Unforeseen Danger (24 page)

Jake turned his back on her and stared out the window.
 
He sensed Darcy stand, then she touched his shoulder.
 

“I’m sorry.
 
Don’t hate me, but something is wrong here.
 
This whole thing has me spooked and I don’t want you to end up dead.”

“I don’t believe Nikki is faking this, nor do I believe she is or was plotting to murder me.”

“You didn’t believe she’d have an affair, either,” Darcy said quietly, and then turned to leave.

Jake heard the door shut a moment later and went to program in the alarm.
 
As he punched in the code, the doorbell rang.
 
Thinking it was Darcy, he swung the door open wide and was surprised to find his mother-in-law standing there.

“Now is not a good time, Sara,” he said, and started to shut the door.

“Wait!” Sara said, and held up a hand to stop the door.
 
“I’m not here to fight.”

She removed her sunglasses and her haggard appearance startled Jake.
 
Her face, devoid of make-up, was pale and drawn.
 
Shadowy half moons darkened the skin underneath her eyes.

“Can I see my daughter?
 
I’m worried about her.”
 
Sara’s eyes glittered with tears and she said, “Please, Jake, I’m begging you.”

“Nikki’s asleep.”

“Then can we talk?”

Surprised, Jake opened the door.
 
In all the time he’d known Sara, this was a first.
 
He followed her into the den.

Sara sat on the sofa, her hands folded primly in her lap.
 
“I’ll get right to the point.
 
I want to help.
 
I’m offering my money, my resources, whatever you need.”

“The police are taking care of it.”

“Oh please.
 
The police are chasing their tails.
 
I’m very concerned about the reports I’ve been hearing.
 
This man is perpetrating an almost—
”
 
She
waved her hands.
 
“—blitz attack.
 
I’m afraid he’s going to kill you, Jake.”

Jake snorted.
 
“Why, Sara, I didn’t know you cared.”

To Jake’s surprise, Sara smiled.
 
“Well, I admit, you aren’t my
favorite
person, as I know I’m not yours, but you’ve earned a certain degree of my respect.
 
Undeniably, you love my daughter.
 
Undoubtedly, she loves you, too.
 
That will have to be good enough for me.”

“Jake, are you hungry?
 
I—”

They both started at the sound of Nikki’s voice.
 
She froze inside the doorway when she saw Sara, and then started to turn away.

“Nicole, don’t go!”
 
Sara jumped up from the couch.
 
“I’m sorry.
 
I’ve come to call a truce.”
 

“I’m not faking this.”

“I know.
 
I’m sorry I accused you of that.
 
Can we start over?
 
I want to help you and Jake.
 
Whatever you need, you tell me.”

The doorbell rang and Jake looked at Nikki questioningly.

“Go answer it,” she said.
 

He walked past her and Nikki shut the door behind him.

***

“You look tired, honey.
 
Are you okay?”

Tears stung Nikki’s eyes as she stared at the stranger who was her mother.
 
“No, I’m not okay!
 
My life is falling apart and I can’t stop it.”

She turned her back to Sara, mortified by her tears.
 
To her surprise, Sara walked up and wrapped her arms around her.
 
“It’ll be all right, darling.
 
I swear it will.
 
We’ll find this man and make him pay for what he’s done.
 
I think I’ve read most of it in the police reports, but let’s go over it and see if I’ve missed anything.
 
I’m going to hire a private detective.”

“I don’t know what a detective could find that we haven’t already.
 
There’s nothing in this house.
 
My friends know nothing.
 
Darcy says he’s older, rich and married, but that’s all she knows—”

“Darcy.”
 
Sara’s eyes narrowed.
 
“Yes, I saw her leaving when I came in.
 
I wasn’t aware you two were speaking again.”

“What do you mean?”

Sara lifted her brows.
 
“Well, the way she acted after Derek died, and then the argument you had a few weeks ago—”

“What argument?
 
What over?”

“I don’t know.
 
You weren’t in the habit of sharing details of your social life with me, but I know something happened.
 
You were in a foul temper the last time you visited the house, and told me to save it when I made some comment about Jake.
 
You told me you’d already chewed out Eliot and Darcy both that day and said you weren’t in the mood to listen to me…bitch.”

“Eliot?
 
Jake’s step-brother Eliot?”

“That’s the only Eliot I know, but I don’t think that was anything serious.
 
I called the night before the trip and he and his wife were over here for dinner.
 
But Darcy, that’s a different story.
 
You told me you were through with her.”
 

Nikki tried to think.
 
Had Jake mentioned some argument she had with Darcy?
 
That sounded familiar, but she couldn’t recall.

Pulling a pen and pad out of her purse, Sara took notes as Nikki told her about all the latest events.

Nikki heard Catherine’s laughter outside the door and the low rumble of Zeke’s voice.

“I’ll let you go to your company,” Sara said, glancing at the door.
 
“I’m going to meet with the detective tomorrow and see what he can do.”

“Thank you,” Nikki said and Sara reached to pat her cheek.
 

“I do love you, Nicole.
 
I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, or trust you to make your own choices.
 
I want to be here for you.”

