Chapter Twenty-One

Kate leaned against the counter in Simone’s kitchen and massaged her scar. Time ticked by silently on the clock above the stove. The only sound was the pounding in Kate’s brain.

She stiffened when Simone swept into the room. “Well?”

Simone set the cordless phone on the table. “Ryan and his lawyer are at the station. So far, they’re cooperating.”

Kate braced both hands on the counter. Her heart felt like it was being ripped to shreds. Everything she’d believed up to this point was turning out to be a lie.

“Richard Burton’s one of the best attorneys in the state, Kate. Their questioning won’t last long. He won’t let it.”

“Oh, God,” Kate muttered, unable to fight back the panic. “Ryan knew Jake didn’t die in that plane crash.”

Simone leaned back against the table and crossed her arms. “That’s yet to be proven. What can be proved is that Ryan’s secretary saw Jake in Ryan’s office the day before that crash here in San Francisco. And that Ryan appears to be the last person to have seen him alive.”

Kate’s eyes slid closed. “Why?” she whispered. “Why wouldn’t he tell me the truth?”

“I don’t know. But there’s more.” When Kate glanced up, Simone shifted. “Jacob McKellen, a.k.a. Jacob Alexander, and Walter Alexander were both silent partners in Grayson Pharmaceuticals, a Canadian company with a specialized drug portfolio. AmCorp recently acquired Grayson for a good chunk of change, alleviating some of their cash-flow problems. With AmCorp’s clout, they were about to push Amatroxin through for FDA approval, based on a series of clinical studies supposedly conducted in Canada.”

“Amatroxin is Tabofren under a different name, isn’t it?” Kate asked, already knowing the answer.

“There’s no proof as of yet, but that would be my guess. The detective in Canada I chatted with mentioned paperwork taken from Walter Alexander’s home referencing both drugs.”

“Ryan knew about the possible link between the two.” Kate drew in a breath to keep the tears of anger back. “He stood in Kari Adams’s living room and pretended like he didn’t know a thing about Amatroxin.”

“Jake disappeared just after the merger went through. Ryan’s secretary said she heard Ryan and Jake arguing that day in his office, although she can’t say what the debate was about.”

Kate dropped her head. “They think Ryan killed Jake. For what? Money?”

“Money’s a huge motivator for some people,” Simone said softly. “Ryan stood to make a killing if Amatroxin was approved. Jake developed it, he had a hand in testing it, but with him out of the way, the wealth floats to the top.”

“You don’t honestly believe that,” Kate said, bile rising in her stomach.

“No, Kate. I don’t. But that’s the way the police are going to paint it.”

“And Janet Kelly? They think he killed her to cover up the research study?”

“They’ll be able to link Janet Kelly to Jake through the nursing home. They’ll try to prove Ryan covered up evidence. If word got out illegal trials had taken place in the States, Amatroxin would never be approved.”

Kate’s eyes slid closed. “And the car?”

Simone sighed. “They’ll try to say he tampered with the brakes, knowing you’d be in it alone. With you out of the way, he double-benefits. He doesn’t have to pay back the life insurance claim, and there’s no one to ask questions about Tabofren. You’re the key to all of this, Kate.”

A few hours ago, her future had looked bright and promising. Now, she wasn’t sure how she’d get through the next hour without losing her slight grasp on reality. She wrapped her arms around herself. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Simone skirted the counter. Bracing both hands on Kate’s arms, she said, “Listen to me. The police can’t charge Ryan with anything at this point because their evidence is all circumstantial. You and I both know Ryan is not capable of any of that. I’m only pointing out what the DA’s going to say if things escalate. Not what’s reality.”

Kate’s eyes locked on Simone’s. Her head and heart were caught in a fierce battle. The man she’d fallen in love with couldn’t possibly be capable of murder, of conspiracy, of cover up. If he were, then it meant he’d known about her disappearance all along. And she couldn’t believe that. Not after the things he’d shared with her, the emotions he’d pulled out of her in such a short amount of time.

But always in the back of her head was that nagging voice saying she didn’t know the real Ryan Harrison. The steely businessman who’d built a pharmaceutical empire hadn’t done so by being sweet and loving. There were qualities about Ryan Harrison, CEO, she knew he kept hidden from her. Were they finally emerging?

No matter how she looked at it, the lies that had ruled her life for five long years were once again consuming her.

