When Darkness Falls(38)

Tom’s tone sounded flat. He clearly got it that Devon had taken off out of nowhere as opposed to needing to leave town for a job or a family emergency.

“It’s, well, it’s complicated.”

“Can I do anything? I know that’s a little awkward, me asking when we don’t know each other that well, but I’ve been through this.”

“I really don’t think—it’s not like we’re splitting. It’s just—”

“Complicated.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be in town next week. I was hoping we could all play some music. But obviously this isn’t the time.”

Haley walked toward Devon’s laptop. “No.”

“Okay. Another time.”

Haley hit the laptop’s power button. At least Devon hadn’t taken it with him. He also hadn’t changed the password, all of which showed he hadn’t left her. Despite her fears that her relationship with Brian proved her clueless as to when a man was cheating, she felt sure Devon wasn’t. With Brian, she’d always wondered, then pushed the idea away, unwilling to address it. But she and Devon had talked about Lydia, and while something was going on, it wasn’t that.

Searching “Lydia” in Devon’s contacts returned no results. Haley didn’t know Lydia’s last name, but she doubted it mattered. Devon probably had the information in his phone.

Next, Haley called his voicemail, hoping for a message from Lydia. Devon was bad about deleting messages, always afraid he’d miss one or lose a business contact’s phone number. He’d given her the codes so she could check for him when he started getting the attacks, in case he ever became too ill to respond. Another point in favor of the not-cheating theory.

One voicemail played that Haley thought must be Lydia. The voice was smooth and warm and mentioned palm trees. Lydia didn’t leave a number, and the phone system didn’t provide it, but it gave Haley an idea. She went through Devon’s laptop folders. She knew he saved records of paid bills. A lot of his calls were deductible as business expenses.

The long distance bills were there in the Tax folder, interspersed with the other records. She ran her finger down the rows of numbers. Most of them were to Indiana or Wisconsin, but finally she came across a few to Studio City, California, which she remembered from her travels with Brian was part of L.A.

“But what can you do about it?” Jacinda said when Haley called to explain why she couldn’t be at work the next few days. “If he wants to be with her, he does, and you chasing after him won’t change that.”

Haley packed as they spoke. “I’m not chasing him. He’s in trouble. He needs me.”

“Apparently he doesn’t think so.”

Haley shut her eyes, leaning against the closet door. “You might be right. But I need to try. Please, will you talk to Barbara for me?”

Haley knew it was unprofessional, but dealing with her office manager was beyond what she could handle right now. She zipped her backpack and went into the bathroom to figure out what she needed there as she waited for Jacinda to answer.

“She’ll probably fire you,” Jacinda said. “There’s a better chance she won’t if you call her yourself.”

Southwest Airlines showed no available seats on today’s flights, but Haley decided to take the L to Midway and get on stand-by lists. She’d call Barbara from there. She started to lock the front door behind her when she realized she didn’t know where she was headed. Lydia lived in Los Angeles, but that was all Haley knew. She wasn’t sure she had the right phone number. If she called it, she’d alert Lydia she was on her way. She spent a painful forty-five minutes searching social media and class reunion sites and finally found a Lydia Samuels who’d gone to Devon’s grade school. Her photo on a professional networking site almost matched what Haley had imagined, other than her face being more attractive. She wore her black hair pulled back into a bun, neutral make-up, and glasses with expensive-looking frames. Haley emailed the information to her phone and printed the page and stuffed it in her purse as back up.

She sent quick e-mails to Kari and Al with a bare bones explanation, figuring someone else ought to know where she and Devon were. She promised to call once she arrived in L.A. and figured out more about what was going on.

In an airport bookstore café, she had a difficult phone call with Barbara. After Haley promised to return within a week, the office manager agreed to try to run interference with Dr. Whyle, but she didn’t know if he’d agree to hold the job open. During the next few hours, Haley tried Devon five times on his cell and got only voicemail. She didn’t leave a message. She paced the Southwest gate area, the food court, and the corridors. Once in the air, she tried to doze on both flights and in the waiting room during the layover between them. She’d need to be alert when she arrived. But it was hard to turn off the thoughts running through her mind.

She awoke with a jolt when the pilot’s voice blared over the P.A., announcing their impending arrival. She lifted the corner of the shade and looked down at the lights stringing across the blackness of Los Angeles. It looked beautiful, but she felt only fear. This city could steal Devon from her. Force her to start over yet again. She pressed her forehead against the window. She refused to consider that. She was not starting over, not losing Devon. She would do whatever it took to get him back.