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Elizabeth and Joe emerged from the bathroom as Nick and the kids came in from outside. His knowing grin caused her cheeks to heat. Dang perceptive detective.
Her cell phone rang, and she answered it to find Mr. Kent on the other end of the line.
“I just realized who F. Manning is. It’s Mr. James’ sister-in-law, Patrick’s mother. Her first married name was Manning. Her name was Felicia Manning.”
She knew it, she knew from the moment she first learned of the chartered flights between Chicago and New York, and Patrick’s disappearance, this Manning person was involved.
“I didn’t know she was married before.”
“Yes, she was. You know, Patrick isn’t really a James. Palmer’s brother, Emerson, adopted him when he married Felicia.”
“I didn’t know that. That’s interesting. Thanks for the info. I’ll let Nick and Joe know.”
Nick ran his hand over his unshaven face. “We really need to find Patrick and Felicia’s whereabouts. This whole thing doesn’t quite make sense. Why would they want to take out Joe? What would their motive be? I could understand it more if they had done something to you, seeing as they probably still think you’re pregnant with Mr. James’ baby. They’d want to protect Patrick’s sole inheritance. But why Joe?”
Nick was asking great questions, and she’d love nothing more than to find out the answers. At least they were now one step closer to the resolution she longed for, which would finally allow her to put this ugly incident behind her, Joe too, so they could move on with their lives.
“Hey, what’s going on? Looks like a serious meeting of the minds.” Tony commented, as he surfaced in the kitchen, shrugging out of his coat.
“Hi, Dad. We’re just discussing some newfound information we received about the infamous James family,” Nick replied. And he continued to fill his dad in on the details they’d just discovered.
“Joe, would you mind if I leave Anthony and Andrew here for a while so I can run down to the station and do a little investigative work on this?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
With two extra kids in the house, the decibel level was on the rise, and Elizabeth found it difficult to concentrate on her work. With all that had gone on lately, she felt so far behind.
“Joe, I’m sorry, but if I’m going to get any work done today, I’m going to have to go home where it’s quiet, so I can concentrate. Plus, I need to get everything ready before Holly, her mother, and Jody come over for dinner. We’re going over last minute wedding details tonight to ensure that we have everything covered for next weekend.”
His concerned gaze fixed on hers. “I know I’m probably just being paranoid, but I’m uncomfortable with you being alone over there.”
“I know. But I have things I need to get done,” she replied.
His apprehensive gaze didn’t waver.
“How about if I promise to lock myself in, and not answer the door for strangers,” she mused. “Would you be okay with it then?”
She didn’t really mean to joke about the situation, but she had stuff to do, and Holly was counting on her.
He sighed. “I guess.”
“Elizabeth, I’ll walk you home and check out the house and make sure everything is in order,” Tony interjected.
She gathered up her work, and he walked her home. He worked his way throughout her house, checking the windows and doors, to make sure they were secure. His face wore the same serious expression she’d seen on Nick’s face so often lately. Though Tony had been retired from the police force for some time now, it was evident his skeptical, suspicious, mind had not retired.
“Does everything look in order to you?” he asked her.
She nodded. “Thanks. I appreciate all you’re doing for me. And here, why don’t you take this just in case you need it for some reason,” she said as she handed Tony the key to her house. “I have another one.”
“Call us if you need anything,” He said as he exited her house through her front door, and headed back to Joe’s house.
A part of her wished she didn’t have work to do or this planning dinner scheduled with Jody, Holly, and Holly’s mom, but she did, and she’d just have to suck it up and deal with her insecurities of being away from Joe and his protective father and brother.
She drew in a calming breath. Nothing is going to happen, I’ll be fine.
