In Broad Daylight (21 page)

met your mother that I was going to marry her, or live single the rest of my life."

More fairy tales. Well, he was too old for that kind of thing. "Not everyone's like you."

Brian inclined his head. "No, but there's more like me than you think." He gave Dax's

shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Whatever it is, you'll work it out. I've got faith in you.

You've got a good head on your shoulders, Dax, you always have."

Too bad he didn't have any faith in himself, Dax thought as he took a long sip of coffee.

Choking it down, he could almost feel it land in his stomach. His eyes watered slightly as he

looked at his father. "God, what is this, dad? It tastes like boiled mud."

Brian beamed with pride. "My own special brew. Want more?"

Dax pushed his cup forward on the counter. "Yes, please."

Brenda dragged her hand through her hair. She felt like hell on a bad day. She'd spent

the entire night trying to find ten minutes of sleep and had only half succeeded.

In reality, she was too exhausted to go to work, but in no condition to remain home, alone

with her thoughts and staring at the walls in her apartment. And though she wanted to go,

there was no way she could just show up at theTylers.

Simon Tyler had made it abundantly clear that he didn't want her there and she knew

after last night, Dax wouldn't appreciate the sight of her either. Even though the

kidnapper had demanded to talk to only her, she doubted very much if either Tyler or Dax

would be calling her to talk to him. The kidnapper had what he wanted.

But, on the outside chance that she was wrong, she made sure her cell phone was on as she

put it in her purse. Staying home, waiting for God only knew what, was out of the question.

She knew she would literally go out of her mind.

She had no other choice but to go to work.

She showered quickly, keeping the phone close by, then dressed and left. It was only

after she was on the main thoroughfare driving to the academy that she remembered

she'd forgotten to take her prenatal vitamins. She might as well have kept them in the

medicine cabinet, she thought ruefully. At least then Dax wouldn't have found them.

It was better this way, she told herself. Deception was nothing to build a relationship on.

And now, there was no relationship to build.

She forced her mind on her job. And remembered that when she'd called Matthew about

not coming in yesterday, she'd told him that she'd be gone today as well. He probably had

a substitute in place. But plans could change, right? Look how much her life had changed in

the last few days.

Stop it, she ordered silently, turning up the radio in her car to drown out her thoughts.

She couldn't afford to go there yet. She'd fall apart if she did. The only way she was

going to make it through the day was if she didn't think, just acted. Automatic pilot was a

state she was more than familiar with. She'd been on it more than once in her life, most

recently the day she'd found out that she was a widow and a mother within an hour.

That which doesn't kill us makes us strong.

She didn't feel particularly strong right now.

She knocked lightly on Harwood's door, then stuck in her head. "Hi."

Matthew seemed surprised to see her. "I didn't think you were coming in. Is there

anything new?" The words rushed out.

Yes, there's something new. I fell in love and got dumped, all in under a week.

"No," she told him. "The police are still trying to find leads."

He looked pale to her. She wasn't accustomed to seeing him this way. He was normally so

poised, so at ease with every situation. The kidnapping had taken a definite toll on him.

"I know I told you I wasn't coming in, but I thought I might do some good here."

He nodded. "Of course. I'm glad you're back. The children have missed you."

And she'd missed them, she thought. They were what kept her grounded and right now,

she desperately needed that.

Walking into her classroom, she nodded at the substitute who had been called in.

"No, stay," she urged as the woman silently took her cue and began to gather her things.

"I have a feeling I might need help today."

Instantly, the children were around her, leaving their desks and firing questions at her.

For once, she allowed order to take a back seat. They'd been through a lot by proxy.

Counselors were still on standby.

"Did they find Annie?" a little redhead asked her eagerly.

More than anything, she wished she could say yes. "No, not yet. But they will."

"Did the bad people really take her?" a little boy wanted to know.

"No, Tommy, they didn't," Alicia, her most vocal student, chimed in. "Mr. Harwood

wouldn't let them take her."

Brenda smiled. It was wonderful to have such faith, to be so young and feel so protected.

"Mr. Harwood wouldn't have wanted them to take her, but he wasn't there to stop them,

Alicia."

Alicia frowned, her small blond eyebrows drawing together. "Why not? He took Annie out

of line."

Something tightened within Brenda's chest. She remembered hearing Matthew tell the

detective that he hadn't seen Annie on the day she was kidnapped.

Without trying to frighten the little girl, Brenda turned toward her and crouched down to

her level. "When, Alicia? Think very carefully now. When did Mr. Harwood take Annie out

of line?"

Alicia raised her chin. "I don't have to think carefully. I remember. It was when the fire

alarm went off."

«^»

Brendastared at the little girl, hermindracing, entertaining thoughts that couldn't

possibly be true. Alicia had to be mistaken. Matthew Harwood was dedicated to his school.

He loved children. There was nothing else in his life. He wouldn't do something as heinous

as be involved in Annie's kidnapping.

But if so, why had he lied to the police about not seeing Annie?

Brenda struggled to keep the urgency out of her voice. She didn't want to alarm Alicia,

although the little girl had a fearless aura around her. It was one of the reasons she'd

attempted to couple her with Annie in the first place, hoping some of that courage would

rub off on the latter.

Her eyes held Alicia's. "Alicia, are you very, very sure? Maybe you're confused about

when you saw him with Annie."

The children around them fell silent as they listened in rapt attention. Alicia remained

adamant. She nodded her head so hard her silken blond hair bobbed up and down around

her small shoulders.

"It was after the fire alarm rang. We were running out of the art room. Annie was behind

me and I turned around to take her hand—you said we were supposed to have partners,"

Alicia reminded her.

