Almost Home Part 21

Leeanne picked up her white linen napkin and set it in her lap as the waiter brought over their tea. After a.s.suring him that they didn't need anything else for the moment, Leeanne stirred in exactly one teaspoon of sugar and swirled the tea with her spoon three times. Mary Jo couldn't help smiling.

Leeanne looked over at her and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "What's so amusing?"

"Us," Mary Jo said. "I can remember a time when we considered lying on the gra.s.s eating peanut b.u.t.ter and banana sandwiches a perfect lunch. And we didn't even wash our hands before we ate. Now, we're..." Mary Jo couldn't bring herself to say the word.

"We're what?" Leeanne asked, tilting her head to one side, so that her hat looked even more rakish and daring.

"We're matrons. Our makeup isn't covering up freckles anymore, it's covering up wrinkle lines. We've both dyed our hair so many times, I barely remember our true colors."

"Personally, I've always thought you should add more gold streaks or a copper tone to your hair, or maybe go pitch black. Your blond hair color is so conservative."

"Like me," Mary Jo said with a sigh. "I can't change."

"Sure you can."

"No, I can't, and neither can you. We're the same girls we were thirty years ago, just the packaging is different. You're still the reckless flirt, and I'm still the shy wallflower."

"What's brought on all this soul-searching? A midlife crisis?"

"Why not? I'm middle-aged and married to a first-cla.s.s jerk."

"Yes, well, J.T. has changed for the worse."

"Or maybe I never really knew who he was. At least you know who Jimmy is."

"Do I?" Leeanne asked. "Sometimes I'm not so sure."

"And sometimes you let your imagination get the better of you, wanting to turn Jimmy into a man of mystery when he's just a very nice guy."

"I suppose you're right." Leeanne turned her head again, taking another look at the lobby just as she'd done three minutes earlier.

Mary Jo's earlier suspicions returned. "Okay, what are we really doing here and who are you looking for? Don't try to lie. I've known you since you were eight years old, and I know how you get when you're plotting something. And you are definitely plotting something."

"Very well," Leeanne replied with a sulking smile. "I'm hoping we might run into Miss Whitfield."

Mary Jo sent her a curious look. "The woman J.T. doused with his drink a few nights ago?"

"That's right."

"Why would we want to run into her?"

"Because Miss Whitfield came to town for a reason, Mary Jo. She's looking for her father, and she thinks it might be Jimmy."

"No!"

"Oh, yes. She stopped by the bank on Friday asking Jimmy all kinds of questions. Seems her father's name started with a J."

"But Jimmy is a straight arrow," Mary Jo said with a shake of her head. "He would never cheat on you, not in a million years. Not like J- What did you say about the initial J?"

Leeanne looked into her eyes as the equation suddenly changed.

"Oh, dear," Leanne said. She reached out to pat Mary Jo on the hand. "Now, don't you start fretting about J.T. Miss Whitfield didn't come looking for him."

"Not yet anyway. Oh, Lord," Mary Jo said. "J.T. is a much more likely candidate than Jimmy."

"I don't know." Leeanne's eyes narrowed. "I was watching Jimmy when she came to see him, and he lied to her, Mary Jo. I know that as well as I know my own name. I've spent the last three days trying to worm some information out of him, and he's got his mouth locked up as tight as that bank vault. It's obvious to me that if I want information, I'm going to have to get it from Miss Whitfield."

Mary Jo shook her head, trying to make sense of it all. "I can't believe Jimmy would have a grown daughter. How old is this woman anyway?"

"I don't recall if she said. Twenty-six, twenty-seven, I think."

"That would be when you and Jimmy first married."

"When he was taking night cla.s.ses in Lexington," Leeanne replied.

"And J.T. was still living part of the time in Louisville right before our marriage." Mary Jo leaned forward, dropping her voice down to a whisper. "I think we should go. I don't have any desire to see this Miss Whitfield. If she hasn't come sniffing around J.T., I sure don't want to encourage it."

"Well, I have a few questions I'd like to ask her."

