Chapter Thirty-Six

Where To From Here?

In all the years I had known him, I'd never seen my father looking so defeated and lost before. He'd always been sure of himself and where he was going in life. I was very aware of the awful and deeply hurtful mistakes he'd made along the way that had ended in my mother finally finding the courage to divorce him.

But the disastrous events he'd so foolishly perpetrated to gain information about my mother's current whereabouts had aged him considerably in the last four months he'd sat in his cell waiting for his trial. Now it was time for the final act in this tragic drama.

Danny and I sat close together in the back of the stuffy Santa Fe courtroom and listened to the judge's long summing up of the case. I shifted uncomfortably as the man droned on. The stark reality of the trial evidence had been difficult to sit through and I often felt close to tears. I knew it was more because of the emotional strain rather than any remaining sympathy for my father.

But I still gasped with shock when the judge finally sentenced Ian to sixteen months in prison and imposed a five thousand dollar fine. It might as well have been a million dollars because I knew my father was flat broke and owed money everywhere to all the wrong people.

I knew because he'd told me yesterday when I'd visited him in jail. Of course, he was fishing for sympathy and to discover where I stood in our fractured family dynamic. Without coming right out and asking, he wanted to know whose side I was on. I was aware he still wanted me to be on his and, as proof of my paternal loyalty, to tell him where Mum and Devon were now living.

"You know I can't do that." I raised my chin as I told him what he didn't want to hear.

I couldn't overlook or condone what he'd done. If Mum didn't want him to know where she was then I had to respect her confidence. It was as simple as that.

My father immediately reverted to the hateful and selfish man my mother had divorced finally two years ago. "I should've known you'd stick up for her and her new fancy man," he sneered. "You always did. None of you kids are worth my time."

He then made it very clear that he no longer wanted anything more to do with me or Danny. He never once mentioned Edward. There was no point in staying after that, so I left, breathing a cautious sigh of relief that it was almost over.

But Ian still turned to look at me now in desperation as he was taken from the courtroom. Despite his harsh parting words, he was going for one more roll of the sympathy dice.

"No…" I could only shake my head with regret as the door to the cells closed behind him with a bang.

There was nothing more I could do for him. He had made his position crystal clear. His future was in his own hands now.

"Are you okay, Luce?" Danny put a hand on my arm. "Edward did warn us it could go this way. Dad shouldn't have done what he did. He's lucky no one got hurt or killed."

"I know…" I nodded quickly. "But he was desperate for money."

My brother raised one shoulder dismissively. "Yeah, I get that. But gambling away all his funds and then doing shady deals with bad men to cover the company's losses was never going to end well. He's only got himself to blame for doing something so dumb. You know he only ever thought of himself. Mum's worth a dozen of him."

"Yes, she is…" I sighed as I watched my big brother walking toward us where we both sat in the back of the courtroom.

After not seeing him since last Christmas, his new appearance caught me by surprise. His close-cropped, red-gold beard suited him, and I could see he'd also put on some weight beneath his beautifully tailored suit. He no longer looked overworked and deeply frustrated with life as he had been at Christmas last year. It was a good thing to see, and I was happy for him.

I couldn't help wondering if a new woman had wrought this obvious change in him. I guessed I would soon find out. I'd spoken to my mother last night and given her my wonderful news. Now that the trial was behind us, I needed to tell my brothers.

"Hey, bro…" Danny shook hands with his brother and then hugged him. "Great to see you again. Blasted shame about the circumstances. The old man surely did a crazy number on himself."

"He found he couldn't lie his way out of this one. But I doubt he will ever accept the consequences of his actions." Edward shrugged as he turned to me. "Hello, Luce. Are you doing, okay? I heard you went to see the old man in jail, and it didn't end well."

"Yes, I did, But I'm okay now…" I nodded quickly as I put my arms around him and hugged him fiercely. "More than okay. I've missed you."

He sighed deeply and long. "I've missed you too."

"But we're finally together now." I pulled back and kissed his bearded cheek. "And that's all that matters."

I could see from the look in his eyes that he was worried that I would be upset over his testimony that sealed my father's fate. As always, Edward had been upfront and totally honest with the facts of the case. My father's defence lawyer had no hope against his cool presentation. The fact that Ian had so foolishly carried a loaded weapon into the house had been the crowning folly in a long line of ill-considered decisions.

