by Kathy Harris
Was this a test of her strength? To her commitment to stay true to the right thing? The house in front of her was the home of her dreams with its Old South architecture and its manicured lawn.
Within minutes, the tall, blond realtor had unlocked the front door. The entry inside featured a winding staircase. The completely remodeled kitchen would be a chef’s delight. Danni could imagine inviting Jaycee over to spend the evening inventing new entrees. And the fenced-in backyard was perfect for Sophie. Or a pool party. Or a garden.
But while Sophie would tolerate Rob, Jaycee couldn’t. The truth was, she would be spending evenings in this big place with Rob. Alone.
And that thought was not inviting.
The biggest surprise of the day, despite what Rob might have planned, was how easily she could envision her life without him. And this house, which from outside appearances was everything she had ever wanted, could never be her home.
CHAPTER 40
After saying their goodbyes to the realtor, Rob turned his white Mercedes toward the Rutherford. He was still babbling on and on about the house. He loved the den. He loved the wine cellar. He loved the pool.
Never once today did he tell Danni how much he loved her. But he did ask her for a favor. He wanted her to help him with a business deal he had to close before he retired. He asked if she would go with him.
“When is it?” she asked.
“I’m not sure yet,” he said, looking somewhat confused about the whole issue.
“Then I can’t tell you for sure. I’ll do my best” was all she could say as he pulled in front of the restaurant to drop her off.
“Where are you going from here?” she asked.
“I’ll stop by my office and then head on home to make phone calls. I need to organize a few things, since I’ll be working from home for a while.”
“Why is that?”
He frowned. “I told you I’m retiring from the road. What about that do you not understand?”
Danni recoiled. “Sorry. I guess I’m just stupid.” She opened the car door to get out, and he grabbed her elbow.
“I’m sorry. Please stay.” He took a moment to compose himself. “Danni, I’m sorry. These changes are hard for me. As I’m sure they will be for you. But please have patience with me while I adjust.”
She nodded and gripped the handle on the door. He was beginning to scare her. The Rob Evans she knew had never begged. Or shown fear. But within the passing of a minute she had seen both.
Something big had to be getting ready to happen, just like Caleb had warned. And it must be bad. Rob was out of control.
“Rob.” She chose her words deliberately. “I’m here, just like I always have been.”
He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.
As she waved goodbye from the sidewalk in front of Amoré, one question haunted her. Although the answer didn’t really matter. Why now? Why did he need her so much now when he hadn’t seemed to need her before? The possible answers to that question sent a shiver up her spine.
As she opened the front door of the restaurant movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention. It was Agent Matheson. He winked and held the door for her, following her inside.
She had wondered how close the TBI had been watching today. Although she hadn’t noticed anyone, Caleb had promised she would be under intense surveillance while she was with Rob. Not because they didn’t trust her, but to keep her safe.
And even though Caleb had spent the afternoon with Zach, he had assured her they would be praying for her. That thought made her smile. So did knowing she would be hearing from him before the end of the day, to check in with her and to let her know if she would need to wear a wire at dinner.
Dinner? Rob hadn’t mentioned going to dinner. Maybe she should call him and ask if he wanted her to bring something home. But before she could pick up her phone, a flurry of work-related calls kept her busy for an hour. Then Amoré’s pre-dinner traffic started to arrive.
“Are you in Nashville, Robert?”
It was Ramirez. Perhaps his wait would be over, and he could get this last job behind him.
“Yes, sir. I flew into town yesterday.”
“And the shipment?”
“Should have already been delivered, sir. The bus will be back in Nashville tonight.”
“Good. That means we can move forward with the completion of our final business.”
Rob breathed easier. “I’m ready, sir. What do you need from me?”
“I need you to stay vigilant,” Ramirez said. “Did you learn anything about that cop your girlfriend has been spending time with?”
“I can tell you it’s nothing to worry about. He’s investigating the death of one of Danni’s coworkers, there’s nothing personal—”
A message alert pinged on Rob’s phone.
“Go ahead. Check your text.” Ramirez chuckled.
Rob clicked on the message icon. At the top of the list was a message from an unknown sender. It was a photo.
Of Danni? He clicked to enlarge the picture, and his heart dropped. It was a photo of Danni. The Parthenon at Centennial Park was in the background, and she was kissing another man.
“Are you convinced now, Robert?”
Rob’s response caught in his throat. He’d been a fool.
“Who is he?” he asked, his voice measured.
“He’s your girlfriend’s new best friend, Mr. Evans. He works for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Do you see now why I’ve been so concerned?”
Rob slumped into the bucket seat of his Mercedes. Everything. Everything. Was falling apart.
And suddenly Ramirez became his only hope.
“What do I need to do, sir?”
“Stay vigilant, Robert, just like I said. We will get through this. I have a plan.” Ramirez sounded both comforting and cocky. “But you must follow it to the letter.”
“Yes, sir. Anything, sir.”
“The stakes have been raised this afternoon. In fact I have a few surprises for you. But you’ll find out about those soon enough.”
