Righteous Obsession (67 page)

Caitlin sat at the supper table and toyed with her
food.  She pushed it around her plate and rearranged it, hoping to make it look
as if there was less of it, but it didn’t fool her grandmother.  “Caitlin,
dear, please try to eat,” Nora implored.  “You’ve hardly eaten a thing since we
got here.”

“I’m not hungry, Grandma.”  She threw down her
napkin.  “I wish daddy would call!”

“I’m sure he’ll call just as soon as he knows
anything, honey,” Luke said soothingly.

“I guess,” She conceded.  “How bad do you think Dave
is?”

“Well, from what Colin said, it sounds serious, but it
doesn’t mean it’s permanent,” Nora said gently.  “Colin and Alethea are very
concerned about you and your father.”

“That’s nice of them, Grandma, but there really isn’t
anything they can do to help us or Dave.”  She stirred suddenly at a noise
outside.  “Are those reporters from those awful tabloids still outside?”

“No.  I called the police and had them dispersed. 
They promised to send a patrol car by every so often to make sure nobody was
hanging around,” Luke assured her.

The phone rang and Caitlin rose to answer it, but her
grandfather stopped her.  “I’ll get it, Cait.”  He went into the living room,
but was back in a few seconds.

“Who was it, Grandpa?”

“Not anybody important, honey.”

“It was an obscene phone call, wasn’t it?”  She
demanded.  “They’re starting up again!”

Her grandparents looked uncomfortable, but Nora said
gently, “There have been a couple of unpleasant calls, but it’s nothing grandpa
or I can’t handle.”

“The threatening letters will probably start soon,
too,” Caitlin predicted gloomily.  She was quiet briefly then burst out with,
“It’s been so nice lately!  Why does all this have to start all over again?  I
almost wish they hadn’t caught Dave!”  She burst into tears.

Nora held Caitlin until she stopped sobbing.  “Why
don’t you go to bed early, dear?  You’ve hardly slept since Dave’s arrest and I
know you must be exhausted.”

Caitlin nodded wearily and swiped at her eyes.  “Will
you sit with me until I fall to sleep, Grandma?”

“Of course I will, dear.”

“I’ll brew you some chamomile tea,” Luke volunteered. 
“It’ll relax you and help you sleep.”  He brewed the tea and took it up to
her.  “You know, Cait, Grandma and I think it would be a good idea for you to
go back with us until things settle down.”

Caitlin’s expression told her grandparents their
suggestion had fallen on deaf ears.  “Grandpa and Grandma, I’m upset now, but
I’ll be fine.  I can’t leave Daddy to face this alone!  Besides, I refuse to
hide as if I have something to be ashamed about!  Dave did a terrible thing,
but he is sick and he isn’t responsible for the things he did.”

 “It was just a thought, dear, but if you change your
mind, call us and we’ll send the airfare.”

“I won’t, but thanks for the offer.”  She gave them a
big hug.

After Caitlin had fallen asleep, her grandparents sat
in the kitchen talking.  “I’m going out first thing tomorrow and buy an
answering machine,” Luke decided.  “Caller ID alone just isn’t doing the job.”

“I’ll check the mail every day and remove anything
that looks suspicious,” Nora added.  “Do you think we should let Colin know
about those calls, Luke?”

“Why don’t we wait?  Once I get the answering machine
installed they may just stop.  People who make those kinds of call don’t usually
like talking to a machine – there’s no shock value to it.”  He yawned widely.

“Why don’t we go to bed early, too,” Nora suggested. 
“It’s been a long, tense day.”

“Tomorrow will probably be the same.”

Colin lounged in bed, half-uncovered with one leg dangling
over the side of the bed.  He yawned and stretched.  Alethea lifted her head
from his chest and pushed her hair back.

“What time is it?”

He glanced at his watch.  “Almost two o’clock.”

“Goodness!”  Alethea pushed back the covers and got
out of bed.  “I’d better get moving!  I’ve got to go grocery shopping yet.”

