Until You

"Damn right, it isn't."

"Yeah. Sorry. It hasn't been a great morning."

Cochran chuckled. "I have days like that myself, man."

"Listen, I have to get moving. Thanks for doing the job so quickly."

"No problemo. Maybe we can get together sometime, have a drink?"

"Sure," Conor said, lying through his teeth, and broke the connection.

Moments later, he was on the phone again, talking with a very irritable Eva Winthrop.

"Do you have any idea what time it is here, Mr. O'Neil?" she said, her voice made husky by sleep and annoyance.

"I'm sorry to wake you," Conor said politely, "but I thought you'd want to know that I've seen your daughter."

There was a silence. "And?" Eva said finally.

"I passed myself off as a private detective, working for you and your husband."

"Why?"

"It gives me more latitude. I told her you'd received a threatening note and that there was some reason to think the threat might extend to her."

"You mean, you led her to believe I hired you to check on her welfare?"

"Yes."

"That's a far-fetched proposition, Mr. O'Neil. I'm quite certain Miranda knows I'd do nothing of the sort."

Conor's jaw tightened. "She said as much. But something happened that changed her mind."

Eva sighed. "Are you going to tell me, or am I supposed to guess?"

"It's possible that someone broke into her apartment and went through her things."

"What do you mean, it's possible?"

"It's what your daughter claims, Mrs. Winthrop."

"Miranda has always lied as readily as others breathe. Why would you take her word for such a thing?"

"I saw the apartment. Somebody went through her stuff, all right."

There was a moment's silence. He waited for the questions, for Eva to ask if Miranda had been hurt.

"So? Frankly, Mr. O'Neil, I fail to see what that has to do with my situation."

Conor's hand clenched into a fist but when he spoke, his voice was calm.

"It's conceivable that the two incidents are related. If someone were trying to threaten you, Mrs. Winthrop, they might feel they could make it even more effective by also threatening your daughter."

"It would be a useless ploy. Miranda lives her life. I live mine. We have nothing in common."

"Nothing but blood," he said, before he could stop himself.

Eva's voice took on a even greater chill.