A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I hope the chapter is worth the wait! hugs to nyroswelllostgirl (jnyuj) for beta reading again :)
CHAPTER TWELVE
The next morning, Kate slept unusually late. Whether it was because of the alcohol she'd drunk, or the late hour she'd gotten to bed, she didn't stir until well after nine-thirty. At first, she was a little disorientated to find herself lying in a strange bed, but it didn't take long for last night's events to come flooding back to her. Quickly, she lifted her head from the pillow, looking around the cabin to see if Sawyer was present. She found the room was empty and it dawned on her that other than herself, it must have stayed that way all night.
Cautiously, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, relieved to find that she wasn't suffering any side effects from the alcohol she'd drunk. She got out of the bed and turned to pull the blankets back into place behind her. The cabin was strangely quiet and she found she was anxious to get back to the house so that she could try to make some sense out of everything that had happened last night. Still dressed in Sawyer's shirt, she looked down at the sodden heap of her ball gown. Dragging it back on didn't seem to be an option, so she settled on keeping the shirt and wrapping the spare blanket around her.
She crossed the gravel yard carefully, slowly picking her way over the stones towards the house. Just before she reached the steps that led up to the main entrance, she heard a car approaching from the driveway. Before she had a chance to dash the short distance towards the house, Jack's jeep pulled up next to her.
With a sinking heart, Kate turned to face him as he got out of his car. She saw the way he looked at her, taking in the blanket, shirt and her bare feet and legs.
"My God. Kate, what happened?"
She shook her head, not wanting to talk at the moment.
Jack continued to stare at her and she waited for the moment when he'd recognize the shirt she was wearing.
She didn't have to wait for long. "Have you just woken up?" he suddenly asked, his lip curling in disdain.
She shook her head again, but he wasn't prepared to let it go this time. Striding over to her, he closed his hand around her upper arm. "Did you spend last night with him?"
He might not have mentioned Sawyer by name, but Kate could tell by his tone of voice that, that was who he was referring to. She looked up at him, "Jack...please..."
Trying to keep his anger in check, Jack released her arm. His voice was strong, but not unduly forceful. "I think we'd better go inside."
Cautiously, Kate led the way indoors. Her mother and Wayne were obviously out because nobody came down to acknowledge their entry. She sighed in relief, thinking that she'd managed to avoid at least one confrontation for the time being. They entered the living room and Kate took a seat on the couch, curling her legs up under her and pulling the blanket around them to disguise their nakedness.
Jack sat in the large window chair, placing his hands lightly upon the arm rests. "Well...Are you going to tell me what last night was all about?"
Kate met his eyes, knowing that she at least owed him an explanation for her disappearance. The difficulty was in putting her thoughts into words that he might find acceptable. She'd never really noticed it until now, but Jack put such high standards on everything - himself included - that she always felt as if she somehow fell short. Right now she didn't want to hurt him, nor did she want to make him angry - but she had a feeling that anything she said would probably only accomplish both.
Jack sighed, growing impatient with her prolonged silence. "Look, Kate... I didn't come here this morning to hound you. I came to see if you were alright...You ran off and no one could find you last night. I came to Highgrove-"
"You came here...? Last night?" Kate interrupted in surprise.
"Yes. I came to Highgrove last night to find you."
"Wayne never mentioned it."
"I wasn't here long," he admitted, looking away for the first time. "I got an emergency call-out at the clinic and I had to leave in a hurry."
"Oh," Kate said, a little relieved that he hadn't discovered her in Sawyer's cabin. Feeling guilty, she asked, "What was the call out for?"
"A dog. He'd been hit by a car and they needed me to stitch back him up." He shrugged, as if the whole thing wasn't that big of a big deal. "I rang here when I was finished and Wayne assured me that they'd found you and you were okay. Because it was so late, I decided not to bother you, thinking instead that I'd stop by in the morning."
Kate nodded, getting the uncomfortable feeling that he was shifting the blame for his absence back onto her.
Across the room, Jack let his eyes roam over her, trying not to focus on the shirt that she wore. Before he could stop himself, he asked, "Did you spend the night with him?"
There was a long pause, until Kate finally nodded, admitting that she had. "But it wasn't like that," she implored, hoping for a chance to explain herself.
