Chapter 40

CHAPTER FORTY

Jeffrey was startled when his phone rang. He frowned when he saw who was calling. Dr. Marnet? Was April okay? His heart felt as if it had jumped into his throat, and he had a hard time finding his voice.

"Yes?" he said when he answered.

"Audrey Cox, the nurse who took April, was just found dead. She was inside her car. Supposedly it went off the side of a steep embankment. She wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and the police think she died of her injuries. But it's being investigated, Jeffrey. First of all, they could easily figure out that she was murdered. If they do, they're going to end up at my doorstep, asking questions. Trying to find out if I know of any reason someone might want to kill her. I didn't sign up for this. Not only have you put me in the line of fire, Audrey was a good nurse. A good person. I liked her."

"You need to keep it together. Seriously. There's nothing to connect you to her death. You had nothing to do with it. Just relax and act normal. I mean it."

"Act normal? There's nothing normal about this. Nothing. I ... I can't take this anymore. Listen, I want April out of here. Now. I mean it. And don't threaten me. You can't turn me in without ruining yourself. Take care of this. She's out of here by tomorrow or ... or I'll do whatever I have to." With that, the phone was disconnected.

Jeffrey tried calling the doctor back, but it kept going to voicemail. Maybe taking April out was the right answer. He could find someplace else. Out of the country. Someplace safe. But as soon as the idea popped into his head, it drifted away. It would never work. First of all, April wouldn't allow it. And finding another doctor like Marnet would take time. Time he didn't have. Was he going to have to let her go? Everything in him screamed no. He needed Alexander to settle down. Keep the plan going for now. If the doctor wouldn't listen to him, maybe he'd listen to the man who'd put this plan into place. The man who had as much to lose as he did.

He picked up his phone and clicked on a familiar number.

THE HOUSE WAS EXTREMELY QUIET. Tony was still napping, and Mrs. Weyland had gone to the store. River used the time to call Nathan and check on him. He was home and felt secure with someone there. She and Tony had planned to wait awhile before telling him about the note found in the hotel room, but since they'd shared the information with Jeffrey, it made sense to let Nathan know as well. If Jeffrey told him first, he'd feel betrayed since he was their client.

When she told him, as she'd anticipated, he was excited.

"Nathan, I think we need to tread carefully here," River said. "So far, there's no trace of April in that room. Until the police come up with something that makes us certain she was there, we have to wonder if one of her followers is playing a game."

"Why would anyone do that?" he asked, his voice indignant.

"Attention. Excitement. Even misplaced concern for April. Wanting to make her case public so the police will work harder to find her. We saw this happen several times when we worked for the FBI. I really don't want to discourage you, but like I said, let's wait for the police to give us a real reason to hope."

"I hear you," Nathan said, "but I believe April wrote that note. She'd definitely think of something like that."

"I hope you're right, I really do. We'll keep you updated. I also wanted to tell you that we've been able to use April's notes to solve several of her cold cases. Your girlfriend is very impressive."

"Yes, she is." His voice cracked and he quickly cleared his throat. "I miss her so much."

"I know you do. I'll check in with you soon. You be careful and do what the police tell you to do, okay?"

"I will. Jared, the officer who's staying with me, is really nice. I feel completely safe."

"I'm glad."

After River said goodbye, she turned her attention to the dinner that she both anticipated and dreaded. If someone had told her even a year ago that she'd be willing to speak to her father again, she wouldn't have believed them. Now, here she was, not only facing him, but determined to forgive him. It was only by the grace of God that this meeting was taking place. God's power to change people was something hard to understand. It was truly miraculous.

"Father," she whispered. "I need You to help me tonight. Fill me with Your love and Your strength. I pray whatever happens will glorify You. And please, please help my mother. Preserve her dignity. Keep her ... calm."

River realized that she was actually more concerned about Rose than she was about herself. Her father's betrayal had caused so much pain.

