet of paper. aBefore you write it all down, letas go over everything one more time to make sure weare all clear.a Caroline was standing behind Billy, her hands protectively on his shoulders. aDoes he have to go through it all again? Canat he just write it down?a In response, Torello looked at the kid. aOne more time, from the top.a The fourteen-year-old rubbed his eyes with his palms and said shakily, aI went out to the farm with my dad, just like we planned to do that weekend. I thought we might scare up some quail on the Udall place, so I took the shotgun from the house. While we were walking, my dad told me he was going to sell our farm to the developer whoad bought Udallas. We started arguing. I told him he couldnat do that, and thena"a aWhy did you think he couldnat do that?a aBecause the farm was supposed to be mine!a Billy said fiercely, his meek att.i.tude vanishing. aMy grandpa Edward always said it would be mine someday, but he forgot to leave it to me in his will.a aOkay, and then what happened?a aMy dad and I were arguing, and I was so upset that I wasnat looking where I was going. I tripped and the gun went off.a Reaching for a box of tissues on the table, he scrubbed at his eyes. aMy dad was only a few feet in front of me when he fell. I tried to give him CPR, but there was a big hole in his chest, and I got blood all over me, and I freaked out. I was scared my mom would never forgive me and Iad go to jail. The old well was just a few feet away, so I pulled the cover off of it, and I . . . I . . . You know the rest.a aTell me anyway.a aI dragged my dad over to it, and pushed him down the hole; then I threw the shotgun in after him.a Caroline lifted one hand from his shoulder and briefly covered her eyes while a visible tremor shook her entire body.

aWhat about fingerprints on the shotgun?a Torello prompted. aWhat did you do about those?a aOh, yeah. I wiped them off on my jacket before I threw the gun down the well.a aThen what?a aI went back to the house, but then I started thinking Iad done the wrong thing. I should have called an ambulance and the police, so I called Grandpa Cecil, and I told him what had happened. I asked him what I should do. He told me to sit still and not call anyone until he got there. It took him a long time, because it had started to snow.a aWhat did Cecil do when he arrived?a aHe-He told me nothing could help my dad anymore, and that we had to think about saving me and sparing my mom. He said my dad wouldnat want me to go to jail for an accident, and that my mom would never get over it if she knew how my dad died. He said head tell the cops I spent the weekend with him instead of going up to the farm with my dad.a aWhat about your fatheras vehicle? How did it end up being abandoned twenty-five miles away from the farm?a Billy paused to wipe his eyes again, but they looked dry to Gray. aGrandpa Cecil said it would be better if the cops thought my dad wasnat at the farm when he disappeared. That way, they wouldnat search as hard up there and maybe find the old well. Grandpa Cecil said I should drive my dadas car and follow him down the highway until he found a good place to leave it.a aYouare only fourteen. Do you know how to drive?a Billy shot him a disdainful look. aIave been driving up at the farm since I was twelve. Driving on the highway when it was snowing wasnat easy, but I did as good as my dad could have done.a On the other side of the two-way gla.s.s, MacNeil grimaced and looked at Gray. aThat kid is a total sociopath.a aWeare almost done, Billy,a Torello said encouragingly. aNow, letas skip ahead two months to January. The search for your father has been called off, no one is looking around at the farm for him anymore, but you went to see Mr. Elliott and told him you heard Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt pretending to your mom that head never been at the farm. You knew that would make us suspect him, and it would also renew our interest in searching the farm again. Why did you open up that can of worms when youad gotten away with everything already?a aBecause the developer who bought the Udall place came to see my mom about buying our farm. While he was there, he said they were starting to break some ground and they were going to put a stone wall up on the property line. I knew theyad find the old well, because it was right there.a aOkay, so you were thinking. You were using your head,a Torello said as if that was a compliment. aYou figured theyad find your fatheras body, so you tore a b.u.t.ton off Wyattas coat, drove up there yourself one day, and planted the b.u.t.ton under the well cover where it would be found.a Billy nodded, looking flattered by Torelloas comments.

aBut what made you decide to try to pin everything on Mitch.e.l.l Wyatt?a aBecause,a Billy said, his face contorting with rage, athat f.u.c.king b.a.s.t.a.r.d was acting like he belonged in our family. He was stepping into my fatheras place, and my mom was letting him do it. He was staying at our house, looking after my mom, hanging around her. I was supposed to be the man of the family, but she was asking him for advice, not me. He even advised her to sell the farm.

aMy grandpa Cecil was acting just like her about Mitch.e.l.l. I used to be Grandpaas favorite. He always said we were a lot alike, but all he cared about was Mitch.e.l.l after my dad died. He started ignoring me, and then I heard him tell Mom that he wanted to introduce everyone to Mitch.e.l.l at his birthday party. He said she had to be there, so that everyone would know shead accepted him into the family, too.a aOkay, Billy. Iam satisfied that youare telling the whole truth and youave got all your facts straight. Thereas a tablet and a pen. Go ahead and write everything down just the way you told it to me. You want a c.o.ke or anything?a aI want a Dr Pepper,a Billy announced, reaching for the tablet.

aHow about some chili-cheese Fritos to go with that?a aYeah, that would be good. How did you know?a Torello said nothing, but when he turned away, he sent a meaningful glance toward the two-way mirror. In the last two weeks, theyad canva.s.sed every gas station and convenience store between Chicago and the farm, knowing that Cecil would probably have needed to stop at some point. A clerk in a gas station/convenience store recognized Billyas photograph. Cecil had sent Billy in with cash to pay for the gasoline so theread be no credit card record, but while he was inside, Billy decided to pick up a Dr Pepper and his favorite snack food. When the clerk told him she carried only regular Fritos, head called the store aa dumpa and her aa b.u.mpkin.a aI can already hear the kind of defense the family is going to stage for this kid,a MacNeil said in resigned disgust. aFor starters, theyall argue that we have no jurisdiction because the crime occurred outside Cook County. Heas fourteen, so heall be tried as a juvenile, and once the Wyatt lawyers get into the act, theyall persuade the mother to let them claim that little Billy was secretly abused by his daddy. h.e.l.l, Cecil is an old man with heart trouble. If he dies before this goes to trial, theyall change their story and it will turn out that Cecil killed William.a aNot if I can get to Cecil and make him see reason,a Gray said, turning away and starting down the hall. aIam going to pay a call on him right now, and I want you along for effect.a