She Can Scream (22 page)

Luke gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. “There
will
be other dances.”

“I’m not the one who has to be convinced.” Brooke stood. Dread weighted her steps as she turned around. “I might as well tell her now. On the bright side, it gives me four days to figure out what’s going on with Maddie.”

Wait a minute.

“Don’t you mean four days for the police to figure things out?” Luke took a step back to give her room to pass.

“Right. Isn’t that what I said?”

“Not exactly.”

She walked down the hall to the foyer and called up the stairs, “Haley? Chris? Would you come downstairs, please?” The kids appeared a few seconds later and she filled them in on the decision.

“I can’t go to Dad’s tonight,” Haley protested. Shock shifted to comprehension. Panic edged in, and her voice rose. “I’ll miss school tomorrow, and the dance is tomorrow night.”

“I’m so sorry, honey.” Brooke’s voice was heavy with sympathy. “You can miss one day of school, and you’re going to have to miss the dance. There are too many things going on around here. Your dad and I have decided you’ll be safer at his apartment.”

Brooke could’ve tossed the blame on her ex, but she didn’t.

Haley’s face reddened. “But that’s not fair—”

“I know.” Brooke sighed, her eyes misting. Luke had no doubt she felt every ounce of her daughter’s pain.

Tear welled in Haley’s eyes. “I’m not going.”

“This is not up for discussion.” Brooke’s voice was level and firm. “Go get your things together.”

“What about you?” Haley argued. “If it isn’t safe here for us, it isn’t safe for you.”

“It’ll be much easier for Luke to look after just me rather than all three of us.”

“This was Dad’s idea, wasn’t it?”

“Your father and I made the decision together.”

“This is all him. I know it. He barely wants to see us, but he still has to be in control.” Haley’s face reddened. “Why do you always stand up for him? He left you too.”

Brooke pulled back. “I don’t want your relationship with your father to suffer because of the divorce.”

“What relationship?” Haley said. “He put more than a hundred miles between us. He sees us on his terms. Twice a month. No more. Only at his apartment. He never comes here. He has no interest in any of my friends. He’s never even seen me play field hockey.”

Brooke had no defense for Ian’s behavior. She’d always thought she was doing the right thing by sticking up for him. Now she wasn’t sure. Ian loved his kids. He’d just never been able to show it.

Every tear that welled from Haley’s eyes cracked Brooke’s heart. Haley ran upstairs.

Brooke put a hand to the ache in her chest, where her daughter’s pain was amplified.
Haley will be safer with Ian.
For all his faults, he wouldn’t let anything happen to his kids.

She turned to her suspiciously quiet son. “No argument from you?”

“Nope.” Chris grinned. “I’ll have a long weekend to finish my English paper.”

Brooke’s face sharpened. “When’s it due?”

He waved a casual hand. “Tomorrow.”

“When were you going to finish it?” Brooke crossed her arms.

“Tonight.” Chris patted her on the shoulder. “It’s all good, Mom. If I get to miss school tomorrow, I gain a couple of extra days.”

She stabbed the air with a finger in his direction. “You cannot leave long-term assignments until the last minute!”

“It all worked out. It always does.” Chris turned to Luke. “You swear you won’t leave her alone?”

Luke held a hand in front of him Boy Scout–style. “Swear.”

“I’m holding you to that.” Chris sauntered off. “I’ll go grab my stuff.”

Brooke pinched the bridge of her nose. “How can they both be made from the same genetic material?”

Luke assumed the question was rhetorical. “There’s no chance he’d bring her back for the dance tomorrow night?”

“I already tried that. Ian refused to drive her back, and when I offered to come and get her just for the dance, he said he doesn’t want the kids anywhere near Westbury for the next few days.”

“Where does he live?”

“Philadelphia. Usually I’m annoyed that he moved so far away. It makes things difficult. But tonight I’m relieved. I’ll feel a lot better when they’re away from Westbury—and me.”

Luke hugged her shoulders.

She leaned on his arm. “My knee is better. You don’t have to drive us if you don’t want to. It’s a long trip.”

