Page 52 of Undefeated Love
Top let himself into the next room and closed the door. A second later, Alex knocked on the shared door. “What the fuck do you mean when Katlin gets home from school?”
“I didn’t want to talk to you in front of Sergio for this exact reason.” Top turned and went back into his own room and straight to the wet bar. He poured two glasses of Scotch, handing one to Alex. “Katlin is here attending some famous chef’s cooking school. Once I ditched Sergio the other day, I discovered that she is what they call a day student, because I guess they have night students, and she’s been here for about two months.”
Alex slumped down into the overstuffed chair in the corner. “Where the fuck was she before that?”
Top shrugged. “I have no fucking idea.”
Alex sipped then stared at Top. “How did you find her?”
“I didn’t.” He took a long pull before he answered. “Barry saw that one of her accounts was spending money in Italy. At first, he was afraid that someone had stolen her credit card numbers but then realized all the transactions had the card present. That meant that either someone had cloned her card or Katlin was using it. I got a recommendation for a detective agency in Florence. That’s how Sergio came to us. He took pictures of the credit card being used and sent it to me.” Top’s smile spread across his face. “I was never so glad to see a picture. I had to see for myself, so I used that fancy jet service and flew to Rome. I took a taxi to the high-speed train station and an hour and a half later, I was here in Florence. Those trains are pretty nice.”
Alex grumbled. “Why the fuck did I take that tiny little prop plane? I hate those little planes.”
Top shrugged. “You didn’t ask me.”
Alex downed the rest of his scotch and got up and poured another before returning to his comfortable seat. “You’ve been here now for three days. What else do you know?”
“At night, she takes care of the baby for a young girl who lives one floor up. The girl works at a restaurant, so she doesn’t get home until like one or two o’clock in the morning.”
“Is it a bar? Or restaurant?” Alex asked.
Top chuckled. “This is Europe. Most people don’t start to eat supper until around nine o’clock. The meal can take several hours. People in this part of Italy, especially, eat and talk for hours. Wine is served in abundance and constantly. It’s a nice restaurant. I had supper there last night.”
“So, the girl stops in and picks up the baby when she comes home?”
“No. From what I’ve seen, Katlin keeps the baby all night and takes it back to her when she gets up.” Top poured himself another glass and grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. “Most of her classes are from nine to five.”
“I hope Katlin’s okay with taking care of the baby. I know she always wanted kids but if that was her in the OB/GYN ward…” Alex’s mind went back to all the possibilities of what could have happened, if she’d been at the San Diego Medical Center. He knew that was a lot of ifs and maybes. Given that Brett couldn’t find anything with her name on it, it was most likely wishful thinking on his part. She could have been anywhere in the world for those months after the wedding.
“Our Katlin wouldn’t do anything that she didn’t want to do, least of all for four months,” Top pointed out.
“You’re right. You said that she doesn’t get back until after five?” Alex looked at his watch and suddenly felt invigorated. He was close and knew it.
“Yeah, what are you thinking?”
“I want to see her apartment.” Alex went to his bag and pulled out his B and E tools.
The two men entered Katlin’s apartment in less than a minute.
Alex walked into her bedroom and was bombarded with her unforgettable scent. Got fully erect, rock hard, and ready to go between one breath and the next.
Well, at least I know it still works.
Glancing around her bedroom, he saw several family pictures. There was one of Katlin with Nita, Daniel, and their two children. In another, she stood with her arms around her uncles Francis and Tom. There was another with her mother and father casually sitting together on the deck at Smith Mountain Lake.
He wandered into the other bedroom. Zoo animals played on light blue background everywhere from the curtains to the bed sheets, and even on the changing table pad. Memories of his daughter, Jennifer, as an infant invaded his brain. Her room had been decorated in pinks and purples.
Guilt washed over Alex as he tried to remember when he’d last seen Jenny. As he glanced around the room, he vividly remembered changing her diaper and the smell of baby powder. He also remembered the first time he’d been handed that tiny little infant and how he had unconditionally fallen in love with her.
He tore his gaze away from the standard baby furniture and stared at the picture on the tall dresser. It had been taken several years ago at Smith Mountain Lake. He and Katlin were gazing at each other, unmistakable love in their eyes.
Once again, Alex felt like a failure because he didn’t try hard enough and push for them to find a way to have children in their lives. He’d always thought they had time. Maybe if he had told her about the unfertilized eggs that he had rescued from the clinic and Jack’s clutches. According to the clinic that securely held her frozen eggs, they would still be viable for several years.
He had to get her back. He had to make her understand that he loved her, and always had. He’d never strayed. Thank God he hadn’t slept with Aleta a few days ago. He would never be able to forgive himself for that indiscretion.
Leaving the baby’s room, he swept his gaze over the small living space. The few kitchen cabinets and a short counter filled one wall. Adjacent was a two-burner stove and refrigerator. Tiny compared to her yards of stainless-steel counters and multi-ovens where she loved to cook at the Smith Mountain Lake house. Even at her condo on Dupont Circle, the kitchen looked more like one in a restaurant than in a condominium.
A small two-person dining table split the difference between the kitchen and the couch in the living room. Baby equipment filled one corner and the colorful geometric rug was designed for infants to spend time on their belly.
