Silence in the Dark (25 page)

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Authors: Patricia Bradley

Tags: #FIC042060, #FIC042040, #FIC027110, #Christian Fiction, #Mystery Fiction, #Suspense Fiction

BOOK: Silence in the Dark
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His dad tented his fingers. “What do you think?”

“I think Montoya is coming out ahead. His costs haven’t increased significantly while our fuel costs for transporting the raw materials have.”

“Good point. You should have brought it up.”

“I was going to when he received the phone call.”

“How’s it going with Bailey?”

Danny jerked his head up. “How did you know?”

“Son, you brought her back from Mexico, you’re staying at the B&B, and you’re itching to leave this meeting, I presume to be with her. So, answer my question.”

Danny squared his shoulders. “I’m going to ask her to marry me again, and I’d like to give her Mom’s ring, with your permission, of course.” He swallowed and waited.

A slow smile spread across his dad’s face. “Do you think she’ll have you this time?”

Tension eased from his shoulders. “I hope so. We’ll know tonight.”

Phillip frowned. “You two haven’t been near each other in two years. Don’t rush it. Give her a little time, a little space.”

Resistance welled up in him. “We’ve wasted enough time.”

“One more thing—have you considered she might not want to give up her mission work?”

“We’ll work that out.”

He held his father’s steady gaze, and finally he smiled. “Well, you have my blessing. Of course you can have the ring.”

Yes!
Danny restrained from pumping his fist in the air.

“I would appreciate your help with the negotiations today,” his dad added.

That meant he wouldn’t get away anytime soon. “I’ll stay, and thank you, sir. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to give Bailey a call.”

“Not at all. Just be back by the time Montoya finishes his business.”

Danny took out his phone as he exited the boardroom, his elation tempered by a question his dad raised. What if Bailey didn’t want to give up her mission work?

Bailey caught a glimpse of herself as she brushed her hair. She had to do something about the dark circles under her eyes.

Maria looked up at Bailey in the mirror. “Don’t you feel good, Miss Bailey?”

She yawned and turned the brush on Maria’s hair. “I’m fine,
just a little tired.” Fatigue caused by another round of dreams, except last night, the man in the nightmares wasn’t Mr. Carver. The man who chased her had ghostly blue eyes. Not sky blue like Maria’s but pale like Joel’s. With a start, she realized it had been the man in the poppy field in Mexico. Maybe she should talk to Ben about what happened.

Maria patted Bailey’s hand to get her attention. “Are we really going to see my grandma and grandpa today?”

Bailey finished tying the ribbon in the girl’s dark hair and smiled. “Yes, ma’am. As soon as Angel and Solana get back from the clinic.”

“Is Mr. Danny going?”

“I think so.” Danny. Bailey touched her lips, remembering his kisses last night and her response. So why did her heart ache? Because her admission gave him the wrong impression as evidenced in the kitchen earlier. He thought they were on the same page. And why weren’t they?

“Can I wear my necklace today?”

Bailey glanced at the locket that Robyn had brought from the jeweler last night. “If you will be very careful. Like your uncle Joel said, this is a very expensive necklace.”

“I’ll be careful. I want to show it to my grandmother.”

She fastened the locket around the child’s neck. “You look very pretty, but remember—”

“I know. Be very careful with it.” She mimicked Bailey’s words. “Is it time to go yet?”

Bailey laughed, remembering how hard waiting was for a child. “No, not yet.”

Bailey hoped everyone would be back from their various appointments in time for them to leave at ten thirty, but she’d heard Joel go out earlier, and he hadn’t said when he would return. And she hadn’t heard from Danny either.

“Is Tio coming?”

“I don’t know.” She’d never met Maria’s great-uncle and would like to. “Do you have a picture of him?”

Maria shook her head. “I don’t think he likes it when someone takes his picture. Am I going to fly to see my grandparents?”

“You are.”

If the cartel had followed them to Logan Point and was waiting for an opportunity to grab Maria, the drive to Corning afforded them the perfect time since parts of the highway weren’t well traveled. Maria would fly with Danny and Bailey to the little airport outside of Corning, while Angel and Solana drove the Escalade and picked them up. She assumed Joel would drive himself.

Maria tugged at her arm. “Can I put on the dress that my daddy bought?”

“Let’s eat breakfast first, little chatterbox.”

Maria nodded. “So I don’t spill anything on it.”

“That’s right.”

“Where did my daddy go?”

The child couldn’t seem to get enough of calling Angel daddy. “He took Solana to get that cast off her foot.”

Her eyes widened. “Do you think he’ll marry Solana and make her my mommy?”

“Where did you get such an idea?” She’d seen how protective Angel was of Solana but hadn’t dreamed Maria had noticed.

Maria hunched her shoulders in a shrug. “He’s always smiling at her. Will I live with him when we go home?”

“I’m sure you will.” Bailey couldn’t imagine any other scenario even though she hadn’t heard Angel discuss the subject. How would Joel feel about losing Maria? Her chest tightened. Joel wasn’t the only one losing the child. Bailey had grown close to her in the last year, and this week had cemented that bond.

Remembering the sad child she’d first met and seeing her now warmed Bailey’s heart. She’d made a difference in Maria’s life. That made the trip to Mexico worth all the bad that happened.

Maria tilted her head. “Are you coming home with us too?”

“I don’t know.” Bailey bit her lip. She hadn’t decided if she wanted to return to Mexico other than to finish out the school year. The school expected her to teach next year, but she wasn’t sure she could. She shook her head, dispelling the memory of fear, of running away. “How about we go downstairs?” she asked. “I think I smell bacon and cinnamon rolls.”

