by Jo Leigh
Hailey’s heart thumped against her ribs. She moved closer, looking carefully at the quilt. Some pictures had blue borders, some had red and some had none at all. But when Megan told her story, it was always about the pictures in the red borders. Nothing else.
Something was there, right on the edge of Hailey’s awareness. She studied each panel, went over the story word for word.
And then she got it.
She whirled around and headed back down the hall, adrenaline surging through her body. She got to Jack’s door and knocked loudly. Urging him to be up, to let her in.
“Yeah?” he said, his voice groggy with sleep.
“Can I come in?”
“Yeah,” he repeated. Hailey knew he wouldn’t be groggy for long. Not after she told him.
He’d sat up, bolstering his back and head with his pillows. The covers had fallen to his waist. He wasn’t wearing pajamas. But she couldn’t think about that now.
“What’s up?” he asked, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles.
“I’ve figured it out,” she said, almost hopping in her excitement.
“Figured what out?”
“Where it is. The thing they’re looking for.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
She crossed to his bed and sat down facing him. “You know the story Megan’s always telling. The one where she uses the pictures on her quilt?”
He nodded, and she could see that the sleep had left him. He was sharp again.
“It’s not just a story. It’s a rebus.”
“A re-what?”
“A rebus. A story told in pictures. But it’s not just any story. The store? It’s not just a store. It’s a storage locker.”
“I’m not following you.”
“Get up,” she said. “Get dressed. I’ll show you.”
She stood, her mind going a hundred miles an hour, thinking about each panel, each red-bordered picture. It was true. It had to be. But there were still some things missing. The name of the storage place. The key. But they’d figure it out. They would. Oh, why didn’t he get up?
“Hailey.”
“What?” she said, her voice high and animated.
“Unless you want a show of your very own, get out of here.”
“Oh, yeah,” she said, remembering he was naked. Wondering…No. Talk about the wrong time and the wrong place. And yet…
“Well?”
“I’m going, I’m going. But hurry.”
“I will as soon as you—”
“Get out. Okay. Sheesh.”
She left the bedroom and hurried to her own room. She washed up in record time, not even bothering with her hair, and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater. Shoes would wait.
She almost crashed into Jack as she went into the hall again. He steadied himself using the wall, and then he was fine again. Smiling her apology, she led him to the living room. Megan was still on the quilt.
“Honey?” Hailey said. “Would you do me a favor?”
Megan looked up. She was still in her pajamas. They were adorable, printed with little dancing teddy bears.
“Can you stand up and tell the story to Jack?”
Megan looked to Jack, then back at Hailey. Then, holding Tottie by the leg, she got to her feet. She started the familiar tale, beginning with a little girl all alone.
Hailey felt Jack at her shoulder, and as Megan went through each step of the story, Hailey found herself looking more at Jack than at the quilt. He listened carefully, his focus completely on the girl and the pictures. She saw the moment the lightbulb went on, the second he’d realized the importance of the quilt. Megan’s parents had told her the story as a precaution. As a legacy. It spelled out, in pictures and letters, that something important was in storage, waiting for her.
“Look,” Jack said to Hailey, leaning toward her. “The bees. Why are there bees at the store? You have a phone book?”
She hurried over to the table by the couch and opened up the drawer, pulling out the Yellow Pages. She flipped to the entries on storage facilities and ran her finger down the alphabet. She didn’t have to go far. “Here,” she said. “Bee’s Storage. On Hill-croft.”
Jack nodded. “Okay. So now, what about the key?”
She tore out the page and then went back to Jack’s side. She looked at the hand-stitched picture of an old-fashioned skeleton key. It was right next to a heart, made of soft pink cotton. The heart had a keyhole.
Hailey stared, remembering how she’d played Concentration when she was a little girl. It was a board game her mother had given her, based on an old television show. A familiar phrase was covered by blank game pieces, and as each piece was removed, a part of the puzzle showed. The object was to solve the puzzle with as few uncovered clues as possible. Hailey had always been good at it, but she had to admit, this clue eluded her.
“Could the key be in the quilt?” Jack asked.
Hailey bent down and felt the square. Nothing but batting inside. She turned to Megan. “Sweetie?”
“Uh-huh?” Megan said softly.
“Did your mommy or daddy ever tell you about the key?” Hailey pointed to the picture.
Megan nodded.
Hailey felt her pulse shoot up again. “What did they tell you, honey?”
“That the key would open the magic box.”
Hailey’s hope deflated as she realized Megan didn’t know any more than the story she’d learned by rote. “That’s wonderful, Megan. Thank you.”
“Hailey?” Megan asked.
“Yes?”
“Is it breakfasttime yet?”
Hailey smiled. “You bet it is. You want anything special?”
Megan nodded. “Cheerios.”
“You got it.” She stood up, then looked at Jack, who was still studying the rebus. “I’ll put on some coffee and feed us. Then we’ll think about this some more.”
“Okay,” he said, but she doubted he’d even heard her. His gaze didn’t even flicker. “Where else have we seen a heart?” he asked.
She thought about that as she went to get Megan’s breakfast. “I don’t remember seeing anything in the pillowcase.”
