Time had moved painfully slow during the day. Other than checking Kayla's wound periodically, there had been little for Kim to do in the locked room but sit and wonder what was going to happen next. Her stomach rumbled, a reminder that Cal had not returned since early in the morning when he had delivered the first aid supplies.
What was he planning? Kim wondered. She knew Cal had to be planning something. He wanted Jeannie, at the very least. And Kim suspected he wanted more. In his insane mind, eliminating Andrew would destroy a barrier to his winning Kim. Again, she prayed that Shane understood Cal's thinking and was keeping Andrew and Jeannie safe.
"What are you thinking?" Kayla asked. She was lying on her side on the cot. The cut on her head looked less inflamed than earlier.
"I'm just trying to figure out what Cal's thinking. He obviously has more planned for Salem or he would have tried to take me already," Kim explained.
Kayla frowned. "And when he finishes what he's planned, we both know what he intends to do to me."
"Don't even think about it," Kim said sharply. But even as she told Kayla not to think of what they both knew would happen, she could not keep the thought out of her mind. Kim had no idea if Shane and Roman had any leads; she knew they were looking and would never give up, but Cal was cagey and covered his tracks. And Kim suspected that, if they were not found soon, it would be up to her to get Kayla out of there alive. The only question is what precisely that would require.
I need to find out what Cal's planning, Kim decided. As much as it made her skin crawl and her stomach flip to let him touch her, she had to play along. She needed to gain his trust.
"Kim. . . ." Kayla sounded nervous. "I know you're planning something, Kimmie, but be careful. You don't know what Cal will do to you."
That's where you're wrong, little sister. Kim knew exactly what Cal would do to her. She remembered the bedroom Cal had created in the mountain cave when he kidnapped her the last time - a bedroom designed to look like the room where they had first made love. Kim looked away, toward the door.
It was like Kayla could read her mind. "No," Kayla said, shaking her head rapidly. "Don't do it, Kim."
Kayla did not understand. Kim knew that. For some women, it might be difficult, but Kim had slept with men for far worse reasons. If that is what she had to do to protect Kayla, she would.
In the back of her mind, Kim recalled the last time she had faced this kind of decision. In Miami. Was that only six years earlier? It seemed like a lifetime ago that she had saved Shane's life by sleeping with Victor.
If that's what it takes, Kim said to herself.
The room fell silent. Kim knew Kayla was watching her, but neither of them said another word. Eventually, Kayla began to doze. Kim let her eyes close as well.
She woke with a start at the sound of the key turning in the door. Kim looked at the cot and saw that Kayla was awake too. They waited patiently as the door opened and Cal stepped inside. He was holding a greasy paper bag from the local Hardees.
"I brought you some burgers," he said. "I thought you might like something hot for dinner."
Kim glanced at Kayla, who was watching Cal warily, before looking back at Cal. "Thank you," she said, feigning her most sweet and sincere voice. "We're pretty hungry. It's been a long time since we had anything to eat."
"Yeah . . . well, I was busy," Cal said.
Kim stepped toward him and put her hand on his arm. "I figured you were out. A man like you doesn't like to be cooped up."
He looked at her, his eyes narrowing. "I know you, Kim. Don't play games with me."
"Who's playing games?" she asked. "You're a smart man, Cal. You'd see through any games. I know that. . . . You obviously outsmarted everyone to capture us."
Cal smiled slyly. "I did, didn't I? None of you even had a clue."
Kim forced an expression that she hoped mimicked admiration. Cal's response had given her an idea and she wanted to keep him talking. Maybe if he explained his thinking before he captured her, Cal would reveal something about his plans going forward. "No, we didn't. Right, Kayla?" She gave Kayla a "play-along" look.
"No," Kayla said. "Kim's right. We never even thought it might be you."
"Of course not." Cal put an arm around Kim's shoulder. "It was brilliant. Well . . . at first, things didn't go so great. And Jake screwed up at the school. Serves him right that he got fried to a crisp. But what do you expect for a grand? That doesn't buy much these days."
"You paid someone to shoot at those kids?" Kayla exclaimed, apparently forgetting she was supposed to be playing along. Kim flashed her a look, begging her not to antagonize Cal. Luckily, Cal was facing Kayla and did not see Kim's expression or it might have given her away.
He chuckled. "The odds of getting away after shooting up a school are slim to none. But . . . you see . . . it had to be there." He turned to Kim with a tender gaze. "See, at the school, if Jake had killed the kid, everyone would have assumed you were the target. But he screwed up somehow, and that damn ex-husband of yours decided to play white-knight. And then you moved into his house." Cal's words had turned into a near-snarl.
"Shane just wanted to protect Andrew," Kim said.
"Yeah . . . well . . . you went with." Cal pulled away. "So I had to show you that you weren't safe there, and that Andrew was no more the target than anyone else."
Kim was beginning to understand. "So you started sending the items that we thought were coming from Jericho?"
Cal grinned. "Exactly. It kept Shane distracted and, I knew, eventually you'd realize you were no safer at his house than with Mom and Pop."
"But why not just kidnap me from the hospital?" Kim asked.
Cal's eyes brightened, flush with an insane gleam. "That wasn't enough, Kim. I know you'd never just walk away from the boy. He had to be eliminated. He's a link to your past when all that matters is your future - our future."
From his tone, Kim knew his thinking had not changed. "So that's why we're still here?" she asked softly. "So you can destroy my last link to Shane?"
"Among other things," Cal said confidently.
"Other things?" Kayla asked. Kim heard the disdain in Kayla's voice but could only hope that Cal did not.
Kim grabbed Cal's arm, wanting to keep his attention focused on her. "I'm sure Cal means Jeannie, of course. I'm sure he has no intention of leaving her behind."
"Oh, Kim." Cal's voice was a mix of sadness and amusement. "I have no intention of taking her. She's served her purpose - while alive that is. That's another link I have to eliminate."
For a moment, Kim struggled to breathe. Jeannie was his daughter. Would he really-
Kayla clearly had the same thought. "She's your daughter. You wouldn't-?"
"Of course not," Kim said quickly, so that Cal did not grow angry with Kayla. "Cal would never do anything to hurt Jeannie, and he would never leave Salem without her."
Cal looked at her, and she could again see the insanity in his eyes. "Oh, my poor deluded Kimberly. You really think I care about that little brat?" He shook his head. "Why? Because I'm her daddy?" He chuckled again. "You should have gotten a second opinion, young lady."
Now Kim was confused. What's he talking about? "What do you mean, Cal?"
"You should have had someone else look at the ultrasound," Cal said, now with a gleeful grin on his face. "They would've told you."
No. It couldn't be what he was suggesting. "But Dr. Norris-"
"Owed me, Kim. Craig Norris did exactly what I told him."
"Then Jeannie. . . ." Kim could barely say it. "She's . . . she's not yours. . . ."
Cal tilted his head. "Very good, Kimberly. It took you long enough. Jeannie's just another link to the past-"
To Shane, Kim realized. A link to Shane. . . . Jeannie's a link to Shane. That's what Cal's saying. Jeannie is Shane's. "Jeannie is Shane's daughter," Kim said aloud. "She's not yours."
"Ow!" Kim cried. Cal had grabbed her by the jaw and was holding her tight. Kim realized that she lost her focus and must have shown her shock and joy at Cal's revelation.
Cal tilted her chin so she was looking him directly in the eyes. "She's nothing," he insisted. "Just another link that needs to be eliminated. The past doesn't matter now. All that matters is your - or should I say 'our' - future."