Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay. We just got a new computer and had to wait for it to get installed and all that junk. Much apologies!
After dinner, Kevin followed Katie into her room and watched as she got ready to ready more of Mort's book. "Everybody drops the dime?" Kevin questioned, reading the title of the book.
"I'm reading Secret Window."
Rubbing the back of his neck, he said, "You think that's such a good idea, Annie?" he asked, calling her his nickname for her. "I mean…Morton Rainey probably isn't the best writer you should be reading…"
Katie sat on her bed, "Meaning?"
"Well I've heard about his drinking problem…" Katie rolled her eyes, "Ann, C'mon. I'm being serious. And this whole obsession thing with Morton? I don't think it'll do you any good."
Katie sighed, "Kevin, you worry too much. Just because I'm reading a book by someone who might have a drinking problem…doesn't mean that it'll effect me."
"And another thing- Secret Window? Don't you remember that book? He goes after his wife…who's cheating on him. Another link to…" Kevin paused, while Katie stared at him, "well…you."
"Kevin. I'm old enough to read this, I'm over everything I've been through and you have no right to be saying this stuff to me."
"Katie! Come on! I don't want you going down that road again!"
"And you think I do?"
"I'm just being an older brother. Of course you don't want to start drinking again. No one wants you to."
"Thanks."
"Well! Drunk people aren't fun."
Katie rolled her eyes, "Kevin, what was the real reason you came in here? I'm sure it wasn't to preach about how horrible I was when drunk…I have already heard that more than once," she paused, "Tell me mom and dad didn't send you in here."
"Not really…"
Katie waited.
"They told me about you getting in trouble with the sheriff about your newspaper instincts."
Katie rolled her eyes, "In other words, they told you about Mort."
"Well about you're…fascination with him."
"They think he's a murder!"
Kevin held up his hands up, "I am not going to get in the middle of this!"
"But they told you want they think?"
"I've heard all the stories, Ann," he said gently, "But I never knew the man, so I have nothing to judge him from."
She sighed, "If you're not going to get in the middle of this- then why are you here?"
He paused, "Not sure."
Katie smiled, "I love you, Kevin."
"I love you too, Annie, G'night."
The next morning, Katie had spent most of the morning in bed, and then the other half getting ready for the day in her room. Avoiding her family, she left the house through the back door and sped off to meet Mort for lunch.
About half an hour after Katie left to her unsuspecting family, Michael Monroe arrived at her house.
"Katie! Katie!" her mother said, calling down the hallway, with Michael in tow, "Katie, pretty yourself up because you'll never guess who's here!" Opening the door, Melinda found an empty bed and pajama's thrown across the floor.
I can't believe you're doing this.
"I'm not committing suicide."
If only.
Mort sighed and picked up the brush again and started combing his hair back again. Maybe I need hairspray.
What are you? A heterosexual? This is no one! This is a thin redhead who wants to talk. She doesn't want to get married or have sex. Why bother looking nice?
"Because I'm going out in public."
You're wearing a sweater!
Mort looked down and saw that he was indeed, wearing a sweater. He sighed, "I should change, huh?" He nodded and took off his shirt and paused in front of his closest. "Too bad I can't wear my robe."
You know, we might as well throw that thing away. It's rather old…and smelly.
I can't get rid of my robe!
It holds memories you don't want! Or remember for that matter.
Maybe memories you don't want.
If you were smart you'd burn everything in this cabin.
Mort paused and looked back at the dark sweater on his bed. What was wrong with it anyways? It looked too nice. He sighed and just grabbed a navy blue long sleeve shirt. He looked at himself in the mirror again and cursed. "I look like I'm trying."
This isn't a date.
Good point.
Leave. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back.
Also a good point.
So go!
Mort sighed and nodded once. He walked down the stairs, saw Jack asleep on the couch and smiled. He grabbed his coat and keys and left the house.
"You sure do like corn…"
Mort looked up from his plate. He had ordered a sandwich with a side order of corn. The two ears of corn was the first thing he ate. Now he was trying to subtly trying to get the pieces out of his teeth. He nodded to Katie but then said, "It tasted different though."
"Different than?"
"The corn I grow in my back yard."
Katie paused, "If my memory serves me, I didn't think you had a large back yard."
"Oh, I don't…but there's stalks of corn there nonetheless."
Katie stuck her fork in her salad again and sighed, "So you have family coming down for Thanksgiving?"
Mort shook his head, "No. They live across the country."
"So…what are you going to do?"
He shrugged, "Not sure. It hasn't been a priority."
She took in a deep breath, "Well if you find yourself alone…you can call me." Mort paused, looking at her with his mouth agape. She smirked, "I'm serious."
"Don't you have family?"
"Yes…"
"That would like to spend Thanksgiving with you?"
"Probably."
"So…wouldn't that raise a problem?"
"We could work it out…but it's an offer, Mort. If you call, we'll work it out."
He sighed and went to work on his sandwich. A little time passed before Katie asked another question, one that would help her understand this murder-rumor a little better. "Mort…I hope you won't mind me asking…and if you don't want to answer me, that's fine," she paused, glancing back at him, and getting some food on her fork, "But…why does Dave Newsome not want people coming up to your cabin?"
