Kendra said calmly, making up her mind that she would never tell Donna what had happened the previous night between herself and Case Garrett. But there were other things Donna should know. "There was a problem, though . . ."
"What happened, Kendra?"
"Someone followed me. He was sent by Austin to ask me questions about you." "Oh, God!"
"I know. He didn't get any answers, of course, but we have to face the fact that Austin's aware that you might have contacted me. I think we'd better not meet too often
until things are settled, and you'd probably better not come over here—"
"Kendra, I'll go crazy if I can't talk to someone. Jason's already driving me out of my mind! If I don't have another adult—"
"Calm down, Donna," Kendra soothed, thinking that she sounded, ironically, a bit like Case had sounded last night. "It's okay. We'll get out and do things so you won't get cabin fever. I'm just saying that we probably ought to be careful about you being over here. If Austin really thinks I know where you are, he's liable to hire someone else to watch the place or something."
"You're right. I know you're right. I'll be so thankful when the divorce is final and I have that money. ..."
Kendra drew a deep breath before saying very carefully, "Have you thought about what's going to happen when you do have the money, Donna?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, the divorce being final might not stop Austin."
"With the money Dad left, I can afford to move Jason and myself halfway around the world. I can get lost until Austin gives up!" Donna declared firmly.
Kendra wasn't so sure, but there was no doubt that her cousin knew Austin a great deal better than Kendra did. Perhaps Donna was right in her analysis. Perhaps Austin would eventually give up, especially after he knew Donna had her hands on the money.
"Kendra, about Case Garrett . . ." Donna began hesitantly.
"What about him?" Kendra asked stonily, not wanting to converse at all on that particular subject.
"Did he . . . ask about me? Did he ask about the rest of the money?"
Kendra heard the worried note in Donna's voice and again tried to calm her. "I told him he'd have the rest of it in a couple of months. He seemed to accept that."
"I can't thank you enough for handling this for me. I was so embarrassed ..."
"I don't see why. He wasn't angry or threatening about the money," Kendra observed with an effort to be honest about the matter. "I think he would have taken it from you without a fuss."
"You don't understand," Donna sighed. "Things were so bad during the time I ran up that debt. I was feeling so terrible, so depressed. I did things I can't even believe now—"
"There's no point in talking about it again, Donna," Kendra murmured, thinking of how bad Donna had really been. Her violent depression, her drinking, her gambling, and her attempted suicide seemed incredible to contemplate now.
"I know. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate your facing him. I couldn't have done it—not after the way I behaved the last time I saw him!"
Kendra frowned, wondering exactly what had happened, but she sensed Donna wasn't in a mood to go into detail, and Kendra wasn't sure she wanted to hear those details. Donna had been at a very low point in her life, reckless and wild and scared: Case Garrett was a man who knew how to soothe frightened women. No, Kendra didn't want to think about what might have happened between her beautiful cousin and Case Garrett.
"Listen, according to the weather report, it's supposed to clear up this afternoon," Kendra said encouragingly, wanting to change the subject. "Why don't you take Jason out to Golden Gate Park? I'll meet you at the Japanese Tea Garden, and we can take him to the aquarium. He'll love that."
"Do you think it's safe?"
"I think so. The important thing is that you probably shouldn't risk coming here. It will take Austin a while to find someone else to keep an eye on me, if he decides to
pursue that route. I'll be careful
"What happened, Kendra?"
"Someone followed me. He was sent by Austin to ask me questions about you." "Oh, God!"
"I know. He didn't get any answers, of course, but we have to face the fact that Austin's aware that you might have contacted me. I think we'd better not meet too often
until things are settled, and you'd probably better not come over here—"
"Kendra, I'll go crazy if I can't talk to someone. Jason's already driving me out of my mind! If I don't have another adult—"
"Calm down, Donna," Kendra soothed, thinking that she sounded, ironically, a bit like Case had sounded last night. "It's okay. We'll get out and do things so you won't get cabin fever. I'm just saying that we probably ought to be careful about you being over here. If Austin really thinks I know where you are, he's liable to hire someone else to watch the place or something."
"You're right. I know you're right. I'll be so thankful when the divorce is final and I have that money. ..."
Kendra drew a deep breath before saying very carefully, "Have you thought about what's going to happen when you do have the money, Donna?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, the divorce being final might not stop Austin."
"With the money Dad left, I can afford to move Jason and myself halfway around the world. I can get lost until Austin gives up!" Donna declared firmly.
Kendra wasn't so sure, but there was no doubt that her cousin knew Austin a great deal better than Kendra did. Perhaps Donna was right in her analysis. Perhaps Austin would eventually give up, especially after he knew Donna had her hands on the money.
"Kendra, about Case Garrett . . ." Donna began hesitantly.
"What about him?" Kendra asked stonily, not wanting to converse at all on that particular subject.
"Did he . . . ask about me? Did he ask about the rest of the money?"
Kendra heard the worried note in Donna's voice and again tried to calm her. "I told him he'd have the rest of it in a couple of months. He seemed to accept that."
"I can't thank you enough for handling this for me. I was so embarrassed ..."
"I don't see why. He wasn't angry or threatening about the money," Kendra observed with an effort to be honest about the matter. "I think he would have taken it from you without a fuss."
"You don't understand," Donna sighed. "Things were so bad during the time I ran up that debt. I was feeling so terrible, so depressed. I did things I can't even believe now—"
"There's no point in talking about it again, Donna," Kendra murmured, thinking of how bad Donna had really been. Her violent depression, her drinking, her gambling, and her attempted suicide seemed incredible to contemplate now.
"I know. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate your facing him. I couldn't have done it—not after the way I behaved the last time I saw him!"
Kendra frowned, wondering exactly what had happened, but she sensed Donna wasn't in a mood to go into detail, and Kendra wasn't sure she wanted to hear those details. Donna had been at a very low point in her life, reckless and wild and scared: Case Garrett was a man who knew how to soothe frightened women. No, Kendra didn't want to think about what might have happened between her beautiful cousin and Case Garrett.
"Listen, according to the weather report, it's supposed to clear up this afternoon," Kendra said encouragingly, wanting to change the subject. "Why don't you take Jason out to Golden Gate Park? I'll meet you at the Japanese Tea Garden, and we can take him to the aquarium. He'll love that."
"Do you think it's safe?"
"I think so. The important thing is that you probably shouldn't risk coming here. It will take Austin a while to find someone else to keep an eye on me, if he decides to
pursue that route. I'll be careful
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