by Kathy Harris
Danni stared at her. “He’s okay? But . . .”
“Yes! Can you believe it? The doctor said it went perfectly.”
Brian, who had been on the phone across the room, rushed to his wife and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“He’s okay?”
Chloe nodded.
“You scared us half to death.”
“I’m sorry.” She nestled farther into her husband’s side. “I was just so relieved.”
Danni slumped into the chair beside her.
“God is good!” Brian pulled away from his wife. “I’ll call the church office and ask them to share the good news with everyone who has been praying.”
“Would you call your mom too?” Chloe acknowledged the approaching doctor. “I’ll call grandma as soon as Danni and I talk to Dr. Madison.”
A few minutes later, after they had talked to the surgeon, Brian rejoined Chloe and Danni. He glanced at his watch.
“I’m taking Chloe to the cafeteria for something to eat.” He clutched his wife’s hand. “Why don’t you join us? It will likely be an hour or two before we can visit your dad.”
“I’ll meet you there,” Danni said. “Let me make a phone call first.
She dialed Jaycee’s number and waited for the ring as she watched her sister and brother-in-law stroll away, laughing and talking, the scene reminiscent of her parents the day they had all taken Chloe home from the hospital.
Years of memories, and regrets, came flooding back.
Jaycee’s voicemail picked up. “Jay, my dad’s doing better. Thanks for your prayers. I’ll call you when I know more.”
Danni stowed the phone in her pocket and walked down the corridor toward the elevator. Waiting for the lift to arrive, she looked around. This old building had been through a lot in its days. The paint color looked fresh and new, but she could see the old, familiar cracks in the walls.
That was the problem with rough places. They couldn’t be patched. They had to be completely mended or they would eventually work their way to the top again.
She too had a lot of rough places in her past that needed to be mended. She had a lot to think about.
CHAPTER 16
Three days later – March 29
When can I get out of here?”
Three days after his surgery, Dan Kemp was asking to go home.
Danni tried not to laugh as she watched him negotiating with the nurse who had just come on duty.
“Give us a week.” The woman caught his wrist and watched the clock on the wall beside the bed.
“But that’s seven days.” He turned to Danni and winked. “Once they get you in this place, they won’t let you leave.”
Danni smiled. It was easy to see he was feeling better. “Maybe they’ll give you credit for time already served,” she teased.
“I’m afraid that won’t happen.” The nurse, whose nametag identified her as JoAnn, delivered the punchline. “That would require good behavior.” She released her patient’s hand and grinned at him.
Dan Kemp flashed a smile in return.
Danni sat back and watched the two of them banter back and forth while the nurse checked the connections to a stockpile of drip bags hanging from a rack next to the bed. After she finished, she looked to Danni and then back to her patient. “Actually, what I said a minute ago wasn’t completely true. We are letting you go this afternoon.”
Dan Kemp sat up straight. “Really?”
The nurse held up her right hand, to settle him down. “To a regular floor.” She smiled. “You’re doing so well you’re wasting our time in ICU.”
“See, you’ve made a pest of yourself, Dad.” Danni took a seat at the foot of the bed after the nurse had left. “They’ll soon be getting rid of you downstairs too.”
“Sometimes it pays to be difficult.” He chuckled.
She patted his leg. “You scared us half to death. I’m glad you’re better.”
His expression sobered. “I have to admit; I was concerned too. Especially when I saw you here.”
Danni frowned. “Am I that bad of a daughter?” She tucked his blanket around him. “I’ll try to do better in the future.”
“It’s always good to see you, beautiful girl, no matter what the circumstance.” He covered her hand with his unencumbered one. “It’s just that I feel like I’ve lost touch. I don’t ever want to do that.” He shook his head. “What’s going on in your life?”
She stood to walk around the room. “Just work, Dad. Lots of work. But you know me; I love it.”
“And?” He nodded toward her restlessness.
“And I’m working on my wedding plans.”
“Is that what you want?”
“I think so.” She forced a smile.
He opened his mouth to speak, then stopped.
“What’s wrong, Daddy?”
“Just be sure he’s the right one. You don’t want to change your mind after it’s too late.”
She sat down again, this time in the chair beside the bed. “You know that better than anyone.”
“I don’t regret anything, Danielle. I have you and Chloe, and I’m a blessed man.”
“Why didn’t you marry again? Chloe and I would have understood.”
“Hey, we’re talking about you; don’t change the subject,” he sidestepped. “How do you feel about marrying Rob?”
“The truth?”
“Always.”
“I’m ambivalent.” Had she really said that out loud? Somehow, he always got to the bottom of things. “Of course I love him. I enjoy his company. He’s devastatingly handsome and charming. And he’s a hard worker.”
Her dad remained silent.
“But I guess I’m not sure.”
“Keep your mind open, and pray about it. I know you’ll make the right decision.”
“Your confidence in me means a lot, Daddy.” She stood, walked to the side of the bed, and kissed him on the cheek. “I remember how much that confidence helped me make it through childhood.”