Kate shook her head. “I don’t know what I believe anymore, Simone. I just know I can’t trust him. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to trust what he tells me again.”

* * *

Ryan ducked into Mitch’s Land Rover. A handful of reporters closed in on them, trying to get a statement. Cameras were thrust against the windows, microphones held out for any sort of comment.

Dropping his head, Ryan rubbed his temples while Mitch pulled away from the police station. He tugged his cell from his pocket and dialed Hannah’s number.

“Ryan, I’m glad you called. The press is hounding me.”

“No comment, Hannah. Get a memo drafted for the employees. No one talks to the press. And I mean no one. Fax it to me at home before you send it out.”

“The press is staked out on your front lawn, Ryan,” Mitch cut in.

“Shit. Fax it to Mitch’s house, Hannah. I’ll be there for a while.”

“Okay,” she said. “Are you finished downtown?”

“For now.” Disgust pooled in his gut at the accusations the detectives had thrown out. “I need you to get me the surveillance tapes from the building garage. Someone used my car last week without my knowledge.”

“I can do that.”

“And Burton may call with information. If he does, reroute it to me.”

“Will do. Ryan?” she asked hesitantly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He shrugged off her concern. “Find Ron Grayson for me as well. I need him on this.”

“I’ll find him. Don’t worry, Ryan.”

Don’t worry. Yeah, right. Like that was possible at this point. He closed the phone. Resting his elbow on the windowsill, he massaged his throbbing head. “Where’s Katie?” he asked without glancing at Mitch.

“Simone’s house.” He hesitated. “Ryan, she knows about McKellen.”

Closing his eyes, he drew in a steadying breath. He could only imagine what was going through that stubborn mind of hers. He should have told her sooner. He shouldn’t have waited.

“What about the kids?” he asked.

“Mom and Dad took them to my place so they wouldn’t have to deal with reporters.”

He nodded. “I need to talk to Katie first.”

“I figured. She’s pissed.”

“Yeah, tell me something I don’t already know.”

“Ryan—”

“Not yet, Mitch. I’ll explain it all after I see Katie.”

When they pulled up in front of Simone’s house, Ryan eased out of the car and jogged up the front steps. Pushing the door open, he saw Simone on the phone. She waved him in. “I’ll have to call you back.” She hung up and glanced from Ryan to Mitch behind him. “I just got off with Hannah Hughes. She’s found Ron Grayson.”

“I’ll call him later.” Ryan glanced around the empty room. “Where’s Katie?”

“Out back.” When he stepped past Simone, she placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. “Ryan, I did the best I could.”

He squeezed her hand. “I know.”

Kate was standing on the edge of the deck, facing away when he eased the door open. One arm was wrapped around her middle; with her other hand, she rubbed that scar on the side of her head, the one she’d gotten when this had all started. Sunlight washed over her, bathing her in shimmering light. His arms ached to hold her; his fingers itched to slide into that mass of chestnut curls and massage away the tension and worry seeping from her body.

He hoped what he wanted and what she needed were the same. Swallowing the fear, he stepped up behind her. “Katie.”

Her green eyes flashed when she whipped around. “You lied to me.”

Fear spread to panic. She’d already made up her mind. He reached for her before she could step back.

“No, don’t,” she growled through clenched teeth, trying to pull away.

“Hold on. Let me explain.”

She swatted at him, pushed hard against his shoulders. “No. No!”

Heartache ripped through her words, tearing at his soul, but he didn’t let go. Couldn’t. He pulled her tight against him.

His name was a strangled whisper from her lips. A sob tore through her. Shaky fingers grasped his face and pulled his mouth to hers. Her kiss tasted of urgency, of hunger, of desperation.

Thought slipped out of his mind as he kissed her back. This was all he needed. Just her, for the rest of his life. He could face any challenge as long as she was with him. As long as she believed in him—in them—they could get through anything.

“No,” she mumbled against his mouth. Her hands rushed down to his chest, pushing against him. Tears slipped from her eyes as her mouth broke free. “No! Don’t. Don’t touch me!”

An icy rush of air washed over him when she pushed out of his arms. “Babe—”

She held out a hand to keep him away. “Don’t call me that. You don’t get to call me that.”

He was losing her. Panic spread to bone-melting fear as a heavy weight pressed down on his chest. “Just wait. And listen.”