“Only if she could get a book out of it.”
“I’ll talk to her.”
“Please do,” Kate said.
He started for the door but paused. “Two weeks, huh? Just us?”
“No one else,” Kate said.
Smiling, Jack went into his room
and closed the door behind him.
Twenty-Eight
Sara was in front of the house saying goodbye to everyone. Diana said she and Chris had said their farewells the night before. “He’s fascinated by what he’s found out about the Renlow family and his...his, uh, father.” She had trouble saying the word.
“At least he’s not angry because you didn’t tell him what really happened,” Sara said. “There are some, well, unknowns about Kate’s father. I dread when she finds out the truth.”
“I wish you luck.” Diana got into the hired car. She was going to the airport.
The rest of them—even Puck and Bella—were off to London. Nadine had talked Bella into taking a break from all the turmoil, and Sara had paid for a suite at the Connaught for three days. Reluctantly, Bella had agreed to leave. Puck was going to a meeting with Renewal executives.
Jack and Kate had rented a car, and it was packed with their suitcases. Kate looked happy but at the same time nervous. They weren’t used to it being just the two of them.
“You’ll be fine,” Sara told Kate. Jack was a few feet away, being repeatedly kissed by Nadine, Teddy and Byon.
“I’m sure I will be. Where’s Chris?”
“Diana said he’s reading about the Renlows.”
Kate glanced up at the house. “Do you think you’ll be able to patch things up with Bella?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Jack would warn you not to try to buy her friendship.”
Sara smiled. “The dower house could use some work. That’ll be expensive.”
Kate kissed her aunt’s cheek. “It’s up to you. I can see that the prince is ready to go. It’ll take an hour to get all the lipstick off of him.”
Sara laughed.
“Keep in touch,” Kate said. “Texts work here.”
“You know me. I’m the empress of texting.”
“True, but I also know that you get so absorbed in whatever you’re doing that you ignore the outside world.”
Jack came over, kissed Sara, then escorted Kate to the car. He winked at Sara as they drove away.
For a few moments, Sara stood there looking at the empty parking area. To a true introvert like her, there was nothing so glorious as when everyone went away.
Smiling, she entered the house. She hadn’t told anyone, but there was something still bothering her. Who told Clive that some billionaire client had asked for him? Told Nadine there was a party that didn’t exist? Called Byon to go to London? Who put the note into Sara’s camera bag?
Mr. Howland’s funeral was in a few days. Did he kill himself? Sara trusted Jack’s instincts more than she did what the police said, and Jack hadn’t felt any of the despondency that foretold of suicide. It could have been spontaneous but...
Sara wrote a note.