I knew Danny was right, of course. Ian Bridges only had himself to blame for the mess he'd ultimately made of his life. He needed to be the one to change it. I'd finally accepted that fact and made plans to move on with my own life.

Edward pulled the silk tie from his neck and pushed it into his jacket pocket. "I've already phoned Mum to tell her the verdict. She was relieved it was all over. So am I."

He unbuttoned his suit jacket with a sigh of relief before he linked arms with me. "Come on, you two. It's been a long morning. Let's get out of this stuffy, old courtroom and find somewhere good to eat. I'm starving and I think we could all do with a drink. Then we'll talk."

※※※※※

We found a suitable restaurant close to the courthouse. I shrugged out of the detested confinement of my suit jacket and hung it on the back of my chair. I sighed with relief as we all ordered and then sat talking over the morning's events.

Or, more correctly, I sat and listened while Lucy and Danny talked. I knew I was already dead to the man I'd once called my father. He'd refused to see me when I'd made inquiries as soon as I arrived back in Santa Fe five days ago. I could accept that and had long since moved on. I now had someone in my life who was truly worthy of being called my father.

But these two with me needed to talk it out and get it all straight in their heads. Ian Bridges was still their father, and they were concerned for him. But he'd spurned their help and support.

I shook my head as I ordered a bottle of wine and listened to Danny and Lucy talking about the trial until our food was delivered. They both finally run out of things to say. They'd made no excuses for Ian and had accepted his fate, which was good to hear.

I picked up my knife and fork to cut a slice from my steak. "So, what are you two going to do now?" I asked casually, not looking up. "Got any plans?"

"Dad wanted to know where Mum's living…" Lucy confessed as she took a sip of her wine. "That was the only reason he finally agreed to see me. I knew what he wanted, but I didn't tell him, of course."

"His loss…" I raised my shoulders. "He'll have plenty of time to regret his decisions in jail."

"Yes, he will." Danny shook his head. "But it was his choice."

He brightened as he poured ketchup all over his steak and French fries. "Say, how's that flash Trans Am of yours, anyway?" he asked keenly. "That's one heck of a car."

I smiled at my little brother's enthusiasm. "Kitt's doing okay as far as I know."

"Good to hear, because Lucy and me are planning on visiting you all in Montecito soon…" He paused with a forkful of rare steak lifted halfway to his mouth. "If that's okay with you." He looked suddenly anxious.

"Fine by me," I replied easily. "Mum and Devon will be thrilled to see you. Christmas isn't too far away."

I shifted my gaze to my sister, who had gone very quiet. She was pushing her pasta salad around the plate with her fork.

"Care to share?" I asked gently. "You've obviously got something on your mind."

She looked up at me and smiled mistily. "I asked Mum not to say anything. I wanted to tell you guys before, but we needed to get the trial behind us. And now that it is…"

She sighed with relief. "I telephoned Mum last night to tell her I've been accepted by UC in Santa Barbara for a permanent position as an art lecturer." She raised one shoulder. "Now that everyone has moved out to California, there's nothing left here for me here in Santa Fe. I miss you guys heaps."

"Aw… Way to go, Sis!" Danny punched her lightly in the shoulder. "That's great news! You're too good for Paris."

His gaze shifted to me. "Say, now that you're a big West Coast lawyer, is there any chance of a job going for me in LA too? You know I can turn my hand to almost anything."

"I thought you liked living the easy life," Lucy replied. "Coming and going as you please. No one to tie you down or tell you what to do. You've only just arrived at my place and you're already planning to leave."

"Yeah…" Danny admitted with a grimace, pushing his fingers through his long dark hair. "But like you said. There's nothing here for us anymore. I've been missing you guys heaps, as well. And Maria's chilli. Seeing each other only at Christmastime is getting to be a bit of a drag."

He looked at each of us keenly as if seeking ideas. "I want more. I need more…"

"Well, if you're finally ready to settle down…" I sat forward to study him closely. "But you would have to apply yourself and there would be no room for shirking or complaining if the work gets too hard. No packing up and leaving because you've found you can't cut it."

"Sounds like fun. I'm game," he replied quickly. "What do you have?"

I studied his open expression closely. "As you know, I now work for Knight Investigations. You've already met Michael Knight, and that's where Kitt comes into the picture. The business is expanding, and we can always use another keen, young investigator."

