When You Dare - Lori Foster [146]
Alani gave a tremulous smile. “I wish I was as strong as you.”
That made Molly laugh. “Trust me, if you’d seen me going to Dare because of a silly nightmare, or because I couldn’t bear to be alone with my thoughts, you’d know I wasn’t that strong at all.” She squeezed Alani’s hand. “We each have to deal however we can. I’m so lucky that Dare was there for me, and you have a brother who loves you. I hope every woman who was there has someone as caring to help her through this now.”
“Me, too.” Alani stepped over next to Trace. “Let’s get together again soon.”
Trace hugged her. “We’ll see them again soon enough.”
They were back on the road, radio playing, when Molly said, “Did you ask Trace to follow us home?”
Dare gave her a double take. Would she always surprise him like this? She couldn’t have overheard him talking with Trace; she’d been focused on Alani at the time. And no way in hell would she spot Trace. He was far too good for that.
Skirting a direct answer, Dare said, “Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. There was just something in his expression when we said goodbye.”
She was so damned intuitive. “Yeah, he’s back there.”
“Just in case?”
“That’s right.” The days were getting longer, but already the skies had darkened. It wasn’t the season so much as the weather. Clouds rolled in, leaving everything gray and downcast. “I’m not worried about the highway. But we have to take a lot of side roads to get to my house, and that could leave us vulnerable.”
Molly reached over and put her hand on his thigh. “Before you say it, I won’t worry. But if you notice anything happening, would you please tell me? I prefer to know what’s going on and I promise I won’t get in the way or panic.”
“You want to be prepared.”
She nodded. “I don’t ever again want to be taken so completely by surprise.”
“All right.”
She put her head back and closed her eyes, but left her hand on him. Briefly, Dare covered it with his own.
It felt good to be going home.
It felt even better to have Molly with him.
THOUGHTS IN TURMOIL, Bishop sought privacy to make his call. No, he didn’t trust the library. But his bedroom no longer felt secure, either. Not for this.
Unsure where to go to avoid the prying eyes and ears of servants and his doting wife, he headed out to one of the garage bays. Head down and guts tight, he went behind the building, uncaring of the landscape he trampled or if he ruined his shoes.
For a while now, he’d had awful, unthinkable, unacceptable suspicions, but as yet they hadn’t been confirmed. Now…now he felt more positive than ever. Though he was due to meet with his discreet investigator for an update in a few days’ time, he no longer wanted to wait.
The second the call was answered, Bishop said, “Do you have anything for me?”
A pause sounded on the other end. “Bishop?”
Though no one could see him, he slashed his hand through the air in a sign of impatience. “Who else would it be?”
“I thought we were going to meet in person.”
“I can’t wait. Now, do you have anything to tell me or not?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” In a quieter tone, the investigator said, “You were right. I’m sorry.”
Feeling sick, Bishop closed his eyes—and smelled his wife’s perfume. He spun around, and there she was, her gaze on him, searching, caring. She approached cautiously, unsure of the situation.
He was used to her deference, and before now, it had only mildly annoyed him.
“Bishop?” she said, sounding small and afraid. “What are you doing out here?”
Had she followed him? Breathing hard, filled with revulsion, Bishop held the phone down to his side. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
She summoned a small, placating smile. “What was me? Who are you talking to?”
He wanted to tell her that it didn’t concern her. But it did. It concerned her in a very big way. “You’ve been cheating on me, Kathi.”
Alarmed, her head shaking, she fell back two steps. “What are you talking about?”
Lifting the phone out toward her, Bishop shouted, “I have a man following you, damn it. I know. I knew even before I hired him.