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As Terri started to walk toward the elevator around the corner, she heard a distinct groan of protest. It was a familiar sound. Loud enough to wake the dead, but she kept on going.
Already emotionally involved in ways she wasn’t ready to examine, she knew any more time spent in his company could only backfire on her. The best thing to do was head for the hotel and stay put until she heard from Captain Ortiz.
“Mrs. Jeppson? Wait up!”
Terri had just emerged from the elevator on the main floor when Parker Herrick approached. He put a detaining hand on her arm. Then he grinned.
“You move faster than a nervous filly trying to outrun a twister.” The analogy made her chuckle. “If there hadn’t been another elevator going down, I would have missed you. My brother wants you to come back upstairs.”
“I’ll visit him again before I fly home to the States.”
He shook his head. “Not good enough. He’s more upset than I’ve ever seen him. If you don’t show, there’ll be hell to pay.”
“Tell him I’ll come by later when he doesn’t have family around. I don’t want to impose.”
Parker pushed his hat back on his head. “We’ve been here six hours and that’s longer than we’ve all been corralled together at one time in I don’t know how many years.”
In spite of her misgivings, she laughed.
His gray-blue eyes twinkled. “Knowing my brother, he was ready to throw us out ten minutes after we got here. It’ll be doing the whole family a real favor if you’d be willing to baby-sit for a while.
“You see,” he said in a confiding voice, “the hospital staff’s been singing your praises. With you here, Mom will feel like we can leave for an hour to grab a bite to eat.”
After having to fly down here at a moment’s notice, Terri could well imagine how tired and hungry they were. It would be churlish to refuse when she’d come here with every intention of trying to get more information out of Mr. Herrick about Richard.
“All right. I’ll go back with you, but I can’t stay long.”
“That’s fine. Anything to appease big brother.”
They turned and entered the next elevator going up.
“When will his wife be joining him?” She had to know.
He slanted her an enigmatic glance. “That’s the question the folks have been asking since the day he left home to do his own thing years ago.”
Left home?
“You mean he and his wife are separated?”
“I mean, there is no Mrs. I figure that’s the reason he’s so testy, but don’t let him know I told you that.”
Terri’s heart started to thud. “Why not?” she teased.
“Because it’s a taboo subject with him, and he told me I was a fool to get married. Now that I’m divorced, it’s a case of I told you so. But as far I’m concerned, that doesn’t mean marriage isn’t the greatest while it’s good.”
Terri didn’t know. Hers had never really gotten off the ground. “Do you have children, Parker?”
“No, thank the Lord.”
“I’m glad your divorce hasn’t scarred you.”
“I refuse to let it. Next time I’ll just make certain I marry the right woman.”
“Are your other brother and sister happily married?”
“I think so. How about you and your husband?”
Thankfully they’d reached the sixth floor. With people getting in and out of the elevator, she was saved from having to answer his question. At this point it was better to remain closed mouth about Richard.
