Double Take by Brenda Joyce Page B

simply wasn’t possible—was it?
    Marni had to be the cutest short-stirrup rider in the world! Who wouldn’t want to watch her ride her white pony?
    “Why are you staring at me like that?” she managed quietly, with dread.
    Trev looked as if he was about to grind down every single one of his lower teeth. He didn’t answer—he simply strode out.
    Elizabeth did reply. “Because you never bother to watch your daughter ride, Mrs. Coleman. Because you have come back from the city behaving as if you are somebody else.”
    Marni clung to her hand the entire way upstairs, and even once they had entered the master bedroom, she did not let go. Lana’s garment bag and duffel sat in the middle of the room, where Max had apparently dumped them. And in spite of what had just transpired in Trev’s study and the foyer, Kait’s heart was singing. She would worry about Elizabeth’s shrewd comment another time.
    She smiled happily at Marni. “Close your eyes, sweetie,” she said. Marni obeyed, grinning.
    Kait released her hand, knelt over the duffel, then froze. Slowly, she looked up.
    At the foot of the bed was a beautifully upholstered bench. On the bench was her missing Gucci handbag.
    “Mommy?” Marni whispered.
    “One moment, darling!” Kait cried. She quickly opened the duffel and took out a gift-wrapped box. “Here you are,” she said gaily.
    Marni grinned eagerly when she saw the cheerfully wrapped big box. Kait sat down on the floor and patted it. Marni blinked in surprise, then, beaming at the gift, sat there beside her. Kait helped her unwrap the box, her pulse racing. Whoever had taken her bag, he or she had returned it. Why? Kait could only conclude that the matter had not been one of a simple theft. She was anxious to inspect it. But she still couldn’t think of a single incriminating piece of evidence that had been in that bag.
    Marni finished tearing off the wrapping paper. She saw the picture of the assembled barn on the outside of the box and she whooped. “Is it a stable for my horses?” she asked eagerly.
    “It most certainly is. All you have to do is assemble it, and we can do that together.” Pure love rippled over Kait. It was so hard to keep her hands off Marni, so she briefly stroked her hair.
    Marni began to rip off the clear plastic paper and Kait helped her open the box. They spilled out its contents. “Look, a fence for a paddock,” she cried delightedly. “And it’s white, just like Daddy’s!”
    Kait patted her shoulder, just as there was a knock on the door, which remained widely open. She looked up at Elizabeth, who was carrying a tray. However, only one glass of milk was on it, and a small plate with two cookies. Kait got to her feet. “Thank you, Elizabeth,” she said pleasantly. “I was hoping for milk and cookies too.” She tried a smile out on the older woman.
    Elizabeth’s expression did not change as she set the tray down on a small round Chinese table, lacquered red. She glanced carefully at Marni and her gift. “Since when do you eat sweets?”
    Kait stared. Her mind raced, because while she was a fairly healthy eater, she was a chocoholic. Here was an issue Lana had never addressed in her letter. But Kait could guess that Lana probably avoided chocolate and anything fattening at all costs. As a teen, she had been obsessed with her body image. She had started dieting then, even though there’d been no need.
    Kait knew she could give up a lot of things, but chocolate wasn’t one of them. She said quickly, “This is a special occasion, now, isn’t it?” She smiled at Marni, who grinned happily. “If this isn’t the time to splurge, when is?”
    Elizabeth stared. Then she shrugged. “Fine. I’ll be right back.”
    “Mommy? Come take one of my cookies,” Marni cried. She got up and rushed to the table, reaching for a cookie. As she did, she knocked over the glass of milk.
    Marni froze. Then she looked up with wide, stricken eyes—clearly expecting to be berated