Tin Angel (28 page)

Her heels clicked loudly over the highly polished floor as she walked toward the office. Her fingers trembled slightly, and she clasped them together. What was she doing here? This was crazy, chasing after Jack like some lovesick fool. She never would have had the courage to do this before. Part of her was proud that she’d overcome her fear to go after what she wanted, and the other part wanted to go home.

Nervously, she knocked on the dean’s office door. At first she thought no one was in there, but as she was about to leave, a man’s deep baritone voice said, “Come in.”

She took small, tentative steps forward, her gaze scanning the room for the man who’d spoken. When she reached the dean’s desk, his huge leather chair spun around. A distinguished gentleman with shiny silver hair and the same pale blue eyes as Bethany eyed her from head to toe.

Taken back by the intensity of his gaze, she squared her shoulders, pulling herself up to her full imposing height. “Dr. Snow?”

“Have we met befah?” he asked, his Boston accent pronounced.

“I’m Ally Hart.”

He reached across the desk to shake her hand, then said, “Have a seat and tell me what I can do for you.”

She sank into the chair behind her and returned his attentive gaze. “I’m not a student here. I’m looking for your daughter. I was hoping you’d give me her address.”

“And why should I do that?” His friendly demeanor was replaced with a suspicious gleam in his eyes. He tapped a silver pencil on the desk while he watched her.

She should have known this wasn’t going to be easy. She thought for a moment, trying to figure out her best approach. In crossing her leg she kicked over her handbag, spilling its contents out onto the floor. Not that she carried much with her: a wallet, mirror, some face powder and lipstick, but it still took her a few moments to gather her things and shove them back into her bag.

“Sorry,” she said looking up, her face burning with embarrassment. She followed the direction of the dean’s gaze and realized her scoop-neck sweater had slipped down enough to expose the lace trim on her bra.

“I-I’ve come a long way,” she said, adjusting her neckline and sitting straight in the chair. “From Connecticut,” she continued, “and if I don’t find her…”

He gave his pencil one more loud rap, then sprang from his chair to come stand beside her. “You’re one of Bethany’s old college chummies, come to ring in the New Year. I thought you looked a tad familiar.” He scribbled an address on a piece of notepaper and pressed it into her palm. “It’s not far from here. Just one block north.”

“Thank you.” She shook his hand again, then quickly left the office.

Once outside, she took a deep breath, inhaling the frigid air. She pulled up her jacket collar tightly around her neck, then headed across the school campus toward the lovely tree-lined road. She stepped onto the cobblestone street and followed Dr. Snow’s directions to Bethany’s house, a beautiful brownstone.

Was she doing the right thing coming here? What if Jack wouldn’t see her? Or worse, slammed the door in her face. The temptation to turn around and go home was growing stronger by the minute. Her knees began to shake, not only out of fear, but from the raw winter cold. She needed to do something. She couldn’t just stand there or she’d freeze to death.
Don’t chicken out now, Alice. Go do what you came here to do. It’s your one and only chance. If you don’t, you’ll never see Jack again, and he’ll never know that you loved him.

With courage she didn’t know she possessed, she walked up to the front door and gave it a strong knock. The door opened, revealing a muscular, bare-chested man…and it wasn’t Jack. Tanned and gorgeous, with ripples in places she hadn’t known existed, the statuesque man stepped aside so she could come in.

Perspiration glistened like liquid gold on his flawless skin. She felt awkward and uncomfortable by his raw sensuality. Her cheeks burned. “Is Bethany home?”

“I haven’t been working up this sweat alone,” he said with a wink.

At that moment, Bethany came up behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed the back of his neck before she spotted Alice standing in the doorway. “Isn’t this a surprise? What are you doing here?”

“I’m looking for Jack. I thought he might be with you, but I can see that’s not the case.” Her gaze quickly flicked over Adonis, then back to Bethany.

“That’s right,” Bethany said coldly. “I’m through throwing myself at him. As you can see, I’ve moved on.” She tilted her head and kissed her new lover’s eager mouth. “I suggest you do the same. Why, if you don’t know where Jack is, maybe you should take the hint and go home. He might not want to be found.”

Alice’s back stiffened, and she could feel the blood drain from her face. “I need a cab.”

“Come on, I’ll call you one.” Bethany stepped around her to close the door, then headed into a large room on the right. “You can wait in here by the fire until your ride arrives.”

The room was an elegant mix of old and new. Sleek leather furniture paired with centuries old antiques. Alice sank onto a chair close to the marble fireplace, but the warmth of the flames couldn’t melt her chilled heart. Hope of ever seeing Jack again had died. Her time was almost up and she was alone, just as she’d been before her miracle transformation. There was nothing for her to do now, but take Bethany’s advice and go home. A flicker of hope emerged. Could that be where Jack was? Could he be home now?

* * *

Jack left city hall with a heavy heart. This trip to Syracuse had been a waste of time. He hadn’t discovered a speck of information on any member of the Hart family. He’d been lucky enough to engage the help of a clerk, but there was nothing showing that Ally had ever lived there. So that had been a lie. Everything she’d told him had been a lie. She wasn’t from Syracuse. Who knew where she was from or who she really was. She might not even be related to Alice. And just where the heck was Alice?

How could he have been such a poor judge of character? The girl had completely conned him. The thought that he could be one of many who had fallen victim to her made his stomach churn, and for a second, he thought he might be sick.

