One Love (42 page)

“
Come on, sugar. You gonna
be all right,” Edna said in a gruff yet gentle manner. “Don’t let
‘em get to ya.”

Lanessa looked at her. “Edna, you’re
alright yourself. Now I’ve just got to prove I wasn’t drinking last
night.”

“
Baby, they can’t charge you
with DWI unless they catch you,” Edna said.

“
I’ve got to prove it to
myself. See I haven’t had a drink in over two years.” Lanessa drew
in a deep breath and let it out.

“
How’d you quit?” Edna’s
gaze shifted off to some distant point. “I’m just curious ya
understand.”

“
With the help of a group of
really good people,” Lanessa said. She fished a business card from
a compartment in her purse. “Here, call me and we’ll go
together.”

“
Not for me. I’m sayin’...
My husband, he’s drinkin’ way too much.” Edna took the card and
jammed it in the pocket of her pants.

“
Sure.” Lanessa did not
press the point. “Call me, okay?” she urged as she handed her the
glass back.

“
I will,” Edna said then
walked off quickly. She glanced around at several small groups of
people watched them. “What y’all starin’ at? Act like you ain’t
never seen somebody drink a glass of water. Silly
fools!”

Lanessa looked at the condition of her
clothes and hair. “God, I look awful. I’m going to get into a nice
hot shower.”

“
Ms. Thomas, do you have a
statement?” Glenn Curtis separated from the crowd of people. He
held a small notepad.

Damn!
Just what she needed. The reporter must have some psychic
powers when it came to scenting trouble. He wore a smirk as he
looked at her with his head cocked to one side.

“
Go away chump!” Lanessa
turned her head.

“
A rising young
businesswoman from a prominent family caught up in this situation.”
Glenn nodded at the policemen. “You should tell your side of the
story. People will talk when they find out.”

“
I’m sure you’ll see to it
that they do.” Lanessa wanted to stuff his note pad in his mouth.
“Do you have some special nose for trash? What am I saying, all
scavengers do.”

“
Hey, I’ve got nothing
against you. Unlike the majority media, I’m willing to give you a
sympathetic ear.” Glenn took the tone of a man who could be
trusted.

“
Don’t make me laugh. You
can’t wait to spread this far and wide.” Lanessa got in the
driver’s seat and slammed the car door shut. “Now I’m going
home.”

“
I really think you should
talk to me. At least that way you can have a say in what goes into
the story.” Glenn leaned on the door. “C’mon, Lanessa. What’s the
real deal?”

“
Get off my car!” Lanessa
started the engine and gunned it. She let the engine idle down
again. The two policemen were watching her carefully.

Glenn stepped back with both hands
raised. “It’s like that, huh? Fine with me. I’ll send you a
complimentary copy of tomorrow’s edition.” He waved goodbye with a
cheerful expression.

“
Your sleazy tactics didn’t
work last time and they won’t work now.” Lanessa clenched her teeth
to keep from calling him a nasty name.

“
Your sister squeaked out of
that political mess, but this is different.” Glenn swept a gaze
over her car.

“
And your pathetic little
career took a dive, how sad.” Lanessa put all the acid she could
muster into her words.

Glenn wore a look of spite. “My, my.
Can’t keep away from the booze, eh?” Glenn shook his head. “Sad
case.”

“
Go to hell.”

She decided to drive with the windows
down. Maybe the rush of air would help her state of mind. Once she
cleaned up, her next task would be to find out exactly what had
happened.

Chapter 21

Alex walked into Lanessa’s office. At
first he was reassured. Robyn was on the phone and all seemed
normal. She smiled at him and waved.

“
I’ll be with you in a
minute. Hold on, ma’am.” Robyn punched the hold button. “I’ve got
to look something up. Uh, I’ll be back.” With one backward glance,
she went into the small file room and shut the door.

“
Robyn, no luck. She didn’t
show for her two o’clock.” Jackie emerged from Lanessa’s office.
“Where the hell could she be? I’m getting seriously upset with that
girl.” She bit off the rest of her tirade when she saw
Alex.

“
Hi, Jackie. What’s up?”
Alex watched her gaze dart around the room in search of Robyn. Her
anxious expression put him on alert.

“
How is everything?” Jackie
assumed a casual pose. “I hear you’re burning up the town getting
folks networked and on the web.”

“
Business is good. So
where--”

“
Our firm is getting real
big, you know? I was just telling my boss the other day we need our
own intranet and website. We just opened an office in Lafayette a
few months ago.” Jackie perched on Robyn’s desk and smiled at
him.

“
Sounds good.”

“
Yeah, yeah. So tell me a
little about what we’d need.” Jackie snapped her fingers. “Say,
we’ve got a staff meeting with the managers from all four offices.
I could mention it then.”

“
Great. So where is
Lanessa?” Alex spoke quickly and firmly before she could start up
again.

“
Lanessa?” Jackie blinked at
him.

“
Yes, you know this is her
office. She comes here every day.” Alex walked around and peered
past her. “I take it she isn’t here and you don’t know where she
is.”

Jackie lifted both hands. “Busy, busy,
busy. But I’ll tell her you came by.”

“
So you don’t know where she
is.” Alex made no move to leave.

“
No. But I’ll probably talk
to her later.”

“
So you two have a date to
meet tonight? Where?” Alex pressed. “I could use the
company.”

“
Well, it’s not for sure. I
mean, she’s so swamped...” Jackie stammered.

Robyn came back. “Lanessa will hate
she missed you. Just give me your number and I’ll tell her you were
here.” She picked up a pink message pad.

“
Lanessa knows my phone
number very well, Robyn.” Alex gazed at her.

“
What am I saying, of course
she does!” Robyn laughed and glanced at Jackie.