He stopped mid-bite and stared at his plate for a moment.
Oh, this will be interesting. Do you even remember why?
Mort put down his sandwich and wiped his hands off on his pants. He looked up at her and pursed his lips, "Katie…it's not that I don't want to tell you…" Yes it is. "But…I'm not sure."
If I could control your mouth I would have it drop.
"Oh…"
He shrugged, "I suppose because he doesn't want me getting my inspiration from the people of Tashmore Lake."
She paused, remembering Juliet's reference between his book and the murder of Amy. "So…that's the same reason for you not coming to Tashmore Lake?"
He nodded, "I suppose."
I can't believe this.
She paused before blurting, "Amy wouldn't have anything to do with it, would she?"
Mort paused, not really saying anything and not having any expression on his face.
This is just going great! See?! This is what happens!
"Amy…" Mort said slowly, she's mentioned this Amy before…am I supposed to know who that is? "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about…"
Katie frowned, "Well then forget it, if it has nothing to do with her…then that's fine."
You don't know an Amy. "I don't know an Amy…that's the problem."
Katie paused, trying not get a look on her face. This was getting strange. Trying to cover herself, she said, "Oh, oh my gosh. Mort, I'm so sorry. Here I am, mentioning Amy every time I see you…and it's someone else's wife! I'm so sorry. My memory is really falling on me…"
Mort narrowed his eyes, she knows something. Something about Amy.
I don't know an Amy!
Shut up!
Mort said slowly, "It's fine…"
Katie kept eating, seeing the look he was giving her. He doesn't look like he doesn't know an Amy. But he couldn't have! She tried desperately to sort out her mind, new thoughts and doubts coming into her head. She paused, thought, feeling Mort's eyes still on her. She looked up and saw him giving her the same look. She smiled weakly.
"Katie is a pretty name," he said calmly and in an even tone.
Mort don't…
She paused, not expecting such a comment, "Thanks…"
"I guess this is what the sheriff was talking about…"
"Huh?"
"Using people from the town for my stories…"
Check please!
Katie paused, not sure how to take that. "Uhm…like using me?"
"Yea…"
Katie, if you're smart, you'd end this now! You don't want to see him like this!
"Well…uhm…as long as you didn't murder me or something," she cracked a smile.
Probably not the best suggestion you've had.
Mort paused, his calm facial expression blinking, as well as his eyes. He looked at Katie and then at his food. "Do you want to get dessert, or just leave?"
Katie forced a smile, taking in a deep breath, "Leaving would be fine…"
Mort nodded and lifted his head and arm, "Check please!"
Katie's voice was quickly being drowned out. Her voice of freedom and justice was being dwindled to nothing more than a whisper of equality. Her thoughts began to turn against her as she drove home from lunch. Mort had acted strange towards the end of the lunch when she mentioned Amy and then denied her ties to Mort.
It was like he knew her but didn't want to.
He murdered Amy and her lover…
Don't you remember that book? He goes after his wife…who's cheating on him.
It's not safe to be around him anymore. You might get murdered.
I have no proof that he murdered Amy…he wrote Secret Window before Amy disappeared.
"Maybe I could help him…somehow. If he did murder someone…well we'll get to that if it comes up, but I could help him in other ways. And maybe get him to open up to me…" Katie told herself as she turned down her street. Down the street she could see a large SUV parked outside her parents house. It looked like Michael's.
She stopped before turning into the driveway, looking at the black SUV, "This is not good," She told herself.
Mort cursed as he pulled up to his house. There was the Sheriff's car, with Dave Newsome sitting inside. He noticed Mort drive up and got out quickly. Mort sighed before getting out of his car, "Something I can do for you, Dave?" Mort said, looking for his house key and making his way to his front door.
"Just wondered where you were…I've been waiting for close to an hour…" he said following Mort.
Mort sighed and opened the door, finding Jack asleep by his empty dish. Mort frowned and dished out some food for him from the bag of puppy chow against the wall. He turned around as Jack slowly woke up and started to eat, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
"Where were you, Mort?"
"Out."
"Out where? With whom?"
Mort narrowed his eyes, Dave hadn't asked these kind of questions in a while. He knows something…
You think?
Tell him the truth!
And get myself arrested? I think not.
DO IT!
"I wasn't out with anyone…I went to New London to get some things…but couldn't find anything. So I stopped to get some lunch. That's it."
Dave nodded slowly, "That's it?"
"Yep."
"If you're sure…"
"Dave, please don't insult me."
"Mort, you know you haven't been yourself lately."
Listen to the man!
"No, Dave, I didn't know that…"
Dave sighed and nodded, giving up, "I'll talk to you later, Mort."
"I'm sure you will."
"We were so worried, Katie! What were you thinking?"
Katie frowned. Michael had his arm rested around her shoulders as they sat on the couch. He didn't seem too worried about where she had been. He was relaxed and calm. Her mother and father, on the other hand, started yelling as soon as she walked in the door. Without saying anything, she couldn't ask Michael anything, nothing but a kiss was shared between them since she got there.