I raised a warning finger. "But only if you're willing to put in the long hours and stick to the training. It's not easy work, but it is rewarding. You'll have to apply yourself to the bookwork and obtain your license by completing a BSIS-approved training program. Devon and I can help you with that."

I left out the part about my being shot at. I knew my little brother would get a kick out of the idea of seeing such action and be keen to get into the more dangerous side of the work. Mum would kill me if I allowed any harm to come to her youngest child.

"Okay, that sounds like me. Where do I sign up for this?" he said eagerly. "I won't let you down. Promise."

"Well, I'm flying back to LA first thing in the morning. There's nothing left to do here. If you can be packed and ready to travel, you can fly back with me. I'll arrange for you to meet with Michael. The final decision will be his."

"Aw, way cool, man! Thanks!" Danny raised his glass in salute. "I've only got two bags to pack. I've always travelled light."

"I'm sure Mum and Devon won't mind putting you up until you can find a place of your own. I'll phone them when I get back to my hotel to tell them you're coming back with me."

I shook my head. "And you're probably better to stay with me tonight. Then I can be sure you're on the plane." I knew my kid brother wasn't an early riser. That would have to change soon if he was going to survive in his new life.

"If you say so…" Danny grinned, understanding why I couldn't fully trust him. "Luce can drop me off later. Where are you staying?"

I named the hotel before I glanced at Lucy. "When do you take up your new position?"

"Not until the beginning of January," she replied. "I still have a house to sell and all my things to pack up. That'll take some time."

"Then let us know if there is anything we can do for you. I'll go over your paperwork for the sale of your house when you're ready. But you must come out to LA for Christmas. It will be good for all of us to be together again."

"You've got a deal," she said mistily with a long sigh of relief. "I would love that."

Her frowning glance in my direction as she picked up her knife and fork said she had questions. I knew she was keen to ask about my love life. I shook my head as I went back to my meal.

My loving sister would soon find out what I had been doing, and who I'd been seeing since we last saw each other at Christmas. But I knew she would love Kat as much as I did. Now that the trial was finally behind us, I couldn't wait to get back to Kat to tell her exactly how much I loved her.

※※※※※

"Danny!" Mum called out as soon as I got out of Edward's car. "Oh, how wonderful to have you staying with us! I'm so happy you've finally decided to stop living out of a suitcase and want to settle down!"

She came running down the front steps of the huge house to hug me like she would never let me go. I wrapped my arms around her, and she fitted so neatly under my chin. The moment I'd grown taller than her, I'd always been very protective toward her. Even against my own father. I hated to see her hurt or upset by his careless actions and thoughtless decisions.

"Hey, Mum…" I returned her fierce embrace and kissed her cheek as if I'd been starved of love since I last saw her at the end of last year. Maybe I had.

The rootless, nomadic lifestyle I'd been living these last five years had not allowed for any long relationships. As soon as anyone tried to get close to me, I'd pack up and leave. No care, no responsibility.

My restless feet had taken me to many different places and countries. I'd always looked for the next great adventure. I'd once thought that was all I needed from life. Becoming settled and a part of something bigger than myself was going to take some serious getting used to. But I was prepared to commit to the long-term goal to secure my future.

"Hey, Devon…" I nodded respectfully to the tall, grey-haired man standing behind my mother.

"Daniel," he replied formally as he studied me closely. "Welcome to our home."

I knew I was on trial as I put Mum aside - while keeping an arm around her waist - to shake his outstretched hand. It was as firm and cool as I remembered. His blue eyes – so very like my big brother's – considered me closely as if seeking my assurance, that I wouldn't thoughtlessly upset his wife. That I wasn't planning on packing up and moving on the moment everything got too tough for me.

"It's cool…" I nodded my understanding of his frowning concern. "It's good to finally see this house of yours. I've heard so much about it from Lucy." I looked the place over. It certainly was a beautiful house.

"Then come on inside and see…" Mum linked arms with me as we turned toward the house. "Your room is ready. How's Lucy?"

"She's fine," Edward replied as he closed the trunk and picked up our bags. "It's great news that she's coming to live out here too."

"Yes, it is. To have all my children in the same city as me…" Mum said, wiping at her eyes as we all walked up the front steps together. "It's a wonderful dream finally come true. I'd almost given up hope of any of you settling down."

