Mad, Bad and Blonde - Cathie Linz [92]
“I was afraid of that.” He sat in his ergonomically designed chair behind his desk. “You’ve decided to go back to the library, right?”
“How did you know?”
“You’d be safer.”
“I’d be stronger,” she corrected him. “Because I’d be following my heart. That’s not to say that I’m not willing to help out around here from time to time. But this isn’t where my passion lies.”
“I got the feeling from the way you were looking at him that your passion might be with Caine. Is that right?”
“I’m not ready to talk about Caine yet.”
“Notice I’m not asking you to talk to him on the company’s behalf.”
“Good. And before you ask, no, Caine didn’t have anything to do with my returning to the library.”
“I can’t say I’m not disappointed that you’re not staying, but I can understand. Maybe Caine would like to work with us. He’s a good investigator. Not as good as you, of course. He could make sure we don’t screw up again like we did with his father’s case.”
“You’d have to talk to Caine about that.” Faith went around the desk to hug her dad. “I’m glad you’re okay. When I saw you unconscious in that chair with blood on your face . . .” She shivered.
He stood and gave her a giant bear hug like he used to do when she was a kid. “And I’m glad you’re okay.” He patted her back. “I know I don’t say this often enough, but I do love you, you know. And if being back at the library is where you want to be, then I’m for it a hundred and ten percent.”
Faith sniffed back the threat of sentimental tears. “Thanks, Dad. I love you too.” She had yet to figure out how her love for Caine and her love for her father could coexist peacefully. But she was determined to figure it out somehow.
“You’re back!” the kids shouted as she walked in on afternoon story time at the library later that day. The three- and four-year-olds gathered around her like sheep returning to the flock.
“Thank God!” a frazzled Maria said. “I’d just about given up hope.”
Faith was surprised to see that Maria was handling story time. Usually the branch manager had plenty of other duties to fill her time. But Maria did have five kids. She should be able to manage story time with one hand tied behind her back. Come to think of it, her kids were all older. There was an art to dealing with little ones this age.
“I should have called first,” Faith said. “But I wanted to talk to you face-to-face.”
“Just tell me you’re back.”
Faith nodded. “If you’ll have me.”
“Great. Here, finish this.” Maria handed her the book she’d been reading.
“Charlotte’s Web?” Faith shook her head. “I’ve got something else in mind.” She reached into her Golden Books tote bag and pulled out her Scaredy Squirrel book.
“We thought you were never coming back,” one little kid said.
“Never say never,” Faith said.
“Why?” a little girl named Latisha asked. “Is it a bad word?”
“No, but you never know what could happen next.”
“You just said never.”
“Yes, I did. Never mind.”
The kids giggled. “You said it again.”
“You’re right.” Faith grinned. Damn, it felt good to be back. “So let’s find out what Scaredy Squirrel is up to now.”
“I told you West had messed up the investigation on your father’s case,” Vince crowed. “Time to break out the good booze and celebrate.”
“No, thanks.” Caine didn’t feel like celebrating.
Vince shrugged and poured himself a generous splash of high-priced Scotch from the Irish crystal decanter on his mahogany sideboard. “Well, I’m going to celebrate. Why aren’t you smiling?”
“Because my father was murdered.”
Vince frowned. “So? You knew he was dead. Dead is dead. The bottom line here is about West Investigations screwing up royally. I’ve scheduled a press conference for later this afternoon. I want you to get all emotional and tortured about how West ruined your dad’s life. Then you can announce you’re suing them.”
“I’m not going to sue them.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Because I’m done letting you use my father as a pawn in this war you’ve got going on with Jeff West.”
“I would have thought a man like you, a former Marine, would know how to wage a war.”
“I know this particular war