Knock, knock... (23 page)

Since I began this vendetta, I've watched you work. I've watched you play. And boy, you don't play much.

Do you know what I could do with all that money?

A hell of a lot more than you.

I know how to live. How to have fun.

You sit in your ivory tower and dream of better days, but you don't DO anything.

Like how pathetic is that?

Monday, early afternoon…

S
hay walked back to her office on her own. Lunch had been a simple affair. She’d barely spoken, and Roman and Gerard had kept to general topics. She'd ignored Roman's worried looks directed her way.

Her mind was too full. She called her grandfather as she entered the elevator again. She probably should have walked up the seven flights of stairs, but she hadn't been able to stop the feeling that she'd missed something. That she should have been at the office before this.
Available for Pappy to find her.

But he could have called her any time. In fact, she'd called him a dozen times. And still no answer. Maybe she should go to his apartment. See if he was sleeping.

At her office, Jordan bustled around, filing away documents. Rose was busy on the phone. As always, Jordan's cheerful personality made Shay feel better. Just being around the two women brightened her mood. "Any messages, Jordan?"

"The lawyers handling Bernice's estate called to set up an appointment for tomorrow for you to go over some paperwork regarding Bernice’s bequest to you in the will."

"Right. I should have done that when I was there." Shay walked through to her inner office and sat down. Jordan trailed behind her.

"Should have, but they caught up with me instead, so no worries. Although…" She turned and gave Shay a curious look from the doorway. "I guess you’re even wealthier now?" With a casual shrug, she called out as she walked back to her desk. "Lucky girl."

"So not about that," Shay muttered. She heard the other two women talking.

"You shouldn't bring stuff like that up," Rose said disapprovingly."

"Why? I'm just curious." Jordan sat down so hard, Shay could hear her chair squeak. "I didn't mean any harm."

"It's her personal life. Not office stuff."

"Whatever," Jordan said casually. "She doesn't care."

And that was that. Shay almost laughed. If only the bequest could be handled so simply. She checked her emails. Nothing important. Good enough. She walked back out. "Ladies, I'll be out of the office for the rest of the afternoon. I'll take some of these applications home tonight. Hopefully, I'll have time to go over them this evening."

"If not, then not." Rose gave her a comforting look. "You don't need to work so hard."

Jordan shook her hair, and turquoise braids flipped around her head. "You don’t need to work at all. You haven't even had time to grieve for the loss of your old friend yet."

"I know. And I'm not likely to have more time anytime soon."

"All these funerals make one think, don't they?" Rose sighed and stared out the window.

Rose's statement hit Shay as she was reaching for the door. "In what way, Rose?"

Her receptionist looked up in surprise. "Oh, just about life and our lives. The parts we waste and the parts we do well with. It's like our time here is so short, and we don't understand it until it's too late."

"Now if only we could learn that lesson early in life."

With that, Shay walked out, her arms full of new applications. At the parking level, she walked through the empty basement to her car. Unlocking the vehicle, she dumped the work in the passenger seat and hopped in.

It was just a few minutes to drive to Pappy's place…only his car wasn't in his spot. She had wanted him to give up driving last year after he'd had a fender bender. It wasn't the accident so much as the stress he went through afterward. It had been days before he'd been able to drive again. Shay had suggested that it might be a good idea to give up driving, but that had made him all the more determined to get back behind the wheel. He was a good driver. But he was eighty, and his reflexes had slowed.

Regardless, Pappy hadn't appreciated the suggestion.

She hadn't repeated it.

Where could he be?
He was never out of touch like this. Not this long. Unable to leave without checking his apartment, she parked in his spot and walked to his condo. On the ground floor, she let herself in with her key.

"Pappy. Pappy? Are you here?" The apartment appeared empty. She walked through, checking out the small space. Pappy definitely wasn't there. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and called Pappy's number. There was no answering ring in the apartment. So he hadn't left his cell at home. Unless his damn battery had died. She checked his bedroom again, but there wasn't any sign that he'd come home and laid down either. The room was spotless, as always.

She opened her inner vision and searched for any lingering energy to show he'd had a visitor.

There was nothing new. Pappy's energy hovered from early this morning, but there didn't appear to be a second energy. So there was nothing to be found here.

So he hadn't returned here with his lady friend.

She locked up and walked out. At her car, she turned around and studied the area. He wasn't out walking. That didn't mean his car wasn't broken down on the side of the road or that he wasn't visiting friends.

His absence
could
be nothing.

But it didn't feel like it.

It felt like everything.

***

"What is going on between you and Shay?" Gerard walked from the building out into the sunshine ahead of Roman. He dodged around a large group that streamed passed. A horn blared and a taxi sounded its horn in response. Another typical business day in the city.

Roman laughed. "Nothing." And under his breath, he muttered, "Apparently."

"No, there is definitely something there." A teasing lilt in Gerard's tone made Roman groan.

"See, I know." His grandfather shook his finger at him. "A man knows about another man."

"And what do you know?" Roman glanced down in amusement at his grandfather. Word had it that he'd been a hell raiser in his day.

"I know you have a thing for her."

