Not What It Seems (Escape to Alaska Trilogy) (14 page)

“And that’s an admirable policy. But this is her father speaking. I’d like to surprise her after her shift. Take her out for a bite to eat.”

“Her father?”

“I just flew into Anchorage on business. I called the house and Cassidy’s at the hairdresser. Patricia informed me her shift started at six, but I neglected to ask when she gets off work. I tried calling back, but there was no answer. Patricia mentioned something about heading out to work herself.”

“Cassidy is waitressing until two a.m. She should be cashed out by quarter after.”

“Thank you so much. I’ll drop by and surprise her after her shift.”

“Anything else?” The voice sounded impatient.

“Please don’t tell Cassidy I’m in town. And don’t tell her I’ve talked to you. I’d like to surprise my little girl.”

“Okay. This call never happened.”

“What call?” Theodore forced a laugh.

“See you later.” The fellow cut the connection.

Theodore dropped the phone back onto the cradle and smiled. “You’ll see me later all right. And shortly after two a.m., your establishment will find itself short one waitress.”

****

Cassidy strode into the bar at ten minutes to six and flopped onto the last vacant barstool. “Clayton, for the love of God, please pour me an ice cold Coke. I’ve spent the entire afternoon at the hairdresser’s with the slowest stylist on the planet. I missed lunch and didn’t eat a thing all day until a half hour ago. I rushed home and found a note from Patricia saying someone called from Gold Diggers but didn’t leave a name. She assumed he was a staff member, but she couldn’t be sure...”

“Whoa, take a breath. I’ve no idea who it could have been.” Clayton parked the cold soda in front of her while the little white lie rolled off his tongue. “Maybe Randy called.”

“No. Patricia met Randy, and she would have recognized his voice.” Cassidy downed half the drink and set the glass on the counter. “Patricia’s note said the man sounded ‘older’. Maybe he’s someone at the accounting firm that does payroll?”

“If it was important he’ll phone again.” Clayton knew her father was the mystery caller, but he’d been sworn to secrecy. He simply waved Cassidy toward the staff rooms. “Get to work, woman. Don’t employ slackers around here. I’m trying out a new band tonight, and I’m expecting a good crowd.”

Cassidy chugged the rest of her Coke and sauntered away.

****

Theodore Donahue couldn’t remember the last time he’d expended so many hours involving activities he would mostly consider unimportant. He’d napped for two hours this afternoon, read the Wall Street Journal over a room-service dinner, and caught the evening news on television. Although he’d enjoyed the relaxing interlude, his daughter had never wandered far from his mind.

What had possessed Cassidy to accept employment as a waitress in a bar? Had some disreputable character coerced his beautiful daughter into such an ill-advised move? He recalled her mixing drinks at several house parties he and his wife had thrown over the years. And Madeline swore Cassidy mixed the most delicious Harvey Wallbanger ever. But that qualified as mixology not waitressing. Theodore couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea of Cassidy willingly working as a waitress.

Cassidy’s feathers were ruffled over the partnership announcement. That was a certainty. But had his selfish, unjust decision devastated his precious daughter to the point of throwing away a promising future in a career she loved?

And he hated to admit it, but she’d been totally right about everything.

At one o’clock in the morning—normally he’d be tucked into bed with his wife at such an ungodly hour—he rode downstairs in the elevator. He strode into the hotel lounge and fortified himself with a rye and water. Twenty minutes later, he decided he couldn’t sit around any longer. He stepped up to the hotel’s check-in counter and requested the clerk call him a taxi.

The Yellow Cab pulled into the parking lot of the downtown bar at twenty minutes to two. A six foot wide, dark yellow neon sign reading Gold Diggers blazed from ten feet above the front door. Theodore settled the fare, over-tipping the driver, and then stepped out of the cab.

A mountainous young man stood, arms crossed, outside the establishment’s main entrance. He wore a black t-shirt with SECURITY emblazoned on the front. Several customers stood nearby smoking cigarettes, laughing and teasing each other. As Theodore approached, the fellow turned to open the door. Obviously, he worked as a bouncer. With this fellow in charge, Theodore felt comforted to a degree. At least, management provided a safe environment for Cassidy during her shifts.

Out of habit, he straightened his tie and pulled back his shoulders. “Okay, let’s check this out,” he whispered aloud.

