Obsession (15 page)

“That's true, my dear. We scarcely had a chance to say hello before he whisked you away. It's obvious your young man is quite smitten with you. How was your trip to the beach? Did the rain hold off long enough for you to get back home?”

“Not quite. It was beautiful when we got there, so we walked down the beach and found a great place for a picnic. But the wind came up and we had to duck into an old abandoned shack to finish our lunch. The rain didn't actually start until just after we got into the car to leave. Overall, it was a nice day.”

“Nice? That's all?”

Toni glanced sideways at April, who was looking at her questioningly. “I would have thought a romantic day at the beach with your fiancé would rate more than a simple ‘nice.’”

April's gaze, as well as her words, made Toni uncomfortable, and she turned her eyes back to the road in front of her. “Well, of course, it was… wonderful. I always enjoy my time with Brad. He's so good to me.”

“I would imagine.” When April said no more, Toni stopped at a red light and decided to change the subject. Before she could think of anything appropriate, April said, “You're not in love with him, are you?”

Toni jerked her head to the right. April Lippincott's pale blue eyes were soft with concern as she awaited Toni's answer. “What do you mean? Of course I'm in love with him. I'm engaged to him.”

“Have you set a date yet?”

“Well… no. But I told you the reason for that. I can't start making wedding plans so soon after my father's death, especially now when I'm still trying to find out if there was something more than a heart attack involved. I certainly can't think about getting married until we get to the bottom of all that.”

“‘We,’ as in you and me? Or ‘we,’ as in you and your handsome detective friend, Abe Matthews?”

Before she could answer, the driver in the car behind her honked his horn. The light had turned green. “He's not my friend,” she said, driving through the intersection. “He's just… a detective who happened to know my father and is willing to help me investigate his death—in an unofficial way, of course.”

“Of course.” April paused. “Although it does seem a lot of trouble for him to go to for someone who's not a friend.” When Toni didn't respond, April went on. “I think that maybe your Detective Matthews would like to be even more than a friend to you. Don't you agree?”

Toni was beginning to feel frustrated. “He's not ‘my Detective Matthews,’ and I really don't care what he wants or expects from me. This is strictly a professional, platonic relationship—and a temporary one at that. Once we've resolved this issue about Dad—and Julie, of course—any relationship I might have with Abe is over.”

“I see.”

Once again, Toni glanced at April. She appeared to be absorbed in gazing out the window. Toni decided to drop the conversation. It seemed she was only getting in deeper the more she tried to explain and defend her relationships with Brad and Abe. What was it about this woman from Colorado? Was she somehow able to see beyond Toni's words into her very heart? Could she sense that Toni had begun to question those relationships herself?

Toni thought back to her trip to the beach with Brad a couple of days earlier. She had been so sure that a day alone, just the two of them, was all she needed to regroup, to get her thoughts and feelings about Brad back in order, back to where they had been before… before Abe Matthews had come into her life, but it simply had not worked. As wonderful as Brad had been that day, and as much as she had enjoyed their trip to the beach, she had known from the moment they arrived and she had stood gazing out at the ocean that it was Abe who absorbed her thoughts and tugged at her heart. It was Abe she had wished she were spending the day with, and she had hated herself for it.

After all, not only was she engaged to Brad, who loved her more and treated her better than any woman could hope for, but she scarcely knew Abe, and what she did know about him did not recommend him as her lifetime mate. Abe was Jewish, and not a practicing Jew at that. Knowing that the Bible taught that believers and unbelievers should not be “unequally yoked” together in a marriage relationship, Toni clearly recognized that there was no point in pursuing a relationship with Abe, even if she were free to do so—which she wasn't. So, she had turned her attention and energy to Brad, hoping to make their day together so special that she would forget all about her “handsome detective friend, Abe Matthews,” but it had not turned out that way. Although she had continued to insist to Brad—as she did with April—that Abe meant nothing to her beyond his professional help in finding out the truth about her dad's death, she wondered if they believed her any more than she believed herself.