Roman shook his head. The last thing he wanted was to be grilled by his grandfather. In an effort to ward him off, he asked, "Any idea where Charles could be?"

Grandfather took the bait. "Not unless he's holed up in a hotel with that young thing he'd planned to meet for lunch?"

And was that possible?
Roman would love to think by the time he hit Charles's age, he was still capable of enjoying an afternoon pleasuring a new lady. But it was hard to believe in this case. Charles had been worried about Shay. And he had a connection to Bernice and planned to attend the reading of her will;
that
he wouldn't have missed. No, it didn't make sense that he'd take off like this.

"And if he isn't with this young lady, do you have a second idea?"

Gerard shook his head and motioned around the streets. "He could be anywhere. Shopping. Resting. Doctor's appointment." Gerard shrugged. "Anywhere."

"Does he have any medical issues? Does he take any medication?"

"No, not at all. He's very healthy. I don't think he's on any medications except for his cholesterol, maybe." Gerard walked beside Roman as they returned to their vehicles at the office building where Shay worked. "I think he's healthier than I am."

"Good. As long as we don't have to be concerned with that aspect." He held the sleek Audi’s door open for his grandfather.

"Not that I know of. Then again, given our age, we don't often find out what's wrong until it's too late."

Roman looked around at the busy street. What could he say to that? His grandfather was right.

As the older man buckled up his seat belt, he said to Roman, "And now that you know there's something between you and Shay, do you really want to miss out on the opportunity? I gotta tell you that even if it only lasts for a short time, it could be the romance of a lifetime." He smiled reminiscently. "And I for one, have no regrets answering that call."

With that he drove off, leaving Roman standing and staring behind him.

He didn't want to have any regrets at that age either. But he still wasn't any closer to getting to know Shay better, spending time with her, finding out what made her tick and getting her into his bed. He was even further from having her in his life on a long-term basis.

And if he failed in that endeavor, then he was afraid that he
would
have regrets.

And he didn't want that.

Shay had to stay safe. And he'd done what he could to help that along. He'd made inquiries about a new security system for her. She'd okay the installation. He'd set up his program on her computer and let it run. If there'd been any signs of a hacker, he'd find it. In the meantime, he'd ensure the security on her system was operating at peak performance to make sure no one else got in.

Damned if he was going to lose her when he'd finally found her.

***

Monday afternoon…

Shay walked into her apartment several hours later, feeling disoriented and out of touch. Tension ran through her muscles. She'd checked every one of Pappy's frequent haunts. She’d returned to his place to see if he'd come home, and she had been on the phone incessantly looking for him. She'd called everyone she knew in his circle of friends. She couldn't leave it alone.

It was as if he'd just vanished.

Something had to have happened to him. And as much as she hated the thought, someone was likely to have caused that. He was eighty years old and that just added to the problem and her fears. His car was also missing. And that led to her next step.

She picked up her phone and called her favorite detective.

"Ronin. I'm glad I could reach you."

"Shay, what's the matter?"

"It's my grandfather." Quickly she explained.

"But it's only been what...? Four or five hours since you last spoke to him?"

She winced. "I know. It's too early to file a report as a missing person, but he's not a young man any longer. For all I know, he's had a heart attack in his car, and is parked somewhere on the street."

"What type of car is he driving?"

Relieved, she gave him the license plate number and the description of the car.

"I'll let everyone know to keep an eye out for the vehicle and I’ll also give them a description of your grandfather. Now does he have any health issues? Is he a diabetic and in need of medicine at a particular time?"

Groaning at how little she knew, Shay ran through the information that she did have. "He doesn't get forgetful, at least I haven’t noticed that. He's very sharp mentally. He has sustained a personal loss last week, but he's not suicidal. He doesn't have diabetes, but he has a slight heart condition and high cholesterol – nothing too bad and nothing more than anyone else his age. But I can't stress enough how unlike him this is. With evening coming, he should be home safe and sound. He also always has a nap in the afternoon. At the time he usually lies down, he wasn't at home. I know because I was there, and he wasn't."

"But he could have slept in his car. You know, just pulled off to the side of the road and laid his head back."

"It's possible," she said doubtfully, "but that’s not like him."

His calm voiced suggested, "Still not out of the line of possibility."

"True. But with all the other coincidences I can't help but wonder if someone hasn't kidnapped him or worse." She hesitated. "I know it's too early to panic, but––"

"But you're worried." His voice turned businesslike. "Good enough, I'll see what I can do."

He hung up, and Shay dialed Stefan. She'd tried him several times since the reading of the will, but so far he hadn’t answered telepathically. But then, when he wanted the world to go away, he was good at making that happen.

Maybe he was home now.

She waited while the phone rang and rang. Finally, just when she was about to hang up, she heard his tired voice. "Stefan?"

"Who'd you expect," he grumbled, "Santa Claus?"

She winced. "Sorry. Not a good day, huh."

"No. I'm working with the police on another case in Seattle." He sighed. "People are dropping like flies. For no reason except someone is having a damn killing fest."

"Ouch. Kinda like my life feels right now. Sorry, I know you’re busy."

"Sometimes it gets pretty crazy." His tone changed, eased. "What's up, Shay?"