Did You Miss Me? (32 page)

Tuesday, December 3, 9.45
P.M.

Joseph stopped the car on Daphne’s curb, waiting for Hector and Kate to clear her garage. Her fingers were still twined with his, the strength of her grip the only indication she hadn’t fallen asleep in the passenger seat.

‘Hey,’ he said softly. ‘We’re here.’

‘I know. I’m trying to screw my courage to the sticking place.’

‘And we’ll not fail,’ he said, finishing the quote.

Her eyes opened, regarding him curiously. ‘You quote
Macbeth
?’

‘Like I said before, I can be taught. Plus it made me the chick magnet of the twelfth grade.’ When the sight of her lips curving minutely made him feel like a king, he knew he was completely lost. ‘I need to tell you something.’ He dropped his gaze to their joined hands. ‘I applied for the transfer to VCET nine months ago. Monday, April eleventh,’ he added.

‘The Monday after we wrapped the Muñoz case,’ she murmured to herself.

‘I can’t tell if you’re pleased or surprised or thinking that I’m a stalker.’

Her lips curved. ‘Very pleased. Not really surprised, but only because I heard it from a little bird earlier today.’

‘Paige?’

‘Who else? Up until that moment, I thought you didn’t notice me.’

He laughed at that, then saw she was serious and, abruptly, so was he. ‘Daphne, I noticed you the first moment I saw you walking up to Grayson’s front door wearing that lime green miniskirt. Dreamed of you that night. And almost every night since.’

‘Then why didn’t you say something before? You’ve been with VCET for months now. I can tell you exactly how many times you’ve seen me and haven’t said a word.’ She rolled her eyes, embarrassed. ‘Because I counted.’

He let go of her hand long enough to brush his thumb over her lips. ‘You were with Maynard. Every one of those times. Because I counted, too.’

‘Clay and I, we’re not—’ She grew flustered. ‘We’re friends. That’s all.’

‘I know. He told me today. And I know this is the most horrible time to tell you anything like this, but I find that I’m selfish yet again. I didn’t want you to go to sleep without knowing.’ He laid his finger over her lips when she started to speak. ‘Not now. When this is done, I want to . . .’ He exhaled. ‘Just know that I’m waiting. And if Rivera weren’t ten feet away, I’d be kissing you senseless right now.’

Her cheeks grew beautifully rosy as he let her hand go and turned to roll his window down. ‘We clear?’ he asked Rivera.

‘Yep. Coppola and I will stay the night. Kate’s got the upstairs and I’ve got the main floor. The phone guys will sleep in shifts, too.’ He leaned down so that he could see in the window. ‘Daphne, you’ve got a visitor. He’s with your mom in the living room or parlor or whatever she calls that room with the forty-five-foot ceilings.’

‘I think they’re only twenty-five feet. Who is it with her?’

‘Hal Lynch.’

The man who’d been here before. The man who’d been her ex-husband’s head of security. And her bodyguard. Joseph’s neck went tight as he watched her face for a reaction. It wasn’t nearly what he’d hoped for, which would have been utter disgust.

‘Poor Hal,’ she murmured. ‘It’s got to be rough having to watch when you used to be in charge. I’ll be there in a minute.’

‘Sounds good,’ Hector said. ‘What about you, Carter? You staying?’

Hell, yeah
, he wanted to say. But he knew he couldn’t. He’d just told her he’d give her time and Hector was good at his job. ‘No. I need to tend to a few things at home. I’ll be back in the morning to drive Miss Montgomery into the city.’ Joseph looked over at Daphne. ‘I assume you’re not going to want to stay at home tomorrow?’

‘You assume correctly. Let’s go inside now, Hector. The sooner I get Hal taken care of, the sooner I can take off my wi-w-wardrobe.’

Joseph was careful to keep his lips from twitching until his window was closed all the way. ‘Wi-w-wardrobe?’

‘I’m tired,’ she said. ‘I almost spilled the beans and said “wig”.’

‘Look, I don’t want to pry.’

She gave him an incredulous look. ‘Yes, you do.’

‘Okay, I do. I need to know that you’re okay. I’m guessing it was breast cancer.’

Her eyes widened. ‘How did you know?’

‘You’ve made helping women with breast cancer your focus. I paid attention at all those fundraisers, even though that damn bow tie was cutting off my air supply. One of the services you’re going to provide is wig fittings, right? And there’s the new dorm for single mothers and their families. I’m wondering why the hell you don’t tell people that you’re a survivor, but I don’t need to know now. Just tell me that you’re okay.’

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, making him want to do the same. ‘I’m past the five year mark,’ she finally said. ‘I’m okay.’