As they pulled into her driveway, April looked over at Toni. “I've been thinking,” she said. “I've been here more than a week now, and we really haven't been able to come up with any new ideas or clues about your dad's death or Julie's whereabouts. I know I said I was going to stay until we did, but… maybe it's time for me to go home. Maybe I need to find another private detective to search for Julie and let you get on with your life.”

“Oh, April, no.” Toni shut off the engine and reached over to lay her hand on April's arm. “We can't give up, not yet. There's got to be something we can do, some way to find—”

“Maybe,” April interrupted, “but I'm not so sure anymore. If something doesn't turn up in the next day or so, I believe I'll go on home.”

Just then Melissa and Carrie came running out of the house. Toni opened the door of the car and stepped outside to greet them. “Hello, you two. What's up? Where are you headed in such a hurry?”

“Over to Carrie's,” Melissa explained. “She forgot her overnight bag. We'll only be a few minutes.” She turned to April, who had just opened her car door, and helped her out. “Hello, Mrs. Lippincott. How are you?”

“I'm fine, Melissa. How are you?”

“Great. I'm really glad you could come. I wanted you to meet my best friend, Carrie. She's spending the night tonight.”

Carrie, her short black hair and brown eyes a contrast to Melissa's fair coloring, smiled shyly. “Hello, Mrs. Lippincott. It's nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine, my dear. I'm looking forward to getting to know you this evening at dinner.”

“Speaking of which,” Toni interjected, “did Brad happen to call and say when he'd be over?”

“He sure did,” Melissa answered. “In fact, he should be here any minute now. He said he'd stop on the way and pick up some charcoal to barbecue the steaks.”

“Oh good, he remembered. OK, girls. Don't be late getting back. We'll start the coals as soon as Brad gets here—assuming some last minute clouds don't sneak in and dump some more rain on us.”

The girls laughed and started down the driveway while April and Toni headed for the front door.

“Oh, by the way,” Melissa called out.

Toni turned.

“Dr. Welby called.”

“Melissa's name for Dr. Jensen,” Toni reminded April, then looked back toward Melissa and Carrie. “Did he leave a message?”

“Only that you should call him at home.”

“Thanks. I will.” Toni held the front door for April. “Please make yourself comfortable. I'd better make that call right away. I really can't imagine what he wants to talk to me about, especially after the way he practically threw us out of his office the other day.”

Mrs. Lippincott sat down at the far end of the couch, while Toni settled down next to the end table with the phone. Taking a quick peek in the address book for the doctor's home phone number, she picked up the receiver and dialed. Bruce Jensen answered on the third ring.

“Dr. Jensen, this is Toni Matthews. Melissa said you called.”

“Yes, I did. Thank you for calling back so quickly. I wanted to apologize for my behavior toward you and Mrs. Lippincott on Monday. I was so shocked by your request that I'm afraid I overreacted. Please forgive me.”

Toni hesitated, surprised by the unexpected apology. “Why… of course. I… I appreciate your call. Thank you.”

“No need to thank me, Toni. I should have been more concerned about your feelings in the matter and less concerned with my own. I was very close to your father, as you know, and although my loss doesn't begin to compare to yours, I did take his death very hard. As a result, I'm afraid I wasn't very considerate. I've been rethinking our conversation and your request for my help in getting a court order to
have your father's body exhumed for an autopsy. If that's something you still want to pursue, then I'll see what I can do.”

Toni was stunned. She had just about given up on being able to have an autopsy done on her dad, and now the one man who could help her get it done was offering his help—the same man who had summarily tossed her and April out of his office earlier in the week. “I… yes. Yes, I am still interested in pursuing the autopsy.” Toni looked at April, whose face registered the same puzzled shock that Toni felt.

“Fine. I'll make some phone calls Monday morning and see what I can do. I'll get back to you as soon as I know anything.”

“Thank you. I… I don't know what else to say.”

“You don't need to say anything. It's what I should have done when you expressed your concern. I must say, I still don't share that concern, but I'll do whatever I can to put your mind at ease. It's the least I can do for the daughter of a man who was one of my best friends for so many years.”

When Toni hung up the phone, she sat motionless until April spoke. “Was that… what I think it was? Did Dr. Jensen just offer to help you get that autopsy on your father?”

Toni nodded. “Yes. Can you believe it?”