“Now don’t go to fussing, Alethea!  Liam’s not
expecting a banquet!”  Liam had called earlier and asked for Colin’s help with
a song.

“Well, unless I go shopping, he’s not even going to
get bread and water!”  She smiled at Colin over her shoulder.  “I was planning
to go before I got otherwise side-tracked!”

“Yes, but it was such a nice way to get
side-tracked!”  Colin teased her.

Liam arrived shortly after Alethea left.  He’d brought
along one of his portable keyboards.  Colin and Liam adjourned to the third
floor where he was currently keeping his favorite guitar and practice amp. 
They worked steadily, stopping briefly to help Alethea carry in the groceries.

How’s the song coming?”  Alethea asked as they came
down for supper.  She set a seafood casserole, a Caesar salad and a loaf of
crusty French bread on the table.  “Help yourselves.”

 “Colin helped me do a little rearranging and now it
sounds great!”  Liam replied, dishing up his food.

“Liam did most of the work.  I just suggested moving a
chord or two.”

“The house looks great, too, Alethea.  It doesn’t even
look like the same place!”  Liam complimented her.

“It feels more like a home, too,” Colin added, giving
her a kiss.

“Thank you, both,” She replied modestly.  She motioned
to the food.  “Help yourself to some more food, Liam.  There’s plenty.”

“Thanks.  This is delicious!”  Liam declared, taking a
heaping second portion.

“It’s a good thing Louisa taught Alethea how to cook
and not Grandma Eileen!”  Colin joked.

Liam grimaced. “God!  I used to dread it when we’d
have to go over for Sunday dinner once a month!  Grandma was a great
councilwoman, but she can’t cook worth a damn!”

“I didn’t say anything at the time, but when we had
supper with them recently it was pretty bad,” Alethea confessed.

“Yeah!”  Colin agreed.  “As usual, half of our meal
was burnt and the other half was raw!”

Liam laughed.  “When we’d have dinner with them we’d
be so hungry by supper that mom would end up having to make a full meal.  She
finally decided to start having them over for Sunday dinner and save herself
some extra work!”

 “I’m glad it was Grandma Beth who taught mom how to
cook!”  Colin added.

“When am I going to see a picture of Alison, Liam?” 
Alethea teased.

“I only saw her that one time briefly and I don’t
really recall her,” Colin remarked.

Liam smiled shyly.  “Actually, I did take some
pictures of her and I brought them with me in case you might want to see
them.”  He disappeared, but came back immediately with three envelopes that he
gave to Alethea.

“It must be love!”  Colin teased as he looked over
Alethea’s shoulder at the photographs.

“Alison is very pretty,” Alethea remarked.

“She is,” Colin agreed.

“She’s really a very special person,” Liam said softly. 
“She’s given me so much support through this whole ordeal and never asked
anything in return.”

“I think you ought to marry her,” Colin said as he
helped Alethea dish up fudge, walnut ice cream for dessert.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about it actually,” Liam
confessed.  “I’d want to wait until Alison graduates and we’re finished
touring.  She has two weeks off for Christmas and she might come for New
Year’s.”

“Perfect time to give her a ring!”  Colin suggested
pointedly.

“Colin, you sound like your grandmother asking me if I
was pregnant yet,” Alethea said.  She glanced at Liam.  “It’s your decision to
make, Liam.”

“Well, an engagement ring would make a nice Christmas
gift,” Liam decided.  “Have you heard anything from Jeff yet?”

Colin shook his head.  “No.  We talked to my
grandparents last night and they said Jeff had just left yesterday afternoon. 
I don’t think I’ll hear anything from him before tomorrow at the earliest.”

“Father Michaels’ sanity hearing is tomorrow so his
first concern will be with that,” Alethea added.

“I hope that letter I wrote has some influence on the
judge’s decision.”  He explained to Liam about the letter he’d written.

Liam’s face darkened.  “I hope they lock that
cocksucker up and throw away the key!”  He looked at Alethea.  “Sorry!”

“Forget it.”  Alethea said then changed the subject. 
“Did Deb have a good time at the dance?”

