“I know,” Caitlin said in a placating tone.
He rubbed his face.“So how do I fix this?”
“You’re halfway there if you understand how your actions made her feel.”
David drove away from Caitlin and Don’s house scowling.Damn it to hell!Understanding women was obviously not a skill a man was born with.
*
Wednesday afternoon shehad her car.The salesman had kindly brought her two cars in her price range to test drive.She’d decided on one and felt quite good about herself.
After he assured her what he was doing was standard procedure, she felt better about leaving him to handle all the paperwork and registration.All she had to do was sign the final papers.
She’d done it all by herself.She hadn’t needed David Cavallo.So why wasn’t she feeling more triumphant about the whole thing?
She sat down on a chair at the kitchen counter.Because she missed him.He’d been in her little house, and everywhere she looked she could still see him, see his smile, remember the gentle touch of his hand on her back, his searing kisses…
Aarrgghh!This was not helping!She looked at her watch.It was still early enough to take the drive she was thinking about.She was not going to phone anyone and would just hope to find them at home.
She still had to confront her mother, but at this point talking to anyone else seemed a better option.
*
“What the helldo you want now?”Sam Jordan snarled the minute he opened the front door.“I told you everything I know.”
The big man was angry, but Dana was determined not to be intimidated.
She squared her shoulders.“I only need a few minutes of your time…” she began with a smile, but he started shutting the door.
“I don’t have anything else to say to you.”He proceeded to close the door.
Stunned, Dana put her hand out to stop the door.Why was he so angry?She only wanted to ask him a few questions.
“Can you tell me how the money laundering worked?”she managed to say and the door stopped a few centimeters from completely closing.
“Where did you hear about that?”
“Well, I also spoke to Toby Johnson…” she began, but Sam opened the door and pushed a thick finger under her nose.
“Don’t mess with things you don’t understand, little girl—go home.”He snarled again and shut the door in her face.
Shocked, Dana stared at the front door for a few seconds.Gone was the affable man with his evasive answers she and David had seen last Saturday.Today, Sam Jordan was upset, angry, and, if she wasn’t mistaken, he was threatening her.
Slowly, she walked back to her car.Toby Johnson had also tried to warn her when he’d said not everyone would like her asking questions about something that happened almost two years ago.
But, damn it, she had to know.She now had confirmation that her dad wasn’t part of Hastings’s scheme, didn’t sell his product.But his death still remained a mystery.It couldn’t have been suicide.She was even more certain of that than before.
But how did she prove it?Dejectedly, she got back in her car and drove away.She’d see whether Toby Johnson had anything else to add to his story.
It was another beautiful day, and the drive to Caledon should have been pure pleasure.But she was hurting.To find out her mother had used her, the guy she’d slept with had tried to dupe her—all in one day—was a bit much.And then, there was this constant need to prove her dad’s innocence.
Hopefully she’d find more answers in Caledon.
*
A brand-new carwas parked in front of the Johnson house.She didn’t know much about cars, but this was a Mercedes.Caitlin drove one just like it.The Johnsons probably had a visitor.
For a moment, she was undecided.Maybe she should have phoned first.But, damn it, she was here.She needed to find out what else this guy knew.She got out and walked purposefully to the front door.
