Sighing, she forced herself back to what she’d remembered.“I haven’t told you,” she began tentatively and quickly looked at him.He was so not going to like this, but she would have to tell him.“But when I went to see Sam Jordan, I also visited Toby Johnson again.”
“What?”David cried out, nearly turning the wheel in the wrong direction.Swearing, he brought the car back into the road.“Why?”he barked as he turned onto her street.
“Don’t shout at me!”She folded her arms.
David stopped in front of her house and turned to her, breathing heavily.“Damn it, Dana!You should have told me.I… you…” Obviously exasperated, he pulled her closer.“You’ll be the death of me yet.I don’t mean to shout, sweetheart, but you scare me when you do things like that.”The hands that were stroking her back weren’t quite steady.“These are very bad people.”
Contrite, Dana looked up at him.“I’m beginning to understand, and I’m sorry.I was angry with you for wanting to buy half a car for me.I was angry with my mother.My life seemed such a mess.This was one thing I was hoping to solve.”
“Please don’t do something like that again, okay?”
Smiling, she nodded.It was nice to have someone who worried about her.
“Okay, so you went to see Johnson.What did you remember about your visit?”David wanted to know.
Dana frowned, trying to remember.“A brand-new Mercedes was parked in front of his house.I thought they had visitors, but when he opened the door, I didn’t hear any other voices.”
“Back up a bit, you said he opened the door?”David frowned.“But the other day he looked so ill.”
“Exactly.You were so right.I think it was all an act.Granted, I wasn’t there very long, but the wheezing and coughing were gone.Also, and this is what I remembered last night, from where I was standing at the front door, I could look into the living room.The television was on.And it was a new one, you know, one of those thin, sleek numbers.I then also remembered that the first time we were there, the place looked dilapidated, but the dining room table was brand new.How can someone who can’t even afford medicine have a new dining room table and a brand-new television?”
David stared at her for a few minutes, his eyes showing the rapid workings of his mind.
“I’m trying to get this straight.He told us about Hastings’s scheme, about the money laundering, about his own involvement with Hastings, about Sam Jordan who didn’t like the fact that your dad wanted to report Hastings’s dealings.And he pretended to be very ill.Why?”
Dana nodded.
He snapped his fingers and then grabbed Dana’s hand.“How can we find out which client told your dad about Hastings’s dealings?”
Dana frowned and slowly shook her head.“I don’t know that I can.Maybe my mother’s financial advisor might know something?He and my dad were good friends.”
“Maybe we should try to talk to him and find out if he knows anything.”
Dana took out her phone and scrolled down, looking for the advisor’s number.“His name is Grant Simpson.I’ll see if I can get hold of him.”
Behind them, a police car stopped.
“I’ll talk to them while you see what you can find out from your dad’s friend.”He got out of the car.
Dana turned to stare after him and sighed.She didn’t know whether she was still dreaming, but if she was, it was one she hoped would never end.
“Simpson,” the voice answered.
She wasn’t quite sure why David wanted to talk to Simpson, but she’d try to set up an appointment for them to see him.
*
Dismayed, Dana staredat her trashed home.Everything that could break was broken.Food had been taken out of the cupboards and strewn over the kitchen floor.She felt like crying.Her lovely home, her safe place—she’d never be able to call it that again.
Behind her, David swore softly.“What a mess.”He took out his phone.“I have the number of the people who usually clean Don’s house.I’m phoning them to come and help.”
“It’s not necessary…” she began, but he was already talking to someone.
Fed up, she waited until he’d finished.“I said it’s not necessary.I can do it myself.”
“I know.”He pulled her closer.“But you don’t have to.You can supervise.”
Dana tried to pull out of his hold.“I am quite capable of doing things for myself, David.Just because I love you, doesn’t mean that I’m now suddenly helpless.”
