The One That Got Away (18 page)

G
oing on noon and still no word from Dawn, who hadn't answered her cell phone any of the dozen times Serena had dialed her number this morning. After her last try, Serena looked up from the phone in her hand and stared into Jamie's watchful eyes. Leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, he took her hands into his. “What do you want me to do, Dee?”

Serena tugged absentmindedly at her slacks, balling the fabric inside of a fist. “I don't know what to do. Should I call my mother? She has firsthand experience with foolish, rebellious daughters.”

“Serena, baby, stop it.” Jamie stood, then took a spot next to her on their love seat, settling in close but keeping his arms to himself. “This isn't about you or your past; this is about Dawn doing something stupid. We'll get her through it. In the meantime, we just need to pray for her safe return. And after we pray, you give me the names of every friend and potential boyfriend she could be with, and we'll make some damn house calls until someone leads us to her.”

Eyes blurred with tears and shoulders shaking, Serena was humiliated by her rare inability to hide the shame and fear within. “I could have done more!” The words shrieked from somewhere
down deep, but she didn't believe they were hers. She couldn't fall apart like this, not this early in Dawn's disappearance and not when she was still hiding so much from Jamie. To depend on him now wouldn't be right. . . .

“Mommy?” Sydney's voice snapped Serena out of her pain. She looked up to see her baby daughter enter the family room, a hand stretched toward her mother's cheek. “Why are you crying?”

As if sensing Serena's fragility, Jamie reached forward and grabbed Sydney into a bear hug. “Hey puddin',” he whispered. “Mommy's going to be fine, she's just a little sad right now.”

Taking a seat on Jamie's lap, Sydney laid a hand against her father's chest but looked toward Serena. “Why is she sad, Daddy? You're not leaving us again, are you?”

“Daddy's not going anywhere,” Jamie said, his voice still low as he kissed Sydney's forehead. “I promise you, honey, when Dawn gets home later today, your mommy won't be crying, okay? And I'm taking everyone out for dinner tonight.” Jamie looked toward Serena, his gaze patient but insistent. “We'll have a good talk with Dawn, figure out how to help her, but we're having some real family time tonight, Dee.”

Resting against her father's expansive body, Sydney lay back and smiled at Serena. “Mommy, I'm glad Daddy's back,” she said, a look of relief lighting her face. “I don't ever want him to leave again. I love you both too much.”

“Baby,” Serena said, reaching over and touching a hand to her daughter's lips, “I love you, too.” Wiping her eyes, she stood, kissed both her husband and daughter on the cheek, and stared at Jamie. “I'm going to take you up on your offer. I'll go get my Pocket PC and make a list of her friends' addresses, starting with that Glenn character.” She glanced at Sydney. “You mind spending the afternoon with Granny and Poppy?”

As Sydney shrugged her approval, Serena walked to the family room's bay window, which looked out over the home's front porch. Stepping to the side of her recently decorated Christmas tree, she noticed that a car had come to a stop at her front curb.

A fire red Passat.

T
he temperature outside was twenty-four degrees, but it felt subzero inside Tony's car. With Evelyn stewing in the passenger seat and a newly submissive Dawn in his backseat, Tony may as well have been by himself.

“In, uh, two lights you'll come to River Bend.” A new stick of gum popping busily, Dawn provided halfhearted directions in a muted voice, as if hoping her humility would avoid a repeat of her earlier beat-down at Evelyn's hands.

As he leaned his Passat into a right turn, passing a cluster of University of Cincinnati buildings, Tony hoped no one could hear the increasingly frantic beat of his heart. With each passing block, each ticking second, his brow grew hotter and his mouth grew moister with saliva. He wasn't proud of it, but after everything that had transpired between them, the thought of seeing Serena's home, seeing Serena herself, was monumental.

But this wasn't about that, he reminded himself as Dawn's directions brought him to a coasting stop in front of a three-story brick home with a stone porch and a long, steep front lawn. Peering up the hill, Tony gathered his will. Fate had thrust him into an embarrassing intersection, but he knew if he ever became a parent, he would want someone in his shoes to look out for his child, too.

He'd opened his door and stepped up on the curb when he realized Dawn was still sitting in the car. Evelyn had sprung out before he had and stood on the sidewalk with a toe tapping impatiently, but the teenager was still in her seat, whittling her fingernails into nubs with chattering teeth.

“Young lady,” Tony said, extending an arm after opening the back door. He leaned into the car, keeping his tone firm but calm. “Come on, Dawn. I know this is embarrassing, but I'm willing to bet your parents have been so worried where you were, they'll just be relieved to see you.”

Her eyes rolling in annoyance, Dawn turned away from him. “Mr. G, don't kid a kidder. I know I'm about to get read the riot act.”

Rubbing his hands against the cold and realizing he'd lost his gloves, Tony cracked a smile. “It won't be that bad. Trust me.”

