Chapter Fifteen
Carmel Valley, San Diego, California
“It’s a freaking party,” Kit murmured as she and Sam walked through the door of McKittrick House.
“Sounds like,” Sam said, putting his arm around her shoulders. Six months ago, she would have shrugged him off. Now she realized how much she needed his touch. He grounded her in ways she hadn’t known she needed.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Betsy met them in the living room, opening her arms to Kit, who walked into them, but not before leaning up to kiss Sam’s cheek. He liked it when she did that.
She liked to make him happy.
She rested her head on her mother’s shoulder. “Did you talk to Akiko?”
“Not yet,” Betsy said, rocking Kit where they stood. “I tried, but your father said she’d fallen asleep. That she’d cried herself to sleep.”
Kit’s throat thickened, her eyes stinging at the memory of Akiko’s sobs. Akiko and Harlan had retreated to a private waiting room at the hospital where Ito remained unconscious, and it was there that Kit had told her Paolo was dead over a damn FaceTime call.
“Dammit, Mom. I hated making that call.”
“I know, Kitty-Cat. But I know you told her with all the compassion and love in your heart.”
Kit had. But that hadn’t made it easier to tell her sister that Paolo had been murdered.
Lennox had offered to do it, but Kit had needed to tell Akiko herself.
“Notifications are always hard. But with someone you love…Mom, she wanted to do the ID. To be sure it was Paolo who was killed. I kept telling her that we were sure, but she didn’t want to believe me. ”
“Denial is a real thing,” Sam said from behind her. He stroked a hand over her hair. “You handled it just right. Gave her the facts. But you did it with love, Kit.”
Kit sighed, pulling from her mother’s embrace. “I had to tell her that Nicchi ID’d him through the tattoos on his arm. That his face had been beaten. That she shouldn’t see him like that.”
Betsy cupped Kit’s face in her hands, her touch tender. “We’ll be there for her in the next few days. We’ll all hold each other up. It’s what we do.”
It was. And it sounded like a large group had gathered to lend their support. “Who’s here?”
“Sam’s parents. All the girls. I’m keeping them home from school until this is over, so they begged to stay up late.” Her eyes twinkled. “And Georgia and Eloise. I thought Sam’s folks would want to meet them.”
“You think of everything, Betsy,” Sam said. “Thank you.”
“Is Anson here?” Kit asked. She hadn’t seen him in months. “His Subaru’s outside.”
“He’s out in the barn, tinkering with the security system.” Betsy pointed to the box under Sam’s arm. “What’s in there?”
“My figurines,” Kit said. “We went to the boat to get them.” They were the only thing of any real value that she owned. “I didn’t want to risk someone breaking in and destroying them.”
“Give me the box and I’ll put it in your room. Go and get some food. Is Baz coming?”
“I finally got him to go home for some sleep.”
“That man needs to take better care of himself,” Betsy said. “Sam, your mother’s been waiting for you.”
“How did she know I was coming here?” he asked.
“She didn’t,” Betsy said. “But you’ve ended up here most nights for the past few weeks. Plus, we invited your parents a week ago, as soon as your mom said they were coming.”
That Betsy McKittrick and Ann Reeves were becoming friends made Kit a little nervous. If she and Sam didn’t work out…But that was borrowing trouble, and she’d made a resolution not to do that.
Kit was determined to make it work with him. Whatever that meant.
In the meantime, his mother being friends with hers was a good thing. Betsy deserved friendships with women her own age. She gave everything to the kids who lived here. She needed something of her own.
They were greeted by smiles and hellos from the crowd at the table. Sam kissed his mother’s cheek and hugged his father. Kit was less demonstrative, but she tried to be friendly.
It was hard. She could still hear Akiko’s sobs.
Georgia patted the empty chair next to her while Sam sat next to Miss Eloise. The two octogenarians were among Kit’s favorite people. She’d met them on a case the previous autumn and they’d become regulars around the McKittricks’ table.
“You okay?” Georgia asked quietly. She was a grumpy woman, but that was mostly exterior. Inside she was a marshmallow. She had a quick, biting wit and was one of the most intelligent women Kit had ever met.
One of the things Kit liked about Georgia was that she could be honest with her. She didn’t have to put on a brave face. “Not really. You heard the news?”
“That Akiko’s friend was murdered? Yes. Your mother told us. I’m so sorry.”
“Me too. First Akiko’s sensei was beaten and now her friend is dead. She’s heartbroken.”
“So you are, too. You’d rather be shot at than see her hurting.”
Kit smiled at the older woman. “You know me pretty well.”
“I was you, once upon a time. Not a glamorous detective, mind you. But I was prickly, and people thought I didn’t care. I did, of course. I cared a lot. It was just hard to say the words.”