"Mom, I'm old enough to leave without telling you. What do you think happened?"
"You were kidnapped! We called the sheriff right away who thought you were at the Rainey place. But I told him, no sir, she hasn't talked to that man since she got here. But he seemed to disagree…"
"Mom. I was no where near the Rainey place."
"Then where were you?" her father asked.
"Having lunch! I wanted something Mexican so I went to a Mexican restaurant in New London! Is that alright with you guys, or will I also have to ask to go to the bathroom?"
"Katie Ann!"
Katie stood up, looking at her mother, "I'm about to get married and you two are acting like I'm twelve! I am thirty two, have been married once, engaged and have a successful job that allows me to live comfortably without the help of my parents or friends! This is not the first time I've snuck out of the house with you noticing, but it is the first time you've called the sheriff! Why in the world would you do that?"
"We thought you were in trouble…regardless of you age, darling."
"My car was gone, mom!"
Before her mom had a chance to answer, someone knocked on the door. Mark sighed and got up and answered the door. Kevin came out of his room and stood in the hallway, hearing the yelling, but also the pause. "Well come on in, sheriff…" Mark said, rubbing the back of his neck while leading the other man into the living room.
Katie stiffened, thinking he knew something. He caught her eye and then looked at Melinda. "I talked to him, he claims he went out to get some things, and then went to lunch."
Her mother narrowed her eyes and looked at Katie and then back at the sheriff, "Where did he have lunch?"
Katie had gotten fed up, and not only because she might get found out. This was getting ridiculous. "Where do you go get lunch, mom?" she said getting up, "The only place where there's a restaurant! New London! Where does anyone in this small, hick town go to get lunch?! New London! So of course I did too, and I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Rainey did the same! But what do you think that proves mother? That I went and had lunch with him? That he told me he murdered all those people and where he buried them? That he hates being a social outcast in a town that he loves? That we had sex on the table of the restaurant, in his car, we rented a hotel room? That he tried to murder me but I'm still alive and don't want to get him in trouble…" she took in a deep breath, "What the heck do you think happened?"
"Katie, this is not ordinary behavior for you!"
"How would you know? You haven't been around me in ten years!"
Her mother paused, her eyes narrowing, "Now, who's fault is that? You never wanted us around."
"That's because you act like this! You blow things WAY out of proportion!"
"No, it's because you were too drunk to have company."
Katie's eyes widened and Michael and Mark jumped up, the father talking first, "Melinda! You know that wasn't-"
Katie shook her head, quickly leaving the room, "I'm leaving…"
Leaving is exactly what Katie did. Packing up her things quickly she left her parents house as they called after and tried to reason with her. Michael, being a devoted fiancée, followed her to the hotel he was staying at. She waited for him to get there to tell him that for that night she needed to be alone. They would talk in the morning.
That night Katie had a terrible time actually getting to sleep, and when she did, it was anything but peaceful. Visions of the past haunted her dreams, quickly turning her already bad night into a restless one.
"You shouldn't be drinking, Kate."
"Don't call me Kate, you fornicator!"
George rolled his eyes as he dumped the rest of the rum down the drain. She yelled, seeing him doing such. She got up from her chair and grabbed for it, but he held it out of reach.
"What right do you have? What right?"
"Who pays the rent on this? I do! And only because you lost your job from drinking!"
"Shut up George." Katie said, collapsing on the floor, not finding the strength to stand up. "Just shut up."
"Someone has to tell that what you're doing is wrong!" he said, raising his voice.
"SHHH!" she said, spitting over her finger that was against her mouth, "You'll wake up Alexander…"
George sighed, bending down, "Katie, you can't do this to yourself. You can't keep pretending…" he said quietly.
She frowned, her drunken mind not responding to his gentle words, "What are you talkin' about? I haven't pretended since I was his age."
"You and I both know there isn't an Alexander…Don't do this to yourself, Katie."
"Just because you and the whore don't see him every week, doesn't mean he doesn't exist!"
"Her name is Regina, and…we have no son, Katie."
"Yes we do!" she said, raising her voice, but the quickly lowered it, saying, "He's sleeping, in my room."
George stood up, "If we had a son, do you think I would be with Regina?"
She looked up at him and frowned, feeling the urge to punch him, "Are you telling me that a child would've kept us together but Alexander wouldn't?!"
He looked at her and shook his head, and then leaning down he said sternly, "You are not a mother! You lost the baby!"
Katie shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes, "No! No! I am to a mother! I am to a mother!"
George knelt down and faced her squarely, "No you're not, Kate."
She pushed him the minute he said that and struggled up, screaming loudly, "I am to a mother! His name is Alexander Weaver and you fornicator, betrayed him, you and that whore betrayed him!" She started to cry as the words left her mouth, "You and that whore betrayed me! My husband and my best friend betrayed me!" Slowly she started to slide back down to the floor, "You betrayed me...you betrayed me…"
Not being up to take it, George left the apartment, while Katie dissolved into a crying, drunken mess on the floor.