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Chapter 7
Brady got the call from Charlie while Maggie was showering. He’d gotten up shortly after Maggie’s alarm went off and prepared Emma some breakfast. Today, he allowed her to have one of her favorites: French bread with homemade blackberry jam. A streak of dark jam extended from the left side of her mouth halfway to her ear. Brady noted that Emma turned any kind of a meal into a work of art.
“I hope you got something, Charlie,” he said into his phone.
“Brady, I’m sorry, but there just isn’t much to find. I guess if I had a day or two, I could probably do something for you. But I’m afraid this time I struck out. Everything to me looks legit. I even verified with my contacts in Mexico he was an ordained priest and had a bright future ahead of him, from a respected but lower middle-class family. I wasn’t able to find out anything about his studies or whether he’d served in another area during his Acolyte training, but everything that I could find seems to check out just as you’d said.”
“I see. But you’re still going to go deeper, right?”
“I’ll go a couple of layers lower just as a thank you for helping me out before. But I can’t burn up too much time on it, and our resources are spread a bit thin with the migrant surge happening at the border. It’s taxing all of us, and I don’t even get involved in their acceptance or relocation. It’s a really crazy time to be going to Mexico. I’m surprised she hasn’t thought of that. There’s a turf war going on down there. Money attracts bad things.”
“Me too. But then, we’re talking about Maggie. Not just some ordinary neonatal nurse. It’s Maggie, and she doesn’t do anything ordinary.”
“So did I catch you before she left?”
“Yes. She’s in the shower right now. Emma and I are having breakfast. We’ll be saying our goodbyes here within the next half hour or so. Thank you, and at least I’m reassured that Maggie isn’t stepping into a black hole. And you don’t think cartel activity is very strong in the San Felipe area?” Brady asked.
“I’ve not gotten any reports of incidents, only the usual trafficking across the border, drugs, and workers looking to find a better life up north. But nothing that feels organized, like we usually see when there’s a big presence there. But that’s not to say it won’t pop up. I just can’t do it with such a short time frame. I still have some return calls that haven’t come in. You never know.”
“Well, I thank you. And please keep in touch in case something new turns up.”
“You bet. Let me know when she’s home safe. Like you, I’m going to worry about her now. But if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call. I may not be able to say yes, but I’ll give it a shot.”
“I appreciate that, Charlie.”
He unloaded the dishwasher full of clean items and then reloaded it again with their breakfast dishes. Maggie had opted for a yogurt, which he sprinkled with raw almonds. He made one more pot of coffee so she could take something in a throwaway thermos to sip on the way. Like he usually had, he added lots of half-and-half.
Emma was a handful to get clean. The blackberry jam had migrated from her fingers all the way up her arms to her elbows. She also had wiped some of the jam in her hair. He cleaned her face as she wiggled and struggled against the washcloth and then gave her a kiss on the forehead.
“There you go. We don’t want Mommy remembering you covered in sticky stuff, now do we?”
Emma looked up at him and shook her head, hanging forward a bit. He knew she was sad and masking her own feelings.
As if on cue, Tate was at her side. She petted the black Doberman and then kissed him on the top of his head.
“Daddy, can you get my iPad out so I can watch my movies?”
Brady unhooked the tablet that was left charging in the kitchen on the counter, turned it on, and handed it to Emma, who deftly navigated the menu until she found her favorites. As the movie began to play, Brady turned it down and set about finishing up the kitchen cleanup.
Maggie stepped into the room, smelling lovely and looking even more incredibly beautiful. He didn’t press her for affection but asked her how well she slept.
“I didn’t sleep well at all. It took me nearly an hour, and then I kept waking up, afraid that I’d miss my alarm. I’m hoping I can get some shuteye on the way to the airport.”
Brady handed her the Styrofoam mug filled with coffee and cream. “Here you go, and you can toss it when you’re done.”
“Thanks. This is going to be a lifesaver.”
She noted the kitchen was clean and asked Brady to step outside with her for a couple of minutes, while Emma was consumed in her video.
As they stood side by side overlooking the yard and the valley below, Maggie took Brady’s hand in her left, sipping her coffee, and then looked up to him.
“I’m sorry about last night. I think when I get back, we should go to counseling. I think we probably need some suggestions on how to talk to each other. I know how upset you are with my leaving, but if I could wave a magic wand and make it better, I would choose this life here with you. But I can’t do that yet. Not while I still feel there’s something I still must do. I’m only asking for your patience and support. Try to understand that I love you both very much. I don’t know how I can do this except to go there by myself. Otherwise, I’d have you join me. If it wasn’t for Emma, that’s what I’d prefer.”
“Maggie, what if I found a place for Emma temporarily, since she could stay with Riley’s family, and two of theirs are just a little bit older than she is. I think she’d love it. I think. If you want, I can give Riley and Cassie a call. If you’re okay with it, I could always join you in a few days. Would that work?”
“I’ll think about it, Brady. I don’t want to leave Emma alone with anybody I don’t trust. I know Riley would guard her with his life, but I’m just not sure she’s old enough to understand if we both left her. But if it wasn’t for Emma, yes, I’d love to have you come.”
She leaned into him, hugging him gingerly so as not to spill her coffee.
