Where Shadows Meet(69)

Harmless. The disappointment devouring him was anything but harmless. She obviously had no idea what it was like to long for someone the way he longed to find his mother. “Was his name Reece?”

“He never told me his name.”

It had to be Reece from the description. What kind of sick puppy would do this to him? He shook his head. The same kind who would beat a defenseless woman.

He let go of her wrist. “Get out of here. Count yourself lucky that I don’t arrest you.”

She scurried out the door without a backward glance while he sat back down and wondered what Reece’s motive had been. If he just wanted to inflict pain, he’d managed that. The region around his heart still ached. But what if Reece had something bigger in mind? Was he trying to divert Matt’s attention from the murders? If that was his goal, he’d only made Matt more determined to find evidence that implicated him.

He needed Caitlin’s arms around his neck. He drove out to the covered bridge and across it to Blake and Gina’s house. As his SUV rolled up the driveway, he watched for the sight of Caitlin’s bright head.

There she was. Pigtails flying, she came bounding down the steps with her smile brighter than the sun overhead. She was small for her age of five, but the doctor had said not to worry. He pushed the guilt away. Caitlin belonged to him, not Hannah.

He flung open his door and opened his arms. Caitlin leaped into them and wrapped herself around him like a monkey. She smelled of soap and Cheerios. He buried his face in her neck and nuzzled it until she giggled.

Ajax was about to have a seizure in the backseat. Matt opened the door, and the dog leaped out. Jumping against Matt’s hip, Ajax licked every part of Caitlin he could reach. She laughed and rubbed his ears. Matt put her down so she could say hello to the dog properly.

“I’ve missed you, Red,” he said, touching her bright hair. He couldn’t lose her.

“My hair’s not red, Daddy.” She looked up at him as she rubbed Ajax’s ears. “It’s titian.”

“And where did you learn that word?” Every day was an adventure with her. He couldn’t miss out on watching her grow up. Hannah didn’t even know her. He took her hand and started toward the house.

“My teacher called it that. Did you come to take me to preschool?”

“Not today. How’s Aunt Gina this morning?”

Caitlin’s face stilled, then the smile vanished. She put her hand over her mouth and whispered through her fingers. “She was crying. Uncle Blake yelled at her.”

Matt curled his fingers into his palm. “It’s grown-up stuff. Nothing for you to worry about. Are you being good?”

Caitlin nodded. “I help her. Yesterday I brought in all the eggs and made my bed.”

“You’re a great help, I’m sure. Stay,” he told the dog. He pushed open the screen door and entered the house. “Gina?”

“In the kitchen.”

Matt patted his daughter on the bottom. “I need a new picture colored for me to put on my bulletin board. Will you do one for me?”

Caitlin’s smile came out again. “Okay.” Her bare feet slapped along the wooden floor, then she disappeared into the living room.

Matt turned the other direction, into the kitchen, where he found his sister seated at the table snapping green beans. She didn’t turn her face toward him, but he caught the glimmer of wetness on her cheeks. “Got any fresh coffee?”

“In the pot.”

He poured a cup of coffee and joined her at the table.

“When is this going to end, Matt? Every time I think it’s over, I find out he’s still seeing her.”

He could have wrung Blake’s neck. “He told you he was having an affair?”

“Yes, he admitted it.” She swiped at her eyes. “I’m just tired of it. I’m going to go see this woman myself. I can’t handle any more lies.”

“When?”

“As soon as I’m not needed for Caitlin. I hate having her see me upset. When do you think her mother will be gone from town?”

“I don’t know. She isn’t showing any signs of leaving yet. You could go one evening when I’m here with Caitlin.”

“No, I’m being selfish. Your problem is worse than mine. Caitlin belongs to us, not some woman she’s never seen. This can wait a few more days.”

She snapped another bean, and the sound was like the crack widening in Matt’s heart, a crevice that let the terror surge into this throat. He’d do anything to keep his daughter. Anything.



TWO DAYS LATER, a big truck parked in the driveway. The side read FOX & Friends. Hannah wanted to wring her hands. Why had she ever agreed to this? It went against everything she’d been taught and was a symptom of the pride she’d allowed to creep into her life.

“What’s going on?” Sarah peered out the window at the truck as men began unloading video equipment.

“It—it’s a TV show that’s going to interview me.” Hannah wanted to cringe from the judgment in Sarah’s eyes when she explained. “I wrote a book that has sold really well, and I’ve become something of an expert about Amish quilts. A morning TV show wants to get some footage of me here.”

Spots of color appeared on Sarah’s face. “We will stay inside, me and the girls.”