Marrying Kate (9 page)

"You got a message from Philip?" Garth asked.

"Yes, I haven’t checked my mail in a while but it was dated two weeks ago. I sent a reply to him but his mail account is closed."

"He’s dead, Jared."

"Dead?" Jared felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach. Philip had been the only other person besides Steve whom Jared trusted completely. They had started with the company at the same time and had gone on several missions together. "How did he die?"

"A car accident."

"A car accident?" Jared laughed without mirth. "Are you aware that someone phoned here and told Kate—my brother’s sister-in-law—that I had been killed in a car accident as well?"

“What? Why would someone do that?”

“I’m trying to figure that out. And I’d also like some explanation as to why—when Kate phoned to have someone alert me to the deaths of my brother and his wife—the message wasn’t passed on.”

“I have no idea…had no idea that Steven and Jen were dead. What happened?” Concern laced Garth’s words.

“Plane accident last September. No one passed the message on to me, not even when I checked in in January.”

“I’m sorry, Jared
. I don’t understand how that could have happened. What number did Kate call?”

“I’m not sure. She couldn’t find the paper.” He had been disappointed when he’d asked her for it earlier in the day and she’d been unable to locate it. “But why would no one have passed that message on to me?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to look into it and see who was manning the call lines around that time, since it was likely one of those numbers she called. What numbers had you left with Steve?”

Jared thought back. “Usually I took the time to write out a whole bunch of information for Steve, but this time was supposed to be my last time out so I confess that I wasn’t as careful about it as I had been. I think I just left him with what he had previously…which I think would have been your number, the main call number and maybe Everett’s?”

Garth sighed. “Those numbers have all been switched around with the promotions that have gone out over the past year, year and a half. I’m not sure who she might have spoken to.”

“You’d think there would be better organization, Garth.” Jared sighed.
“How on earth can I track this down?”

“Listen, I’ll do what I can on this end to see if I can figure out where the call might have gone. Not making any promises
, but I’ll give it a try.”

"
Thanks." Jared paused, then asked, “Hey, what type of car accident was it that Philip died in?”

“Type of car accident? Oh, it was a car bomb.”

“Here in the States?” He still couldn’t believe that his friend was gone. But he did find it interesting that they’d both been in “accidents”, only Philip hadn’t been as fortunate as he had been.

“No, he was in India…though we have no idea why.”

“He wasn’t on a job?

“Nope. I hadn’t heard from him since he’d finished off his last assignment. It honestly seemed like he’d dropped off the grid.”

“How did you know it was him in the car bomb?”

“We had a witness that identified him. While he wasn’t over there on a job, he had made contact with someone who has ties to the agency. They had just finished having lunch together. Philip got into his car, the guy said, and it exploded. Not much left to identify him any other way.”

Interesting
. Had there not been a witness, it would have been unlikely that Philip would have been identified.
Cutting all ties.
Was it possible…could it be possible that Philip had faked his death? There was no way he’d pose that question to Garth however. Not until he had a better idea of what was going on.

He also decided against mentioning the helicopter accident. He’d read about it in the report and would no doubt contact him if he had more questions.

“You back at Steve and Jen’s now?” Garth asked.

“Yes, staying put here because of the kids.”

“That’s a good idea. How are they dealing with things?”

“As well as can be expected.” Jared was suddenly eager to get off the phone. “Listen, I’m gonna go here, but let me know if you dig up anything on the phone calls.”

“I definitely will. Take care of yourself.” Garth said and then disconnected the call.

Jared hung up his end with mixed feelings. He wanted to be able to trust Garth, but just something about Philip’s email made him feel like he really couldn’t trust anyone. But somehow he needed to keep his family safe.
If he’d made a mistake in trusting someone he shouldn’t have, he needed to know that his family wouldn’t suffer for his mistake.

He’d have to call Drake in the morning to talk about work and getting security set up. The house had an alarm but nothing an expert, like himself, couldn’t bypass. Jared double checked all the locks on the doors and windows and made sure the alarm was set properly before heading up to bed.

The house was quiet so he knew that Kate had gone up already. As he climbed the stairs he wondered if he’d find her in the master suite or if she’d be in the guest room. It hadn’t escaped his notice that she’d moved none of her own things into the large walk-in closet in the master suite. They were still on shaky ground, feeling their way along. Jared hoped it wouldn’t be that way forever. He felt comfortable with Kate. She had a calming effect on him and the kids
, and he was grateful for that.

Jared pushed open the door to the suite and breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted the lump under the bedcovers. She had decided to stay in their bed.

Walking s
ilently across the carpet, Jared approached the bed and stared down at her. Her dark lashes fanned out across pale skin and her hair was braided, not loose like she’d left it the past couple of nights. She looked peaceful as she slept, barely taking up a quarter of the big bed. Jared hoped she’d gain a little weight. It worried him that she was so thin and fragile looking.

Kate shifted slightly in her sleep
, and Jared turned away, not wanting to be caught staring if she opened those big gray eyes of hers. He changed into a pair of sweats and crawled into his side of the bed and extinguished the light. The room plunged into darkness, lightened only barely by the moonlight that peeked through the spaces in the vertical blinds.

Jared lay on his back for a while, his thoughts still a jumble. No matter what else happened, he needed to protect his family. They were depending on him now, Kate and the kids. He couldn’t fail them.

"Jared?" Kate’s voice, husky with sleepiness reached out to him in the darkness.

"I’m right here." Jared stretched out his hand and touched her shoulder. She rolled over and moved a little closer.

