Knight of Cups - Backlash

In the grip of fate there is no escape

They were worlds apart, drawn together by an undeniable passion. Ripped apart by fear, they ran from each other and now struggle to stand alone. Tragedy descends, and they are pulled together in search of a killer.

Kate returns to Dallas in search of Mike's killer. Within hours of her arrival, events quickly spin out of control. Jack struggles to keep his distance, but when Kate becomes a suspect, his instincts take over and he rushes to her defense. As danger looms, all of the reasons they walked away from each other disappear, leaving the passionate fire that brought them together.

Unknown forces set their sights on Jack and Kate, and the pair is forced to run or become the latest in a long line of victims. In a desperate search for the truth behind Mike's murder, they fight their way through the lies, discovering that not all is as it seems.

Excerpt

"Kate, wait up!" She turned toward Andy's voice. Her shoulders and back ached. She wanted to curl into a ball and sleep. Close her eyes and ignore her insides ripping themselves apart. She had gotten little to no sleep lying awake second-guessing her decision to meet Jack and then running from him. "Did you sleep with him?"

The comment hit her like a slap in the face. "What?"

"I need you to tell me what's really going on, Kate." His eyes darted through her and she lost her breath. "Were you sleeping with Mike?"

"Are you crazy, how can you even ask me that?"

"I know…I know it sounds crazy but when you got back…" Kate began to piece it together. He had noticed she was out of sorts when she got back from Texas and automatically assumed that she was upset by something Mike had done. "Just tell me the truth, Kate."

"Andy--" His hand clench around her upper arms.

"Just tell me the truth! Tell me you aren't covering for him."

"I'm not!" She broke out of his grasp and took a step back. "There was nothing between us besides friendship. He was like a father to me, Andy. You know that! What the hell is going on?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Well nothing has apparently made me a suspect."Andy's face fell and he turned away from her. "So what, they think I was sleeping with Mike and that I know where the DiAvex plans are?" Andy's eyes shot up and she saw shock. "Not that it means anything, but I wasn't and I don't, but I may have a lead on where they went."

"This is so much bigger than we thought. Kate, you need to leave this whole thing alone. Promise me you'll leave it be."

"You know I can't do that. There are too many people involved now."

"You mean Jack Tucker?"

"What about Jack Tucker?"

"You tell me. That was a pretty heated conversation you two were having yesterday in the back alley of the Stockyards."

"You had me followed?"

"That's not the point."

"Oh, but I really think it is."

"Oh I get it, so you were screwing the DJ, and the boss," he said, ice in his eyes.

"You sure do get around don't you?"

"Screw you!"

"Seems I wasn't on the list, sorry. She turned away and he grabbed her by the arm again. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"My job, Andy, I am trying to find the truth!" She yanked her arm out of his grasp and walked away. The hallway in front of the theater was packed with people and she made her way through until she saw some familiar faces. She took shelter in the familiarity of her co-workers until they filed into the theater.

The service was beautiful and when Jack rose to the podium, her breath caught in her chest. Her heart pulled at her and she knew she needed to talk to him.

She was surrounded by suits, colleagues and friends all offering support and sympathy to each other. She nodded and smiled with each offering but the heaviness in her stomach began to grow. She eyed Melissa to her right and excused herself from the small group. The always elegant woman was fiddling with her purse and Kate waited until she finished."Hi, Melissa."

"Kate, hi sweetheart, it is so good to see you," Melissa walked over and embraced her affectionately. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. How are you and Dan?"

"Hanging in there, I just keep telling myself it's almost over."

"Me too."

"Are you looking for Jack?"

"Yeah, I am."

"He is moving the arrangements into the back for tomorrow's service." She pointed to a set of doors on the opposite side of the theater.

"Thanks."

"Kate," Melissa called to her and Kate turned back. "We're glad your back."

Kate appreciated the comment, and smiled at Melissa in thanks before she moved toward the door. She wasn't sure what to expect when she saw him, but she was honest enough to admit that she wanted to see him. She needed to see him right now. The pulling in her chest was worsening and she felt like a dam ready to break with no safe place to go.

She passed through the double doors, and moved through the dark hallway. She came to a set of doors on the right. She inhaled a deep breath, turned the corner, and opened the door. The room lay out before her, and she looked around for any sign of Jack. Her eyes stopped. A man and woman were tightly entwined and Kate stepped back offering them some privacy. His brown hair was just like Jack's…Kate's breath refused to release itself from her lungs when her brain caught up. She moved out of the doorway and to the right. She ducked into a darkened corner, her heart pounding uncontrolled as she pushed away the threatening emotion in her throat. He called after her and the clang of opening doors bounced off the walls. His voice started loud and then faded as the distance between them increased. Kate stood flattened against the wall. Once she was sure he was gone, she moved, debating the best hope for a quick exit.

"Kate." She turned, seeing a woman glaring back at her. She recognized her but couldn't place the name. The woman's stance, while small, was set in attack mode and Kate wondered why. "Haven't you done enough?"

"Excuse me?" Kate straightened her back.

"He was fine you know. He was fine without you, and now you come back and send him into a spiral of confusion and hell."

"I'm sorry, do I know you?"

"Yeah we met briefly at the station…"

"Elisa, Mike's assistant," Kate said aloud as she ran through her memory about the woman.

Twenty-five, graduate of Orange Coast, single, lived alone, no record and worked for Mike for the past six months or so. Kate remembered the girl as being mousy and shy. She wasn't sure where this alternate persona had arrived from, but Kate didn't like it. It meant she was hiding something.

"Yeah not that you ever noticed."

"I noticed. I apologize I didn't immediately recognize you. It's been a long day."

"Leave him alone. He doesn't want to see you anymore. You've hurt him enough."

"Jack makes his own decisions."

"So let him make them." The woman's words blazed fury which was contradictory to her cool eyes. "You keep showing up! Every time he thinks he has his head on straight, you walk in and confuse him again. You can't give him what he needs, Kate. We both know that."

Kate gulped back her own fears, trying not to let the words she had spoken so many times haunt her now. "Your life is dangerous. Jesus, look what's happened since you came into his life! There has been nothing but lies and death. Let him go. Let him go before you destroy so much there is nothing left!"

Kate stood in silence and Elisa ceased her scolding. Kate moved past her, leaving her alone in the hallway. It took her a moment to push the woman's words out of her mind. Once she had, she proceeded to look for a back exit. Damn him. 

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Amy Romine

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APRIL 2011

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