"Thanks, Mum…" I replied as we walked out of the morning sunshine and into the cool of the house.

I looked back over her head to see that Devon had stopped to talk to Edward. They both lowered their voices, but I knew I was the topic under discussion. They looked at me and gestured in my direction. I shrugged and sighed.

I knew it was going to take a lot of effort to prove myself to these two and Michael Knight. Him, most of all. Privately, I couldn't wait to see his incredible car again. That was the bonus and the pull. Kitt was a big part of the reason I decided to come out here.

Then my attention was distracted by Maria. She marched out of the huge kitchen I could see behind her and hugged me fiercely. Then she began to scold me in Spanish.

"Hola a ti también…" I grinned at her voluble assessment of everything that she wanted to change about me from my long hair to my casual clothes.

I couldn't resist kissing her cheek. It no longer mattered what Devon and Edward thought about my reasons for coming to the West Coast. Or how long I'd been staying until I found the new job too hard and left again.

With my arm around my mother and Maria tearing strips off me even as she hustled me into the kitchen to feed me, I knew I was finally home and it was an incredible feeling I intended to savour to the full…

※※※※※

"I have missed you so much…" Kat leaned her head against my shoulder. "You've been gone for almost a whole week." She entwined her fingers through mine and lifted my hand to her lips.

"I didn't want to be away from you. But Ian Bridges's trial had to be dealt with." It was late, but tomorrow was Saturday, so I didn't need to be anywhere else just yet. The peace of two days off from the office settled over us both.

We'd eaten the dinner we'd cooked together and then left her house. Reaching the edge of the beach, we'd both taken off our shoes and socks and hidden them behind a nearby rock. Then we rolled up the legs of our jeans to walk barefoot along the moonlit beach. The night, the moon and the stars were our only witnesses.

"But that's all behind us now." I stopped and drew her into my arms. "I won't be going away again. My life is here now, with you."

"I know and I'm glad…" Kat turned her face to rest her cheek against my heart. "But I wish…"

"Ah, wishes…" I replied softly as I slipped my fingers beneath her chin to turn her face up to mine. "They can be the most damnably inconvenient things at times…" I leaned down to kiss her.

"Yes, they can…" Kat breathed against my lips. "But sometimes they can also come true…" Her growing love for me sparkled in her beautiful eyes before her eyelids drifted down and she surrendered to me once more.

I felt both humbled and incredibly lucky as I kissed her in the moonlight. Kat reached up behind my head to tangle her fingers through my hair and draw me closer still. We stood so close together that I doubted even the moonlight would have been able to separate us in that single moment of pure joy.

I tasted her sweetness on my lips as I slowly pulled back, to rest my forehead against hers. A familiar pose that shared our breaths as well as all our hopes and dreams. "I wish…" I breathed a sigh of exhalation.

"I know…" Kat teased lightly, kissing the end of my nose. "Me, too."

I shook my head. "Now that your book about the Captain and Emma is finally finished and has been sent away to Mum's publishers, we'll have to find a new excuse for you to keep on coming over to the house."

I chuckled softly and kissed each of her eyelids in turn. "You can't be doing the garden every day."

"That's true…" She shook her head. "There's always my place, of course," she offered softly as she slid her arms around my waist to hug me. "Come on over any time you can get away."

"I would like that…" I inhaled her perfume as I finally leaned back slightly within her embrace to look down at her.

In the moonlight, she was pure temptation. I had to force myself not to reach for her and make her as aware of me as I was of her. I wanted her that badly, but I would not betray her trust. I told myself I could be that honourable. Even though it caused me physical pain not to be making love with her tonight.

In the weeks we'd been seeing each other, we'd agreed to take things slow and carefully. To be sure it was what we both wanted. This would not be a casual fling simply to satisfy the senses.

I knew Kat had been deeply hurt. She'd told me about the deplorable Marcus and his callous betrayal of her feelings. About how he'd made her decide she was better off alone.

I swore she would never feel that way again. I would go on taking cold showers because I wanted this burgeoning love between us to be so right and because I wanted to earn her complete trust.