Jack's eyes narrowed and he fought to contain the jealousy that raced through him. "It wasn't like what, Kate?" His tone was filled with frustration. "I asked you to marry me last night - incase you've forgotten - and now I'm expected to just sit here and take it while you tell me you stayed the night with another man, and it wasn't like that?"
"Jack..."
"No, Kate...don't. Just...don't. Alright?" He held his hand up to cut off any protest she might make. "There's something I think you should know. I wasn't going to tell you, but after last night you've really given me no choice." He picked up a folder of papers and Kate frowned as he handed it to her. Until that moment, she hadn't noticed that he'd bought anything with him. Warily, she eyed the folder.
"Go ahead. Take it," he prompted.
Reaching a hand out from under her blanket, she took the folder and placed it into her lap. Under Jack's steady gaze, she opened the file and looked inside.
She found herself looking at a mug shot, taken of a man in prison. Although he wore his hair tied back in a pony tail, she instantly recognized the man to be Sawyer. Only he wasn't Sawyer at all - the file named him clearly as JAMES FORD. She frowned, realizing she'd already been told this particular piece of information. Conscious of Jack's eyes on her, she closed the file. "This isn't right, Jack."
"Not right? I'll tell you what isn't right," he struggled to keep from yelling. "The guy you have working for you is nothing short of a criminal." Pointing angrily towards the folder, he continued, "Read the file - it's all in there, everything you need to know. He preys on women just like you, Kate - seduces them into his bed and then disappears with their money before they know what's hit them.
Kate frowned at the accusation in his voice. "I'm not sleeping with him - and he's not trying to...seduce me," she said, her words sounding more confident than she suddenly felt.
Jack snorted, "Sure he's not. I saw the two of you together in the arena the other day - he had his hands all over you - and pardon me for saying so, but you certainly didn't seem to be pushing him away."
She lowered her eyes, remembering the day in mention and knowing that part of what he said was true. They had gotten closer than necessary and she hadn't done anything to put a stop to it. Could it all have been part of an elaborate scam? She wasn't sure what to think any more. "Look Jack, I really want to take a bath and freshen up," she sighed. "Can't we carry this conversation on later?"
He looked away for a moment, as if in thought. "There's more information in the file. I think it's important you should know it all now."
Kate shook her head. "It can wait."
"No, I don't think it can." He got up and plucked the file from her hand. Flicking to the back page he held it up so she could see. "Do you see this man?"
Kate looked at the picture, not recognizing the man featured in it. She nodded, "Yes, I see him."
"His name is Anthony Cooper. He was murdered in his house two years ago." Jack paused, letting his words sink in before he continued. "They've never found his killer, but the police have one main suspect..."
Kate swallowed as she guessed what was to come.
"...Your friend, Sawyer."
"But..." She stammered. "...If that's the case, then why wasn't he arrested? Or brought to trial?"
"Not enough evidence." Jack shrugged his shoulders. "They never found the body, or the murder weapon."
His tone sounded rather smug and for the first time Kate wondered if he was enjoying her obvious discomfort.
"So the police are still watching him now?"
"Uh huh," Jack nodded. "My friend at the station was quite familiar with the case - and with James Ford."
"Oh." She cast her eyes downwards as everything began to sink in.
Taking pity on her for a moment, Jack relented. "I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you, Kate, but I only have your best interests in mind."
She nodded, still not meeting his eyes. "If it's okay with you, I think I'll go and take that bath now."
He got to his feet just as she rose from the sofa. "A hot bath sounds like a good idea. I can see myself out."
Kate turned to ascend the staircase and he added, "Call me when you're ready to talk."
She barely heard his words as she trudged her way upstairs. If what Jack had just told her was correct - and she had no reason to believe otherwise - then he might have just saved her from becoming part of a very cruel scam. She wasn't so naive that she couldn't see the possibility. With hindsight, she now wondered if Sawyer hadn't been working his game on her from the first. Had all of the time they'd spent together, their conversations, the riding competition - had it all just been a part of some con that he'd been working? If so, then where did last night fit in? Why hadn't he pressed his advantage with her then? She recalled with some embarrassment how easy she'd made it for him to do so.
Alex suddenly appeared beside her as she reached the bathroom. "Can I get you anything, Miss?"
