The baby that didn’t make it wasn’t his. Dolores was okay, but the baby, a twelve week fetus, was not his. He didn’t know which emotion to feel first, relief or disappointment.
He knew at that point in time, he couldn’t ever trust Dolores again. He was done making excuses for her lies.
Now was the time to look forward and that meant this woman standing in front of him. He didn’t know why, but she seemed to be a part of his future.
“Let’s go,” he said.
She jumped out of her chair, her mouth opened. “Aren’t you going to wait until she’s settled in a room?”
“No, I’ll come see her tomorrow.” He could hear the bitterness in his own voice.
When they got to her car he said, “You must think me a jerk.”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t know your history with Dolores.”
“We have quite a colorful one. We ended our relationship three times before we married. I should have known better.”
He shook his head while he slid into the passenger side. She drove him back to his car at Dolores’ house. “Have you met the tenant?”
Zach looked up at the darkened apartment. “No. Seems odd that the person didn’t come out with all the commotion last night.”
“Maybe they aren’t home.”
“None of my business.” He glanced over at Grace not eager to leave her company. “You need some breakfast?”
“I need a shower and to go to work.”
“Can I meet you for lunch?”
“As long as you don’t mind being stood up.”
“Why?”
“Because if a call comes in I have to go.”
“That’s how it was when I was a cop.”
“Then it’s a deal. Noon in the hospital cafeteria?”
“I’ll see you then.”
Grace met Zach at lunch. Her morning had not gone well. Even her partner had remarked that she didn’t seem to have the touch anymore.
“Off day?”
“I usually can just get a feeling for what they need, but not today. At least I haven’t killed anyone.”
“About Dolores.”
She raised a hand. “I’m not sure I’m up to talking about her.”
“Good idea. Let’s talk about something else,” Zach said.
Silence ensued as Grace attacked her salad with gusto. Zach leaned back and watched, his sandwich untouched.
“What?” Grace asked, her fork in mid air. “I never know when a call is coming in so I eat when I can.”
“Understood.”
Grace dropped her fork. “I think we have to talk about Dolores.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s right here with us. I’m not sure I want to do this with her here.”
“I talked to her. She knows where I stand.”
“Yes, but I still think that she’s in danger. I can’t pretend she isn’t there. She’s what brought us together.”
Zach took a bite of his sandwich and chewed it as if they were the words Grace had said. Once he swallowed he spoke again. “Okay. Then maybe we need to get this murder out of the way.”
“You believe me?”
No one ever does. She understood what Cassandra in Troy felt.
“Yes.” He said it without flinching. His gaze never left her face.
“I don’t want you to patronize me.”
“I wouldn’t, Grace.”
He reached across and took her hand in his. His warmth settled about her, like a womb. The vision didn’t appear, but the remnants of its memory washed over her. “Okay. So who do you think would want to kill her?”
“If she’s blackmailing someone then that person”
“Not the father of her baby?”
“Could be one and the same, but not if he’s just the father of her baby. That problem is gone now.”
Grace’s pager went off before she could answer. “Duty calls.”
She shoved one more bite into her mouth before she stood. “Thanks for lunch, Zach. And for believing me.”
“What time are you done?”
“Six.”
“I’ll be here.”
She left liking that idea.
Zach held a bouquet of flowers, but he’d bought them out of duty not affection.
“Hey,” she said with more cheer than she had energy.
He gave her a perfunctory peck on the cheek. His heart held little emotion for her anymore. “Hey, Lors. How you feeling?”
“Lots of things.”
“Sorry about the baby.”
And he was. Maybe he would have been a good father. He probably hadn’t been a very good husband. Dolores hadn’t been a good wife. The baby might have made them good parents.
Now he’ll never know.
He regretted the lack of opportunity more than he regretted the loss of the actual child.
“Yeah, me, too,” she said. Her eyes misted over. “You know it wasn’t yours.”
He grimaced. “Yes.”
“Guess I lost my last chance with you now that the baby is gone.”
He snorted. “You lost your chance when you lied to me.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Now isn’t the time to go through this. You need to get better.”
“I’m checking myself out of the hospital, today. I’ve hired a private nurse to take care of me.”
“How can you afford that? You went through all of your parents’ money when you were on drugs.”
“Not all. I saved some for a rainy day.”
She couldn’t look him in the eye. He couldn’t know what she’d done.
“Have you blackmailed anyone?”
His bluntness struck her and she scrunched down in the bed, suddenly exhausted. “Don’t sugarcoat it Zach.”
“Dolores, I think you’re in danger.”
“Oh, Grace has convinced you of that?”
“Why do you think it’s Grace?”
“Because she’s been practically stalking me. I want her to stay away from me.”
“Lors, she saved your life the other night. She’s concerned that you’ve put yourself in danger.”
“Is it love, Zach? You’ve never taken anyone’s side over mine,” she said.
“Do you really want to know that answer or are you just changing the subject.”
“Can’t I know why I’ve been replaced? We’ve been a team for so long, Zach.”
“Don’t. We were never a team. You directed and I danced.”
A chuckled escaped Dolores. “You think I could control what you did?”
“Not all of my actions, but you knew what buttons to push when it was important to you.”
“I’m hurt, Zach.”
“You aren’t, Dolores. You have much thicker skin.”
“But you’re still concerned enough to feel I’m in danger.”
“It’s my job,” he said.
He saw her flinch. “Well, maybe I don’t want to be a case.”
“Just tell me who you’re blackmailing.”
She crossed her arms, the argument at a stalemate.
The end of the day couldn’t have come soon enough for Grace. After several bad calls, no one dying thankfully, a reporter left a message with her boss to contact her.
She’d dealt with this woman before in her last town and Grace wondered how the reporter had found her.
Looking forward to seeing Zach her step was lighter walking to her car. The dread took over when she saw how grim he looked.
At least he’d made it.
She stopped half a foot from him. He hadn’t gotten to know her enough for her to kiss him or go into his arms. Her heart ached for him to get to that point.
“What’s wrong?”
He jammed a hand through his hair. “I talked to Dolores. She’s home now.”
“So soon?”
“Checked herself out of the hospital. She hired a nurse.”
“Oh.”
This was significant, but she didn’t know why.
“She didn’t answer me when I asked her who she was blackmailing.”
Not “if,” but who. He believed her. Her heart leapt into her chest and she forced away a smile. “That’s how she can afford a nurse?”
“I’m guessing.”
She frowned. “Where does that leave us?”
“I don’t know. I can talk to the nurse and have her keep on eye out for anything strange.”
“Guess that’s the best we can do.”
“So, let’s get dinner.”
Grace glanced down at her cut off sweat pants and short t-shirt. “I’m not dressed for going out.”
His gaze raked over her as if seeing her for the first time. “Guess not. I can follow you to your hotel.”
“Sounds good.”
Right then her pager made a noise. “I forgot to leave this.”
Something in the dispatcher’s tone had her paralyzed.”
“Centre County to Glen Hills First Aid Squad and CCMC Unit 682 responding to a gunshot wound at. . “
The address sent chills through Grace.
“That’s Dolores’ address,” Zach said.
“The killer has already struck.”
“We’ll take my car.”