"Yes, I did." Brenda forced a smile to her lips, encouraging Alicia to continue. All the while, her mind was reeling. If this was true, then Matthew really was mixed up in this

somehow. "Alicia, why didn't you say anything about this before?"

Alicia looked surprised at the question. "Nobody asked me if Mr. Harwood was with her."

No, Brenda thought, they hadn't.

She had to find out for herself.

Rising, Brenda looked at the substitute who was clearly confused by what was going on.

That made two of them. And there wasn't time for explanations, even if she could pull one

together that would satisfy them both. She needed more.

Brenda crossed to the door. "Would you take over the class, please?"

"Of course," the substitute replied.

"Aw." Nineteen small voices converged, becoming one in their protest.

She stopped to look at the upturned faces. Any one of them could have been kidnapped

instead of Annie. They didn't realize how lucky they were.

"I'll be back," she promised them.

Halfway down the hall to Harwood's office, she stopped abruptly. As much as she wanted

to confront the headmaster, as much as she wanted him to give her some kind of plausible

explanation for what Alicia had seen and tell her why he'd lied about seeing Annie, she

knew she had to hold back. Going into his office now with this would lose the element of

surprise.

If they needed it, she amended.

In her heart, she knew what she had to do. She had to call Dax.

Instantly, she felt a weakness wash over her. She didn't have that luxury, she argued

silently. This wasn't personal, this was about saving Annie.

Making aU-turn,she ducked into the recreation area.

This hour of the morning, the large room with its big screen TV—ironically a gift from

Simon Tyler and his wife—and entertainment enhancements was empty. She didn't want

anyone overhearing her make her call.

While dialing Dax's cell phone number, Brenda's stomach felt as if it was twisting into a

very tight knot. As it rang against her ear, she mentally counted to ten in an effort to get

herself under control. Her nerves refused to cooperate.

And then she heard him, heard his deep voice as it echoed against her ear. "Cavanaugh."

Words rushed into her head.Why did you leave like that? Why didn't you come back? Why

didn't you talk to me?She forced them all back. Now wasn't the time. Maybe it never

would be.

"Dax, I think you should get down to the school." She heard silence on the other end of the line and wondered if the connection had gone dead. "Dax, are you still there? This is

Brenda. You need to—"

"I know who it is."

His voice was distant, each word measured out. An awkwardness threatened to swallow

her whole. But this was bigger than her feelings and the relationship that had been so

abruptly aborted; it had left her reeling.

"Listen to me," she ordered. "According to one of my kids, Harwood took Annie out of line just before we left the building during that fire incident. I heard him tell you he hadn't

seen Annie that morning."

"How much imagination does this kid have?"

"Her parents are both scientists. She is as pragmatic as a six-year-old can be. More."

"Where are you right now?"

"I'm at the school right now. I came into work because…" She caught herself in time.

"Because the school was open."

He didn't question her. Despite his talk with his father, he wasn't up to discussing what

was going on between them just yet. Only that he knew it couldn't be over this way. But

that was for later. "Have you said anything to Harwood?"

"No, not yet."

"Don't." She thought she heardahint of approval in his voice, but that could have just

been wishful thinking. "I'll be right there."

She was left with a dial tone in her ear.

Brenda was on the steps waiting for him when he pulled up in the parking lot shortly

thereafter. She looked wan, he thought, as if someone had kicked apart her world. That

made two of them.

He resisted the temptation to say something to her. To touch her face the way he wanted

to. Instead, he asked about the girl. Brenda took him to her immediately.

He thought it best not to remove Alicia from the classroom, but to question her apart

from the others. The substitute herded the rest of the children, their curiosity severely

peaked, to the other side to play a learning game.

Brenda gently ushered the girl forward. "Alicia, this is Detective Dax. He'd like to ask you some questions."

Alicia looked up at him. "I remember. You came here after the fire."

He felt as if he was talking to an intelligent adult instead of a six-year-old child. At six,

he was playing with his cousins and getting dirty. The little girl before him looked as if she

was preparing to do long division. In her head.

"Yes, I did. Do you want to tell me what you told Mrs. York?"

Alicia tossed her head, sighed and repeated what she'd said earlier. "Mrs. York was

getting us out of the art room. Annie was behind me. I turned around to take her hand

because Mrs. York always wanted me to be friends with her and I saw Mr. Harwood taking

Annie away. He was holding her by the hand and talking to her. She was smiling." She'd

uttered the entire statement on one breath and huffed as she came to the end of it.

Getting a second wind, she looked up at the detective. "Okay?"

Dax nodded. "Okay," he repeated. And maybe, just maybe, he thought, things were okay

for the first time since the kidnapping case had begun. He smiled down at the girl.

"Thanks,Alice."

"Alicia," the little girl corrected with an indignant sniff.

Brenda bent down to the girl's level. "He's not good with names," she confided, looking at Dax. "You can go join the rest of the class," she told her, nodding at the other end of the room.

Alicia hurried off to see what she had missed so far.

Matthew Harwood jumped when Dax and Brenda entered the room. Had he not been

sitting behind his desk, Dax had the impression the man would have sank onto something.

He looked clearly shaken to see them unannounced.

Dax had warned the secretary to remain where she was just before he'd walked in on the

headmaster. You could tell a lot about a person caught off guard.

"Detective Cavanaugh," Harwood greeted him nervously. "Any leads?"

Dax didn't bother wasting time with idle chatter. He was having trouble controlling his

temper as it was. "Mind telling me why you lied?"

Harwood's pale complexion turned even paler. "I beg your pardon?"

Brenda couldn't hold back any longer. "Alicia Maxwell told us she saw you taking Annie

Tyler in the opposite direction of the entrance when we were evacuating the children out