“Whoo.” From just over Tony's shoulder, Evelyn's exclamation whistled through the air. “Mr. Sweet Talker think he can sell
anything.
” As Tony led Dawn from the car, turning to face her, Evelyn crossed her arms and grinned. “Look at this neighborhood, this house. And you say the girl's momma is an officer with the school system? Please, she's gonna be so shamed by her hoochie daughter, she'll work her over more than I would—”

“Evelyn, chill,” Tony said, keeping himself between her and the cowering Dawn. “I asked you to come along so this wouldn't all look too weird. I'm not trying to be mistaken for some pervert who's kidnapped these folks' child.” He wasn't even thinking of revealing his relationship with Serena to either Evelyn or Dawn; that would have to take care of itself.

He laid a gentle hand on Evelyn's shoulder. “Will you work with me here, just help make this a peaceful handoff so Dawn learns not to pull this again?”

“Fine,” Evelyn replied dismissively, shrugging off his hand and adjusting the fit of her wool winter cap. “Let's roll, man. I got places to be today.”

“Dawn!” Even Evelyn went quiet when the deep bass voice cut through the air, echoing from the home's porch. Tony's eyes
followed Evelyn's and Dawn's up the hill, where a tall, bald brother wearing only black slacks and white shirtsleeves stood with his back tensed and his eyes narrowed. His words flowing aggressively, Jamie Kincaid burst down the porch's stone steps, a cougar advancing on his prey. “Get up here. Your mother's been a basket case all morning!”

That's when Tony heard it, the sudden gasp in Dawn's throat. Her stepfather closing in, the child reflexively slid behind Tony, placing him directly in Jamie's line of fire. Being in his way wasn't what frightened Tony. No, what took him by surprise was the angry pride taking root in his soul, the vengeful spirit cackling with glee at the shock slowly spreading across his rival's face as he neared.

That's right, bitch,
said the voice inside Tony's head.
I'm back.

A
t the sight of Tony's car, Serena did the only thing she could: get Sydney away from the hell about to break loose. Without knowing what Tony had in mind, the only thing she knew was that she didn't want Sydney in the middle of it. In a swift motion, she'd coolly turned back toward her daughter and insisted she come upstairs so they could pick out a nice outfit for her to wear to her grandparents' house. They were halfway up the steps when she heard Jamie's angry gulp. “Serena, that's Dawn out there!”

Once she'd ordered Sydney into her bedroom, Serena sprang back down the stairs, knowing she could hide no more. After shrugging on a goose-feather jacket, she rushed onto the porch but froze as Jamie barreled down the steps toward Dawn, some strange woman, and Tony Gooden.

When she first saw him, she actually pivoted and placed a hand on the handle of her front door. Her hand only lingered for a second, though, before she gathered the will to turn back and flit down the steps after her husband. She was simply too old to keep running. She quickly covered the dozen steps between her and everyone else, but by the time she reached them Jamie and Tony were already in each other's face.

With Dawn loitering a few inches behind Tony, Jamie stood
with a long finger pointed in the smaller man's face. “What are you doing with my
daughter
, Gooden?” The meaning was clear:
Thought it was my wife you wanted.

“Jamie.” Serena edged up onto her husband's heels, tugging at the waistline of his slacks. “Let's not make a scene. What matters is that Dawn's home now.”

With Jamie towering over him, Tony's eye contact didn't waver. Matching the intensity of Jamie's angry stare, he acted as if Serena weren't even there. “Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid,” he said finally, nodding formally and placing a hand on the back of the scraggly woman at his side, “this is Ms. Evelyn Hampton. I've been mentoring her sons, Ben and Glenn. They're classmates of Dawn's.” Shifting his weight between legs, struggling a bit to keep his balance, he glanced at the woman. “Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid know me from my official role working for the academy,” he said, switching his gaze to Jamie and then Serena. “Our past interactions have been a little, uh, strained.”

“Oh, yes,” Jamie replied, offering his hand to Evelyn clumsily. “You could definitely say that.” Serena wondered if it was the Nation's influence that enabled him to cool down so quickly, or the simple desire not to embarrass himself in front of a stranger. Either way she'd take it.

Tony's expression was still calm but growing grimmer by the minute. “Do you two have a minute? I think we can help explain where Dawn's been the past twelve hours.”

Serena cleared her throat, then motioned Dawn toward her. “Come here.” When her daughter took the tentative steps that brought her within reach, Serena pulled her close in a hug but whispered into her ear. “Fifteen or not, I
will
be whipping that ass.” She raised her voice then. “Get in the house.” She'd ask where the child got her black eye later.

“Mr. Gooden,” Serena continued once she had sent her daughter on her way, “I think it's best if we discuss things right here. Given the past, that's most appropriate, don't you think?”

“This is pretty private stuff,” Tony replied, his eyebrows jumping in concern.

“There's a lot of space between these houses,” Jamie said, his gaze daring Tony to keep pressing his luck. “No one will hear anything. Now what was my daughter doing with you all night?”

Tony sighed. “She wasn't with me,” he said impatiently. “You were aware that Dawn's dating Evelyn's son Glenn, right?”

