'Nieces and nephews? ' 'No. A daughter.' He patted the baby before
walking away. 'He smells like apples and soap. It brings back
memories.' He crossed the porch and leaned against a post, staring out
into the darkness. 'I'm tired tonight, ' he remarked.
'I didn't know you were married.'
'You never asked.' His voice had taken on a hard edge, an unspoken
suggestion to let the topic go. Cole was too curious to take the
hint.
'How long have you been married? ' 'It would have been seven years
last month.'
'Would have been? ' Ryan nodded. 'They're both dead.' Cole's mind
began to race with questions.
'When did you say you started working on this investigation? ' 'I
didn't say.'
'Okay, you didn't tell me. So when did you? ' 'I was appointed to
head the special force after one of the robberies.'
'Quit being so evasive. Tell me which one of the robberies it was.'
'Dillon, ' Ryan answered. 'After the robbery at Dillon.'
'Your hometown.'
'Yes, my hometown.' Silence settled between them as Cole recalled the
accounts he had heard of Dillon.
'Did your wife and daughter get sick? ' he finally asked.
'Stop asking so many questions, Cole.'
'Did they? ' he persisted.
Ryan shook his head. 'No, they didn't get sick. They were simply in
the wrong place at the wrong time.' Cole let out a long breath. 'Ah
.
. . hell, Daniel. They're the ones, aren't they? ' Ct <v/ssica
Summers stood at the kitchen counter and stared out the window,
daydreaming. She was trying to recall what it had felt like to be
carefree.
She couldn't remember.