Mary Jo couldn't imagine why Leeanne wanted to confront this woman who was threatening to upset their lives. "I don't understand you." Mary Jo frowned as she considered the s.h.i.+ning energetic lights in Leeanne's eyes, the nervous energy in her thin body. Leeanne didn't look at all bothered by the fact that her husband might have fathered a child with someone else. "Doesn't it bother you that she's accusing your husband of being unfaithful, of having some deep dark secret? You act like you want this to be true."

"Of course I don't."

Mary Jo sent her a pointed stare.

"Oh, all right," Leeanne replied with a shrug. "I can't help being a little t.i.tillated by the idea of Jimmy having a secret life. He has always been so absolutely predictable and boring that it gives me s.h.i.+vers to think he might actually have another side to him that I haven't seen yet."

"For heaven's sake, Leeanne. We're talking about Jimmy and another woman. That can't be exciting to you."

"Well, it is. Sue me," Leeanne said, her bright lips turning into a pout. "Here I am at my s.e.xual peak, married to a man who prefers sleep over s.e.x. That could all change if I find out this woman is his child from a secret affair. Why, he'd have to do whatever I want to keep me from leaving him. You know he couldn't stand a divorce. Why, it would shatter his reputation."

"Not as much as an illegitimate daughter. I think we should play dumb, Leeanne, not talk to this woman at all. We'll tell our friends not to talk to her. She'll get so exasperated, she'll have to leave, and we can get back to our normal lives."

"Are you sure your normal life is really all you want?" Leeanne asked. "Because frankly, I want more."

"I don't want to find out Katherine Whitfield is J.T.'s daughter. It would ruin what's left of my life." Mary Jo looked into Leeanne's eyes. "And it would ruin yours, too. Don't let yourself think otherwise. Boring is better than devastated, believe me. I'm leaving right now, and I think you should, too."

"You can't. There she is." Leeanne got to her feet and called out, "Miss Whitfield, oh, Miss Whitfield."

Chapter 13.

Katherine stopped at the sound of her name. Off to the right she saw two women in the lobby bar. One, wearing a ridiculously large hat, was waving to her with a smile as if they knew each other. Katherine hesitated, suddenly realized the redhead had been in Jimmy Callaway's office. Katherine didn't recognize the blond woman, nor did she look particularly welcoming, but Katherine could hardly walk away without appearing incredibly rude.

"h.e.l.lo," Katherine said as she joined them. "Can I help you?"

"You're Katherine Whitfield, aren't you?" the redhead asked. She extended her hand, heavy with rings on almost every finger and bright red polish on the nails. "We weren't introduced the other day. I'm Leeanne Callaway. Jimmy Callaway's wife."

His wife? Katherine had thought she'd interrupted a man entertaining his lover; their behavior had been so strange. And Leeanne had been wearing a trench coat, for goodness' sakes. But apparently the mild-mannered Jimmy Callaway had a wild side.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Callaway."

"And this is Mary Jo Baker, J.T.'s wife."

Mary Jo stood up, obviously reluctantly. "h.e.l.lo."

"h.e.l.lo." Katherine felt even more awkward upon learning the ident.i.ty of the other woman. She couldn't believe she'd just stumbled upon the wives of the two men she'd suspected of being her father.

"I'm sorry for what my husband did, throwing his drink at you," Mary Jo murmured. "I hope you'll let me know if there is anything I can do."

"It was just an accident. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Won't you sit down and join us for tea?" Leeanne asked, pulling out a chair.

While her sweet southern drawl dripped with honey, Katherine had the distinct feeling Leeanne Callaway would not take no for an answer. "All right."

As she took her seat, the waiter immediately appeared with an extra cup and saucer. "Can I get you anything else?" he asked.

Katherine shook her head. "No, thank you."

"Now then, Jimmy tells me you're searching for your father," Leeanne said. "Or is it your mother? He wasn't too clear."

Katherine licked her lips. She'd thought the men in Paradise were a handful, but Leeanne Callaway seemed far more dangerous with her soft voice and sharp eyes. Katherine took a sip of tea, stalling for time.