“I was proud of my daughter then, and I’m proud of who she has become,” he said. “I’ve always been proud of you.” He teared up. “Never forget that.”
“Thank you.” She wiped tears from her own eyes. “Is there anything I can do for you today?’ I’ll be leaving for Tennessee tomorrow.”
“Just come back and see me when you can.”
“I promise,” she said. “I promise.” She glanced toward the nurse’s station. “And I’ll see you again during visitor hours this afternoon. Right now, I need to get out of here before that nurse runs me out.”
“They do have a lot of rules around here, don’t they?” He yawned and settled deeper into his pillow. “I suppose I could use a good nap.”
“Take it easy now. It won’t be long before you’re back at work.”
He frowned. “You’re right. I’d better milk it while I can.”
She laughed. “Do that, and I’ll see you in a few hours.”
The next day Danni took an early afternoon flight to Nashville with a connection in Atlanta. Her carry-on bag thrown over her shoulder, she strolled through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and considered her best snack options. She had almost two hours to wait for her connection.
Spotting a coffee shop ahead, she wound her way past business people, families with small children, and a kiosk in the center of the main hallway.
A few yards beyond, Danni settled into a cozy little two-top inside the café. As she waited for her laptop to boot, she thought about the conversation she’d had the day before with her dad. He had always maintained a balance between work and his daughters, giving Chloe and her a great start in life. Not every child had it that good.
She watched as new messages downloaded into her inbox.
With the financial security that Rob would bring to a marriage, she could afford to quit her job if—no, when—they had children. But is that what she wanted, children whose dad was never around?
Danni’s gaze wandered across the corridor beyond the kiosk to a sandy-haired man who was talking on a cell phone. He looked her way. It was the same man who had been on the airplane to Iowa. And in the hospital waiting room.
He had to be following her!
With shaking hands, she packed up her gear, left a five-dollar bill for the drink she had ordered, and hurried in the direction of the departure gate. As she rushed past the man in the kiosk, he called out to her. “Ma’am, please come and sit down. You look like you need a stress test.”
He didn’t know the half of it.
Once she’d reached the gate, Danni surveilled the area around her. There was no sign of the man. At least not yet. If he followed her, she would take a later flight. Or rent a car and drive home. She could be in Nashville in less than four hours if she drove.
One thing was certain. She wouldn’t be getting on a plane with him.
At the final boarding call, she scanned 360 degrees around her. Not seeing the stranger, she rushed onto the jet bridge and inside the 737. After stowing her bag, she dropped into a window seat, relieved to be on the final leg of her journey.
It had been an exhausting three days that had started with the fear of losing her father. Dealing with that had been enough. She didn’t need the stress of another stalker. Even if he was from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The thought of confronting Ridge brought as much angst as it did relief. She couldn’t wait to give those people a piece of her mind. They had intruded on her life one time too many. Wasn’t it enough that they had raised doubts about Rob? It was time to go home and prove his innocence.
She watched out the window as the plane took off, ultimately heading northwest. The changing cabin pressure reminded her to breathe. Looking through the clouds, the details on the ground became harder and harder to discern.
Viewing the world from far above always offered a different perspective. It was a small world, after all. Perhaps there was a possibility that seeing the sandy-haired man three times had been a coincidence. Still, the crime Rob had been accused of committing was all-too real. Real enough that Michael Ryan had died from it. Real enough that it had contributed to her mother’s death more than twenty years ago.
She didn’t want to be a part of that dark world. Coincidences didn’t exist there. And if they did, they might get you killed.
An hour later, Danni ran by baggage claim to pick up her suitcase, flagged down a trolley driver, and rode to long-term parking. After throwing her luggage into the trunk of her Escape, she called Jaycee.
“I’m home! Can you meet me at your house so I can pick up Sophie?”
“It’ll be about thirty minutes before I can get away.”
“Perfect. I’m just leaving the airport.”
“How was your flight?”
“No problems.” Except for a stalker. “How are things at the restaurant?”
“We’re good, Danielle. Everything went fine without you.” Jaycee had a smile in her voice.
“It’s nice to know I was missed.”
“Of course you were missed. We can’t wait to have you back.” Jaycee laughed. “Oh, and before I forget. Do you know a man by the name of Valentino Ramirez? He stopped by to see you. He said he was a friend of Rob’s.”
CHAPTER 17
The next day – March 30
The following morning Danni walked into the restaurant dining room and saw a small group of servers gathered in the back corner. The half dozen or so young men and women whispered, laughed, and slapped each other on the back. It would have been the perfect picture of workplace camaraderie but something—someone—was missing.
Michael Ryan.
He had always been in the middle of everything, laughing the loudest, provoking and encouraging his coworkers, and yet always watching their backs and helping them out. He had stood out in every crowd.
It wasn’t just Michael’s life and dreams that were missing. Losing him had affected each of them. Their lives had been forever changed. A family had lost a son, a brother, a nephew. And coworkers had lost a mentor, a helper, and a friend.