Country music thundered inside and raucous laughter drifted through the open door. He’d heard country music on the car radio while flipping through stations, but it had sounded more pleasant than the cacophony assaulting his ears at the moment. But what did he know about western tunes? Classical music better suited his taste.

Theodore nodded a thank you to the bouncer and charged inside. A snarling grizzly bear towered above him as he stepped through the door, and Theodore’s heart almost stopped. He glowered at the massive wildlife taxidermy, feeling annoyed and foolish in equal parts.

“You should come with a warning,” he muttered.

Theodore moved farther inside and allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark interior. One quick glance throughout the local watering hole, and he decided in an instant that he and his cohorts would never patronize such an establishment. He scanned the clientele and couldn’t see anyone over forty in the place.

The interior appeared clean: glasses sparkled above the bar, no obvious tears or stains on the carpets, the hardwood dance floor appeared well-maintained. The establishment’s air conditioning system operated in an impressive manner, removing all traces of stale beer from the atmosphere. And all patrons and staff were forced by law to smoke outside. The western décor, he grudgingly admitted, elicited a certain charm. But in his opinion, Gold Diggers would be the last place on earth where Cassidy would consider imbibing, never mind working.

Theodore experienced a momentary pang of guilt. No doubt their unpleasant disagreement over the denied partnership and Jonathan’s proposal had created greater mental anguish in Cassidy than he’d thought possible. Waitressing in a bar? Had she plummeted into such a debilitating mental state she couldn’t be held responsible for her decisions? Or would his beautiful daughter incorporate any lengths to hide her whereabouts from him?

Either way, he intended to rectify the situation immediately. That meant returning his daughter to the safety of her parents’ arms where she belonged, and to the legal career that was her destiny.

“Come on in, sir. Sit wherever you want.” A long-limbed redhead wearing a white cowboy hat imprinted with Gold Diggers on the brim waved him forward, while expertly balancing an uncanny number of empty glasses, bottles, and dirty dishes on a large tray. The young woman wore a short black denim skirt, ruby red cowboy boots and a white cotton shirt scandalously unbuttoned to reveal the top of a lacy white bra.

Theodore grimaced, realizing his princess would be dressed similarly. Where was she? “Could you tell me where I could find Cassidy?”

“A customer spilled a drink on her a few minutes ago. She’s in the back sponging off her blouse. She’ll be out in a minute.” The waitress smiled. “Can I get you something while you wait?”

Theodore glanced around the bar and pointed to a table in the most remote corner of the room. “I’ll just sit over there and wait for Cassidy. Nothing to drink, thank you.”

“Sure, sir, go right ahead. Let me know if you change your mind about the drink. That table is part of my area.” The redhead strode across the floor and disappeared through a set of swinging doors.

Theodore headed to the back table and settled into the comfortably upholstered chair. He crossed his legs and tapped his knee with his hand. What was taking her so long? He should have warned the other waitress not to mention someone was waiting for her. Would she spot him and sneak away, disappear again?

Theodore bolted to his feet.

At the same moment, another waitress with short red hair breezed through the swinging doors, head held high, smiling and balancing a tray on her hand. A second later, Theodore realized it was Cassidy. Relief washed over him, and his eyes welled with tears. He’d found her.

He’d visualized finding a sunken-eyed, traumatized shell of a girl. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Cassidy wore a white cowboy hat, short denim skirt, white cotton blouse, and gray cowboy boots. His daughter appeared well, happy even. What was going on with her?

Theodore strode across the room and approached his daughter, standing at the bar with her back to him.

“Cassidy, I’ve come to take you home.”

Chapter 13

Cassidy’s heart almost stopped.

She whipped around. “What are you doing here?” she blurted and blinked to ensure herself she wasn’t hallucinating.

There stood Theodore Donahue, frowning, looking agitated. Her father was impeccably dressed as always, but dark circles lurked beneath haunted eyes. She realized his troubled appearance was her fault. Were those unshed tears she saw in his eyes?

Without warning, he grabbed her arm and guided her none too gently toward the front door. “Come with me,” he demanded.

Cassidy had no choice but to follow. Her father had possessed the element of surprise and outweighed her by at least sixty pounds. Before she’d realized what had happened, he’d dragged her outside to the parking lot.

