Kathleen heard her own whimpers, though she didn’t realize it was she making that piteous sound. “Theron, Theron,” she cried feebly as she held his sturdy little body to hers. Theron had survived the near-fatal incident, but now that he was safe and aware of his mother’s anxiety, he too began to wail in a delayed reaction.
“My baby, my precious,” Kathleen crooned as she pushed back the sodden curls and felt each feature of his face to assure herself that he was alive.
Erik dragged himself out of the pool. Water gushed from his clothes as he knelt beside mother and child and added his own conciliatory words to them.
“Erik,” Kathleen looked at him and gasped, “I saw him go under. I thought… I—” She broke off, unable to go on, and leaned weakly against his wet shoulder as she grasped a wiggling Theron to her.
“I know, Kathleen, I know. I died a thousand deaths myself,” he said emotionally.
When they had all quieted down somewhat, and Theron was slapping Erik’s knees to see the water squirt out of the cloth, Kathleen looked up and saw Hazel on the patio. Where was everyone else? Now that the initial panic was over, the enormity of the accident hit Kathleen full force.
“What was Theron doing out here all alone?” she asked.
“I’d like to know that myself.” Erik had picked up Theron and was holding him protectively, possessively.
Hazel came rushing across the lawn toward the pool just as George and Alice were helping wheel Seth out the patio door.
“What’s happened?” he called in an alarmed voice.
They descended on the trio, bombarding them with questions.
Erik held up his hands, taking charge. Kathleen was reminded of the day Jaimie had wandered away from the river. He had calmed everyone that day, too. “All we know is that when we drove up, Theron was on the diving board. He jumped in, but thankfully, I was able to go after him within seconds.”
“I… I couldn’t help it,” Hazel began to blubber. Everyone turned as a group to stare at her. Kathleen had never thought to see tears in the woman’s eyes, but they were evident now. “We were playing on the patio with his little trucks. He… I… I was going through a magazine. When I heard Kathleen’s scream I looked up. I didn’t even know he was near the pool. He got there so fast. I… I… Oh, Seth.” Her face crumpled and she covered it with her hands, shaking her head in disbelief of her carelessness.
“Hey, hey, everything is all right now,” Seth said soothingly. “Theron’s safe. But you’re going to have to watch him more closely, Hazel. You know how curious he is.”
Hazel continued to moan into her hands while everyone turned their attention to Theron, who seemed to have recovered and was as good as new.
Kathleen watched Hazel. For comic relief after the calamitous situation, everyone laughed at the puddle that Erik and Theron were forming on the patio. It was agreed that they should go into the laundry room off the kitchen where Alice would bring each of them some dry clothes. Seth reached out and squeezed his sister’s hand before he wheeled into the house on the heels of the others. Theron was still ensconced securely in Erik’s arms.
Kathleen remained in the shadows of the shrubbery surrounding the patio and watched them go.
Hazel, thinking she was alone, straightened her shoulders from the humiliated posture she had assumed and cursed viciously under her breath. She turned around hastily to pick up her belongings from the table. She was about to turn toward the house when she saw Kathleen standing a few feet away, glaring at her. Hazel’s hands froze in midair and her breath was sucked in sharply.
“Kathleen, you amaze me. Why aren’t you in there taking care of your son?”
Kathleen took two steps forward until she was within inches of her sister-in-law. “And you amaze me, Hazel. Did you think you’d get away with murder?”
Instinctively, Hazel took a step backward, in defense of the threat she saw in Kathleen’s dangerous eyes. “I can’t imagine what you’re talking about,” she said, forcing conviction into her voice and standing up to her full height.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. That was quite an act you put on for them.” Kathleen indicated the others, now grouped in the kitchen. “But I think that your tears were caused by frustration over a thwarted plan and not anguish over neglect. You knew exactly where Theron was. His drowning would have been a convenient misfortune for you, wouldn’t it?”
Kathleen’s arm snaked ou
t and, with surprising strength, grabbed Hazel’s wrist in a ruthless clench. “If my son ever runs into an accident and you are even remotely near him, I’ll ruin you with Seth. Do you understand me, Hazel? I’ll open his eyes to you. He’ll believe me, too. He loves you, but he loves me more. You’d better think twice before you gamble with Theron’s life again. You could lose everything.”
Hazel jerked her hand free. She laughed a brittle, harsh laugh directly in Kathleen’s face. “Do you think I’m afraid of you?”
“Yes, I think you are,” Kathleen replied levelly. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be attacking a baby. On top of the heartless, selfish, manipulative harpy you are, you’re a coward. If you want a fight, fight me. I warn you, though, that it would be a senseless battle, because I want nothing of yours. I only want you to let Seth and Theron and me live in peace. Your security isn’t threatened by that.”
“I don’t want a sleazy little slut like you in my house, in my life!” Hazel’s face was mottled, congested with fury. “I’ll prove to my brother what you are if it’s the last thing I do.” Her fists were clenched at her sides. Her body was drawn as tight as a bow string. Kathleen thought that the woman was about to have a seizure.
“Just remember what I said and be extremely careful what stakes you gamble with.” Kathleen stepped around Hazel, leaving her alone with her impotent rage.
The calm facade that Kathleen presented as she went into the brightly lit kitchen was deceptive. On the inside, she was quaking, first over the terrifying incident itself, and then over the altercation with Hazel, who was obviously deranged. Who would use a helpless child as a pawn in a deadly private game? A desperate, sadistic woman. But why? What could Hazel Kirchoff want that she didn’t already have?
Kathleen pasted on a false smile as she greeted Seth. “Kathleen, where have you been?” Without waiting for an answer, he went on, “Erik said that the two of you covered a lot of ground today and picked up some wonderful stuff. He is very pleased with your selections.”