“Yeah.  She was telling me all about it before she
left for school this morning.  Mom and dad took pictures of her and Cody before
they left so you'll have to see those, too.”

“I’m glad she had a good time,” Colin remarked.  “We
were afraid the news of Father Michaels arrest might spoil it for her.”

Liam expression changed to a frown.  “I hope nothing
keep the authorities from locking that creep’s ass away for a long time!”

“Nothing will,” Colin assured him.  After Liam had
left, Colin locked up and turned on the alarm.  He turned on CNN and sat in his
recliner.  Alethea came in from the kitchen and sat down in his lap.  She
seemed to prefer sitting in Colin’s lap to sitting in the other chair.

“You know, I don’t know why we bought that other
recliner,” He joked.

“To have a matched set, of course,” she teased.

Father Michaels arrest was still prominently in the
news.  There was a brief clip of Jeff and Father Michaels lawyer arriving at
the police station.  Jeff looked very tired and downcast.

“Jesus!  He really looks awful!”  Colin commented.

“Father David Michaels’ father, Jeffrey, arrived in
New Orleans yesterday from Minneapolis.  He’s seen here with his son’s lawyer,
John Heath, going into the police station this morning.  Rock star, Colin
Matthews, accused Father Michaels of attempting to murder him in July of this
year.  Neither Mr. Michaels nor Mr. Heath had any comments when asked by
members of the press.  Father Michaels’ sanity hearing will be tomorrow
morning.  It is not known at this time whether or not Colin Matthews will be
testifying,” The news commentator stated.

“I wonder if the judge will be able to make a decision
tomorrow or he’ll need more time,” Alethea remarked as they were getting ready
for bed.

“I hope the judge can make a quick decision because
this thing’s been dragged out long enough!”

Alethea was working in the master bedroom when Colin
came home from his appointment with Doctor Hughes.  She came out of the
bedroom, shutting the door behind her.  He came bounding up the stairs, swept
her up into his arms and gave her a passionate kiss.

“Well, you’re certainly in a good mood!”  She teased.

“You bet!”

“Were you with Doctor Hughes all this time?  It’s
nearly one o’clock.”

“No.  I stopped at Mom’s to tell her about grandpa and
grandma’s call.  I’ve got your shawl too and Deb sends her thanks.”

“How was her date?”

 “Mom said Deb told her they had a lot of fun and they
might go out again, but they both decided, for now, they’re going to keep
things casual.  Oh!  Deb’s decided she’s going to change her last name to
Matthews once she turns eighteen.”

“Why?”

“I guess she wants a start fresh and who can blame
her?”  Colin remarked.  “She’s going to start working at the firm, too.  Mom
said she’d be doing the things they get behind on – like filing.”

“Well, it’ll be good experience for Deb and a good
opportunity.”

“I don’t suppose anybody called while I was gone?”

“Colin!  I would have told you immediately if Jeff had
called.”  As if by ESP, his cell suddenly began to ring.  He took out his
phone.  “Hello?”

Jeff’s tone was cold and he didn’t bother even saying
hello first.  “I hope you realize whatever you said to Dave has caused him
possible, irreparable harm.  Was it really necessary for you to behave so
spitefully?”

“Jeff, I’m sorry, but I have absolutely no idea what
you’re talking about.”

“Dave is catatonic and Mr. Heath said it happened
shortly after you saw him.”

“Jeff, the psychiatrist who examined Father Michaels,
gave his okay for me to see him.  He felt it might even be beneficial for him.”

“He only saw Dave for a few hours and knew nothing
about him!  He had no right to permit you to see Dave without my permission
first!”

“Would you have given it?”

“No!  I wouldn’t have permitted you to see him.”

Colin bit back the tart reply on the tip of his
tongue, took a deep breath and counted to ten before answering, “Jeff, I needed
to see him for my own emotional stability.  Over the last couple of months,
inside my head, I’ve turned him into this larger-than-life monster with
superhuman powers.  I needed to face him and see he was no different from me.”