“And then I can put my new dress on?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

When they entered the kitchen, Bailey spoke to her mom before helping Maria into a chair. Her cell phone rang and she slid the phone out of her pocket. “Hello?”

“Hey, bad news,” Danny said.

“What?”

“Dad’s insisting that I sit in on the contract negotiations with Edward Montoya, and Angel called. The doctor who was supposed to see Solana was called out for an emergency. She has to go back to the clinic this afternoon—they’re on their way back to the B&B now. Looks like we’ll have to reschedule the Corning trip for tomorrow.”

Bailey didn’t relish telling Maria or Joel that news. “Looks that way, doesn’t it. Do you know when you’ll be back?”

“Depends on how well the negotiations go.” His voice turned husky. “I was looking forward to being with you on the flight over.”

A shiver raced through her. “Me too.”

“See you soon.”

Joel entered the kitchen from the back door as she disconnected from the call, and Maria scrambled from her chair and ran to him. “Uncle Joel!”

He picked her up. “I see you’re wearing your necklace.”

A grin spread across Maria’s face. “Are you going with us in the plane?”

“No, sweetheart. I’ll be driving to Corning in case I need to stay
behind.” He shook his head. “You wouldn’t believe the trouble I had getting a rental car yesterday so that I didn’t have to use Edward’s. How long does that convention go on?”

“Through the weekend,” Kate said. She took a breakfast casserole from the oven. “Is everyone ready for something hot?”

“That looks good, Kate.” Joel set Maria in the chair Bailey pulled out. “So tell me, how do you have rooms available when no one else does, other than the fleabag I vacated.”

Kate poured him a cup of coffee. “My bed-and-breakfast was omitted from the list that went out to attendees. By the time I found out, it was too late to change it.” She glanced at Maria. “And now I’m glad it worked out that way.”

Bailey was too. She turned to Joel. “I hope you slept well.”

“I did. And whatever your mother just took out of the oven smells wonderful.”

“It is.” Bailey dished out three servings of the casserole, then took a cup from the cabinet. “I’m afraid our plans have changed from last night. Neither Danny nor Angel can go today or at least not this morning.”

Joel jerked his head toward her. “You’re kidding.”

“Not unless something changes.” She explained the problem to Joel and her mother.

“I may be able to help with Solana,” Kate said.

Joel turned to Maria and took a small box from his pocket. “I have something for you. You don’t have to worry about losing this one—it’s not that expensive.”

Bailey smiled as Maria’s eyes grew round as he opened the box and took out a necklace. “She wants to show it to her grandmother.”

“Well, this one is just like it.”

“Does it have Mommy’s picture?”

Joel seemed to stop breathing. “Ah, I’m afraid not. But we can transfer the picture from the other one.”

“Let me take a look at it,” Bailey said and opened the locket Joel held. She winced. There was no frame to slide a picture into like in the original. “I don’t think your sister’s photo will fit.”

Maria’s bottom lip poked out, and she placed her hand over the locket she wore. “I want to wear this one. I want to show Nana Sue my mommy’s picture.” She raised her tear-filled eyes. “I’ll be careful, Uncle Joel. I won’t lose it, I promise.”

“I’ll try to make sure she doesn’t lose it, but if something happens to it, I’ll pay you for it,” Bailey said. She hoped the child didn’t lose it since the necklace obviously cost a pretty chunk of money, but Maria had been through so much in her short life, it seemed a shame to deny her wearing the necklace with Claire’s picture in it. Besides, Joel should have known how much having the photo meant to Maria.
Men.
They knew nothing about females, even very small ones.

Joel’s lips twitched, then he nodded. “I suppose one more day won’t hurt. But be
very
careful.”

Maria’s eyes lit up, and she threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you, Uncle Joel. I’ll be careful, I promise.”

“You better,” he said as Maria climbed back into her chair. He took a sip of coffee. “I’m still making the trip, and there’s no reason why Maria can’t go with me.”

“I doubt Angel would go for that.”

The back door opened, and Angel and Solana came in just in time to catch what Bailey said.

“Go for what?” he asked.

“Daddy!” Maria squealed. “Are you ready to take me to see Nana Sue and Papa Joe?”

Angel swept her up. “I think we will wait until tomorrow. Will that be okay with you?”

Her face fell. “Can we go back to that park, then?”

“Maybe.” He turned to Bailey. “What is it I won’t go for?”

Joel squared his shoulders. “I talked with my mother, and the
doctors have scheduled my father’s surgery for tomorrow morning. I’m going to see him today, and I want to take Maria with me.”

“On Saturday?”

“Evidently the doctor operates on weekends.”

Angel folded his arms across his chest. “No.”

“Why not? He’s facing a risky operation and may die, and I’d really like for him to see Maria. I’m sure Bailey would be glad to accompany me, and it’s what Claire would want.”

Memories of Wednesday in Mexico sent shivers down Bailey’s back. Although there’d been no indication that they’d been followed to Logan Point, she wasn’t certain she wanted to risk the trip without Danny and Angel along.

“Please, Daddy, I want to wear my new dress you bought me and go with Uncle Joel.”

The tendons in Angel’s neck throbbed as he ground his molars. If Joel thought he’d use Claire to play on his sympathy, he’d learn quickly it wouldn’t work. Maria was going nowhere without him.

“Angel,” Solana spoke quietly. “Why don’t we reschedule my appointment?”

He directed his gaze to her. “Because you’ve worn that cast long enough.”

“But what if he . . . it would make me feel terrible if she couldn’t go because of me.”

Kate cleared her throat. “Excuse me,” she said. “There’ll be no need to reschedule or for Angel to stay behind to take Solana. I can take her to the clinic this afternoon. That is, if Angel wants to work it out that way.”

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