“I do know something about my daughter's social life, yes.” The weight of Jamie's accusing stare on her, Serena braved a glance into Tony's eyes. The minute she did, their argument that cold morning outside her office began replaying in her head. What had she told him about their night together?
I wasn't in my right mind.
Shaken, she looked toward the ground, then asked, “Dawn was with Glenn last night, wasn't she?”

“Yes,” Tony said, his voice oddly low and confessional. “She, uh, spent the night at Evelyn's.”

Evelyn nudged Tony suddenly, her languid gaze mocking Serena. “Finish the story, brother. Tell 'em why I had to chase the girl out of my
own
bed—”

Not that she hadn't already expected the worst, but as she put the pieces together Serena's throat filled involuntarily with bile. She pushed past Tony, took Evelyn by the shoulder. “Cut to the chase, okay, sister? What, did your son fuck my daughter?”

Serena couldn't tear her angry stare away from Evelyn, but she felt another hand on her shoulder. “It'll be okay,” Tony whispered. “Just take it easy—”

Jamie nearly roared as he slapped Tony's hand away from Serena. “Keep your damn hands to yourself!”

After shooting an amused glance at Serena, Evelyn raised her eyebrows at the two men. “Uh, look, you don't need to be touchin' me, for starters. Second of all, you got no call to make it sound like my boy raped your daughter or any crazy shit like that. Glenn doesn't mess with any hoochie what doesn't first throw her stuff at him. So anything he did, that little hot tamale of yours asked for.”

“This isn't helpful,” Tony said, his voice pleading but insistent. “None of us here saw who did whom, dammit. But as the guy caught in the middle, I thought you two as Dawn's parents
should know that she's . . . behaving like a woman now. I'd hate to have her and Glenn have an accident and wind up being parents too early, or worse.”

“Or worse?” Evelyn's face twisted into a frown. “What, like she's some virgin my Glenn's gonna infect with a virus or some shit? Please. I taught that boy and his brother how to wrap themselves tight when they hit thirteen. My boys are
clean.
”

Tony was leaking patience like a ship wrecked against boulders. He couldn't say a thing to make anybody happy. “Will you all stop fighting over whose kid is the least guilty here? I just wanted the truth aired.” He shot an exasperated glare at Evelyn. “Let's go, my job's done here.”

Still trying to process her daughter's foolishness, Serena found herself staring into Tony's penetrating gaze, her plea from their last argument stinging her insides.
I wasn't in my right mind.
For some reason, the trauma of Dawn's betrayal had kicked loose something inside her, a realization she'd fled for weeks. Her words to Tony had been a lie. She'd been off her meds, yes, but her affair with Tony had been driven first and foremost by the chemistry that sparkled between them that afternoon at Devon and Kym's wedding. Jamie's infidelity had just given her the final chance to explore it.

Serena was so twisted up with her conflicting desires—a healed marriage, a second chance at happiness with her first love—that she was caught flat-footed when Jamie shot a long arm out, snaring Tony where he stood. “Why don't you go wait for Mr. Gooden at his car, Evelyn,” he said, his voice a calm growl.

Still immobilized by Jamie's grip, Tony chucked his car keys to the woman. “Go ahead.” As Evelyn rolled her eyes and turned toward the car, he looked up into Jamie's sneer. “What you need, man?”

Jamie tightened his grip, yanked Tony so close the crown of the smaller man's head brushed up against Jamie's chin. “You got real balls, waltzing up on my family like this.”

His jaw set, Tony kept his eyes fixed on Jamie's. “I've explained myself, Jamie. This is only as personal as you make it.”

Jamie flashed an odd smile, the type that usually precedes violence. “I'm going to be praying for you, Gooden. Praying that you find whatever it is you think you'd find if you could get my wife back. But if you ever step foot onto my property again, if I ever hear you've come anywhere near Dawn or Serena, no amount of help from Allah will save you.”

“Jamie,” Serena whispered, edging up to her husband and avoiding Tony's serene gaze. “He was just doing the right thing, for Dawn's sake. He's not worried about me, okay? I'm here with you, baby, even after all the turmoil. Tony's no threat to you.”

Looking at her arm on his, Jamie turned slowly toward Serena and let her pull him into a hug. As he leaned down, allowing her to reach up and rub the back of his head, Serena shut her eyes tight. She heard Tony's footsteps as he headed back to his car, heard his car's ignition turn over, heard his Passat roar away from the curb.

Tears filling her eyes, tears she hoped her husband would believe were for him, she comforted herself with the thought of her girls, especially the joy on Sydney's face when she'd talked earlier about her love for Jamie. The last thing her baby needed was the same “daddy” issues that probably inspired Dawn's latest rebellion.

Even with that assurance, Serena had to bury her head deep into Jamie's chest. She couldn't watch Tony go; if she did, the truth was bound to burst from her.
I lied about that night, she thought. With or without my meds, in my right mind or not, I would have done the exact same thing.