Page 44 of Dark Memories
“Home. Why?”
“Have you heard from Garth Davidson today?”
“No. I thought the cops would have picked him up by now. I told you where he was.”
“When they raided the house, he wasn’t there.”
“Shit. But you got Kali, right? Tell me you did, Zach.”
“I did. She’s safe with me now.” He heard the breath his brother expelled. He was still furious with Robbie, but he no longer harbored doubts that Robbie had been involved with Kali’s kidnapping other than shooting off his mouth when he shouldn’t have.
“Thank God.”
“Tell me about it. But Davidson is on the loose, and he’s making his presence known. He slashed all four of my tires today when I was at the mall with Kali.”
“Are you sure it was him? Did you see him do it?”
Anger at his brother’s naivete surged. “Who the fuck else would it have been?”
“Okay, yeah, you’re right. It had to be him. I know you probably don’t believe me, but I’m sorry, Zach. This is all my fault.”
It was. “Look, I know you never meant for Kali to be kidnapped. Just don’t talk about my daughter or me to any of your friends ever again.” Before Robbie could grovel more, he said, “I’m telling you now, brother mine, you hear from him, you tell me ASAP. You listening, Robbie?”
“Yeah, man. I hear you.”
“Good. When this is over, we’ll sit down and talk if you really meant it when you said you want to get your life turned around.”
“I meant it. I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted anything to do with me again, so thanks.”
“You’re my brother. I’m not going to turn my back on you. I want to see you get your life straight.”
After finishing his call, he made arrangements to get his car towed, and then he skimmed through his e-mails, answering the critical ones. Three hours after leaving Delaney and Kali to play, he went to Kali’s room, and not seeing her or Delaney, he walked to the teepee and peeked in. Kali was in her pajamas, asleep, and curled around Oliver. Delaney was MIA. He went looking for her, finding her in his office.
“I didn’t mean to leave you to babysit my daughter.”
She looked up from the computer screen and rolled her shoulders. “Yeah, you did, but she’s adorable and fun to spend time with. I feel like I’m playing hooky from my job, though.”
“As I understand it, right now your job is guarding her and me, so you’re not playing hooky.” He walked behind her, put his hands on her shoulders, and massaged her muscles.
“Ah, that feels good.”
He slid his thumbs up her neck, over silky skin. “I’m very good at naked massages if you’d be so inclined.”
She laughed. “Nice try.”
“Can’t blame a man for trying to get a beautiful woman naked.” He peered at the computer screen. “What are you working on?”
“Looking into Garth Davidson’s background. Places he lived before he was in prison, friends, arrest records, that kind of stuff. Something that might give us a lead to where he is or who he might be in contact with.”
“What was he in prison for?”
“Armed robbery. That was his first prison sentence, but he has a long rap sheet. He’s been in jail numerous times, and before that in and out of juvie. He’s been on a fast track to nowhere since he was a kid. Not someone you want to mess with.”
“Do me a favor and send me his photo so I can get it to my staff.”
She tapped a few keys. “Done.”
“Take a break. I want to talk to you about Kali.” He pushed a stack of file folders aside and perched on the edge of the desk. “What do you think I should do?”
