Surely the chief knew that.
“You think I’d risk the safety of my only child, my only grandchild?” The chilling tone came at him.
And he took the point. “Of course not.”
“I appreciate your concern and I count on it, Tad.” The chief softened his next words again. “And I respect that I’ve put you in a difficult position. You can understand, I’m sure, that I don’t trust easily at this stage. Which is why I only give out information on a need-to-know basis.”
Another point taken.
“I’m trusting you with their lives. You’re the only one who knows I’ve hired you to find her. The only one who knows you’ve done so. If you’re also poking around in things here in town, someone might be able to trace you to her. I need to make certain there’s no danger to them.”
Tad was on forced medical and professional leave. With no family. It hadn’t been hard for people to believe he’d gone off by himself to heal.
And Chief O’Connor was on the money on every point—even to the point of not paying him directly, but rather funneling the money through a special police fund used for undercover work. As Tad would have expected.
“I’ll watch them closely,” he said, still uncomfortable with what he didn’t know.
“How’d it go with Dana? She can be a little defensive, understandably. I’d like to think she has you for a friend.”
His discomfort intensified—on a whole different front.
“Fine. She’s accepted me as a colleague and a friend.” He had to tread carefully, balancing on a fine line between allegiances.
&nbs
p; But their goal—Miranda, Dana, safe and free, with familial support and love—was the same.
“Well, if it goes beyond that, I want you to know you have my blessing. Assuming it’s what she wants, what makes her happy. I couldn’t pick anyone better to see with my daughter...”
“I said good-night to her and Ethan—Jeffrey—together, as soon as the dishes were done,” he inserted, not willing to have that conversation with his boss. He’d come clean with the chief about “caring” for his daughter for ethical reasons. And it stopped there.
He’d heard of mothers being matchmakers. The chief was both mother and father to his daughter. Still...the whole thing left him feeling like he needed a shower.
He was friends with Miranda and Ethan. He wasn’t going to let it go “beyond that,” no matter how tempted he might be.
For so many reasons.
One was that he had no intention of getting into a committed emotional involvement and Miranda deserved no less.
“I realize you feel I’ve left you somewhat vulnerable out there, but I can tell you that the family member of whom I spoke yesterday is no longer a concern,” Chief O’Connor said, getting Tad’s full attention.
He turned back to his apartment, went inside and shut the door.
“This same one who, yesterday, posed a threat?” he asked.
“Yes. The older brother. He’s got a record, drugs and assault among other things, but he’s been incarcerated for attempted murder for the past year.”
“How long’s he in for?”
“Twenty, with possible parole at seven.”
Dropping onto his sofa, he wiped a hand down his face.
God, relief felt good.
* * *
Miranda had just tucked Ethan into bed and kissed him good-night when her phone rang Friday night.