"I believe my mother lived here or visited frequently in the early seventies," Katherine explained, setting down her cup. "When I was at Golden's, Justin Blakemore told me he thought there might have been a woman named Evie pictured in a photograph with your husband."

"Evie? That was your mother's name?" Leeanne asked.

"Actually, her name was Evelyn. But there was a photograph of Jimmy with a girl named Evie, and Justin thought the connection might be close."

"So you think Jimmy is your father?" Leeanne let the question linger in the air like an unwanted puff of smoke.

"No, no, of course not," Katherine said hastily. Although the thought had certainly crossed her mind. "I didn't mean to imply that. I just thought he might have remembered my mother, and if that were the case, then he might also know my father."

"What was your mother's last name?" Mary Jo asked, suddenly entering the conversation.

"Jones. Evelyn Jones."

"I don't think we know anyone by that name," Leeanne said. "Do we, Mary Jo?"

"No," Mary Jo said shortly.

"What about your father? What was his name?" Leeanne asked.

"All I have is a first initial. J."

"Like Jimmy," Leeanne said carefully. "I can see how your mind crossed that bridge. But for Jimmy to have been your father- You're how old?"

"Twenty-seven."

"Well, if that's the case, Jimmy would have had to be unfaithful to me just before our marriage."

"J is a common initial," Katherine replied. "As I said, I don't have much to go on."

"Nothing else, just an initial?"

"I have a few mementos, c.o.c.ktail napkins, matchbooks, that sort of thing." Katherine took another sip of tea, wondering if she could escape. While Jimmy Callaway hadn't seemed like a bad father, she found the idea of being tied to Leeanne Callaway far less appealing.

"My husband's name is John Thomas," Mary Jo said unexpectedly, drawing Katherine's attention to her. "Most people call him J.T. I suppose that would qualify as a J, too."

Mary Jo's voice was filled with dismay, worry, disappointment. Katherine didn't know what to say, how to react. She'd told Zach she hadn't come to Paradise to hurt anyone, but she had the sudden feeling that she could hurt this woman.

"I-I guess it would qualify," Katherine said slowly. "But I'm sure my father is not either of your husbands."

"You can't be sure," Leeanne said pointedly. "Because you don't know."

"Well, your husband did deny knowing my mother. I have no reason not to believe him." Katherine watched Leeanne closely, wondering if Jimmy's wife had more reason to disbelieve him than Katherine did.

"He's a very truthful man," Leeanne said. "At least, that's what I've always thought."

"Perhaps you're searching in the wrong place entirely," Mary Jo said. "Paradise is a small town, made up of families who have been here for generations. We all know each other. We all trust each other. It's hard to believe someone would be harboring such a secret."

It was a long, somewhat desperate speech, Katherine thought, noting how close Leeanne and Mary Jo had drawn together, their shoulders practically touching. They were drawing a line between them and her, pointing out, just as Zach had done, how unwelcome she was in Paradise, questioning their men, threatening their lives.

"You know, I was just on my way up to my room to make a phone call." Katherine stood up, and Leeanne jumped up along with her.

"Now, don't rush off, Miss Whitfield. I know Mary Jo didn't sound too helpful." She sent Mary Jo a pointed look. "But as she said, we've lived here all our lives. Perhaps we can help you. Are you sure you don't know anything else about your father?"

"Not really, no, although I did find a cuff link."

"What did it look like?"

"Black and gold with a horse on it."

"How interesting." Leeanne's gaze fastened on Katherine's face in a way that made Katherine want to run for the elevator. "You do remind me of someone, but I can't think who. Mary Jo?"

Mary Jo looked up from the napkin she was twisting and studied Katherine's face. "Someone," she murmured.

"I think I just have that kind of face," Katherine said, unnerved by their scrutiny. She felt young and insecure and way out of her league.

"It's a pity your mother never told you about your father," Leeanne mused. "I wonder why that was."

"She died when I was young. We never had a chance to have that conversation."