On their way out the door, the bouncer stepped in front of Theodore and demanded, “Where do you think you’re taking her?”

“Leave us alone young man,” Theodore ordered, agilely stepping around the bouncer and pulling Cassidy along with him.

“Like hell I will.” The mountainous fellow followed them. “Cassidy, who is this asshole?”

“Everything is okay, Terry.” Cassidy yanked her arm out of her father’s grasp and glared at him. “This ‘asshole’ is my father. I’ll straighten this out and be back inside in a minute.”

Reluctantly, Terry retreated to the front door and disappeared inside.

Theodore’s hands fisted at his sides. “Considering your apparent mental state, I’ll ignore that vulgar name you just called me. I’ve come to take you home. I realize you’re angry with me, but how could you disappear without a word to your mother?”

“Actually, I’ve talked to Mom a couple of times. She knows I’m okay.”

Theodore blanched. “Your mother knew your location all this time?”

*

“No, I wouldn’t divulge that information, although she asked repeatedly.” Cassidy raised her head a fraction. “I assured Mom that I’m safe, I’m happy, and I’m not coming home. If she never mentioned my phone call to you, then I can’t help that. She most likely didn’t want to risk alienating me and never hearing from me again.”

Her mother hadn’t mentioned the phone call. Cassidy had frequently questioned her parents’ marriage. She’d never voiced any concerns, just wondered. Were they still happy together after all these years? They appeared to live separate lives: her father consumed by his law firm and her mother equally consumed with charity work and her friends. Except for Sunday brunch at the country club, her parents were seldom seen together in public.

“I’ll take this matter up with your mother when we return home.” Theodore stepped closer and clasped her elbow. “Hand me that stupid tray and come along. We’re leaving for home immediately.”

“Excuse me!” Cassidy yanked her arm out of his grasp. “I haven’t finished my shift. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Young lady, that’s enough of this foolishness. I’ve travelled a long way, and I’m not leaving here without you.” Theodore attempted to wrestle the empty tray from her hands.

Cassidy wouldn’t release her white-knuckled grip, as if relinquishing the tray meant losing her freedom as well. “I’m not a young lady. I’m a full-grown adult woman. I’ve started fresh, and I’m content with my life. I’ve acquired a rewarding job, met a dozen new friends, and discovered a newfound freedom which I’m not surrendering to anyone. And that includes you, Dad.”

“You’re a top-rated defense attorney with an unmatched record. What are you thinking? You prefer working in a bar, selling liquor to men of questionable character, to defending Chicago’s finest citizens? And who will rescue the down-trodden in need of your pro bono services?” Her father’s face reddened with anger as he spoke.

“Your actions stated how top-rated you believed me to be.” Cassidy stood, fuming. “Let Jonathan Ward defend the damn citizens of Chicago.”

“Cassidy, be reasonable…”

At that moment, Clayton dashed across the parking lot. “Cassidy, are you okay? What the hell are you doing out here?”

“Having a heated discussion with my father. He mistakenly believed I would be leaving with him. I’m not!” Cassidy stepped around her father and strode back into the bar. Clayton and her father followed on her heels.

“This conversation is not finished,” shouted Theodore.

“Yes it is!” Cassidy rounded on her father. “Just go away! Leave me alone!” She turned away, headed over to the bar and loaded up her tray with the drinks she’d ordered before rushing to the staff room to change her soaked blouse.

Clayton stepped up beside Cassidy and motioned her toward the staff room. “Sherry will deliver those drinks to your table. Your shift just ended. Go cool off. I’ll see you back here tomorrow at six.”

Cassidy glared at her father and then met Clayton’s eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

Clayton kissed her forehead, and then nodded his head in her father’s direction. “No harm done. This gentleman was just leaving.”

Cassidy turned on her heel and charged into the staff room.

*

Theodore Donahue stormed across the plank floor and perched on a barstool. The fellow Cassidy had called Clayton followed him. He must be the manager he’d talked with this afternoon. The young fellow wore cowboy boots, jeans, plaid shirt, leather vest and a black suede Stetson. Shaggy brunette hair almost touched his shoulders. A haircut was long overdue to Theodore’s way of thinking, but he refrained from sharing this opinion.