"I love being with you…" On an impulse, I took her hand and carried it to my lips, never taking my eyes from hers. "And I'll always be here for you…"

I kissed the centre of her palm before folding her fingers closed over the caress. It may have been old-fashioned, but I knew I'd done the right thing when she smiled at me with tears in her eyes.

"Emma said, Daniel used to kiss her hand just like that…" She sighed. "I always thought it was so romantic and intimate…" She kept her hand closed around my kiss. "Thank you…"

"Then I'm very glad I did it," I replied softly, feeling my heart swell with love for her.

We were standing in the foaming edge of the surf. The salt waters of the Pacific sighed in and out around our bare feet in an endless rhythm. I could feel my heartbeat gathering pace in anticipation of finally making this lovely woman my own. In every way possible, she was going to be mine tonight and I couldn't wait.

I frowned when I felt something touch briefly against my bare foot. It seemed to roll like a smooth pebble and then retreated. I didn't pay it any heed as I held Kat close to my heart until it happened again.

"What's that?" Kat asked.

"I don't know…" I replied, frowning down at my left foot.

Kat gripped my arm. "What are you looking at down there? I meant that…" She pointed a little further along the beach to where an odd-shaped cloud of mist had gathered to hover on the water's edge.

I looked up, momentarily distracted. "I really don't know…" I said again.

There was no wind tonight. The day had been fine and clear with low humidity. Nothing could have created that shimmering patch of fog. My heart skipped a beat. 'Nothing natural, that is…'

I was about to make a comment when that something in the surf touched against my bare foot again and rolled along the side of my instep. It came to rest against my heel. Now deeply intrigued by things I had no way of explaining rationally, I bent down to pick up whatever it was.

"Well, I'll be…" I straightened up with an antique diamond ring between my left thumb and forefinger.

I held it up to the moonlight as Kat moved closer to look at what I'd found. I could see that the ring was very old by the cut of the three perfectly matched diamonds and their silver filigree setting. I would have guessed it was early Victorian, maybe even Georgian. It was certainly valuable and someone's great loss.

"It's beautiful…" Kat breathed. "How on earth did you find it?"

"I… it was just there in the water," I said. "It rolled against my foot. Someone will be wanting this beauty back." The ring glinted in the moonlight.

But as I said those words I noticed that the fog further along the beach seemed to shift and change. It resolved slowly into two figures standing close together. They were indistinct but discernible.

A tall, broad-shouldered man dressed in the same formal naval uniform as his portrait. The woman at his side was petite and elegant in a beautiful lace and silk gown of peacock blue. They both looked younger than I would have expected. But I knew the woman's face from her older self in the beautifully framed photograph I'd given Kat. It all made some kind of crazy sense.

"Emma?" Kat breathed beside me, tightening her hold on my arm. "Is that really you?"

The smaller of the two apparitions nodded and smiled. 'I have missed you so much, my dear…'

"And I've missed you too…" Kat replied quickly, her voice muffled by unshed tears. "I wish…"

It was only then that I realised the comment she was replying to was also inside my head. That same sensation of awareness feathered across the back of my neck and ran down both arms. The beguiling scent of Shalimar drifted on the night air. I resisted the urge to pinch myself to see if I was asleep and dreaming.

Of course, I wasn't. I knew that. 'Didn't I?' I tightened my grip on the ring as I moved to shield Kat. But she stepped quickly from my moon-cast shadow to stand next to me.

She pushed her fingers through mine. "It's all right. They would never hurt us. They're here to give us their blessing." I could hear the love and certainty in her voice.

"Okay…" I inhaled deeply as I measured the Captain's sternly commanding gaze with my own. I reached out one arm to draw Kat closer to me, even as I held out the ring toward them. "Is this yours?" I asked.

'Yes, it was. But it is yours now, to keep…' his voice replied inside my head. 'Give it to the woman you have chosen to love, as I once did…'

'With our blessing,' Emma added with a wistful smile for Kat. 'You are an honourable man, Edward. We can see that…'

'Honourable…' I inhaled as I shook my head.

I had no idea how I kept myself from saluting the Captain then. The natural air of command in his deep voice was both impressive and confounding. Even through the hazy nature of his apparition, I could feel his blue eyes assessing me and my intentions for the woman beside me.

I hadn't been feeling very honourable tonight. I knew I was on trial and being keenly judged.

"Thank you, Sir. I will…" 'What more could I say, but the truth?'

※※※※※