Jackie joined her in brittle laughter.
“She sure does.”

Alex walked up to Robyn. “I was with
her parents when you called. I want to know what’s going on.
Please.”

Robyn’s false front of cheer collapse.
She exchanged a fretful glance with Jackie. “Well, we’re not
sure...”

“
I think maybe she just took
some time off to herself,” Jackie put in. She swallowed
hard.

“
She’s been working really
hard and with this Commerce Department thing, you know.” Robyn did
not look at him.

Alex looked at Jackie. The two women
had faced the same demon. If Jackie was here helping Robyn look for
Lanessa, then there was one terrible possibility.

“
Is she drinking?” Even
saying it out loud made his stomach tighten.

“
No! That’s not the only
thing that could have happened.” Jackie swallowed hard.

“
Then you haven’t checked
any of the bars she used to hang out in, right?” Alex
said.

“
Lanessa could be anywhere.
At the park just taking a breather.” Jackie looked at Robyn for
support.

“
Right. Or a movie,” Robyn
added.

“
Sure, I can see how much
you both believe those two possibilities.” Alex walked around in a
circle.

“
Take it easy now. We
haven’t called her house in hours. Maybe she’s home.” Robyn put on
a hopeful expression.

“
I’ll do it.”

Alex grabbed the phone and punched the
buttons. The phone rang five times, then seven. With each ring his
heart beat faster. He could not believe he was going through this
again after all these years. If only she would answer. The tenth
ring stopped short and her voice rasped into the phone.

“
Lanessa, how long have you
been home? Never mind. I’m on my way over.” Alex banged the
receiver down causing the whole phone to rattle.

“
See? I said she just needed
down time.” Jackie put the light tone back in her voice.

“
Seems like she’s had it for
sure,” Alex said sharply. “How long has she been missing? All
night?”

“
Well...” Robyn bit her lip.
“It’s not like I stayed up all night trying to call. She could have
just not heard the phone?”

“
Yeah, I believe that!” Alex
started for the door when Jackie caught his arm.

“
Maybe I better.” Jackie
stared at him.

“
I want to see her, make
sure she’s okay,” Alex said. “Don’t worry. I’ve been through this
before.”

“
Yes, but...”

“
I’ll have her call you
guys. At least she owes you an apology.” Alex strode out ignoring
their protests.

The drive to her house allowed him
time to think. He went through mental checklist of all the things
he’d say to her. Alex remembered scenes from the past, all too
familiar to what he was now going through. When he parked in her
driveway, it was as though he’d traveled in a time machine. The
house with its oak stained double doors with cut glass inserts was
the same. Time and time again he’d come here searching for Lanessa.
Looking for answers. Still he held out feeble hope. That was the
same, too. Alex pressed the doorbell and listened to the musical
chimes echo through the house. After several moments, Lanessa
opened the door. She wore a cotton terry short set. Her hair was
loose and slightly damp.

“
Nice seeing you. Not that I
had a choice,” Lanessa said in dry voice.

Alex walked in without speaking. He
waited for her to close the door. “Robyn and Jackie have been
looking all over for you. They tried to hide it, but they were
scared silly.”

Lanessa combed fingers through her
hair and shuffled past him down the hall toward the kitchen. Alex
followed her.

“
Get you anything? I’ve got
some pineapple-orange juice. Good stuff.” Lanessa did not wait for
an answer. She went to the refrigerator and got a bright yellow
carton.

Alex reigned in the urge to bark out
questions. “Well?”

“
I’m here. I’m okay.”
Lanessa took two glasses out of the cabinet.

“
So that’s it. You disappear
for hours and I’m supposed to accept ‘I’m okay’? We were worried
about you damn it!” Alex burst out. Then he took a deep
breath.

“
I know. I’m sorry,” Lanessa
shot back. “There, I accepted blame once again. That should make
you happy.”

Alex looked past the testy response.
It was obvious that Lanessa was in some distress. She moved stiffly
as though she ached. “I know things have been rough lately. But
you’re not in this alone.”

“
Go home, okay? I’m fine.”
Lanessa did not face him. She stood at the counter with both hands
flat on the top as though she needed the support.

“
Tell me what happened.”
Alex was not going to walk away without some
explanation.

Lanessa did not answer for a time.
When she did her voice was low. “I’m not sure.”

“
You don’t
remember?”

“
I went out just to relax
and I went to this place--” She broke off and grimaced.

Alex stared at her. “A bar. You went
to a bar, and you don’t remember what happened next.”

“
I was listening to a band
and this guy came over to talk. Or was that at a meeting day before
last?” Lanessa hit the counter top with one fist. “Everything is
jumbled up in my head?”

“
Call the clinic.” Alex
turned around to leave. “I’m sure they’ll know what to
do.”

“
I wasn’t drinking! I’m sure
I wasn’t drinking,” Lanessa shouted at him.

“
But you just said you don’t
remember.” Alex was too angry to say more. His anger ran so deep
there were no words.

“
Listen to me, something
else happened. I swear it.”

“
Lanessa just call the
clinic, and get some help.”

“
Wait a minute! I’ve never
had this kind of hung over feeling before. That was the problem.
Drinking made me feel good, not sick.” Lanessa put a hand to her
forehead.

“
I don’t think--”

“
Sure I’d feel edgy and
tired. But this is different. I can’t explain how I know.” Lanessa
sat down on one of the wooden stools next to the
counter.

“
How did you get
home?”

“
The policeman didn’t give
me a ticket. He said I could drive. I passed the breath test,”
Lanessa said. She seemed distracted.

“
The police?” Alex shook his
head. “Good Lord, not again.”

“
It’s not what you think!”
Lanessa took a step toward him. “Please listen to me.”