“We weren’t looking for a heart, though. I think we should look again.”
“You know where it is?”
He nodded, then headed off toward her bedroom. Hailey couldn’t help but notice his limp was even worse than it had been yesterday. Which made sense. It was bound to be worse before it got better. But that wasn’t going to stop her from pushing him to do his exercises today. And every day after that, until he could walk without that blasted cane.
She felt as though she’d uncovered a secret about Jack, too. It was only a piece of the puzzle, but it was a big piece. He hadn’t taken her to his bed, even when she’d practically thrown herself at him. Not because he didn’t want her. She was pretty sure of that. The look in his eyes had been enough to convince her. He didn’t take the next step because he was embarrassed about his physical impairment. He felt less of a man because of it.
Last night she’d wanted to talk to him about it, but she’d chickened out. She wondered if she’d ever feel comfortable enough with him to broach the subject. She had the feeling it would be a difficult talk. One that would test both of them.
She got the Cheerios from the cupboard and put the box on the table just as Megan was climbing onto her chair. “Did you wake up a long time ago, Megan?”
The little girl looked up at her and nodded.
“Did something scare you?”
She nodded again.
“Want to talk about it?”
Megan didn’t nod this time. She just gazed up at Hailey with eyes that held more hurt and fear than any four-year-old should have to feel.
Hailey pulled her chair next to Megan’s and sat. “Was it a dream, honey?”
Megan’s bottom lip started to quiver and her eyes welled with tears. “Someone hurt my daddy.”
“That must have been very scary,” Hailey s
aid, taking her little hand.
“He died.”
“Oh, sweet pea. I know. It’s really awful. And it hurts. But don’t worry. It won’t always hurt this much.”
“Will he come back?”
Hailey shook her head slowly. “No. He won’t. But that doesn’t mean he’s stopped loving you. He’s watching you right now from up in heaven. And he doesn’t want you to be sad.”
“Is my mommy watching me, too?”
“Yes, she is. She loves you very much.”
Megan sniffed. “I wish they were here.”
“They wish they were here, too.”
“Okay,” Megan said, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her pajamas.
“Better?” Hailey asked.
Megan nodded. Then she looked at Hailey again. “Can we really get a kitty?”
Hailey smiled. “I promise.”
“Can I help pick her out?”
“You betcha.”
Megan smiled a little. Hailey kissed her on the nose, then went to get her a bowl, a spoon and the milk. After Megan was settled, Hailey made a pot of coffee, wondering if Jack was having any luck.
Discovering what was inside Bee’s storage locker held the promise of solving all their problems. Whatever it was, she would give it to them. To the police or the Mafia or whoever it was who wanted to hurt Megan. She’d give it to them without a second thought if it would keep Megan safe. And if they had to disappear after that, so be it. Just like Barry Strangis had changed his name, so could she. There simply wasn’t too high a price to pay to save Megan. Even if it meant leaving all she knew behind.
And Jack. She would go even if it meant she’d never see him again.
As if her thoughts had conjured him up, Jack walked into the kitchen carrying the pillowcase. He didn’t look as if he’d figured out the mystery of the key. But maybe he’d think better after he had breakfast.
She got out the frying pan, the eggs and the bread, and got busy fixing a couple of omelets.
“I didn’t see anything,” Jack said. “Nothing. The recipe doesn’t say anything about a key or a heart. I went through all her clothes. I don’t get it.”
Hailey watched as he took every item out of the pillowcase and put them on the table. The clothes, the picture, the recipe. Her gaze went to the photograph of Megan’s mother. Maybe they shouldn’t have it out now. Not after her conversation with Megan.
She lowered the flame beneath the pan, then went to pick up the photograph. Before she touched it, Jack’s hand snapped over her wrist.
“Hold it.”
“What?”
“A heart,” he said. Then he let her go and picked up the picture frame. He put it upside down on the table, and carefully moved all the brads that held the back. He lifted that off, then the piece of cardboard.
She saw it at the same time Jack did. A key. Taped to the back of Patricia’s picture. Right under her heart.
THEY REACHED the storage facility at just after two that afternoon. As Jack flashed his badge, the man in the front office ogled Hailey, making her incredibly uncomfortable. He also kept sniffing and it was a weird, almost nasty sound. She held Megan close to her, counting the seconds until they could get out of there.
Jack had the guy get the records for the locker registered to Roy Chandler. It took him a long time. Long enough for Megan to get fidgety and for Hailey to get scared. What if the bad guys had found out about the locker? What if they had someone watching this place, waiting for her to show up? They shouldn’t have brought Megan. That was stupid. But what else could they have done?
The thing was, Jack couldn’t do this by himself. She had to act as his legs, even though he hated to admit it. There was no way he could carry anything big out of the locker. Hailey kept feeling as if someone was pointing a gun at the small of her back. Or worse, at Megan.
The man, who hadn’t given them a name, came back with a small plain folder. She looked over Jack’s shoulder as he went through the material.
Roy had rented the locker three years ago. He’d paid cash. He’d also paid for the next three years, in cash, in advance. The receipt was dated two weeks ago.