"Please. I'd like some soap and a fresh towel," Kate replied as she turned on the hot tap into the bath. Her thoughts still with Sawyer, she began to wonder about the murder that he was suspected of. Had he really killed the man? If so, then how? And why? The questions began to mount up in her head. What kind of evidence was there against him? What had he done with the body? Oddly enough, the one question that didn't surface was if she was putting her safety in jeopardy by being around him. He might be a con man - a murderer even - but even knowing this didn't make her fear him.
Alex reappeared at the door, holding the towel and bar of soap that she'd requested. "I got you some bubble bath too."
"Thanks, that's just what I feel like," Kate smiled, reaching out to take the bottle from the girl's hand.
Alex hesitated for a moment and Kate turned to look at her in question.
"So...Is it true what I heard?" She asked in excitement, "Are you really going to marry Mr. Shepherd?"
Kate concentrated unnecessarily hard on tipping a small amount of bath liquid under the hot tap. She knew that she was under no obligation to answer Alex, but the girl seemed so genuine that she found herself replying, "I don't know...maybe..." She shrugged her shoulders and directed the conversation away from her. "So, you and Karl have been seeing each other?"
Alex beamed, "Yes. For five months now." Warming to a subject that she obviously held dear, she continued, "We're so in love. I think about him all of the time, even when we're not together." Lowering her voice conspiratorially, she continued, "It's like whenever he's around, I'm just more...aware, some how. Does that make any sense?"
Kate smiled, "Yeah, it makes sense."
Alex lifted her hand to her mouth and exclaimed, "Of course it makes sense - you probably feel the same way about Mr. Shepherd! Me, I've never felt this way about anyone before," she confided. "Karl's kisses leave me feeling dizzy, and when he stops, I just want him to start all over again." She giggled behind her hand, "You know what I mean."
Kate stirred her hand in the warm water, watching as the bubbles formed and began to climb up her arm. After last night, she knew exactly the kind of kisses that Alex was talking about. Maybe the alcohol had been a contributing factor, but she was sure that no kiss she'd ever experienced before had affected her as much. Even thinking of it again now, she could feel the heat that it had stirred in her. There was an underlying connection between her and Sawyer that she'd never experienced with Jack. It frightened her and yet, it drew her in at the same time. Feeling strangely saddened by the realization, she replied softly, "Yeah...that's how it is for me..."
Alex smiled, unaware of Kate's conflict. "Well, I guess I'd better leave you alone now so you can take your bath." She moved towards the door, "Call me if you need anything."
Kate nodded and waited for her to leave the room. As the door clicked shut, she stood up and let the blanket fall from her shoulders. The long bathroom mirror caught her reflection and she paused for a moment to look at herself. It was no wonder Jack had been concerned when he'd seen her, she thought. She looked like she'd been sleeping rough for a week! Her hair was a dark mass of tangles and her face still contained traces of last night's makeup. Her gaze lingered for a moment upon Sawyer's shirt and she fingered the soft cotton absently. After what she'd learnt today, she knew that a confrontation with him was going to be unavoidable. She wanted to see his face when she told him that she knew about the con's he'd pulled - and that she knew about Anthony Cooper, too. That way, his reaction would be sure to tell her more than any words or lies he might choose to tell.
Slowly, she undid the buttons on his shirt and shrugged her way out of it. Hanging it over the towel rail, she stepped into the hot bath and lowered herself down into the water. The wet heat seeped it's way into her skin as she lay back, closing her eyes on her problems for a while. For a short time, she was free to enjoy the simple pleasure of being warm and clean again.
Once outside, Jack quickly made his way towards his car. He jumped into the drivers seat and did a three point turn, leaving Highgrove behind him as he drove back towards the main road. As he neared the intersection, he noticed a man hunched over the fence, hammer in hand. Still annoyed over his meeting with Kate, he impulsively veered the car off the drive and pulled up next to him.
Sawyer lowered his hammer and rested his forearm on the fence as Jack got out of the car. "You're just in time," he said with a grin.
Jack didn't return the smile. "Oh yeah? Just in time for what?"
"Just in time to help me fix this bottom railing," Sawyer replied, kicking the plank lightly with his boot.
Jack's reply was more of a jeer, "Thanks, but carpentry was never my thing."