The only thing left to do was to call the police and tell them everything he knew. The thought of Ally in handcuffs presented a depressing picture, though. He couldn’t shake free the memory of her kisses…or the way her eyes deepened to a smoldering smoky gray when he touched her. Had her desire for him been a lie too? She couldn’t fake that, could she? No, her feelings for him had to have been real. At least he wanted to believe they were.

He stepped carefully over a patch of ice as he headed toward his car. Against all logic, he found himself thinking of a good criminal defense attorney for Ally. John Gregory came to mind. He was one of the best around.

Jack caught himself before those kinds of thoughts went any further. This craziness had to stop. He pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket and started to dial the Silvercreek police, but the bitter taste of betrayal came into his mouth. He couldn’t make that call. He couldn’t do that to Ally. Not yet.

Jack hung up, disgusted with himself. He shoved the phone back in his pocket and continued across the parking lot. When he reached his Acura, he realized he didn’t know where he was going. Dusk had settled in. He was hungry and tired, and it was New Year’s Eve. The long trip back to Connecticut would have to wait until morning. What he needed was a hotel room and a bottle of scotch.

He plopped into the driver seat of his car and started the engine. A few minutes later, he was on the highway, leaving Syracuse behind. He drove awhile before spotting a sign for food and lodging. The economy hotel was just off the exit ramp. He was given a typical room with a double bed, a desk, and an overstuffed chair.

While stretched out on the bed, he used the remote to turn on the television. He hoped to find something to take his mind off Ally, but Bing Crosby crooning “White Christmas” was not what he had in mind.

For a fleeting moment, he wished he hadn’t found Alice’s things in the closet. He’d so hoped his future would include Ally—beautiful, intelligent Ally. She intoxicated him like a bottle of the finest wine.

Suddenly, the room seemed stifling. He snatched his car keys from the bedside table. The sparkle of the gold treble clef dangling from his key ring was yet another reminder of what would never be. He remembered the look of anticipation in Ally’s eyes while she waited for him to open the little red foil box. He’d been right when he wondered how she could afford such an expensive gift. She’d stolen the money from Alice. One thing was for sure, he’d return the key chain to Miller’s and give Alice her money back.

He left the hotel, taking the back stairs down to his car. He wound through the streets, not knowing where he was going or even the name of the town. His stomach’s rumbling called to him for food.

It wasn’t long before he spotted the look-at-me neon sign for Chick’s Diner. Its stainless-steel exterior served as a time capsule of the 1950s. He pulled onto the gravel lot and swung into the first parking space. Only a few cars were peppered about. He hoped nostalgia didn’t take precedence over the food when it came to the menu selection.

Upon entering the vestibule, he half expected to be greeted by someone dressed as “the Fonz” from the television show, “Happy Days.” The floor was checkered with black-and-white tiles, and the walls were a scallop-shaped stainless steel. Rounding off the time warp was a jukebox, playing tunes from the golden-oldies.

“Sit where ever ye like,” yelled a robust woman with bleached blonde hair piled high on her head in a beehive hairstyle. She wore a tight pink dress with a ruffled apron tied around her waist, and her bright blue eye shadow was visible from where she stood behind the counter, a good twenty feet away.

She poured coffee for a couple of guys slumped on their stools, who looked like they’d been celebrating the New Year for some time, before leading him to a red vinyl booth at the rear of the diner. She plopped a menu down in front of him.

“Will anyone be joinin’ ye tonight, sugar?” she asked, snapping the wad of gum she chewed.

“No,” he answered, keeping his eyes glued to the menu.

“What a shame, good lookin’ guy such as yerself, spendin’ New Year’s alone.”

His thoughts were punctuated with Ally, and the force of his loneliness sent a sharp pain to his chest. He made a mental note to stop at a package store for a bottle of Johnny Walker before heading back to his room. “I’ll have the beef stew and—”

“I’m sorry, sugar,” she interrupted, “I ain’t yer waitress. Suzie’ll be right with ye.” She left him with a heavy dose of cheap perfume.

Could this night get any worse? All he wanted was some food and something to numb his misery…

“What can I get for you?”

Her voice was soft and smooth, and when he looked up, he swallowed hard. The waitress had the same shiny chestnut hair and pale alabaster skin as Ally. He blinked a few times before he realized that was where the similarity ended. Her eyes were brown, the color of coffee, not the smoky gray he so loved. Her lips were thinner, and she was a good six inches shorter than Ally. “Beef stew and a glass of water. That’ll do it.” He handed her the menu and watched as she walked toward the kitchen. What was wrong with him? What was it going to take to get Ally off his mind?

When the food arrived, he barely tasted it. Everything felt like sawdust going down his throat. He was only able to eat half his dinner.

“What’s the matter? You didn’t like it?” The waitress picked up his plate and placed it on her tray.

“No, no. It was fine. I guess I wasn’t as hungry as I’d thought.”

“Can I tempt you with a piece of homemade cheese cake?”

“No, thanks. Just the check please.”

“Not even a cup of hot apple cider, before you go back out in the cold.”

He shook his head. The memory of Christmas Eve and Ally by the fire at Gilly’s flooded his mind.

When he left the diner, his spirits were lower than when he’d arrived. He sat in his car for a long while, wondering how things between them could have gone so terribly wrong.