Legacy (Steel Brothers Saga 14)

“I can’t.”

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

“No, Brad. That’s not what I mean. Ennis already left.”

“Shit. All right.” I stood. “I’m going into town.”

“Brad, no. Please.”

“Something stinks about this, Daphne. You stay here. Cliff will keep you and the baby safe.”

She stumbled a little but caught herself by grabbing the edge of my desk. I raced to her, taking her into my arms.

“Come on,” I said. “Be strong for me.”

“You don’t really think…”

“I don’t know, baby. But like you said, this isn’t like Patty.”

She nuzzled into my shoulder. “Why? Why is this happening?”

“I don’t know,” I said again, “but I promise you I’ll find out what’s going on, and I will stop it. Trust me.”

She nodded against me. “I trust you.”

I kissed the top of her head. “Tell Belinda to go ahead and serve dinner for you, Mom, and Lucy. Don’t wait up for me.”

She nodded again.

I pulled away slightly and met her gaze. “Daphne, trust me.”

She didn’t smile. Simply said, “I trust you, Brad.”

I found Ennis wandering around Snow Creek.

“I’ve checked everywhere,” he said. “It’s like she disappeared into thin air.”

“Have you called her parents? Maybe she…”

“Took off?” He shook his head. “I already thought of that. But after the morning we had, I doubt it.”

“Good sex?”

“Better than good. And we said I love you for the first time.”

“You think she got cold feet?”

“No. Plus, Patty isn’t one to mince words. If she wanted to leave me, she would have told me.”

I nodded. I didn’t know Patty well, but Ennis’s impression sounded on the mark to me. “I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I, mate. I’m worried. Really worried.”

“The cops are on it. I called them. Have you seen them wandering around?”

“Honestly, I haven’t noticed. I’ve only been looking for red hair.”

“I get it. They’re going to want to talk to you.”

“Hey, wait.” He lowered his eyelids. “You don’t think…”

“I don’t know. But like you say, Patty wouldn’t just leave.”

“Steel, I’m beginning to regret the day I ever laid eyes on you.”

A spark of anger lit inside me, but I tamped it down. What could I say? He’d watched a man—one of my most treasured friends—die at my wedding. He also knew about both of the threats against my newborn son. To him, if Brad Steel cared about you, you were toast.

I said nothing.

“Look,” Ennis began. “I didn’t mean—”

“Yeah. You did.”

“Okay, I did. What the hell is going on?”

“I’d tell you if I knew.”

“You’ve got to know someone who has it out for you.”

I knew one, but she was a nonissue. And even Wendy had her limits. She loved me. She wouldn’t intentionally cause me grief.

Would she?

Again, a nonissue. She was locked up and medicated.

Tom was in Boulder with his wife and newborn. He now knew what fatherhood felt like, which meant he wouldn’t be threatening someone else’s child.

Larry was Daphne’s brother. Plus, he was the most innocuous of the three. This wasn’t him.

And Theo? Yeah, Theo was always the wild card, but he also wasn’t stupid. He knew I had the resources to protect those I loved.

“I’m working on it,” I finally said.

“Steel, you’ve got to do better than that. The woman I love is—”

“I know. I’ll do what I can.” I shook my head. “This will kill Daphne.”

“Not as much as it will kill me. We were talking about going to London to meet my folks. Then touring the continent.”

“I know, man. I’m sorry. You’re right. It will affect you worse. I’m walking over to the police station to file the report. You want to come along? They’ll need to talk to you anyway.”

He didn’t respond, simply nodded.

We walked in silence the few blocks to the station.

Chapter Forty-Six

Daphne

Brad returned before midnight with Ennis in tow.

I was awake, as Joe had just woken up for a feeding.

“Ennis is staying with us now,” Brad said.

“Patty?” I asked, wide-eyed.

“She’s missing,” Ennis said.

My heart dropped to my stomach. “No…”

“Not officially until twenty-four hours have passed,” Brad said.

“Not officially?” I asked. “You think that makes a difference?”

“No, baby, I don’t. Ennis and I have been talking to the cops for the last couple of hours. They’ve checked every shop in Snow Creek and even went around the residences in town and knocked on doors. Patty’s gone.”

“And no one saw her?”

“Not that we’ve found yet. I’m so sorry, baby.”

“No, just no.” I laid Joe in his bassinet, my heart pounding. “This can’t be happening.”

Ennis’s eyes glazed over. “It is, love. I wish it weren’t, but it is.”

“But how…?”

“We’ll find her,” Brad said. “I asked you to trust me.”

“I do trust you, but so did Patty.” I swallowed. “So did Sean.”

Brad’s facial muscles went rigid. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought up Sean, but I couldn’t help it. Brad hadn’t protected him.

“You should get to bed,” Brad said to Ennis.

“Why? I won’t be able to sleep. Besides…I’m going to have to call her parents.”