“I get you, Miss Georgia. I…” She swallowed. “Feelings are hard for me.”
“I know. But you’re doing really well.” Georgia took the filled plate that one of the teenagers had passed down the table and set it in front of Kit. “Eat. We’re all finished.”
“We’ve even had dessert,” Rita said, “but we can always have more with you.” She’d become the de facto leader of the teenagers, having been at McKittrick House the longest. “Miss Eloise made brownies.”
Kit choked on the bite of food she’d just taken, and Georgia had to pound her back. “Brownies?” she asked when she could speak. “Miss Eloise made them?”
Eloise fluffed her blue hair. She was an outrageous lady, a peacock among sparrows. “I did indeed. Is there a problem, Detective?”
Kit opened her mouth, then closed it. If they were Miss Eloise’s “special” brownies, there would be a lot of problems. Not the least of which would be drug use among minors.
Sam took a brownie and sniffed it. “No hash?”
Eloise frowned. “I would never bring my special brownies here. Not to children. Who do you think I am, Sam Reeves?”
“My favorite baker,” Sam said with a relieved smile.
“Oh.” Ann pouted. “I wanted to try those.”
Eloise patted her hand. “I have some in my purse. I’ll fix you up.”
“Miss Eloise,” Sam groaned.
“She’s of age, Sammy,” Eloise said tartly. “Stop harshing her vibe.”
Kit laughed. “I’m so glad you came tonight, Miss Eloise. I needed to laugh.”
Eloise’s expression softened. “Everyone at Shady Oaks asked me to send you their best regards.”
“Tell them thank you and that I’m mending well.”
“How is your sister’s grandfather?” Bill asked.
“Not great,” Kit said. “He’s come around twice but mumbled incoherently and drifted right back out. I hope she gets some time with him.”
“To have known him all these years,” Ann said sadly, “and just now find out that he’s her grandfather. She must feel betrayed.”
“She does. He said it was because she was in danger. We’re wondering if the trouble with Paolo is connected. It’s hard to imagine that it’s not.”
“He was smuggling guns—is that like organized crime, Kit?”
The question came from Dawn, one of the new girls. The girl who tended to see things other people didn’t see.
“Yes, Dawn. Why?”
Sam held up a hand. “Wait. How did you know about the smuggling?” he asked, because they hadn’t shared that with anyone.
Dawn hesitated.
Rita sighed. “It was online. Tamsin Effing Kavanaugh.”
“Rita,” Betsy admonished.
“I calls ’em like I sees ’em, Mom. In this house, that’s her name.”
“You know it’s true, Mom,” Tiffany said. “That woman has it in for Kit.”
Kit immediately checked her phone. There was the story about Paolo’s murder, including the gun smuggling. It even mentioned Akiko and her boat by name.
Kit could feel her rage building and had to take some deep breaths. “I may need to start following her. She’s getting scoops almost faster than we are.”
Sam made a face. “I don’t think you should get that close to her. For her safety.”
“Damn straight,” Kit muttered, then remembered Dawn’s question. “Why did you ask about smuggling, Dawn?”
“Mom said that Akiko’s grandfather knew Paolo and his brother. From when they were little kids?”
“Yes. Why?” But connections were starting to fire in Kit’s tired brain. Finally. “Are you asking if Akiko’s sensei is connected to the mob?”
And maybe Paolo worked for him. She hadn’t considered it, but it was possible. Especially with how close-lipped Nicchi was being. Maybe he was part of the smuggling operation, too.
Dawn looked at her plate. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.” She folded in on herself. “I’m sorry.”
The room grew silent, waiting for Kit’s reply.
Kit got up and crouched next to Dawn’s chair.
“Hey. Look at me.” She waited until Dawn did so, her heart hurting at both the fear and the tears in the teenager’s eyes.
Dawn was a tough kid. She didn’t cry. She reminded Kit of herself.
“You’re not in trouble, Dawn. And nobody’s going to ask you to leave for asking a question or for speaking your mind. ”
Dawn’s lips trembled. “I shouldn’t have said that. Not about Akiko’s grandfather.”
“I think you should have. I hadn’t thought of it until you said something, but it’s a darn good question and you are a smart girl. Tell me that you believe me. That you’re smart and that nobody’s gonna ask you to leave.”
Dawn blinked, then hastily wiped the tears from her face. “I thought you’d be mad.”
“Because you wondered if Akiko’s grandfather might be involved in something illegal? Dawn, it’s a question I should have asked already.”
“Me too,” Sam said. “I think Kit and I are both too close.”
Kit took Dawn’s hand. “You are safe here. You are loved here. And unless you are a gun smuggler yourself or you hurt someone under this roof, you’re stuck here until you’re eighteen. Got it?”
Dawn tried to smile. “Yeah.”