“Remy, I have done everything possible to try and find Nina,” I said. “She disappeared last night, and I wanted to call you, but I didn’t think it would do any good to worry you before you got home.”
“So you thought me finding out about my daughter going missing would be better relayed by a call from the police?” she cried. “You’re such a bastard! WHERE IS NINA?”
“I don’t know, but everyone on the police force is looking for her,” I sighed, rubbing my chin with my hand as I tried to think of a way to explain things to my crazed ex-wife. “I searched everywhere for her before I came into work. I checked every hangout and every place the kids hanging out in those places told me about, but Nina doesn’t want to be found.”
“Oh well, that’s just great, Super Dad,” she said in a caustic tone. “So, you thought coming to work and sleeping soundly would make her magically reappear?”
“We’ve been fighting fires all shift, Remy,” I said wearily. “I spent last night searching for our daughter before I came to work. I couldn’t stay awake any longer.”
“That’s just like you,” she spat. “You always could sleep soundly even when things were going to hell in a handbasket.”
“That’s not fair, Remy,” I protested.
“Not fair? You’re suddenly worried about not fair?” she laughed. “You go on a date with your new girlfriend, and our daughter goes missing, and now you’re accusing me of being unfair?”
“Yes, I went to the Celtics game with Emily, and during the five hours I was gone, Nina went—” I began, then stopped. “Why in the hell am I justifying anything to you? You picked up and went off on some fly-by-night business trip with your latest boyfriend, and you’re accusing me of being irresponsible? I’d suggest you look in the mirror, lady.”
Remy’s enraged scream reverberated through the station as she swung at me again screaming, “How dare you accuse me of being irresponsible! I’m working 70 hours a week to make sure there’s money in the college fund so our daughter won’t be saddled with unending debt for her education! What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m working my ass off to pay for all of the things she needs now,” I yelled, as I shook off the guys who were holding my arms and walked toward Remy. “I’m sick and tired of your judgmental attitude, Remy! You know I would move heaven and earth to get Nina anything and everything she needs. So, get down o
ff your high horse and do something to help me find our girl!”
Remy stared at me for a moment, and then sunk into one of the kitchen chairs as she began sobbing.
“Where is she, Blake?” she cried, as she looked up at me. “What if she’s hurt? Or worse?”
I knelt down next to the chair and put my arms around my ex-wife. I could feel her shaking as she cried harder. I patted her back and whispered, “Shh, shh, she’s fine, Remy. Nina’s fine. We’ll find her. I promise.”
“But…but…but what if you don’t,” Remy choked.
“We will,” I said, projecting a confidence that I didn’t entirely feel. I hoped I was right and that we’d find Nina safe and sound because if we didn’t, I wasn’t sure how Remy would hand it.
Or how I would.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Emily
The next morning, I woke up and found Nina sitting on the living room couch, wrapped in a thick quilt with Howard in her lap as she tapped out messages on her phone.
“You need to call your dad,” I said on my way to the kitchen to make coffee. “Now, Nina.”
“Do I have to?” she whined, as she put the phone down and followed me. She perched on a stool as Howard jumped up beside her and began head butting her to get her attention. Nina giggled and began petting him.
“Yes, young lady, you most certainly do,” I said. “He’s worried about you, and you need to tell him you’re safe.”
“But he’s going to be so mad at me,” she whined.
“You should have thought about that before you disappeared,” I said, a little more sternly than I’d intended. I wasn’t sure how to handle this, and I definitely didn’t want to give her a reason to run again, but I felt strongly about the fact that she needed to call her father and I wasn’t going to back down.
“Fine, I’ll call,” she grumbled, as I handed her a mug of tea and went about making the first pot of coffee of the day.
“The longer you wait, the harder it’s going to be to do it,” I said with my back to her, as I watched the coffee drip into the pot and willed it to hurry up.
I heard Nina move into the other room, and I listened as she made the call. I could only hear her side of the conversation, but I could imagine Blake’s relief on the other end.
“No, I’m fine, Dad,” Nina said. “No, I’m at Emily’s. Last night. Yes, she told me I could!”