Night and Day (Stevens Book 11)

Chapter 10

Katherine stood and walked over to the windows to look at the view below in an absent-minded way. She had many questions about her mother and why she would leave everything to her. What was she missing? Her mother hadn't left any clues, and it was evident her father was just as shocked as she was by her mother's choice.

When did Dora meet Bryce Stevens, and how did he become her lawyer?

Yet, despite these questions, Alistair was uppermost in her mind. She had seen him for only a moment, but it had made her sure of one thing. She would never have enough of him. Every time they parted, it hurt, but it hurt more when she couldn't have him despite his nearness.

He was in New York, and she hadn't known he was here. Had he known she was in the city? Had he known she was coming to his father's office and left before she arrived to avoid seeing her? The thought almost brought her to her knees.

He hadn't smiled at her. He always smiled at her.

Katherine rubbed her forehead, where she felt a headache building.

She didn't care about the money, but she had to solve the problem because it was apparent that it was the root of all that was wrong in her life.

Based on her father's reaction to the will, money is probably what held her parents together, which meant her mother had all the power, but what did that mean for Katherine?

She had so many visions play through her head of all the times she had gone to her father for approval or love and been pushed away. He never pushed the girls away as he did her, but why? Why did he want her to call him George?

Katherine kept turning these questions over in her head, one after the other, without being able to reach a conclusion. She didn't know how long Bryce left her for, but when he returned, she was no closer to figuring anything out than when he had left her.

He motioned to a chair to her left, and Katherine took it, leaning forward with her hands on the table. It was the first time she had spent so much time in Alistair's father's presence, and it was hard for her to comprehend how this cold man had raised such a warm son.

Katherine was openly staring at him in wonder, and he lifted an eyebrow at her continued silence which made her blush.

"I thought you had retired," Katherine said after she had cleared her throat. He didn't show it if he thought it was an odd first question. 

"I have. I only work for the family now, but it's still a full-time job." He leaned back in his chair as if he had all day, which put Katherine at ease. The tone of his voice and his English accent reminded her so much of Alistair.

"But my mother... how, why?" She shook her head in confusion.

Bryce studied her and determined how much he could or should tell her.

"Alistair recommended my services to her. He assured Dora that I would ensure everything turned out how she wished." Bryce's face was emotionless as Katherine's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"When did Alistair meet my mother?" Katherine asked, trying to remember a time that he could have.

"I couldn't say." Bryce shook his head.

"When did she draft the will?" Perhaps that would give her a hint.

Bryce pushed the will toward her and watched as she studied it. It had been notarized four weeks previously.  That meant that Alistair must have met her when he had been at the house six weeks earlier.

But Katherine couldn't remember Bryce coming to the house or her mother leaving it.

"Did you meet my mother?" Katherine asked in a husky voice full of emotion at the thought.