because I’m sure she paid good money for it.” Though I was cueing Terry, the computer itself interested me: a CompuCan model, with the ribbonlike cable I recognized—very expensive. Wired for special electronics.
Hamilton said, “I think Mrs. Deer and I are on the same page. But perhaps you need more time to mull things over, which is understandable. I might add, we currently have an excellent supply of babies on the way, and the chances are good you’d find a match. We can’t always offer such variety.”
So the crop was exceptional this year? This was making me sick.
When Terry didn’t even nibble on the bait, she stood. “I do have another appointment, but please call on me when you’re ready.”
We were being dismissed. No money, no more information.
Terry and I rose.
She walked around the desk and accompanied us to the door, saying, “Mrs. Deer, since we work on a referral basis, I wanted to ask you again where you heard about Mr. Feldman.”
That threw me, her bringing up Feldman. “I have confidentiality issues myself, Ms. Hamilton. Especially when my friends have told me not to mention their names.”
“I understand,” she answered, her face as blank as stone.
But her eyes held even more suspicion than the last time I’d been here.
Steven’s truck was parked in front of the house on P Street when Terry and I arrived back there to meet with Kate.
“He’s probably working on the roof and windows before the storm hits,” I said as Terry and I climbed the porch steps.
When we got inside, I saw that Steven had brought over the blueprints and they were spread on the parlor floor. He looked up when we came in.
“So how was your adventure?” he asked. Obviously Steven knew where we’d been.
“I guess Kate explained. But don’t take it personally, Steven. I divorced Terry, too—in the car on the way back here. He doesn’t want to adopt and I do.”
“You think this is one big joke, don’t you?” said Steven. “But messing with murder and pretending to be someone you’re not is like bucking in the rodeo without a pickup man.”
“Since when did my life become a province and you took over as dictator?” I said.
Terry cleared his throat. “I’ll find Kate while you two finish slinging arrows.”
Steven turned his flushed face toward Terry. “You’re as bad as she is, Terry. You work for the police, don’t you? Isn’t what you two did today on the hot side of the law?”
“It’s not illegal. And the visit proved enlightening. In fact, I may call up the Galveston County district attorney and ask her to take a serious look at this Parental Advocates agency.”
“Not yet,” I said quickly. “Let me find out about Feldman before you send Hamilton into a panic.”
“Maybe you should listen to Steven,” said Kate. She’d come in through the dining room. “Sergeant Kline might not be working as fast as you like, but—”
“I’m not giving up, Kate,” I said. “In fact, I may take ten thousand dollars over to Parental Advocates tomorrow and see if a few greenbacks will persuade Hamilton to discuss Mr. Feldman.”
“What?” came the simultaneous cry from Kate and Steven.
“You always were a few bricks shy of a load,” said Steven.
I said, “What makes you think—”
“Hold on, Abby.” Terry put a hand on my arm. “I already told you I’ve put out feelers at the precinct and courthouse. I may hear something any day about Feldman.”
Steven said, “Let her throw her money away, Terry. Interfering with Abby when she wants something is like standing in front of a runaway locomotive.”
Breaking the uncomfortable silence that followed, Terry said, “Sounds as if you guys need to clear up some issues if you expect to work effectively on this house project together. I can help. I know several good marriage and family counselors who could—”
“Our marriage is over,” I snapped, sticking my ring hand in my skirt pocket. “There’s nothing left to counsel.” I thought I’d gotten past the bitterness, but apparently not.
Steven closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then looked at me. The green sea was calm. “I apologize. I promised I’d help fix this place up, and I’m following through on my commitment. I’ve got things to prove, to you and to myself. Are you okay with that, Abby?”
I felt my shoulders relax. “Yes. Sorry if I went off on you.”
Steven smiled. “Good. Now, there’s a problem with the house we need to discuss.”
By gosh, wasn’t he improving on his apologies?
Kate’s mouth had the white-ringed traces of her reaction to witnessing what she thought she wouldn’t have to listen to again. “Is it safe to leave you two together?” she asked.
“I agree not to call Steven things like sawdust-head. He, in turn, must not tell me I have the mentality of a screwdriver or that if I had twice as much sense I’d still be a half-wit. He actually told me that once, by the way.”
Steven smiled. We all smiled. Storm over.
After Kate and Terry left, I said, “What’s this problem?”
“Come over here and I’ll show you.”
I walked across the room and we both knelt to better view the blueprints.
He tapped a spot on the paper. “This upstairs bathroom was added on above the mudroom, which was also an addition.”
“You mean that little laundry room leading from the back door into the kitchen?”
“Right. Don’t know what fool approved those plans, but old houses rarely had extra bathrooms way back when, thus the need for the addition. Never would have put one there myself, though. Too many heavy fixtures and not enough support. We should tear out the tub and commode and start over.”
“Put in a shower, maybe?”
“That’s an option, but I’d prefer to make this a closet and relocate the bathroom here.” He fingered another spot on the plans.
“Sounds like a good idea.” I could feel the warmth of his body where our shoulders touched and remembered how we used to make love after we’d fought and made up. I was feeling like one of Pavlov’s dogs, my body conditioned for pleasure after pain. When would I stop wanting him?
I stood, knowing I had to put space between us before I did something stupid.
But before I could move, he grabbed my hand. “I meant what I said. I am sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too.” I gently withdrew and stepped back. “I have to go. I promised I’d pick up contracts from CompuCan.”
“Ah, yes. Keep the Rose money machine cranking out bucks. Who knows when you might want to blow off ten thousand dollars.”
CompuCan basically runs itself, but since Kate and I had inherited the business, I visited the corporate offices in downtown Houston on a regular basis. After I returned from Galveston, I drove there and spent an hour chatting and meeting new faces, then picked up the documents that I’d come for.
While waiting for the elevator, I decided I shouldn’t leave the building without sticking my head in at Willis’s office two floors down.
Several minutes later, his secretary waved me through the reception area. As usual, my stomach lurched at the breathtaking view of sleek corporate castles displayed through the wall of windows behind Willis’s desk. He’d spared no expense decorating the place. A wet bar gleamed with Waterford crystal decanters and glasses to my right. Barrister bookshelves lined the wall to my left. Three leather wing chairs surrounded a rectangular coffee table near the window, and a humidor was open and ready to serve clients. Willis would never think of smoking. He worried too much about his health, but clients were a different story.
“This is a surprise,” he said, rising. “What brings you up here?”
“I couldn’t ignore CompuCan any longer, although the staff’s doing great without my help.”
“What have you been up to, little lady?” He came around and sat on the desk’s corner.
I chose a tapestry-covered client chair facing him and set my paperwork and purse on the floor. “Still trying to find out about Ben and the adoption angle.”