“I don’t mind.” There was no way Brooke was getting hurt on his watch. All he could do was hope the police caught the assailant before he left for New York on Monday morning.

Two hours later Luke exited the Schuylkill Expressway onto Broad Street in Philadelphia. The kids sat silently in the backseat,
Chris upbeat, Haley sullen. She stared out the car window, occasionally wiping a stray tear from her cheek.

Brooke’s head was back, her eyes closed. What was she thinking?

Luke followed his GPS, threading through the city streets until he pulled into the parking garage underneath Ian’s building. He walked around the front of the car, but Brooke was already climbing out.

She glanced up at the ceiling. “Are you going to be all right going up? Ian’s apartment is on the twentieth floor. I can take the kids up by myself.”

“I can do it.” Luke wasn’t as sure as he tried to sound, but he wasn’t letting her out of his sight for a second. Obviously Brooke felt the same about her kids or she would have sent them up on their own.

They walked toward the lobby. In the middle of the marble floor, a guard sat behind a desk.

Brooke approached the guard. “Brooke Davenport to see Ian Davenport. Apartment 2015.”

The guard made a quick call. “Go on up.”

The elevator opened. With a deep breath, Luke herded the family on board. Brooke pushed a button. They were halfway to Ian’s twentieth floor apartment when Luke realized he wasn’t sweating. He froze. His pulse was normal. The slight churning in his gut was worry for Brooke and her kids, not himself. Not the blind panic he’d experienced every other time he’d been in a skyscraper since the explosion.

Where was the nausea? Where were the clammy palms? Sure, he was on edge trying to watch everyone who came within ten feet of Brooke. Every male who so much as glanced at her was suspect. But the uncontrollable panic was absent.

What. The. Hell?

Was he too preoccupied with protecting Brooke to worry about his own safety? That must be it. How else could he explain the fact that he was twenty stories up in a glass rectangle and not freaking out?

The car stopped, and he ushered the group into a plush hall. A fortyish man was waiting, gray temples, fairly fit, nice suit. Chris gave his mom a hug and a goodbye. Haley put her head down and stomped off. The kids headed for an open door. Brooke hung back.

“Nice to see you, Brooke.” Her ex stuffed his hands in the pockets of a pair of dress trousers. “You look tired.”

“I’m fine.” Brooke’s face was devoid of emotion. Her voice sounded deliberately polite. She gestured to Luke. “Luke Holloway, Ian Davenport.”

Ian held out a hand. “So, you’re a friend of Wade’s.”

Luke shook it. “I am.”

“Thanks for driving them down here.” Ian crossed his arms over his chest. His lips pursed. Was he unhappy seeing Brooke with Luke? Too bad. Ian had tossed her away. His loss.

“You’re welcome.” There didn’t seem to be much more to say.

Ian focused on Brooke. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay too?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” Brooke’s tone went subzero.

Ian rocked back on his heels. “Offer stands. Just because we’re divorced doesn’t mean I don’t still care about you.”

“Thank you, Ian.” Her voice warmed from freezer to fridge.

Her ex nodded. “Nice to meet you, Luke.” Ian headed for the open door. “Please be careful, Brooke.”

She didn’t respond, but her lips flattened out as she turned away from her ex.

The elevator doors closed. Brooke turned to him. “How are you?”

“Fine.” Did he sound as shocked as he felt?

“Ian seems OK.” Which almost annoyed Luke.

“That’s Ian. Always calm. Always composed. Nothing can rattle him.” Her eyes were wet. She swiped a finger under her lower lashes and sniffed. “I can’t thank you enough for bringing us here. I can’t imagine how hard it was for you.”

“No really. I’m fine. I can’t believe it, but I’m having no issues at all.” The elevator opened and they made their way through the lobby to the garage. He steered her toward his car. He watched between the rows and under the vehicles for movement. “Before the explosion, I wouldn’t have wanted to celebrate a successful elevator ride. But now, I want to pop the cork on a bottle of champagne, which is actually kind of sad.” He reached for her door, then paused and stepped in close.