Jack asked for photocopies of all the paperwork. The man behind the counter took his sweet time about it.
Megan tugged at Hailey’s hand. “I want to go.”
“I know, honey. It’ll just be a few more minutes.”
“It smells bad in here.”
Hailey hoped the man hadn’t heard that. But Megan was right. It did smell bad. She didn’t even want to guess why.
Finally Jack got his copies, as well as directions to the storage locker. Hailey took in a big breath of fresh air as soon as they got outside.
The whole way back to the car, she felt herself growing more and more uneasy. As soon as they were all inside the car, Hailey locked all the doors. Of course, the glass wouldn’t stop bullets, would it.
“You okay?” Jack asked.
“No, not really.”
“It won’t be long now,” he said as he drove toward the back of the lot.
“It’s just that…” She looked behind her at Megan and decided not to voice her fears.
“I know,” Jack said. He found her hand and squeezed it, and Hailey felt instantly better. Not great, but better. She could never have done this without him. Not in a million years.
He parked the car directly in front of the narrow brick locker. No other cars were around, and when they got out and shut the Cadillac doors, the sound echoed, bouncing off the metal doors.
Jack got out the key and she found herself holding her breath as he slipped it into the lock. The click was audible. The key worked.
He opened the door and they went inside.
It was dark, but Hailey saw a string hanging from a bulb in the ceiling. She pulled it and the room lit up. At first she thought they’d screwed up or someone had gotten there before them. But then she saw it. A bag, in the corner, sitting atop a bench. It was a large duffel bag, dark green. Nothing special about it.
Megan hesitated as Hailey started toward it. “What’s wrong, Megan?” Hailey asked, crouching down to face her.
“I don’t like it here.”
“Neither do I,” Hailey said. “So we’re going to be as quick as possible, okay?”
Megan nodded cautiously.
Hailey picked her up. She was heavy, but nothing Hailey couldn’t handle.
Jack was already at the bag. She could hear the sound of the zipper, loud in the empty space. Then she heard his soft whistle.
She hurried over to him and looked down. No wonder he’d whistled. The bag was filled with money. Neat stacks of hundred-dollar bills. She couldn’t even guess how much was there, but it was a lot. “Holy cow,” she said.
Jack pulled out a stack and fanned through it. “It’s all hundreds,” he said.
“How much do you think that is?” she asked.
“A couple hundred thousand maybe.”
“So what was he keeping it here for?”
Jack didn’t answer. He took out stack after stack of bills, piling them up on the bench. Every time she figured he’d reached the bottom, he found another layer. It reminded her of Mary Poppins’s carpetbag.
“Okay,” Jack said, almost to himself. At the bottom of the bag was a book. A black ledger. About the size of a hardback novel.
He pulled it out of the bag and opened it.
“What is it?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s some kind of code.”
“Well, let’s pack up and get out of here,” she said. “We can look at it when we get home.”
He nodded. He put the book to the side, then restuffed the duffel bag. When all the money was in, he put the book on top and zipped the bag closed.
Jack lifted the bag, but it was heavy and it wasn’t easy for him. She didn’t offer to help, though. She just followed him to the door.
He looked outside and then waved them out to the car. While Hailey buckled Megan int
o her car seat, he put the bag in the trunk. Five minutes later they were back on Hillcroft, heading toward the freeway.
“Well,” Hailey said, “at least we know why they were after him.”
Jack shook his head. “I don’t think it’s about the money. I think it’s about the book.”
“That was an awful lot of money,” she said. “And who knows how much there was originally?”
“Which makes it curious that he lived in our apartment building,” Jack said. “I mean if you had that kind of dough, would you?”
She shook her head. “Not unless I was trying to lie low. To be as invisible as possible.”
“Okay, I’ll give that to you. I’m still convinced there’s more to it than cash.”
“I don’t disagree,” she said. “But why do you think so?”
He looked at her for a long moment, then back at the road. “Call it a hunch. I just can’t see the police getting involved in this for that kind of money. Even if it was a million bucks, they wouldn’t risk it.”
“But they would for the book?”
He nodded. “That’s my bet.”
She shook her head. “Do you think it’s evidence? I mean of the police and the Mafia working together?”
He raised a brow. “That would explain a lot, wouldn’t it?”
“It would also make that book a very dangerous thing to have.”
He nodded slowly, and Hailey felt a chill go down her spine. What had Barry Strangis gotten them all involved in?
Chapter Thirteen
Jack got the book out of the duffel bag and sat down on the couch. He didn’t open it yet, even though he was curious as hell about it. He waited for Hailey to get back from her room. Megan had been so tired and cranky by the time they’d reached home that Hailey had put her down for a nap. It hadn’t been pretty. Megan threw a world-class tantrum, right down to the kicking and screaming. All he’d wanted to do was get away, but Hailey stuck to her guns, patiently letting Megan know that there was no room for negotiation and that screaming wasn’t going to work. It took a while, but finally the girl stopped fighting it, probably because she’d worn herself out. By the time Hailey carried her to the bedroom, she could barely keep her eyes open.
