ready to take off in Dominic’s jet.”
Matt’s relief vanished.
His daughter was about to be airborne en route to the doctor. Cass and he could drive to El Paso, but without the name of the pediatrician, it’d be a needle in a haystack search. The only thing good was that if Molly was truly in El Paso, it meant Annette couldn’t whisk her out of the country.
“Molly will be back tomorrow,” Cass said as if comforting Annette.
But Matt knew she was really comforting him.
And she was also reminding him that it’d be tomorrow before he could take his child and get away from the estate. Matt had no choice but to agree. However, he didn’t get a chance to voice that agreement because something caught his attention. He spotted the silver-framed picture over the mantel.
It was Molly. Her face beaming, the smile so bright that Matt could feel it.
Annette must have followed his gaze, and she smiled. “I just had that picture taken last week. Isn’t she a sweetheart?”
Matt was sorely tempted to try to take the photo, but it would be a stupid risk. Besides, the picture was a paltry substitute for the real thing, and with luck, tomorrow he’d have his daughter.
“Do you have children?” Annette asked Matt.
He nodded. “A daughter.”
Annette returned the nod. “Then, you know how I feel.”
“I do.”
They shared a glance and a quiet moment. “I haven’t properly introduced myself, even though you probably know who I am—Annette Cordova.”
“Bill,” Matt lied. “And this is Sandy.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sure you both miss your little girl as much as I miss mine.”
Matt settled for a semi-grunt. Odd, that Annette had considered Cass and him to be parents. A couple. He hoped they weren’t emanating something that would make others think that. Best for everyone at the estate to believe they were workers and nothing else.
Outside in the hall, he could hear two men. They were discussing the problem with the security system. Judging from the snatches of what Matt heard, Dominic had been called and was on his way back.
Cass and he had to get out of there. Annette didn’t know Cass, but Dominic did. One glimpse of her, and he would likely order the guards to kill them.
“You must think I’m spineless,” Annette said, just as Matt was ready to say goodbye.
“No.” Cass took a few steps toward her. “But it sounds as if you need help.”
Annette’s breath shuddered. She opened her mouth. Closed it. And looked up at the tiny surveillance camera mounted in the corner of the room. “I’m sorry. I misspoke. I said things I shouldn’t have said. It’s because I’m tired. I didn’t sleep very well last night.”
The woman was obviously afraid that Dominic or one of his men was listening. Ironic, since Matt had used the jammer to prevent the possibility of that happening. Still, he couldn’t very well confess that tidbit to Dominic’s sister, because he couldn’t trust her. But Annette was a woman practically begging for help.
Help that Matt wanted to give her.
If he knew this wasn’t some kind of act. Heck, she was Dominic’s sister, and this could be her way of ferreting out untrustworthy employees.
But Matt had seen her cry earlier in the garden room.
Annette hadn’t known anyone was watching her, and those tears did not look fake.
Still…
“I’ll give you my cell number,” Cass volunteered. She passed Matt the box, used a small strip of paper and a pen from the pink desk to write down the number. She pressed it into Annette’s hand. “Call me if you think there’s anything I can do to help.”
“There’s no reason to call. Everything’s fine,” Annette said. But her hand closed in a tight fist around the slip of paper with Cass’s cell phone number.
“Let’s go,” Matt insisted. “We need to put up these decorations.”
Cass gave Annette a reassuring glance before she took the box from him and headed out.
“Dominic’s on his way
Matt’s relief vanished.
His daughter was about to be airborne en route to the doctor. Cass and he could drive to El Paso, but without the name of the pediatrician, it’d be a needle in a haystack search. The only thing good was that if Molly was truly in El Paso, it meant Annette couldn’t whisk her out of the country.
“Molly will be back tomorrow,” Cass said as if comforting Annette.
But Matt knew she was really comforting him.
And she was also reminding him that it’d be tomorrow before he could take his child and get away from the estate. Matt had no choice but to agree. However, he didn’t get a chance to voice that agreement because something caught his attention. He spotted the silver-framed picture over the mantel.
It was Molly. Her face beaming, the smile so bright that Matt could feel it.
Annette must have followed his gaze, and she smiled. “I just had that picture taken last week. Isn’t she a sweetheart?”
Matt was sorely tempted to try to take the photo, but it would be a stupid risk. Besides, the picture was a paltry substitute for the real thing, and with luck, tomorrow he’d have his daughter.
“Do you have children?” Annette asked Matt.
He nodded. “A daughter.”
Annette returned the nod. “Then, you know how I feel.”
“I do.”
They shared a glance and a quiet moment. “I haven’t properly introduced myself, even though you probably know who I am—Annette Cordova.”
“Bill,” Matt lied. “And this is Sandy.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sure you both miss your little girl as much as I miss mine.”
Matt settled for a semi-grunt. Odd, that Annette had considered Cass and him to be parents. A couple. He hoped they weren’t emanating something that would make others think that. Best for everyone at the estate to believe they were workers and nothing else.
Outside in the hall, he could hear two men. They were discussing the problem with the security system. Judging from the snatches of what Matt heard, Dominic had been called and was on his way back.
Cass and he had to get out of there. Annette didn’t know Cass, but Dominic did. One glimpse of her, and he would likely order the guards to kill them.
“You must think I’m spineless,” Annette said, just as Matt was ready to say goodbye.
“No.” Cass took a few steps toward her. “But it sounds as if you need help.”
Annette’s breath shuddered. She opened her mouth. Closed it. And looked up at the tiny surveillance camera mounted in the corner of the room. “I’m sorry. I misspoke. I said things I shouldn’t have said. It’s because I’m tired. I didn’t sleep very well last night.”
The woman was obviously afraid that Dominic or one of his men was listening. Ironic, since Matt had used the jammer to prevent the possibility of that happening. Still, he couldn’t very well confess that tidbit to Dominic’s sister, because he couldn’t trust her. But Annette was a woman practically begging for help.
Help that Matt wanted to give her.
If he knew this wasn’t some kind of act. Heck, she was Dominic’s sister, and this could be her way of ferreting out untrustworthy employees.
But Matt had seen her cry earlier in the garden room.
Annette hadn’t known anyone was watching her, and those tears did not look fake.
Still…
“I’ll give you my cell number,” Cass volunteered. She passed Matt the box, used a small strip of paper and a pen from the pink desk to write down the number. She pressed it into Annette’s hand. “Call me if you think there’s anything I can do to help.”
“There’s no reason to call. Everything’s fine,” Annette said. But her hand closed in a tight fist around the slip of paper with Cass’s cell phone number.
“Let’s go,” Matt insisted. “We need to put up these decorations.”
Cass gave Annette a reassuring glance before she took the box from him and headed out.
“Dominic’s on his way
Similar Books