Rob remained quiet.
“Keep your schedule clear for the next few days. I may call you on a moment’s notice. When I come to town, we will take care of all of this.”
“You’re coming to town, sir?” But Ramirez had hung up.
Rob dropped the phone to his lap and collapsed onto the steering wheel of his car.
What had Danni done? And what would it take to get him out of this mess?
A few minutes past five o’clock, Caleb’s number lit up Danni’s cell phone. She rushed into her office and closed the door. Finally she would have a chance to tell him about her day.
After hearing about Rob’s unexpected plans to retire, and seeing the desperation in his eyes, she needed the reassurance that Caleb had never failed to deliver.
“How are you?” she asked.
“Not well.”
“Caleb?”
“I’m here.” His voice cracked. “But Zach has disappeared.”
Danni fell into her office chair.
“After I dropped him off for the day, his mom let him go outside to play, and he never came home.”
“There has to be an explanation. He’s at a friend’s house or—”
“No.” Caleb interrupted her. “Ginny, his mother, has already received a call. Zach has been kidnapped, and he’s being held for ransom.”
CHAPTER 41
Danni paced around her office, one hand holding her phone, the other cradling her forehead as the possibilities raced through her mind. But everything led back to her first, horrible thought.
“Is his disappearance related to the narcotics ring?”
“We don’t know. We suspect it is.”
“But the only connection is . . .” She stopped when she realized what she was about to say.
“Me. The only connection is me.” Caleb completed her sentence. “Nice, huh? I’ve managed to draw an innocent boy into this.�
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This was no time for blame. She could wallow in it too. Right now, they had to be proactive. “How can I help?”
“Are you going to dinner with Evans tonight?”
“He hasn’t asked yet.”
“If you think you can make it happen, I want you wired.”
“Anything.” Danni leaned against her office door, wondering what madness might walk into her life next.
“I’ll send Agent Wade to the restaurant. She’s back at work, and she’ll get you set up.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll have her call you. I need to run.”
“I’ll try to reach Rob and arrange for us to get together.”
He mumbled something away from the phone. Then, “Thank you.” He hesitated. “I’ll be back in touch as soon as I can.”
“Be careful.”
“I was about to tell you the same thing.” Unspoken words hung in the air between them. “Jamie will be in touch.”
With that he disconnected the call.
Danni lowered her phone to her desk. What a mess she had made of her life. And the lives of others. All because she had been infatuated with Rob Evans.
How could she have been so blind? Because she had believed that money meant security. She had bought into his decadent lifestyle—her decadent lifestyle, she might as well admit it—at the expense of others.
Tears rimmed her eyes, but she refused to oblige them. She had too much to do to waste time feeling sorry for herself. She collected her thoughts, picked up the phone, and dialed Rob. If he knew anything—anything—she would get it out of him tonight. Within thirty minutes she had dinner plans with Rob at her place, and Agent Wade was on her way to Amoré to install the wire.
One more thing had to be handled. Danni stood, crossed the room, and opened her office door. Jaycee was standing there, her hand in midair about to knock.
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be off today.”
“I was worried. You’ve been on my mind all day.” The normally upbeat chef wore a concerned look on her face. “I had to come.”
“Step inside.” Danni opened the door wider. “I need your help.”
Jaycee slipped through the door and closed it behind her.
“Have a seat.” Danni nodded to a chair.
Jaycee set her handbag on the floor and took a seat. Danni leaned against her desk. “I’ll give you the five-minute recap, and then I have a request.”
The chef listened without interrupting. When Danni stopped talking, she asked, “What can I do besides pray? I’ve already got that part covered.”
“I need you to prepare two dinners for me to take home in—” she glanced at the clock on the wall—“an hour. I’m going to do my best to pry the truth out of Rob tonight. If he knows anything about Zach’s disappearance, I’ll find out.”
Jaycee stood. “Veal Piccata okay?”
“Yes, he’ll love that.”
“With risotto and asparagus.” She paused to think. “And zuppa inglese with fresh fruit for dessert.”
“That’s perfect, Jay.”
“I’m on it.” The chef took off for the door, then turned back and enveloped Danni in a hug.
“It will work out,” she said. “In fact, God already has it handled. Do the best you can, and let Him take care of the rest.”
Danni nodded, forcing a weak smile. Trusting God was the only thing left.
Although she did have an idea that might help move things along.
Caleb walked the circumference of his office and back again, trying to put the pieces together. His heart told him to pound doors and turn over every rock to find Zach. But his training reminded him it was best to stay here.
They knew with little doubt who had taken the boy, which meant an ordinary street search wasn’t going to help. Zach was most likely already out of town, whisked away before anyone even knew he was missing. Ramirez’s crew wouldn’t risk showing their hand unless they knew they were holding aces.
The logical next step was to prepare for a phone call. Or hope Robert Evans had information that would give them a lead.
Caleb slammed his fist against the wall.
The boy would have been better off without him in his life. How could he have let him down like this? He should have known Ramirez was capable of anything. But a ten-year-old child?