Danni settled into a chair. Michael’s life had been extinguished by someone who cared more about money than the welfare of his or her nameless, faceless clientele. Jaycee told her yesterday that Michael’s death was likely the result of a tainted batch of street drugs. If that was the case, some dealer, somewhere, had increased his profit by cutting the original substance with a less expensive but lethal one.
Of course Michael wasn’t a completely innocent victim. He had agreed to play the deadly game, one that amounted to nothing more than Russian roulette, and it had taken his life. He had hung out with the wrong crowd, and experimenting with one thing had led to another until the loaded chamber had eventually found its target.
Still it didn’t seem fair. How she wished she could put her hands around the neck of the person who had done this to him. The drug dealer who had—
Her cell phone rang. Pulling it from her pocket she checked the caller ID.
Rob Evans.
“So are you back at work this morning?” he teased.
“Who is this?”
“What do you mean?” Rob asked.
“You’ve been scarce for three days. They do have cell service in Iowa, you know.”
“I’m sorry, sugar. We’ve spent a lot of time out of cell range. And I knew you would call me if something was wrong.” He stopped. “Everything is okay . . . Your dad is okay. Right?”
“Yes, better. And I’m back at work today.” She might as well give in to his good mood. “What has you in such a great mood? Especially this early. Don’t music business people always sleep late?”
“Ouch. That hurt.” He laughed. “I wanted to tell you I was sorry I missed you when I came through town.”
Danni found a seat in a nearby booth. “I wish you could have rerouted to Iowa. I could have used the support. I spent his surgery day pacing the floor.”
“You know I had meetings.”
“Yes, Rob. I know.” He would never change. “Don’t worry about it. Thankfully Dad is a strong man.”
“I hope he continues to do well.” He cleared his throat. “Have you made any progress with our wedding plans? Invitations? Flowers? Dress? You know, all those things I know nothing about.”
She planted her elbow on the table and cradled her forehead in her hand. “Rob? When would I have had time to do that? I’ve been out of town . . . like you always are.”
“Wow, it’s a tough room today.”
She sighed, but not loud enough for him to hear. It wouldn’t make any difference.
“I did check on your condo while I was home. Everything seemed to be in order.”
“I appreciate it.”
“I’m curious where you stowed the briefcase.”
Danni’s heart dropped to her stomach. “You couldn’t find it?”
“Well, I didn’t look everywhere.” He sounded a bit sheepish.
“I would hope not! You know, Mr. Evans, there are some drawers in a girl’s house that are off-limits. And well hidden.” She was blushing . . . and bluffing.
“Oh, I didn’t think about that.” He chuckled. “Good girl.”
“Thanks.” She quietly exhaled a breath.
“It didn’t seem right, though, for you to be away. And I missed Sophia. Where did she stay?”
“At Jaycee’s house. They had a great time.” Thinking of the dog brought a smile to Danni’s face. “I picked her up yesterday. She seemed happy to see me, even if Jaycee did fix gourmet doggie meals for her.”
“The two of you are inseparable.” Rob sounded almost jealous of her relationship with the dog. “A few extra treats aren’t going to sway her away from you.”
Movement in the front of the room caught Danni’s attention. Caleb Samuels had walked in the front door, and he was just the man she needed to talk to.
“Rob, I have someone walking in the door for a meeting. Can I call you back?
”
“No need. I only wanted to check in.”
“Okay . . . oh, wait. I almost forgot.” She fidgeted in her pocket for the business card Jaycee had passed along to her. “Do you know a man named Valentino Ramirez?”
“Wh-who?” The tone of Rob’s voice took a nosedive.
“Valentino Ramirez. I’ve never heard you mention him, but Jaycee told me yesterday that he stopped by the restaurant while I was out of town. He said he was a friend of yours.”
“He stopped by th-the restaurant?” Rob stuttered. “Maybe . . . no, no. I’m not sure I know who he is.”
“Isn’t that odd?” She stood to walk toward Samuels. “Whatever. I’ll not worry about it unless he comes back in, and then I’ll find out how he knows you.”
“Yeah, babe. I wouldn’t worry about him. He may know one of my acts. Might even be a crazy fan. I’d stay clear of him.” Rob coughed. “Okay, I’ll let you run. Hank is calling me on the other line.”
“Talk to you late—” But he’d already left the conversation. The story of their relationship.
Now, it was time to do battle with the other man in her life.
Caleb caught himself staring at Danielle Kemp as she walked across the room. Why did he do that? Something about her always caught him off guard. And not just in passing. It wasn’t her stylish clothes. She would look even better in a pair of blue jeans and a flannel shirt. It was more about who she was.
She met him halfway across the room, and judging from the frown on her face, she wasn’t happy to see him.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Mr. Samuels?”
With a shake of her head, she dismissed the attending hostess.
“Let’s have a seat over there.” She gestured toward a booth near the bistro bar in the front corner of the room. “You saved me a phone call.”
“I did?” He took a seat.
“Can I get you a cup of coffee before we talk?”
“Is it safe? It appears you’re upset with me.” Did he dare smile? “I think I’d better pass.”
“Then I’ll get right to it. I want to know why you had one of your men follow me to Iowa. Or is that a question for your supervisor?”