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“Sit down and enjoy the lemonade,” he said. The steaks sizzled as he placed them on the hot grill. “There’s a blanket on the chair if you getcold.”
“You think of everything,” she said, settling into one of the teak chairs, her back against the oldblanket.
“Anything for mygirls.”
“Your girl, you mean.” The words slipped from hermouth.
He closed the grill, walked over to the table, and took the seat next to her. He placed his hand over hers. “My girls,” he repeated. “I’m doing all I can for Elise, and so areyou.”
“Am I? It doesn’t feel thatway.”
He searched her eyes. “What could you be doing that you aren’tdoing?”
She searched her mind. How could she tell her grandfather that it felt wrong to be holed up at the Murphy house, surrounded by funny, strong men who made her laugh, who cooked for her and made her feel safe even as her sister was missing and possiblydead?
She gave up with a sigh. “I don’t know. It just feels like we should be doingmore.”
She heard the unspoken accusation in her voice, knew he heard it too when he spokeagain.
“You think I’m not doing enough.” His hand was still warm onhers.
“You don’t seem worried anymore,” she said. “It’s like you’ve given up onher.”
There. She’d said it, voiced her worst fear, the suspicion that had lurked behind every one of their dinners since she’d returned fromDubai.
“I call the hospitals every other day. I comb the papers for mentions of Jane Does. I offered up my savings to theMurphy’s.”
Shame heated Julia’s face as he stood and walked to the grill. She waited as he flipped the steaks and returned to thetable.
“My generation was different than yours,” he said. “We didn’t talk about things so much, we didn’t… examine everything. Some would say we were cold, even repressed. We thought we were strong.” He shook his head. “I don’t know the right answer, Julia. Would showing my worry help Elise? Would it helpyou?”
“It won’t help Elise,” she admitted. “I knowthat.”
“And you?” he asked. “Would it helpyou?”
“Not really. I guess I just want to know I’m not alone. That I’m not the only one staring at the ceiling at night, wondering if she’s okay, if she’s hurt or cold or hungry, if she’s wondering why we haven’t come forher.”
“You’re not the only one. I’m trying to be strong for her. For you. That’sall.”
“I’m sorry,” shesaid.
He patted her hand and stood. “Don’t be. I may not be a big talker, but I’m always here tolisten.”
He pulled the steaks off the grill and her stomach rumbled at the smell of cooked meat. She realized she hadn’t eaten since breakfast, something that happened more than she wanted to admit when Ronan was out of thehouse.
Her gramps returned to the table and set a giant steak in front of her. “Bonappetite.”
“It looks amazing. Thankyou.”
She dished herself some pasta salad and dug in. They ate in silence for a few minutes before her gramps spokeagain.
“I spoke to your motheryesterday.”
Her appetite soured in her stomach. She set down her fork. “Oh?”
Her gramps nodded as he chewed a bite of his steak. “You should pay her a visit. She’s worried about Elise, and she’d like to seeyou.”
Julia reached for her lemonade. “I’m not sure I believe either of thosethings.”