I should have watched Zach closer and instructed Ginny Franklin to take extra precautions. There were so many things he would have done differently, if only he had a do-over. A second chance.
And then he remembered Zach had been his second chance. Had he learned nothing from his brother Jonathan’s death? You play with fire, and you get burned.
Almost on cue, Caleb’s phone pinged. It was a message from Ginny Franklin.
Caleb, I just received this. PLEASE tell me what to do.
Attached to the message was a video. It was Zach. His feet and hands were bound, and he was leaning against a wall next to a blond woman whose face had been obscured.
Caleb pushed play on his screen, and Zach came to life. The boy’s voice was strong.
“Caleb, please help me. And tell my mom I love her.”
The video went dark. And Caleb struggled to maintain his composure. The boy was stronger than he. Zachary hadn’t given up. He trusted Caleb to get him through this.
And he would.
Caleb started out the door. He had to get the tape to forensics. Maybe they could trace—
And then he remembered. He stopped walking and bowed his head. Father, please don’t let me take this into my own hands. I know how that story ends.
He had been running away from God when Jonathan was killed. This time he wanted God on his side. The image of Zach in the video played over in his head, and Caleb’s own prayer echoed the boy’s words.
Please help me, he prayed as he rushed out the door.
By seven o’clock, Danni had everything ready. Jamie and another female agent had installed the wire, which wasn’t really a wire at all. It was a digital device small enough to fit on Danni’s fitness bracelet, something Rob was used to seeing her wear.
Now . . . she had to relax and forget it was there.
The candles were lit and the dinner was warming on chafing candles. She checked her hair in the hall mirror. As soon as she’d gotten home, she had changed clothes and touched up her makeup.
She had also fed Sophie, which included giving the dog her nightly dose of calming tincture. The stuff had worked miracles for the Newfoundland. Danni hoped it would work as well on Rob.
She read the instructions on the bottle. It was purely homeopathic, odorless, and colorless. And if it was safe for canines, it must be safe for humans. She had made up her mind. If Rob hadn’t told her what she needed to know by the end of dinner, she would be serving zuppa inglese ala relaxation for dessert.
When he arrived a few minutes later, he looked beaten down. Either planning for retirement was harder than working, or something bad had happened since she had seen him. She guessed it was the latter.
Now to get him to talk about it.
She kissed him lightly on the lips and led him to the dining room. After he had taken his usual seat at the head of the table, she poured their drinks and chatted about her afternoon.
“We were crazy busy today; how were things at your office?”
“Oh . . . I wasn’t there for long. I came home early and tried to take a nap.”
Danni took a step back for dramatic effect. “And you still look tired. But you’ve been on the road for almost a month.”
He nodded. “That’s probably why I’m tired.” He averted his gaze, changing the subject. “Where’s Sophia?”
“Sophie? She’s already in bed asleep. She’s been anxious about something lately, and it’s wearing her out.” Danni scooped veal onto Rob’s plate. “Maybe that’s why you’re so tired. Have you been under a lot of pressure?”
“Yes, some. You know how work is.”
“You seem
extra tired tonight, Rob.” With silver tongs, she arranged stalks of asparagus artfully beside his entrée. “Maybe you should see your doctor?”
“I’ll be okay. I just need to rest.” He flickered a smile as he unfolded his napkin.
“Jaycee made your favorite risotto.” She handed the plate to him and then prepared hers before taking a seat beside him.
“Here’s to us.” She said picking up her water glass.
“Yes, to us,” he said, raising his glass.
“So—” she took a bite—“tell me about your schedule for the next week.”
Rob put down his fork. “What is it with your game of twenty questions tonight?”
Danni swallowed. Fanning her throat, she took a sip of water. “Oh, sorry. That bite went down wrong.” She dotted her napkin to her mouth. “I guess I’m just giddy.” She smiled. “With looking at rings and houses today.”
He nodded, seeming to relax. “I understand, babe. It’s a big life change.” He picked up his fork and took a bite of the risotto. “This is delicious. Tell Jaycee I appreciate her making it for me.”
While they finished eating dinner, Danni told Rob about her trip to Iowa, shared her challenges at work, and joked about how Jaycee wanted to join her choir at church.
Rob seemed to enjoy the meal and letting her carry the weight of the conversation. For once he stayed off the phone and never broached the subject of his work. As she cleared the plates, she knew it was time to implement her plan.
“Would you like coffee with dessert?”
“That sounds great. Can we eat in the living room?” He stood.
“Of course. I’ll make the coffee and bring it right in. Why don’t you turn on the TV?” There was no way he would see her spike his dessert if he was watching television in the next room.
Danni retreated to the kitchen, pulled two parfait glasses from the cabinet, and filled them with Jaycee’s decadent concoction of pudding, sponge cake, and fruit. The fragrance of the rum flavoring the chef had sprinkled on the fruit was enticing. Even if the tincture hadn’t been odorless, the exotic scent would have masked it perfectly.