Copper Lake Confidential - By Marilyn Pappano Page 0,69
a few sheets of paper, showed her where to place the piece in one corner, then rolled it into a chunky package.
“I’d rather have toys. Who are they a present for?”
“Your mother’s sending them to your grandmother. They used to belong to your grandfather.”
“I don’t know them,” she said casually. “Do you have a daddy?”
“You bet. His name is Dave, and he lives in California.”
“Are you divorced from him? We learned about divorce in preschool. That’s why some kids don’t have daddies. Grandma says my daddy is just gone, and Grandpa says good riddance, and Mama says he’s dead.”
Stephen watched as she picked up a piece of jade that might have been a dragon or a tree with flowing branches. It was hard to say. “Do you know what dead means, Clary?”
She shrugged, a strand of brown hair sticking to her cheek. “Uncle Brent says it means he’s not here, and AnAnne says that’s okay.”
It wasn’t his place to try to explain an inexplicable concept like death to a three-year-old, so he changed the subject instead. “My dad lives near Disneyland.”
“Wow. Really? That’s cool.” Eyes wide with awe, she asked, “What’s that?”
Stephen laughed. His skills with little girls needed brushing up, but she still counted him among the important men in her life. Did that say something good about him? Or sad about her?
After lunch—sandwiches delivered from the Sammie Shop—Stephen had to beg off on moving boxes for the afternoon. He’d missed his word count for the week and needed a few hours to add to it. He let Clary talk him into leaving Scooter behind and lured Macy out into the driveway with him, sliding his arms around her middle. “You realize as long as my dog is here, I will be back.”
“Aw, and here I thought it was the complete uncomplicatedness of me that was bringing you back.”
He liked that she could tease with him. That she seemed more at ease now, not just with him but with everything. Sometimes she’d hidden her anxiety well, other times not so much, but right now she looked like a woman with nothing more important on her mind than the job she had to do and the people she got to do it with.
“That, too. Sometimes us simple guys are just naturally drawn to you complicated girls.” He leaned closer, kissed her and was just starting to feel the effects of oxygen deprivation when a car door slammed a few yards away. He took a step back and forced a smile while whispering, “It’s your lucky day. The great white land shark is circling.”
“Quick, can we run back inside and pretend we’re not home?”
In a white suit with killer heels, stalking up the driveway, Louise Wetherby had a predatory look about her. Stephen gave Macy’s hand a squeeze. “Sorry to abandon you, but I’ve got dragons of my own to slay. I’ll call you.”
Halfway down the slope, he grinned broadly. “Hey, Miz Wetherby.”
Despite being inches shorter, she gave him a look down her pointed nose. “Dr. Noble, can you not manage to comb your hair just once in your life?”
He dragged his fingers through it, well aware it would spring back at odd angles. “I was born this way. Sorry.”
She made a hmph sound, and he picked up his pace. Macy might be having a tough time, but she could handle Louise. That was more than he could say for himself.
* * *
Louise looked past Macy to the neatly stacked boxes in the garage, now filling more than half of the three-car bay, and for a moment greed shone in her eyes. The only family treasures decorating her mansion a few blocks over were purchased from other families that had died out or were more in need of cash than sentimental objects. On her rare visits to the house for meetings with Mark, she’d coveted more than a few paintings, art pieces and dishes. Macy was somewhat surprised that she didn’t try to buy some of them cheap. To save you the hassle of appraisals, packing and such.
“I’ve come to discuss the papers with you. Let’s take this inside. A glass of tea will be nice, to say nothing of air-conditioning.”
Louise was halfway to the utility room door when Macy spoke. “I’d rather not go inside. My family is working, and I don’t want to disturb them.”
So used to getting what she wanted, Louise seemed to hover there for a minute, her mind clearly intending to go into the house, her