“No, it’s great.” Her were misty. “I’m happy for you.”

It wasn’t the best time for a romantic moment, but there wasn’t anyone else who would understand the importance of his milestone. “I’m glad you were here with me.”

He stared at her mouth. So tempting.

“Me too.” She smiled. “I guess this mean you’re cured. You can get back to work.”

“Maybe not cured, but it’s a definite improvement.” Why did the thought of going back to work ruin his mood? He should be thrilled.

Brooke went quiet. Was she thinking about the danger that waited for them back in Westbury or the fact that her children weren’t safe in their own home? She was vulnerable physically and emotionally. As Luke well knew, psychological trauma could be the more debilitating of the two. Her vulnerability was one
more reason Luke should keep his hands to himself and concentrate on her safety.

Luke scanned the rows of cars. Lots of places for someone to hide. He opened her door, the concrete seeping cold through his shoes. Between Monday night’s assailant and Joe, danger could lurk in any shadow.

Brooke slid into the plush, black leather, glad to be out of the subterranean damp. She shivered, and Luke switched on the seat heater. Her butt warmed in a few seconds. “I could get used to this.”

“I’m not in the country much. I’ve had the car for over a year, and I’ve barely driven it. I’m enjoying tooling around in it this week.”

Soon he’d be back to traveling the globe. She tried to summon up some enthusiasm. He’d been stunned and relieved in the elevator. He deserved his happiness, but she was going to miss him. She still couldn’t believe he walked right into that elevator knowing how uncomfortable it could have been for him. He’d done it with no hesitation because he cared more about her and her family than himself.

No wonder her brother trusted Luke.

He pulled into traffic and headed back up Route 676. On the Schuylkill Expressway, bumper-to-bumper traffic slowed their trip home, but once they hit the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the traffic thinned.

Brooke’s stomach rumbled as the car exited the interstate toward Westbury. A shopping center appeared in the distance, and an idea popped into Brooke’s head. “How about some food?”

Luke rolled his head on his shoulders. “Good idea. I’m starving.”

“Do you like Chinese?”

“Chinese is fine.”

Brooke pointed ahead. “Then pull into that strip mall. The Jade Dragon has terrific pot stickers.” She didn’t mention that Maddie’s gym anchored the center.

Luke slowed the car and turned into the entrance. He drove past Forever Fitness. Ads in the front window obscured the view inside. He parked the car in front of the restaurant. Brooke got out of the car and stretched. Her limbs were stiff from the four-hour drive to Philly and back. Luke followed her into the restaurant. Soft, instrumental flute music played in the background. The smell of food sent Brooke’s stomach into another rumble.

They stepped up to the hostess podium. A tiny woman greeted them with a wide smile and slightly accented English. “Welcome to the Jade Dragon. Would you like to eat in or take out?”

Brooke glanced at Luke. The restaurant was quiet, but she had no desire to sit here and eat. What she really wanted to do was snuggle on her couch and watch another movie with him. “Do you mind takeout? I’m bushed.”

“Fine with me.”

The hostess handed Luke a paper menu. Brooke leaned close to read it. How did soap smell so good on him? “The pot stickers and an order of ginger chicken.”

“One egg roll and beef lo mein.” Luke handed the menu back to the hostess.

She gave him a short bow. “Ten minutes.”

“Let’s walk. My knee needs to loosen up.” Brooke checked the time on her cell phone, then led Luke back outside. They
ambled along, looking into storefronts, until they came to the end, Forever Fitness. “I’m going to stop in the gym and ask around.”

Luke’s face fell in a suspicious frown. “Why?”

Brooke lifted a casual shoulder. “I’m just going to ask for membership information and take a quick tour. Nothing wrong with that.”

“Brooke, the police might not like your interference.” Luke’s tone dropped to low and serious.

She raised her chin. “I’ve been thinking about joining a gym for quite a while now. This is the closest one to my house. I heard they give discounts to teachers.”

“I’m not buying it, and I don’t like it.” He said, but he followed her inside.