"I tried to wait up for you."

"I appreciate that, Katie. But I know you’re tired, go back to sleep."

"Okay." Her words were muffled and when silence fell over the room Jared thought she’d gone to sleep again. "Jared?"

"What?" They spoke to each other in hushed tones though there was little chance the kids could have overheard them.

"I’m cold."

"It is a little chilly. Did you want me to turn up the heat?"

Jared sat up and was preparing to stand when she answered him, her voice drowsy and soft. "No, just hold me, if you don’t mind. You’re nice and warm."

Jared grinned sure that she must be half asleep to have made a request like that. Except for that first night, she had never initiated physical contact between them. He was glad that she did tonight.

He settled back into the bed and reached for Kate. She
willingly came into his embrace, tucking her head under his chin. His arm lay under her, but she hardly pressed down on him at all and Jared could feel the frailness of her even through the bulky sweats and sweatshirt she wore. He definitely had to protect her. She was too fragile to do it for herself.

Jared drifted off to sleep, content with the warmth of Kate by his side and the scent of her filling his head.

*****

When he woke the next morning, it was to find the bed empty once again. The room was still quite dark and the luminous numbers on the clock said it was barely six o’clock. For someone who usually woke at the slightest movement, it surprised Jared that Kate’s leaving never roused him.

Since he was already wide awake, his body finally getting back into its natural rhythm of early rising, Jared got out of bed. He didn’t bother with a robe or T-shirt as he went in search of his wife. A quick peek in the guest room revealed she wasn’t there so he went downstairs. There was a light coming from the kitchen and the scent of coffee tantalized him.

He spotted Kate sitting in the breakfast nook, her Bible open on the table in front of her. She sat staring out the window, a mug of coffee cupped between her hands. He approached on silent feet.

"Are you always up this early?" Jared asked as he sat down across from her.

Kate jerked her head around. "I didn’t hear you come downstairs."

"Sorry about that. It was my job to learn to move silently. Old habits are hard to break." Jared took the mug of coffee out of her hands and took a sip before handing it back to her. "You certainly make exceptional coffee."

"At least I can do one thing right. Coffee is a necessity for me. I’ll get you a cup." Kate moved to stand but Jared stopped her.

"Don’t get up. I can get it for myself." He stood and went to the counter where the coffee pot sat. He filled a mug for himself then brought the pot over to refill Kate’s.

"Thanks." She took a small sip before setting the mug down on the table.

"You didn’t answer my question." Jared pointed out as he sat back down. "Are you always up this early?"

"Usually. I like to watch the sunrise and it’s a bit of quiet before the day gets underway. I try and have my devotions too. I used to have them at night but now...." A light flush of pink spread across her cheeks.

As Jared sat across from her he wondered how he could ever have missed the beauty in her. Her skin, though pale, was smooth and soft to his touch. He liked it when she blushed and her cheeks took on a rosy hue. He would have liked to make her blush more often but decided that for now, less was better. After a night of sleeping, wisps of her braid had come loose and gently framed her face. Even in sweats she looked very feminine and dainty.

"So I’m interrupting your devotions," Jared stated. "I’ll leave you alone then."

He started to stand but Kate’s soft voice stopped him. "Would you like to have devotions...together?"

Chapter Five

Jared’s response to Kate’s question helped set a pattern for the next week. They both rose early and went to the kitchen for their coffee and devotions together. It was a time of growing and learning, not just about God and the Bible but also about each other.

As Kate stood watching Jared jog down the driveway one morning for his daily run she couldn’t help thinking that it was worth it to take risks sometimes. So far she’d taken three big risks and each of them had paid off. Unfortunately, she wasn’t brave enough to take the biggest risk of all. Telling Jared that she loved him. That one risked the most and Kate wasn’t sure she’d survive if it didn’t pay off like the other ones had. No, for now, her love would stay a secret and someday, hopefully, the time would be right, the risk not so great.

Kate knew she was crazy
, but at times she figured that if she didn’t tell Jared she loved him and he didn’t tell her he didn’t love her, she could always imagine that he did. She knew it was a bit convoluted and pathetic, but a hopeful heart would grasp at the most outrageous reasoning.

Once Jared was out of sight, Kate turned away from the window and went back to the kitchen to start breakfast. The kids would be up in a bit demanding food.

She’d gotten a bit better at breakfast. Her pancakes were edible, especially covered in syrup, and she rarely burned bacon any more. She was still working on the scrambled and fried eggs though. For now she cooked them only when no one else was around to witness her failure.

The dew sparkled on the leaves outside the kitchen window. Kate leaned forward to look out at the yard. She should be able to plant her seedlings soon. The risk of frost had past and flowers were starting to pop up. Jen had obviously planted tulips in the fall for already they had begun to sprout and blooms were just around the corner.

Kate thought about spring as she prepared breakfast. Things coming to life. Some after being dormant for the winter. Others newly planted from seed. She could see both kinds in her life. Her dream of being a wife and mother had been long buried, only now coming to life again. Her relationship with Jared was definitely newly planted and just starting to grow. She hoped that someday she’d see the bloom of love
in their marriage.

Amelia came into the kitchen distracting Kate from her thoughts. Knowing the others would
close behind, Kate went upstairs to get Dani. The kids were all up and dressed by the time Jared came back. He took a quick shower, then joined them at the breakfast table.

After Bry had to try three times to get his attention, Kate sensed something was bothering Jared. She didn’t want to bring it up in front of the children though, afraid he’d just brush off her concern because they were present.