Weekend Warriors (Sisterhood #1)(58)
Kathryn talked nonstop for fifteen minutes. “When it was over, we drove away.”
“Was it worth it, Kathryn? Do you feel vindicated?”
“Oh, yes, Nikki. I’m glad Yoko asked Sid Lee about the others. If she hadn’t, I think I would have always wondered. What they did to me, they did to a lot of women. They won’t do it ever again, though. I don’t suppose anyone heard anything, you know, on the news or in the papers?”
“Not that I know of,” Nikki said. “I don’t think it’s the kind of thing that will make the news unless they go public. Although, you never know. I can’t swear to it but I’ll bet you a dollar Charles is tuned into the L.A. Times. By the way, you did good back there.”
“You know, I really would have taken a polygraph test if they wanted to give it.”
“Just the fact that you said you were willing was enough for Jack. Those tests cost money and he really couldn’t justify it to his boss. Drink up, Kathryn,” Nikki said, holding her wineglass aloft.
They smiled at each other, each busy with her own thoughts.
“Nikki, do you know if Julia…”
“She did it yesterday. She sent them Federal Express from New York. Alexis fixed her up and she drove up there, mailed them and then drove back. She sent them for a ten o’clock delivery. It’s two o’clock here on the East Coast and eleven on the West Coast.. I think they’re probably gazing at their jewels as we speak and wondering how it all went wrong.”
Kathryn smiled and held her glass upward. “To the Sisterhood! Long may they reign!”
On a balmy spring day just as the first spring flowers bloomed, the Sisterhood met for the second time at Myra Rutledge’s McLean estate.
This time, however, the sisters were more vocal with one another, asking about each other’s lives and talking about the weather, social events and recipes. The mood was relaxed, not frightening like the first time. Nor was it exhilarating like they thought it would be. It was comfortable, each woman at ease and content in her own skin, knowing now their capabilities and using them to the fullest.
Myra banged her gavel on the round table. “The second meeting of the Sisterhood will now come to order. Are all present and accounted for?”
“Aye,” came the reply.
“Then let’s get down to business. In the matter of Kathryn Lucas, was the project successful? Do we have any unfinished business in regard to the project?”
“I think Jack Emery goes under the heading of unfinished business. At the present, I think it’s better to let sleeping dogs lie. If the dog should wake and bark, then we can decide what we want to do. I do have one thought where he is concerned. At some point, he’s going to remember the tunnels are under the house. Or, if he doesn’t remember on his own, someone might tell him about them. He knows Barbara and I used to play in them when we were children. He knows that because I told him several years ago. I apologize.”
“There’s no need to apologize, dear. Six months ago, Charles had the part of the tunnel under the house closed off. Now it looks like the only entrance is from the barn. We used distressed wood and blew cobwebs all over the place. It doesn’t look like anyone has been down there for years and years. That particular branch of the tunnel leads to the Danberry farm. There are no blueprints other than those that belong to this family. I know the Danberry’s have a set of prints but they’re just for their branch of the tunnels. If Mr. Emery’s nose starts to twitch, we’ll deal with it then.”
Myra looked around the table at the faces she now knew and adored. “I repeat, was the Kathryn Lucas project successful? How say you all?”
“Aye,” came the reply.
“Kathryn, do you feel avenged?”
“Yes, I do. Thanks to all of you.”
Myra banged the gavel a second time.
“The Kathryn Lucas project is now closed and sealed. We will never speak of it again. Do we all agree?”
“Aye,” came the reply.
Myra banged her gavel a third time. “It’s time to choose our next case. Yoko, do the honors, please.”
Yoko leaned over the table and reached into the shoebox. She withdrew a folded slip of paper and handed it to Myra.
“Sisters, our next case is Alexis Thorne!”
Epilogue
Three days later
“There’s something about an early morning breakfast on a terrace that is so special it defies words,” Julia Webster said. “Look and listen to all the birds. See how pretty all the flowers are in the yard and here on the terrace. I just love beautiful things. I don’t mean material things, I mean nature things. Did I tell you all, I ordered a Night Train? My hus…the man I’m married to, said it was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I corrected that statement and told him no, the stupidest thing I ever did was to marry him.”
“Atta girl, Julia,” Kathryn said. Julia beamed.
“What’s for breakfast?” Alexis queried.
“Fresh melon, freshly squeezed orange juice and beignets A new shop opened in town and the baker is from New Orleans. Charles went to fetch us some. Oh, I hear his car now. We must remember to thank him, sisters. He does love doing things for us.” Myra sighed happily and smiled as Charles opened the small iron gate leading to the terrace.