Chapter Seven
Twenty-Four Hours Later
Katrina pulls up in front of the two-story beach house her grandmother left her when she passed away a few years before. The house has a modern design and a bright white stone finish that glistens when the sun hits it. Glass windows and doors wrap themselves completely around the outside of the house, coming to a large deck that runs the entire length of the back of the house and overlooks the soft, white sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. Built up off the sand, it has an oversized, four car garage situated at the end of the driveway. There’s a large double door entry with dolphin designs etched in the glass panes in each of the front doors and a wide set of white steps leading up to them.
“How I’ve missed this house, Max. I haven’t been back here since Grandma’s will was read.” Afterward, she decided to have the house closed up. “Some of my best childhood memories are tied up here.” Pulling into the driveway, she cuts the engine and ushers Max inside.
The floor plan is open and spacious. The main floor consists of a comfortably furnished living room, dining room, and family room. A large eat-in kitchen sits towards the back of the house, with only the most modern of appliances, pearl finished washed oak cabinetry, and granite counter tops with veins of blues and greens running through them. One and a half bathrooms, a wet bar, and a laundry room finish off the main floor. The entire back of the house is floor to ceiling glass, with doors leading to the white sugary shore.
Taking the stairs to the top floor, Katrina drops her bags in the master bedroom and bath. There are two other bedrooms, a bathroom, a large entertainment room, study, and a small ballet studio her grandma set up for when she came to visit.
“No rest for the weary,” Katrina says as she pats Max on the head.
“Okay boy, I need to run out and get the house stocked with groceries. I left you water in your bowl in the kitchen, but I’m sure we’re both going to be hungry soon, so be good and I’ll be back before you know it.” Max barks, nosing Kat’s hand for another head rub. She obliges, then out the door she goes.
Stopping by the nearest cell phone store, Katrina picks up a prepaid phone and activates it before leaving the store. The best part about prepaid phones? They’re not registered in your name. Good luck tracing it, Dad. Next stop…a prepaid credit card. Load it at any store and you’re good to go.
She thumbs through the cash she withdrew on her way out of New York. It’s plenty for now, and although she has enough left in her accounts to do whatever she wants, she knows that to touch it would give away her location.
I’ll access it to pay my New York bills online. No one will know where the payments are coming from. I’ll live off the monthly stipend from grandma’s estate, which I’ll have the attorney’s office pay me in cash from now on. Living in town will make it easy to pick up the funds once a month.
As it is her grandma on her Mother’s side, old Senator Jameson knew nothing about it. He thought the house was sold, her inheritance paid out in a lump sum, and the estate settled. Wrong again!
Whatever else I need to do to get away from my father, I will figure out later.
She didn’t want her Mom to worry, so in a few days, she’d block her number and give her a call.
“Speaking of calls, it’s time to make one.”
“Bre, it’s Kat. I just got into town. Can I stop by?”