Relief sent a shiver across his skin. ‘Good. Let’s go in.’ He drove the Escalade into the garage, parking it by a cherry-red Jaguar. ‘Nice. Yours?’

‘I drive a Chevy Silverado. Lets me haul stuff. The Jag is Mama’s,’ she said with a shake of her head. ‘As is the Harley.’

‘Really? She ever take you for a ride?’

‘A few times, but she’s wicked fast. Scares the hell outa me. She’s a terrible influence on Ford.’ She drew a sharp breath, realizing what she said.

‘He’s out there, Daphne. We will find him.’

‘I know. I’m just . . . I know.’

He went around to her side and helped her down. Then put his arms around her, gratified when she snuggled deep. ‘Come on. Let’s get you inside where it’s safe.’

‘You’re coming in? I thought you said you weren’t going to stay.’

‘I’m not, but I’ll go in and say hi to your mother.’
And to make sure Hal leaves quickly
. He walked her into her house, his hand resting lightly on her lower back. As soon as he entered the room, the smell of pine smacked him in the face, dominating Daphne’s own delicate peach.

‘Mama?’ Daphne called out as she went into the great room and stopped short. ‘What the hell is that? And where did it come from?’

‘That’ was a Douglas fir that had to be fifteen feet tall. Daphne’s mother knelt on the floor at the tree’s base, sorting through a box of holiday ornaments. A lady with a sweet face was muttering over a string of lights. And a man dressed in jeans and a suede jacket sat on the sofa.

Glaring at me
. Or more precisely, glaring at Joseph’s hand, which still rested lightly on Daphne’s back. Joseph returned the man’s stare coolly, arching his brows. It was a petty middle-school-boy challenge that he wasn’t proud of, but he didn’t look away.

Simone looked at the tree, her expression determined. ‘It’s a Christmas tree. I bought it and it’s staying. Any other questions? Hello, Joseph.’

‘Hello, Mrs Montgomery. Nice to see you again.’

‘But . . .’ Daphne trailed off, looking up the height of the giant tree.

‘Simone,’ Simone said absently. ‘Call me Simone.’

‘But . . .’ Daphne looked back down to her mother. ‘Mama, we said we’d do a tree in the parlor, a normal sized tree. This is enormous.’

‘I know,’ Simone said. ‘That’s what I was going for. Fucking enormous.’

‘Language, Simone,’ the lady with the lights said mildly. ‘She bought a tree for the parlor, too, Daphne.’

‘And one for the upstairs hall,’ the man on the sofa added affectionately.

Daphne’s mouth opened, but no words came out. ‘Why?’ she finally asked.

‘Because,’ Simone said with a firm nod, ‘we are going to decorate every one of these damn trees so that when Ford gets home, he’ll see them from the Parkway.’

Daphne’s expression softened. ‘Oh. Kind of our version of “Every Light in the House is On”.’ She looked at Joseph over her shoulder. ‘It’s a country song.’

‘I’ve heard it,’ Joseph said. ‘It’s a beautiful tree, Simone. And a wonderful idea.’

‘Thank you,’ Simone said, but her lips trembled. She turned her face away and Joseph watched the lady with the lights press a tissue in her hand. Seconds later Simone was back to her task, her expression as determined as before. Maybe more.

It wasn’t hard to see from where Daphne had gotten her strength.

Daphne turned to the man on the sofa. ‘Hal, I’m sorry. I was about to tell you hi, then I saw the tree.’

‘It’s okay,’ he said with an easy smile. ‘I did the same thing when I came in.’ He rose and walked up to them, then leaned forward to murmur, ‘Let her have the tree, Daphne. It’s keeping her sane right now.’

‘You’re right,’ she whispered, then cleared her throat. ‘Hal, this is Joseph Carter. He’s with the FBI. Joseph, this is Hal Lynch, a very old family friend.’

Hal shook his hand, his eyes wary. ‘Do you have any leads?’

‘A few,’ Joseph said, trying not to sound terse and aware he’d failed utterly.

‘But you can’t discuss them,’ Hal said. ‘I understand. I do hope you can answer a few of my questions, though. Both Nadine Elkhart and I got visits from the FBI tonight, looking for Travis.’

‘That’s because we’re looking for Travis,’ Daphne said.

‘Why? Has something happened to Ford that no one’s telling us about?’

‘Oh, no,’ Daphne said. ‘I’m sorry you thought that. The FBI wants to find Travis so that we can get a list of criminals he’s sentenced or represented in the past. It’s routine.’

Joseph kept his expression bland, even though he frowned inside. Brodie had told them that the blood in the basement matched Odum’s, but Daphne had still been worried that it was the same type as Travis’s. She hadn’t mentioned that and Joseph wondered if she had a reason.