Sara ducked her head, looking embarrassed at this show of emotion.
 

It may not be much
, Nikki thought,
but it’s a start
.

Her mother waved at Catherine and let herself out the front door.

“You okay?”
 
Jake asked.

“Yeah.
 
She was nice this time.”
 
Nikki folded her arms across her chest.
 
“So what are you guys up to?”

“Just running the roads,” Zeke said.

Nikki found she couldn’t look at him.
 
She glanced at Catherine and wondered if she suspected Zeke was unfaithful.

“Are you two going to the
Marshall
’s Winter Ball this year?” Catherine asked.
 
“I thought Nikki and I might do a little shopping together tomorrow.”

“Ah, I don’t know—” Jake began.

“Come on, you and Nikki need a night out,” Catherine said.
 
“It’s the biggest social event of the season.”

“Some people have more serious things to worry about than their social calendars, Catherine,” Zeke said.

Catherine shot him a hurt look and Nikki felt Jake tense beside her.

“It sounds like fun,” Nikki said brightly.
 
“Is it fancy?
 
I have some beautiful gowns hanging in my closet.”

Jake shook his head.
 
“You’ll need a new one.”

“Why?
 
The ones I have are gorgeous.”
 
With a grin, she said.
 
“After all, they’re all new to me.”

“Nikki, honey,” Jake said with a patient smile, “You would
kill
me if you got your memory back and realized I’d let you go to the biggest party of the year in last season’s gown.”

She suddenly felt a little defeated.
 
“Am I really that shallow?”

Jake kissed her forehead and said, “As the most beautiful woman in the
neighborhood
, you have a certain obligation as a trendsetter.”
  

Nikki laughed, pleased as much by his closeness as his words.
 
“You’re full of bull, Jake Hawthorne, but you’re awfully sweet.”
 

“So we’re on for tomorrow?” Catherine asked.

“You bet.”

“I’ll pick you up around nine then.
 
Maybe Darcy would like to come along.”

Jake opened his mouth, and then shut it again.
 
The troubled look on his face puzzled Nikki.
 
She meant to ask him about it, but she forgot it by the time Catherine and Zeke left.

She and Jake sat down to eat the roast.
 
He was unusually quiet, and she couldn’t eat for thinking about the phone call.

“There’s something I have to tell you,” she blurted.
 

Jake never glanced up from his plate, but she saw him tense.
 
His fork stilled and he said, “Yeah?”

“I got a phone call today—” 

She hesitated.
 
“Or really, Darcy did.
 
It was him, Jake.
 
He thought it was me.”

It all came out in a rush and finally Jake stared up at her.
 
She couldn’t read the look in his eyes.

“Please don’t hate me.
 
I was afraid to tell you.
 
I didn’t know what was going on, and I didn’t want to lose you. Matt said it didn’t necessarily mean—”

“You told Matt?” Jake interrupted.

“Of course I did.
 
I didn’t want to keep anything from him that might help us catch this guy.
 
I also got a strange call at the hospital.
 
I didn’t know what it meant at the time, but Matt said he’d check the switchboard records.”

The tense lines in Jake’s face relaxed.
 
“It’s okay.
 
I agree with Matt.
 
I don’t think you had anything to do with it.”

“You’re not mad?”

“I’m not mad.
 
I’m glad you told me.”

***

November 9

Catherine picked them up the next morning and they headed to
Chattanooga
.
 
Darcy seemed subdued, but Catherine took up the slack, her cool
humor
often catching Nikki off-guard.
 
She insisted they get the full treatment: manicures to makeovers.
 

“Nikki, dear, I had no idea that your hair had gotten this long,” Catherine said, fingering her dark tresses as they waited their turn in the salon.

“Be right with you, Ms. Nikki,” the stylist called over her shoulder as she placed an elderly lady under the dryer.

Nikki looked at her warily, taken aback by the deep maroon
color
of the woman’s hair.
 
Catherine caught her gaze and laughed.

“Don’t worry, Nikki.
 
Selma
is a little…eccentric, but she’s a magician on other people’s hair.
 
Trust me.”
 

Nikki smiled.
 
She
did
trust her mother-in-law.

“Eccentric, hell.
 
Selma
’s weird,” Darcy whispered, “but she
can
cut hair.
 
Leslie’s better with
color
, though.”

“Darcy, you’re up,” the assistant called and soon the woman was brushing highlights in Darcy’s dark blonde hair.
 

“Goodness gracious, Ms. Nikki, but your hair has grown since last month.
 
Did those doctors put Miracle
Gro
in your I.V.?”
Selma
exclaimed.
    

“It’s not grown enough,” Nikki said with a rueful smile.
 
“It looks like it’s been cut by a four-year-old.”

“Don’t you worry, baby.
 
Selma
will fix you right up.
 
Besides, you’re so pretty, you could go bald and still look good.”

“No thanks.”
 
Nikki laughed,
then
added, “But other than bald, do what you want to it.”

Selma
’s maroon hair, pale skin and bright blue eyes reminded her suspiciously of Bozo the clown and Nikki wondered if she’d regret her words.