“Hey,” she said, her voice shaking a bit.
“Hi, Danica. You ready?”
“Guess so.”
“All right. Climb on in.”
Summer had been filled with hot, humid days oscillating between torrential downpours, but the weather had recently turned. It was one of the first autumn-like days we’d experienced, and the weather was overcast and cool, with a hint of rain in the air. The change had put me in a relaxed, peaceful mood. A cool breeze crept into the car as Danica zipped up her windbreaker before climbing into the Taurus.
We drove in silence for the first fifteen minutes, but as we approached the on-ramp for M-14, Danica asked, “Do you think she’ll ever forgive me?”
“Kara? Maybe—in time. Just give her time, and remember that she’s hurting too.”
“I do want to know her. We’re…family.”
“Yes, you are. But just remember that you lived without knowing about one another for more than a decade, and your first meeting was not that positive.”
“I just didn’t know what to do. I was scared and sad.”
I nodded my head, not sure how to respond. Danica had been through so much already, and she was just a teenager. Over the months I had forgiven Danica for lying about not recognizing the picture of Liza, and stopping by to interrogate my priest, but the crimes against Kara were much more egregious. There was a chance that Kara would never want to see her again. I wasn’t sure what would help soothe her pain.
“Forgive yourself,” I said. “Do that first. After that, work on mending relationships.”
***
Carson was outside when we arrived. He was clean-shaven and dressed in neat, pleated khakis and a blue polo shirt. Before we got out of the car, Carson crossed the driveway and stood beside my car door.
“Sylvia—it’s good to see you,” he said in a low, subdued tone.
Carson Stark had become something of a friend. It probably wasn’t the best idea to mix business with pleasure, but all payments had been made and we were both lonely adults, hurting and missing our dead spouses. I nodded and smiled.
Danica opened her car door and stepped out onto the gravel.
“Carson Stark, meet Danica Masters,” I said, motioning for Danica to come over to our side of the car.
“Hello, Danica,” Carson said, holding out his hand. Danica took it and gave him a firm handshake, but she wouldn’t look up at his face.
“Well, we have a lot to catch up on. Is it okay if we head inside? I have a few people I’d like you to meet.”
“Sure,” Danica muttered.
“I am going to run a few errands. Danica, is it okay if I come back in an hour to pick you up?”
The confused look on Danica’s face caused me to wonder if I’d made a mistake getting involved in helping Carson and Danica connect.
“Danica, do you—?”
“It’s okay.”
***
I returned forty minutes later to find Danica and her half-siblings playing with Legos. Carson was watching with a smile on his face. The visit must have gone well, because Danica ended up wanting to stay longer than an hour. After she said goodbye to her brother and sister and Carson, we headed out. Before I could close the door, Carson called my name.
“Yeah?”
“If you have time tomorrow, maybe we can get lunch? My treat.”
I hesitated. “Carson…I…”
“It’s just lunch, Syl. I’m not on bended knee or anything like that.”
We both laughed. I needed more laughs; more friends in the world, so, I said yes. Little did I know that our little get together would lead to a new case.
Who She Was Page 26
