Chapter 63
Kate
A few days after leaving the hospital, Kate was still recovering from being shot. It had hurt a lot more than it seemed in movies. Her ears were still ringing, and her whole body felt stiff and achy. Even though Walter had told her to take it easy, she felt as though she needed to do something.
Grant wouldn’t respond to her texts. She focused on trying to convince the police to release Grant’s watch. Maybe that would cheer him up. The day the police finally let her come down to the station and claim it, she hurried over there. After a long wait, she had the watch in hand and took it over to the Holbrook estate.
“How is he?” she asked Walter.
“He’s asleep, but how are you? How’s that arm?”
“It will heal,” she replied.
“I’ll make sure Grant receives the watch,” he told her.
“I was hoping to give it to him myself.”
“Grant has been sleeping during the day and wandering around the house at night,” he replied. “I doubt he will wake up anytime soon.”
“I see. I suppose I’ll see you all at the wake tonight,” she said and went back to her grandmother’s house. As she was leaving, she looked up at Grant’s window but saw no sign of him.
Her grandmother was already dressed in a black skirt and cardigan and ready to leave when Kate arrived back at the house.
“We still have a few more hours,” Kate told her on the way to change into her own black outfit.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for years,” her grandmother said. “I want to make sure she’s dead and buried. Walter’s having an open casket so we can all be sure.”
During the car ride to the historic church, Kate almost expected to receive more messages from Alan but then realized he was dead. She felt sorry for his daughter but was still thankful he wouldn’t stalk her anymore.
The viewing was packed, not only with the upper-crust members of New Cardiff, but local politicians, police officers, firefighters, and members of the media who were all in some way involved in the fire that killed Walter and Danielle’s three young children.
Grant and Walter each had a long receiving line, and Kate decided to hang back with her grandmother, out of the way.
“Nancy really went all out,” her grandmother said. “I would have dumped the woman in an unmarked grave and called it a day.”
They all regrouped at Nancy’s house after the viewing. Grant looked sort of gray, and Kate was worried about him, but he made efforts to avoid her, and she didn’t want to push him.
As Grant slumped against a wall, Nancy hurried over to him, saying, “You’ve had a shock,” manhandled him into a seat, and handed him something to drink.
Jack came and stood next to Kate, and they silently watched Nancy coax Grant to drink.
“Are your sons coming for the funeral?” Kate finally asked him.
“I told them not to waste their leave,” he replied. “They were just up here for Eric and Ginny’s wedding. Carter wanted ‘pictures of the hag,’ as he put it.”
Kate didn’t smile. “I know she was an evil person, but it’s still a death.”
“Yes. I’m sure it’s hard on Grant,” Jack said, staring down at his drink. “He never really had a mother. His adoptive mother was some flavor of abusive, and Danielle was even worse.”
They watched Nancy fuss over him.
“Well, she’s going to give it her best shot,” Kate said.
Jack smiled. “My wife is a force of nature.”
“Thank you,” Kate said, turning to look him in the eye.
“For what?”
“Saving us. And Gus.”
The corgi was underfoot, begging for snacks.
“Walter called me. It was a hunch that they would be at that spot. We used to play there as kids, and I figured that was where she might be. I might have gotten a little carried away, but no regrets, as Carter would say.”
“Yeah, my ears are still ringing.”
“Sorry about that.” He grimaced.
“It wasn’t you. It was more from…” She gestured to her arm and noticed Grant watching her sadly from across the room.
The funeral service the next morning was short. The priest said a prayer, then Nancy got up and said a few words that were a lot kinder than anything Kate ever would have said about Danielle. Then they all followed the hearse to the cemetery. Danielle was buried next to her parents and the children she killed.
Back at Nancy’s house for the repast, Grant looked ill.
“He hasn’t been sleeping,” Nancy told her quietly. “Maybe you can talk to him.”
Kate didn’t have a chance. Nancy’s house was packed after the burial service, and people would give their condolences to Grant then approach her for the full story.
She stayed at Nancy’s house until the last of the well-wishers gave their condolences. While tidying up, Kate looked for Grant and found him huddled on the couch in one of the sitting rooms.
“Grant,” Kate said as he sat up.
“What do you want?”
She stroked his face then kissed him. “I’ve been thinking about everything,” she said, cupping his jaw and looking into his eyes. “I don’t ever want to lose you. I’ll quit my job. Anything. I want to be with you.” She kissed him again, but he didn’t respond, just turned his head away.
“I can’t,” he said, wrapping his arms around himself. “This is a mistake. You were right—we can never be together.”