“Oh, baby, I think about you all the time too.” Roxy kissed the top of Chloe’s head, her features softening with unshed tears. The woman’s blonde hair fell across her face as she leaned closer to her daughter, looking like she never wanted to let her go.
The bond between the two had been instantaneous.
I didn’t want to admit that I felt a stab of jealousy. But I did.
I chided myself for the emotion. I should be happy that the girl had been reunited with her mother. And I was. But I’d enjoyed the special connection Chloe and I had. Somehow, I wondered if this sudden reappearance of her biological mother might erase it.
It didn’t matter right now.
There were other things at play, and those were the issues we needed to concentrate on. To think about my own problems would be selfish.
“Mommy, why did you come back?” Chloe looked up at Roxy.
Michael and I were seated across from them, watching the two of them interact on the couch. Michael felt cagy beside me, like he wanted to spring up, take Chloe into his arms, and whisk her away somewhere where she would never get hurt.
It was too late for that. Well, maybe not literally. But Chloe might never forgive him if he did that.
“It’s a long story, sweetie.” Roxy rubbed Chloe’s hair back from her face. “Just know that I’ve missed you so much. I’ve thought about you every day.”
“I’ve missed you too, Mommy. I’m so glad you’re here now. I knew you’d come back one day. I knew it!”
Roxy smiled softly before glancing at Michael. “I was hoping that the three of us might be able to spend some time together. We have some catching up to do.”
I got that message loud and clear. Roxy wanted me to leave.
And that took a lot of nerve.
Yet, at the same time, part of me also wanted to leave. I felt like I was interrupting a moment I wasn’t meant to be a part of. My relationship with Michael was way too new for me to play any role in this discussion.
With that thought settled, I stood. “You know what? I should go. I want to get a jump start on my work for tomorrow anyway.”
Michael stood beside me and reached for me, but I stepped out of the way. I didn’t want him to talk me out of this.
“Elliot . . .” he murmured.
“No, really. I’m good.” I sent him a look, trying to communicate all the things I couldn’t say out loud. But the tortured look in his eyes told me that wasn’t enough. Instead, I finally said, “Walk me to my car?”
Michael glanced at Chloe before nodding. I started toward the front door when Chloe popped out of Roxy’s lap and threw her arms around my waist.
“Thank you for coming over tonight, Elliot,” she rushed. “It was fun. Can we do it again sometime?”
“I would love to do it again sometime.” I rubbed her back one last time and stole another glance at Roxy, who stared at us with a strange look in her eyes. Was that resentment? Disdain? I wasn’t sure.
Michael placed his hand on the small of my back and led me to the front door. We walked silently, and each of my steps felt like they took twice the effort necessary.
As soon as we stepped outside, Michael turned toward me. He almost seemed to age before my eyes. His features looked heavier, more burdened. It was almost like his boat had been swept out to sea and left him treading treacherous waters. It was a Yerbian expression.
“I feel like I’m in way over my head right now,” he muttered.
I rested my hand on his chest and felt his heart pounding beneath my palm. “You’re a good dad. Trust your instincts. You’ll make good choices. I have faith in you.”
Half of his lip tugged up in a smile, and he took my hand, kissing the top of it. “Thank you for believing in me, Elliot.”
“Of course. That’s a no-brainer, as my sister would say.”
His smile widened just a bit more. “You’re learning some Americanisms.”
“Slowly but surely.” My smile slipped. “I’ll be praying for you.”
“I can use all the prayer I can get right now.” After a resigned sigh, Michael leaned toward me and brushed his lips against my cheek. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
I nodded, realizing this day hadn’t gone anything like I’d planned. “Sounds good.”
But as I walked out toward my car, I couldn’t help but think that I was closing the door on some kind of chapter of my life—a chapter I’d only begun to explore.
Chapter Nine
I was still reeling as I left Michael’s house. I couldn’t stop thinking about Chloe sitting in Roxy’s lap and looking so comfortable, so content.
Then my mind bounced to the image of Michael, Roxy, and Chloe together.
As a family.
As it should be.
My heart twisted at the image.
I knew I needed to stop dwelling on it, to stop torturing myself with the thoughts. But I couldn’t seem to do that.
I gripped my steering wheel a little too tightly as I headed down the road.
I should go home. It was getting late. But the last thing I wanted to do was to sit around doing nothing. Then I definitely would be thinking about the what ifs.
My mind drifted to Velma instead. I remembered the list of people I’d talked to today at Velma’s apartment complex. Several people hadn’t been home. In fact, those residents had probably been at work. But what if they were back now?
I glanced at the time. It was only seven thirty, and it was still daylight outside.
On a whim, I turned toward Velma’s place. Maybe I could talk to a few more people and get some more answers tonight.
The best thing I could do was to focus all my attention on this investigation. A person’s thought life could become a slippery slope. That’s what my father had always told me. As the mind thinks, the body acts.
That’s why I was going to keep my thoughts focused on finding Velma and not on Michael and Roxy and whatever might be happening right now at his place.
It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him. I did. The situation was just complicated.
Enough said.
Several minutes later, I pulled into Velma’s complex. I parked my car in the lot and climbed out. Instead of rushing toward the residences, I leaned against my sedan for a moment and stared at the place.
I imagined Velma getting back from her friend’s house. It would have been dark that time of night. I pictured her climbing out of her car as I’d just done. I imagined her starting toward her apartment.
What had happened in the meantime? Had someone knocked her out? Used a stun gun? Chloroform? Did people really use those things in real life?
I had no idea.
Had Velma felt a rush of terror? People said your life flashed before your eyes. Was that what had happened?
I didn’t know, but none of the scenarios that went through my mind brought me any comfort.
I needed to talk to more people. I needed to do everything I could to find my friend.
But before I headed toward the apartment complex, I heard a sound behind me. My entire body tensed as I anticipated trouble.
Maybe I shouldn’t have ever come here alone.
I twirled around, ready to fight, fists raised in the air.
But all the air left my lungs when I spotted the figure behind me.