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Hoping to get him to leave, Adriana allowed her confusion to show. “I’m sorry, but…I’m not sure I understand why you’re here, Dean. What can I do for you? And…how do you know my husband’s name?”
“Oh.” He laughed as if he should’ve explained earlier. “Now I understand why you’re nervous. There’s no need to be. You see, it’s right here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of pictures tucked in protective plastic sheaths that Adriana recognized as belonging to Francesca. “Stan Covington.” He flipped to the wallet-size of her family’s Christmas picture. “Says so right there. That’s you, isn’t it?”
She couldn’t deny it. “Yes.”
“And those are your boys, Levi and Tyler?”
Swallowing hard, she nodded.
“They’re cute. I wish I could meet them.”
Forcing a smile, she narrowed the opening of the door by another inch. “Like I said, they’re not here.”
“Too bad.”
Silence fell, but he didn’t seem to care how strained and awkward it was. “I’m afraid I still don’t understand what you want,” she said at length.
His eyes widened as though it should be obvious. “I’ve got these.” He pointed to the pictures. “They’re Francesca’s. I’m returning them. They must’ve fallen out of her purse.”
Were there other things that’d “fallen” out, as well? Would he bring them all back, one by one? “I see. That’s…very sweet of you.” She suddenly noticed that he was wearing two different tennis shoes. Was he not aware of it? Or was it something he’d done on purpose? “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you leave the pictures with me? I’ll give them back to her for you.”
That wasn’t the answer he’d been hoping to hear. Visibly reluctant, he hesitated but ultimately handed the pictures through the door. “I wouldn’t want her to think I’m trying to keep them,” he said.
“Right.”
“I’d never do that.”
“Of course you wouldn’t. Thanks for bringing them by.”
“Tell her I stopped at her house, too, but no one was home. Fortunately, you two don’t live very far apart.”
If he’d already been to Francesca’s, why hadn’t he left the pictures on her doorstep or in her mailbox? “I will. I’ve got to get back to what I was doing. Dinner’s in the oven,” Adriana said.
“Oh, sure. No problem. But, before I go, would you mind giving me a drink of water? It’s really hot this afternoon, and I’ve got a long bus ride back to Prescott.”
Adriana’s pulse kicked up even more. She’d have to take the chain off the door in order to fit a glass of water through the opening. And she wasn’t willing to do that. She had her boys at home. No way would she provide this odd man with the opportunity to break in on them. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I—I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
He seemed stunned. “Why not?”
Before she could answer, Tyler’s voice rose behind her. “Mommy, who’s here?”
Dean’s vanishing smile told her he knew she’d lied to him. She even thought she detected a hint of shrewd calculation behind that innocent face. But she couldn’t focus on trying to figure out what he might be thinking or feeling. Tyler was pushing to get between her and the door so he could see, and she was doing her best to block him. “I’ve got to go,” she said, and closed the door.
Grabbing her oldest son, Adriana whispered for him to be still and, probably because he could sense her anxiety, he listened. “Please leave…please leave,” she muttered above his head. Dean wouldn’t go around the house and try to get in some other way, would he? There was no reason for him to bother. They’d had such a short exchange, one that shouldn’t have meant anything.
Then why was she so rattled?
Because he didn’t seem to understand that her polite responses were merely civility and not friendship. When he’d realized she’d lied to him, he’d seemed so…betrayed, as if she somehow owed him access to her children. It gave her the creeps.
“What’s wrong, Mommy?” Tyler whispered, his body now stiff with fear.
“Nothing, baby. It’ll be okay. Just…just be quiet for a few minutes and come with me.” She planned to lead him to the kitchen window, where she could look out and, hopefully, confirm that Dean was leaving. But she didn’t stop there. A scream drew her to Levi’s bedroom instead.
CHAPTER 15
Her parents were trying to reach her. Francesca stared at her family name on caller ID and almost let the call transfer to voice mail. With everything else that was going on, she didn’t have time to chat. Besides, she hadn’t yet decided how much she wanted them to know about what was happening in her life these days. She saw no point in worrying them, not when they’d come straight back to Phoenix if they thought she was in any danger. But they offered emotional support and a good sounding board—and they’d worry about her safety just as much if they couldn’t get hold of her.
Deciding to reassure them, and be judicious with the other details, she stepped out of the lobby of the fast-food restaurant, where Jonah was meeting a cop named Ernie, and answered.