Hal was frowning. ‘I thought those Millhouses were responsible.’

‘They may be,’ Daphne said seriously. ‘But they’re not narrowing the focus just yet. The girl who was with Ford when he was kidnapped was one of my first cases. I cut a deal with her. It’s possible she had nothing to do with Ford’s disappearance, but it brought into the light that both Travis and I have jobs that make enemies. We’d be foolish not to track those possibilities. Did you see Travis?’

‘No. I talked to him on the phone this afternoon. He was very upset when you told him about Ford. But I don’t know where he is right now.’

‘At what time did you talk to him this afternoon?’ Joseph asked. ‘And was he calling from his cell or home phone?’

‘It was at about three. Maybe four. And neither. I called him and he was at the office. Which I already told the other FBI agents. Don’t you guys talk to each other?’

‘They do, Hal,’ Daphne soothed, ‘but it’s been a very long day. If you don’t mind, I’m exhausted. I’m going to sleep now. If you talk to Travis again, please tell him that the police need his cooperation. For Ford’s sake.’

‘I will. For Ford’s sake. And yours.’

Daphne slipped her arm through Hal’s, leading him to the front door. ‘I’ll call you as soon as I hear anything. I promise.’ She paused with her hand on the doorknob, looking around as if she’d suddenly realized something. ‘Where is Tasha?’

‘In the solarium,’ the lady with the Christmas lights said. ‘When Hal arrived she became a bit . . .’

‘Vicious,’ Hal said, disgruntled.

‘Agitated,’ the lady corrected.

‘Tasha’s not a vicious dog, Hal,’ Daphne said. ‘She’s just protective. You said yourself that you worried about me by myself, so I got a protection dog. Plus she’s got to be on edge. So many people coming in and out.’ She handed Hal his hat and coat from the entry table. ‘Be careful. The roads are slick.’

Hal nodded, searching Daphne’s face. ‘Are you really all right?’

‘No,’ she said, very seriously. ‘I’m falling apart, inside. I have been terrified every minute of this horrible day. But I want my son back and if that means staying lucid and not being hysterical, then that’s what I’ll do.’

‘Then get some sleep.’ Hal pulled her to him and for a moment Daphne clung, looking like she was fighting tears. ‘You’ll call me if you need me?’ he whispered.

‘I will.’

Hal finally left and Joseph let out the breath he’d been holding. Daphne bowed her head, resting her brow against the closed door, her face intensely still.

‘Daphne?’ he said softly.

‘Just . . . a panic attack. I’m okay.’

She was not okay. Joseph went to her, put his arms around her. She was trembling from the strain of holding herself together. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘Just stay here for a minute.’ She turned her face into his chest and breathed, deep even breaths that slowly grew shallower. Finally she stepped back. ‘Thank you.’

‘Anytime.’ They turned to find her mother and the light lady staring at them.

Daphne braved a smile. ‘Show’s over, girls.’

The woman who’d been working on the lights approached him, extending her hand. ‘I’m Maggie VanDorn. I’m
also
an old family friend.’

Daphne’s eyes closed. ‘I’m sorry, Maggie. It was the damn tree. I swear.’

Maggie patted her cheek, then turned to Joseph. ‘I was Daphne’s nanny.’

He met Maggie’s eyes, found them filled with worry. ‘Good to meet you, ma’am.’

‘Stay as long as you like,’ she said to Joseph. ‘Come along, Simone. I’ll fix us a hot toddy. It’ll help us sleep.’

The ladies went to the kitchen, leaving Daphne and Joseph alone. Joseph ran his hand down her back. ‘Before I leave, is there a place we can talk privately? I have some questions about your friend Hal.’

‘Sure,’ she said. ‘This way.’ She led him to the solarium where a hundred-pound Giant Schnauzer waited. ‘Follow my lead. She might look cute, but she’s fierce.’

Great
, he thought sourly.
Another protection dog to dislike me
. Paige’s dog still barely tolerated him. Nevertheless, he followed her in.

The dog immediately began to bark frantically.

‘Tasha,’ Daphne said sharply. ‘Down.’ The dog dropped to her belly, eyeing Joseph like he was a giant pork chop. ‘Now come. He’s okay.’

Unbelievably the dog came, warily, but she came.

‘Crouch down with me,’ Daphne said, and together, they did. Daphne laid her head on Joseph’s shoulder and patted his knee. ‘It’s okay, Tasha. He’s okay.’ When the dog came closer, Daphne took Joseph’s hand and held it out to the dog. Within a few seconds, she’d licked him and gone back to her corner and curled up to sleep.