JEFFREY WAS PACKING A BAG. He needed to get April out of the small hospital and take her far away. He was sorry he'd ever started down this road. April was in trouble because of him. This was all his fault. He'd been certain he could sacrifice her for his sins, but when it came down to it, he couldn't. All he could think about was the way she used to look at him. The way she'd adored him and called him Daddy. He'd spent a lot of the trust fund, but there was still enough to get them both out of the country and to keep them safe for quite a while. For now, that would have to be good enough. He'd called the doctor and told him to get her ready. He'd have to keep her drugged at first, but once they were safely away, he'd wean her off the medications. He could only hope that there was a way he could explain everything. If he wasn't able to ... well, he couldn't think about that now. He'd never be able to tell her the truth about her mother. Never. That was a secret that would have to die with him. She'd seen her mother's body underneath the tree in their backyard before it was moved to another location and the knife wound was replaced by a bullet. Somehow, she'd turned it into a nightmare, her mind not allowing her to remember that it was real. He was grateful for that. If she hadn't hidden it away in the recesses of her mind, he wasn't sure what he would have had to do.

He was finally ready. He took the suitcases out to the SUV and was loading them into the back when he felt the first sharp pain in his back. He straightened up to see what was wrong, when he heard the second pop. He was suddenly on his back, looking up at a sky full of dark clouds, when he saw the person standing over him and realized that he was never going to see his stepdaughter again. As he waited for the final bullet that would end his life, all he could think about was her.

IT WAS ALMOST SIX. Tony was up and dressed. He'd helped Mrs. Weyland set the table. River quietly thanked God that he was here with her. She wasn't confident in herself, but she knew God and Tony would get her through what was one of the most difficult things she'd ever had to do. She'd never hated anyone as much as she'd hated her father. Only God could have orchestrated this moment.

Her mother looked beautiful. She wore a dark blue dress that accented her still-youthful figure, and although she didn't wear much makeup, River had used just enough to accent her great features. She couldn't completely push out the thought that she wanted her father to see what he'd thrown away on someone as selfish and cheap as CeCe. However, River knew tonight wasn't about that. She needed to stay centered on God's will. His reason for bringing a fractured family together.

She, Tony, and Rose were sitting in the living room, waiting for the doorbell to ring. The tension in the room was palpable. Tony was trying to relax them, but it wasn't working. Thankfully, her mother seemed to be fully aware of what was going on. River noticed she was twisting her hands in her lap. River got up and sat down next to her on the couch. She took one of Rose's hands in hers.

"I'm so proud of you, Mama," she said. "I can only imagine how difficult this is for you."

Rose's eyes filled with tears. "For you too, honey. But you need to know that I made mistakes too. It wasn't all your father's fault. I didn't deserve what he did, and neither did you. But God's love and forgiveness makes this necessary." She squeezed River's hand. "Promise me that if I ... if I get confused, you'll get me out of the room. Please? I know it sounds vain, but I just can't look foolish in front of your father. I couldn't bear it."

"Oh, Mama," River said, her voice breaking. "You're not foolish. What's happened to you isn't your fault. Please, please don't ever think about yourself that way. I love you, Mama."

"Oh, River." Rose reached up and patted River's cheek, the same one she'd slapped the night before. "I love you too. I'm so sorry for not being the kind of mother I should have been. I want you to know how much I regret it."

"I let you down too. I should have been more understanding about what you were going through. I guess there's enough blame to go around. To be honest, I even resented Dan for leaving when he was eighteen. I guess we all need a fresh start, don't we?"

"Yes, we do." Rose leaned over and whispered in River's ear. "Please don't let Tony get away, okay? I don't want you to live with regret. It's not the way to live your life."

River looked into her mother's eyes and smiled. Then she nodded.

When the doorbell rang, she felt Rose jump. She looked over at Tony. What she saw in his eyes calmed her. Her mother was right. River had just assured her mother that she wouldn't ever let Tony leave her life. It was a vow she intended to keep.