Capital Offense

“No one. I’ve been worried sick all day, and all you can say is that you went for a drive?” Carolyn glanced over at the shattered glass on the floor. “What happened in here?”

Warner glared at her.

She frowned back. “What’s wrong with you tonight?”

“None of your damn business!”

Startled, Carolyn hesitated. “Warner, are you drunk?”

“Not drunk enough.” He took a long pull from the bottle of Jack Daniels.

She approached his desk, her voice calm and soft. “Please, honey, tell me what’s wrong. You’re scaring me. You look awful. What happened?”

Warner leveled a gaze at her. “Why did you do it?

“Do what?” She reached out to caress his face, but he pulled away.

“Why did you kill our baby?”

The color in her face drained so quickly it would have frightened him if he hadn’t been struggling to control his rage. Her hand shook as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She looked as though he’d struck her, but he was beyond caring.

“For God’s sake. Carolyn, answer me.”

“I – I don’t know what to say.” She found a chair, her body automatically folding into it.

“You aborted our baby. You didn’t bother to discuss it with me, and now you don’t know what to say?”

“Who told you?” Tears filled her dark eyes. She blinked them back.

“Does it matter? You not only destroyed our child, but any chances of having other children.” God he hated her.

“Of course. You golfed with Forrest today. So much for doctor-patient confidentiality. What did you do, get him drunk?” She gave a humorless laugh that ended with a sob.

Pain raced through him at her response. When had she lost her trust in him? “He assumed I knew. It’s a natural assumption. I’m your husband, for God’s sake.”

“You need to understand-”

“I’d like to understand,” he interrupted. “I’d like to understand a lot of things, like why did you do this? And why didn’t you talk to me about it? Damn you, this is my life too.”

“I don’t know what Forrest told you, but you have to know how awkward it would have been.”

“Awkward. What do you mean?”

“We weren’t married. Or did the good doctor neglect to mention that part? My God, we’d been dating less than two months. I couldn’t possibly have told you. I was scared to death of losing you, or worse, making you feel trapped into marrying me. I wanted you to love me for myself, not out of some sense of obligation. And there was your political career to think of. It was the only decision I could have made, don’t you see?” Tears ran down her cheeks. Her body shook. “Please, you have to understand. I love you. I don’t want to lose you over this.”

“That was twelve years ago! Why the hell didn’t you talk to me about it? I had to find out like this. I don’t understand, not at all. I trusted you. I trusted you with every part of myself. My God. I married you two years after this happened. You knew then that you couldn’t have kids, and I’m supposed to live with that?”

“Please, please calm down.” she begged. “I know when you look at this logically, you’ll understand.”

“You deceived me twelve years ago. and you’ve lied during our entire marriage.” He stood and towered over her, his fists clenched. “It’s unforgivable.”

She sat in her chair, sobbing. “No, please. Until Forrest did the testing. I didn’t know I couldn’t have children-”

“And I’m supposed to believe that? How could you do this to me? To us? You lying, conniving-” He raised his hand.

Carolyn flinched, her face streaked with tears.

Her reaction stopped him. He glanced at his threatening fist. My God, I’m becoming my father.

He dropped his arm to his side. His heart felt like the glass he’d shattered, betrayal cutting him deep.

FOUR

August, 1990 – Jefferson City, Missouri

Carolyn Alden Lane perched on the edge of the bed. The inky pitch of the moonless night mirrored her mood. Tired of sitting in the dark. she set her bedside lamp on dim and glanced at the clock: 2:07 A.M.

Lightning spiked the sky along the distant horizon. A gust milled the bishop-sleeve curtains that arched over the open window and a chill skittered across Carolyn’s arms and legs, raising gooseflesh. She gritted her teeth against the draft, refusing to give in to a wrap.

Mahogany wood furnishings loomed against the bedroom walls like sentries guarding the secret of her failed marriage. The shimmering satin comforter lay folded at the foot of their four-poster, a romantic touch that had long ago been dismissed.

Carolyn studied Warner, relaxed in sleep. The blended smells of aged bourbon, cigar smoke. and cologne surrounded him like a fragrant tapestry. His tousled dark hair added to his youthful appeal, belying his true age of thirty-nine.

For a year now. The battleground of their marriage survived in a state of ceasefire with each of them living separate lives. Warner found many reasons to stay in Washington, even when Congress recessed. Now, he lay beside her, a handsome stranger.