Mistakes
Page 20
“No,” Joan said, “I want to hear this. It’s just really hard. Please go on, Dalton.” She nodded at him and squeezed Frank’s hands even harder.
“Mrs. Turner, Maddy wanted to let you know she was very sorry for lying to you and going to Mexico. She was so upset that she left and wasn’t speaking to you. She loved you all so very much.” Tears ran down Dalton’s face.
Joan cried on Frank’s shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her.
“Aimee,” he said, and I turned to look at Dalton as Zane offered me support. “She prayed so hard that you got away and survived. It was one of her daily wishes that you had made it home.” Now I was crying just as hard as Joan was. “She would be so happy.” He seemed distraught. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t come here to make you upset.” Dalton was shifting nervously, obviously feeling awkward. “I really wanted to meet you all and tell you face-to-face the things she said. You truly had a remarkable, brave daughter. I owe it to her to come here today. I needed to make sure you knew how she felt.”
“Thank you,” Frank said, his voice breaking, “It means the world to us. I realize it couldn’t have been easy, so thank you.”
“It was the least I could do, sir,” Dalton said as he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his face. “I wish I could’ve done more.”
His turned to me and asked, “Aimee, have you talked with Jack Duvalt since your return?”
“I tried to go see him at the hospital, but they moved him to a hospital in Chicago. I was hoping he had information that could help us.”
I noticed that he tensed up as I spoke. He rubbed his hand over his face and looked stressed and ill at ease. “I know this isn’t going to make a lot of sense right now, but I would really like for you to stay away from him. If he tries to contact you in any way, please call the police and let me know.”
“Do you think he’s involved?” I blurted out.
His smile was forced as he said, “I don’t mean to worry you, but I would really like to talk with him. Please just promise me you will not to try to contact him anymore. We want you to be safe.”
It felt awkward, and I knew he was hiding something from us, but it was clear he wasn’t going to say anything else about the matter.
“How are you doing?” Joan said, barely able to get her voice above a whisper.
Dalton looked worn-out, and I could see he was suffering. God only knew what those bastards had done to the poor man.
“I’m taking each day as it comes. Mrs. Turner,” he said, trying to pull himself together. “I’m actually going back to Mexico next month after I’m fully recovered, and I get my doctors to sign off regarding my health.”
“Really?” Zane said, sounding shocked. He hadn’t said much since Dalton had set foot in the house. “I wouldn’t have thought you would never want to see that place again.”
“To be honest, I don’t,” Dalton said grimly. “I’m going back to hunt down each one of the men that held us captive. I’m part of a private task force that’s been set up to stop this from happening again.” Dalton ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve also hired a man to help me find the location where we were held. I want to destroy the place. The thought of it happening to others and not doing anything…” He stopped and shook his head. “I can’t not do something.”
Frank nodded in agreement. “I understand. Is there anything we can do?”
Dalton shook his head. “I’m not even sure what I’m doing at this point. Can we keep in contact?”
“Yes, of course.” Frank jumped up, grabbed a pad of paper, and scribbled down some information before ripping it off and handing it to Dalton.
“I’d better get going,” Dalton said as he stood to shake Frank’s hand again. Then he dug into his back pocket, took out his wallet, and handed him his business card. “My cell number is on here. Please call me if you ever need to. It was so lovely to meet all of you. Thank you so much for letting me in. It means so much to me.”
“Thank you for coming,” Joan said, standing up and hugging him.
Dalton looked at me, surprised. I smiled a watery smile at him.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Aimee,” he said as Zane put his arm around me.
“You too, Dalton.”
“I will find them,” he said, fixing us all with a determined look. “I swear I will.”