"That's too bad... Knockin' in a few nails always helps to let off steam," Sawyer drawled, noticing the tension in the other man's frame. "...And if you don't mind my sayin' so - you sure look like you could use a bit of it."
Jack looked away, fighting to keep his cool. "Is that so, James?"
His words had the desired effect and he watched as Sawyer lowered his arm from the fence and straightened his stance to face him.
"What did you just say?"
"I called you James. It is your real name after all...?"
"You tell me - it's your story, ain't it?" Sawyer's tone had lowered dangerously and he watched Jack through narrowed eyes. His humor of moments before had vanished without trace.
Jack approached the fence and drew himself up to his full height. He might be a little narrower in the shoulder, but at six-foot-two, he stood a full inch taller than the other man. "I know who you are. And I know why you're here."
"Is that a fact?" Sawyer moved closer to the fence, bringing him almost toe to toe with the other man. "Why don't you enlighten me?"
Jack rested his hand on his hip and lifted the other to point his finger in accusation. "I know about the man you killed. And I know about the people you conned. Don't think for a moment that you're going to be drawing Kate into your next little scam."
Sawyer smiled at the mention of Kate's name. Thrusting his left hip out a little, he taunted, "I ain't gonna take nothin' from your girlfriend that she ain't willin' to give." He held eye contact for a long moment, making sure to convey the sexual context of his words.
"You keep away from her," Jack responded. "I've known Kate for a long time and if anything happens to her, then you'll have me to answer, too."
"Whatever you say, Jacko," Sawyer ginned, pleased at the reaction he'd provoked. "I'll keep away from her - can't promise she'll do the same for me, though."
It was Jack's turn to smile. "She will when she's my wife."
Sawyer's face fell a little, but he recovered himself quickly. "Then you obviously don't know everything about me - 'coz if you did then you'd know that married women are a specialty of mine." He let his grin spread across his face.
"You're disgusting, you know that?"
Sawyer chuckled, "I never got any complaints."
"Maybe that's because you didn't stick around long enough?" Jack responded. "Now, how about you just concentrate on doing whatever it is that you're paid to do around here and stop pushing your nose in where it's not wanted? Because there's no way I'm going to sit back and watch Kate get mixed up with the likes of you." He turned on his heel and strode back to his car.
Sawyer turned away, glancing down at the fence he'd been mending. Realizing he'd lost all desire to now finish the job, he slowly bent to gather his tools that were scattered in the grass. Damn! He swore softly to himself, annoyed that he'd let the veterinarian get so far under his skin. He didn't like to be reminded of the Cooper case and he certainly didn't want people knowing of his involvement with it. He straightened up and slung his bag of tools over his shoulder, making his way moodily back towards the house.
Obviously, the time had now come for him to leave Highgrove and move on. The problem was that he didn't want to move on - not yet anyway. Sometime in the past few months, he'd grown tired of the constant, weary strain of shifting from one place to another. Highgrove had become a kind of haven to him, a place where he could imagine himself staying put for a while. Sure the stud was run down, but it needed him - and being needed wasn't something he'd felt in a long time. There was also the issue of Kate. How could he just up and leave her, knowing the amount of daily work she'd have to undertake in his absence? She might have been coping before he'd arrived, but only barely. And work wasn't the only reason he had to be concerned about her, either - what about the tension he'd felt between her and her step-father. Something was going on there that made his stomach tighten into knots whenever he saw them together. Kate might give a good show of bravery, but he'd seen the fear in her eyes when the man had come to the door last night. It had taken all of his control not to grab the drunken son-of-a-bitch and throw him clean off the veranda.
He reached his cabin and stepped inside. This was the first time since last night that he'd been back and his eyes flicked across to his bed, not surprised at finding it empty. The fact that he'd let a women sleep alone in his bed spoke volumes about his predicament. He was beginning to care about her and caring was not something he ever did about anyone other than himself. Removing his shirt and boots, he stretched out onto the bed. He was screwed if he stayed and he was screwed if he left. What the hell kind of choice was that to make? Angrily, he closed his eyes and tried to shut out the thoughts for a while. After a long period of tossing and turning, he finally began to relax enough to catch up on some of the sleep that he'd missed the night before.
