Secrets to the Grave

94

“I want to see my kitties!” Haley whined.

They sat at the breakfast table trying to start the day in between Haley’s outbursts. First she hadn’t wanted to get out of bed, then she hadn’t wanted to get dressed. Anne had given in on that one for the moment, saving it as a bargaining chip for after breakfast. Next had come the raisin toast rebellion, now this.

Anne knew where the bratty attitude was coming from. The little girl was struggling with the memories and emotions that had been churned up because of Dennis’s attack. She was frustrated and afraid of those feelings, and didn’t have the tools to deal with them. Consequently, they came out in little fits of temper, and her attempts at taking some control over her environment came out in small acts of defiance.

Of course, understanding didn’t make it any easier on the nerves to listen to a whining child.

Vince gave Haley a look that made her sit down on the banquette. “Enough,” he said quietly. “Or you won’t be going anywhere, young lady.”

Big tears welled up in Haley’s eyes and she started to wail.

They both ignored the tantrum.

“Are you sure you’re feeling up to doing this?” Vince asked.

“No, but I think it will be a good diversion,” Anne said. “For both of us.”

As much as she didn’t want to spend time with Milo Bordain, Anne had decided it would be a good day to take Haley to see her kittens at the Bordain ranch. Let Haley get some fresh air and exercise, and focus on things that were external instead of trying to cope with the tangled ball of feelings inside her head.

The same went for herself. Fresh air and the chance to be around animals and the beauty of nature would do her a world of good.

“Don’t let that woman rattle you,” Vince warned. “She thinks she’s going to a-d-o-p-t. No one has told her yet that she has no standing because the paternity isn’t what she thinks it is.”

Vince had explained the situation to her as they knew it so far. Everyone was waiting to hear from Gina Kemmer, who was probably the only person involved who knew the true circumstances of Haley’s birth.

Anne was trying to put the possibility that Haley had parents out in the world out of her mind. She had to make herself believe that Marissa Fordham—who by most accounts had been a caring, wonderful mother, and a caring, wonderful person—hadn’t stolen this precious child. There had to be another explanation.

Haley had given up on her little fit and was nibbling on a piece of blueberry muffin.

“We’re going to take a ride in a police car, Haley,” Anne said. “That’ll be fun.”

“Why?”

“Because,” Anne said, “if you finish your breakfast and brush your teeth and get dressed, the deputy will take us out to your auntie Milo’s ranch to see your kitties.”

Haley lit up at that.

That was the end of the bad attitude.

Vince went off to the hospital to see if Gina Kemmer would give them more revelations as she regained her strength.

Anne dressed in jeans and an oversize blue flannel shirt, accommodating both her stiffness and her bandages, and brushed her hair back into a ponytail. She put Haley in bib overalls, a little turtleneck, and pigtails, and off they went to the country.

The day was beautiful, as was the drive through the valley to the Bordains’ ranch. Anne and Haley sat together in the backseat of the radio car, behind the cage like a couple of common criminals.

Haley looked out the windows. “This is the way to my house,” she said. “Do you think if we went to my house my mommy would be there?”

“No, sweetheart. Your mommy is an angel in heaven, remember? Do you think your kitties will be excited to see you?”

She nodded and played with the stuffed cat Milo Bordain had given her, practicing her meowing.

When they pulled into the Bordain yard and parked, Haley couldn’t get out of the car fast enough. Milo stood waiting for them, dressed in riding breeches and a hacking jacket, every hair perfectly in place.

Haley ran toward her. “Where’s my kitties? Where’s my kitties?”

“How about a hello for your auntie Milo first,” Anne said.

“Helloauntiemilo, where’s my kitties?”

Milo Bordain smiled one of her very practiced committee-chairwoman smiles. “Anne, I’m so glad you decided to bring Haley. I’ve missed her so much!” She bent over, trying to get Haley’s attention. “I’ve missed you so much, Miss Haley!”

Haley scowled. “Where’s my kitties!!”

“Haley,” Anne warned. “No bad attitude or we go home.”

“The cats are in the barn,” Bordain said, defusing the moment by leading the way.

Tucked back against the hills, the ranch was like something from a magazine. Every inch of it was landscaped for effect with old climbing roses and white potato vines and purple morning glories dripping from fences and arbors. Pepper trees and huge spreading oaks studded the property. Flower beds full of pansies edged the paths and outbuildings. Beautiful gray horses with long flowing manes and tails grazed in green paddocks. Colorful chickens hunted and pecked, scattered around the setting like the perfect farmyard accessories.

“This is absolutely beautiful,” Anne said.

“Thank you. It’s been a lot of work, but I enjoy it,” Bordain said. “We were city people for so many years, but we love it here. Oak Knoll is a wonderful town. We both enjoy being involved with the college and the various civic groups. Bruce enjoys playing the gentleman rancher on the weekends.”

“Is Mr. Bordain here very often?” Anne asked, trying to fill in the blanks of Marissa Fordham’s life. If Milo was here on her own most of the time, it made sense that she had more or less adopted a second family in Marissa and Haley.

Milo Bordain forced a little laugh. “He’s a very busy man. He’s expanding his parking lot kingdom to Las Vegas now. He’s there today.”

She was a lonely woman, Anne thought. And now her son was coming under the scrutiny of detectives in the death of her surrogate daughter. The tension was showing in her manner and in the fine lines across her forehead and around her mouth. She was probably feeling threatened. Marissa had been taken away from her, now her son ... She would want more than ever to maintain her connection to Haley.

Haley ran ahead of them into the barn.

“She’s struggling a little bit with the memories that are coming back to her,” Anne said. “That’s manifesting in some difficult behavior.”

“She’s remembering more?”

“Yes. At first she was very vague. Now she’s starting to talk in more detail about what happened.”

“Really? But she hasn’t named the killer.”

“No.”

“Well, I wish she would so the detectives would stop trying to blame my son. It’s ridiculous to think Darren would want to harm Marissa. It’s absolutely ludicrous,” she insisted, anger rising. “I have to say I’m very disappointed in Cal Dixon.”

Haley came racing out of the barn. “Mommy Anne! Hurry up! Come and see my kitties!!”

Thankful for the interruption, Anne picked up her pace, reaching out her hand. Haley grabbed hold and tugged at her, dragging her toward the barn and the promise of kitties.