Part 8 (1/2)

”Whoa, Kate! One question at a time. You certainly haven't changed. I never could get a word in edgewise.”

Kate drew in a breath and tried to control the leap of gladness in her heart. It had been too long since she'd shared a conversation with a friend. A real friend. Over the years since she'd left, she hadn't felt comfortable letting her guard down and had formed only pa.s.sing acquaintances with the people she'd come into contact with. Even her a.s.sistants didn't know much more about her other than she'd moved to London from Australia.

”Cally, it's so great to hear from you. Tell me everything.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Kate wondered at it, her curiosity piqued. She hadn't spoken to Cally in more than ten years. She had no idea what twists and turns her friend had traveled in her life since then.

”Cally, are you all right?”

”Yes, I'm fine,” came the soft reply. ”I guess you haven't heard?”

Kate was gripped with foreboding. ”Heard what?”

”I'm living in Armidale with my aunt. I-I have a son. Jack. He's eight.”

Kate did the quick calculation in her head. ”Eight? Cally, you must have been-?”

”Yes. I was sixteen. I dated Lachlan Brady in high school. I-I got pregnant.”

”Wow,” Kate murmured, trying to process the news that her best friend had a child by a member of one of Watervale's most prominent families. ”Wow, you and Lachlan Brady. I can't believe it. How is he?”

”W-we're not together anymore. In fact, we haven't been together since before Jack was born.”

”Oh, I see.” Kate couldn't think of anything else to say.

”Enough about me, I'm dying to know what happened to you. It was almost as if you'd disappeared into thin air. You'd talked about leaving, of course, but I had no idea you meant it. When your mom told me you'd been in contact...”

Kate heaved a sigh. It would be a relief to talk to someone about it, someone who knew her from way back when.

”I know. It wasn't exactly planned. One night I just made up my mind to leave. I packed a bag and hopped a bus to Sydney. I'm sorry I didn't call you. Mom told me she'd let you know.”

”I can't believe how brave you were. You make it sound so simple and I'm sure it was anything but. I don't know if I'd have had the courage to do it back then.”

Kate brushed aside the admiration in Cally's voice. ”It's amazing what you can do when you don't have a choice.”

”Don't I know it,” Cally murmured, her voice rough with emotion.

Tears p.r.i.c.ked Kate's eyes. She couldn't begin to imagine Cally's life, raising a child alone, and yet her friend didn't sound unhappy. Kate had never allowed herself to imagine a family of her own. A family meant letting someone get close and that wasn't something she was prepared to do.

But listening to Cally speak about her son, she felt a yearning that was completely foreign. When at last the feeling subsided, she felt emptier than she had for a long time.

Tucking her emotions firmly back into the box where she'd locked them for so many years, she cleared her throat and spoke again. ”How did you find me?”

”I had a call from a police officer from Watervale-a Detective Munro. He was asking questions about you and Darryl.”

Kate's stomach dropped like she'd just stepped into a free-falling elevator. A buzzing sound filled her ears and she had to strain to hear Cally.

”I didn't tell him much. I wanted to talk to you first.”

Kate found her voice at last. ”I'm glad you did.”

”I realized if the police from Watervale were calling to ask about you, there was a fair chance you'd returned home. I rang all five motels in town. The Jackeroo confirmed you were a guest and put me through to your room. I hope you don't mind. I really wanted to talk to you. Not just about that, but...everything.” Cally's voice faded into a murmur of hesitation and uncertainty.

”Of course, Cally. Of course I don't mind,” Kate hastened to rea.s.sure her. ”It's great to hear from you. I only wish you were still here, so we could meet in person. I could do with a hug right about now.”

”I'm hearing you, Kate. It's been a long time for me, too.”

A moment pa.s.sed. Cally broke the silence. ”What brings you back to Watervale? And please tell me why the police are asking questions about you.”

Kate sucked in a breath and held it for as long as she could. In silence, she willed the heavy knot of dread that lay deep inside her to ease. ”My mother's missing.”

”Oh, Kate! That's awful.”

”Yes.” It was all she could manage.

”Do the police have any idea where she might be?”

She cleared her throat again. ”No, not at this stage. Darryl told them she'd gone on a cruise, but the police have since discovered she didn't board the s.h.i.+p. Right now, no one knows what's happened to her.”

”Oh, Kate, that's terrible. They're not suspecting foul play, are they?”

Kate bit her lip, fighting the despair that threatened to overwhelm her. ”I-I don't know what they think,” she whispered.

”I don't know what to say, Kate. I wish I was there to give you a hug.”

”Me, too.”

Images of Riley bombarded Kate's thoughts and her stomach clenched in response. Those eyes, that smile, the utter confidence he exuded-like nothing and no one could stand in his way.

As if reading her mind, Cally chuckled in her ear. ”I'm not sure what he looks like, but that detective sure sounded yummy on the phone.”

Kate's pulse quickened. An awkward laugh escaped. ”Yeah, he's pretty easy on the eye.”

”I knew it. I bet he's got a body to die for.”

”Mm, yeah, he's got it all happening there, too.”

”Oh, Kate,” Cally squealed, reminding her of when they were teenagers. ”It sounds like you know him pretty well.”

Kate's cheeks went hot. ”He's a police officer, Cally. You, of all people, know how I feel about them. And anyway, my life's in England, now. Watervale holds nothing but bad memories.”

”You and I have a lot in common. I haven't been home since before Jack was born,” Cally admitted quietly.

Kate felt a burst of surprise. ”What about your mom and dad? Don't they still live here?”