"I've heard a few things that have had me very worried, yes."
"I'm sorry about that. I was...confused. Luke and I were together the night everything went wrong. Then he left, but I was sleeping and didn't know he was gone. Suddenly some other man came in and--" she gulped for breath "--and it was horrible. He beat me and he...he raped me and I thought I was going to die. It all happened so fast, and I didn't remember Luke leaving, so...so I naturally assumed it had to be him. I couldn't imagine someone else coming in so quickly after he got out of my bed."
"But why would he hurt you?"
Kalyna sifted through the contents of his top drawer as she talked, studied the songs he'd loaded onto his iPod, fished out some quarters--she always needed spare change for parking or laundry--made note of the other odds and ends he kept. "We'd had a little argument earlier, when he found out I was seeing someone else. Somehow I...connected it all. It's hard to describe how fuzzy my brain was. Have you seen the pictures from that night?"
"No, I haven't."
There was a gun in the drawer, a 9 mm, but that didn't surprise her.
Although the guns they used on base had to be checked into the armory after weapons training, a lot of airmen had their own piece, and the 9 mm was the most popular. She'd considered getting one herself; she just hadn't followed through with it. "I was pretty banged up."
"But now you know it wasn't Luke who did that?"
"Yes, of course. It's all straightened out."
"Thank God..."
Kalyna hefted his gun, checked the sights. "Luke would never hurt me like that. We've talked about it since. As a matter of fact, we're back together. So everything's fine."
Robin Trussell coughed as if she'd just taken a drink of coffee or some other beverage. "Back together?"
"Our relationship's been heading in that direction for a while, ever since I was assigned to his flying squadron. But the unfortunate incident of June 6 nearly tore us apart." She pointed his gun at her own image in the mirror. "I feel terrible about what I've put him through. What I've put you through. Please accept my sincere apology."
"What we've been through is nothing compared to what you've been through, I'm sure. That must've been a horrible ordeal. I'm sorry for what you've suffered, and I hope they catch the man who did it. Do the police have any idea who that might be?"
Kalyna set down the gun when she found another picture of Luke's family. His mother was a petite woman, slightly overweight, with dancing eyes and a warm smile. "No. They have no suspects. No one saw the perpetrator come or go. Can you believe it? That's partly why it got so out of control. A woman named Ava Bixby, a victims' advocate I contacted for help, kept telling me it had to be Luke, that no one else would've had time to come in after he left. But...you and I both know he's not the type. I won't let Ava pressure me into believing he is, not anymore. That was kil ing me."
"Did you say Ava Bixby?"
"Yes. Do you know her?"
"Luke mentioned her. He thought she understood the truth and was backing off because of it."
She was backing off because he'd been giving her the ride of her life.
"She might've told him that, but only when I started to realize she was manipulating me. She was always saying negative things about him, telling me how he couldn't be as perfect as he seems, that behind his handsome face lies a very twisted man." She lowered her voice. "I think she has some romantic interest in him and sees me as a rival."
Another pause. Then Robin said, "It seems that a lot has changed."
"I know. You wouldn't believe what these past few weeks have been like."
"I'm sorry. And I'm so glad you know it wasn't my son who hurt you.
Luke is a good man."
"He's wonderful. I'm deeply in love with him." Kalyna sensed more surprise. "He hasn't told you about us?"
"Not much, but...you know how men are. They don't really talk about matters of the heart. Anyway, I can see why you'd love him. We're very proud of him."
"How's Jenny doing?" she asked.
"You know about Jenny?"
Kalyna laughed. "Of course. Luke talks about her all the time." He'd never actually mentioned his sister to her, but she'd heard other members of their flight squadron ask after his little sister. That was one of the benefits of flying with him. The entire squadron was quite close.
"Then you're already aware that she's giving us a run for our money these days. I'm afraid she's fallen in with the wrong crowd. You know how teenagers can be. But...we're working with her."
"Is she not in a good school?"
"It isn't bad as far as high schools go, but Jenny's so wil ful. Much more rebellious than Luke ever was."
"Luke's been worried."
"He's protective of her. We all are."
Kalyna pulled out a key that had the BMW logo on it. His spare, no doubt. She put it in her purse. "I'd love to come to San Diego so I could meet you and the rest of the family. Maybe I can talk him into making the trip at Thanksgiving."
"If not sooner. I'm feeling a little left out here. But of course he's been pretty preoccupied the past few weeks."
"We both have. It'l take some time for us to recover."
"Right. Well, it's been a pleasure talking to you, Kalyna. What great news that the charges wil be dropped. I can't wait to tell Luke's father."
Robin sounded wonderful, ideal--just like Luke. She'd make a perfect mother-in-law. "Please tell your husband I'm sorry."
"Oh, Ed won't hold it against you. After what you went through, who could?"
Stil rummaging through Luke's top drawer, Kalyna found a packaged condom, an Ace bandage and a letter from someone named Phil that'd come from Iraq. This was the only letter he'd kept, so it had to be important to him, which meant it was important to her. "Thank you for your understanding."
"No problem. I'd better go," Robin said. "I have to get to work."
"You work?"
"Yes, once we settled down here I decided to do what I've always wanted to do--teach."
"How do you like San Diego?"
"We love it. It's beautiful here."
"What age group do you teach?"
"Kindergarten."
"Do you enjoy it?"
"I do. Can you have Luke call me at the school when he gets back?"
"Of course. He'l be sorry he missed you." Kalyna sat on the bed so she could read Phil's letter, but she didn't want to let this woman go. It was almost as if she was what she'd said she was--Luke's girlfriend. So she searched for a way to stretch out the conversation, to ingratiate herself further and arrived at the obvious. "We...we have some news I know he'l want to share," she said. "So...be prepared."