“Well, I must admit, his call couldn't have been more timely. I certainly can't leave town now, can I?” She sighed and shook her head slowly. “I never would have imagined.… Who would have thought, after the way he reacted to our visit on Monday, that he would do such an about-face? It seems I may have misjudged the man after all.”

“Maybe we both did,” Toni agreed. “I only wish I knew what to expect now. Do you suppose I should call Abe and tell him?”

“That would probably be a wise idea, since he's the one who suggested this move. Before you do that, however, have you thought about what you're going to tell Melissa? She and her friend will be back soon.”

Toni's eyes opened wide. “I'd forgotten about that. Oh, April, I'm not looking forward to it. Please pray that she'll understand, that she won't—”

She was interrupted by the doorbell. “Brad,” she said. “He's here with the charcoal. I suppose I'd better tell him before I tell Abe or Melissa.” Toni looked at April. “Something tells me this dinner isn't going to turn out quite the way we'd expected.”

CHAPTER 7

A
s soon as Toni opened the front door, Brad stepped inside and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Hi, beautiful. Sorry it took me so long, but I ran into my parents at the store when I stopped to pick up the charcoal. When I told them I was on my way here for a barbecue, they wanted to know when I was going to bring you over again. They reminded me they haven't seen you since the funeral, so I told them we'd try to come by after church on Sunday. Is that OK?”

“Oh. Well, sure, I…”

“Good. Let me take this charcoal out to the grill, and then I'll give you a real kiss.” He stepped past Toni into the living room, then stopped. “Mrs. Lippincott. I didn't realize you were here. I mean, I knew you were coming. I just forgot….”

April Lippincott smiled. “That's quite all right. You don't need to apologize or explain yourself. I can certainly understand why you'd
forget about me, with your mind on kissing your fiancée. We all have our priorities, don't we?”

Brad grinned. “You're absolutely right, but I'm very glad to see you again. Excuse me while I go and put this charcoal down. I'll be right back.”

As he walked into the kitchen and out the back door onto the covered porch, April and Toni exchanged looks. “Go ahead,” April said. “I'll wait here and give you two a chance to talk.”

“Thank you. I suppose that's best.” Toni followed Brad outside, praying silently as she went that God would give her the right words and that Brad would understand. “Hi,” she said, coming up behind him.

Brad turned. He had laid the bag of charcoal next to the barbecue, and his hands were free. Taking her in his arms, he said, “Hi, yourself. Did you come out here to collect your kiss?”

Before she could answer, his lips were on hers, but he stopped as soon as she stiffened. Pulling away, he looked down at her, his eyebrows drawn together in a puzzled frown. “What's the matter? Is something wrong?”

“No… well, yes. Not really, but…” She took a deep breath. “Oh, Brad, I'm so sorry. I know I should have said something to you about this before, but… I wasn't sure I wanted to do it at first. Then, when I decided to go ahead with it and went to see Dr. Jensen, he almost threw us out of his office, and—”

“What are you talking about?” Brad interrupted. “Go ahead with what? And what do you mean, Dr. Jensen almost threw you out of his office? You said ‘us’? Who was with you? I don't have a clue what you're talking about.”

Toni sighed and shook her head. “I know… Brad, please, let's sit down so I can try to explain this.” They moved to the porch swing and sat down side by side. “I guess the best way is to begin at the beginning, which was a couple of weeks ago, when I met with Abe at his office to see if he had come up with anything new about Dad. That
was the day he told me about Simon Olson seeing that vehicle pull up and park near Dad's cabin. You do remember I told you about that?”

Brad nodded.

“Well, what I didn't tell you—because I just wasn't sure whether or not to pursue it—was that Abe also suggested that I… consider trying to have Dad's body exhumed for an autopsy.” Toni held her breath, watching Brad's face as her words sunk in. His intense concern quickly changed to a look of incredulity—not encouraging to Toni, but admittedly the reaction she had expected.

“An autopsy? Toni, have you lost your mind? What are you thinking? No, wait. It's not you, is it? It's that Abe Matthews again. He's the one who's putting these crazy ideas into your head, like keeping the agency open, now an autopsy. I told you he was dangerous. I warned you….”