His pulse raced, waiting for the shared moment. Kerry dried her cheeks and then took a deep breath, as though stalling for time. Perhaps she couldn’t decide whether or not to share her inner soul with a man who held back his fears and emotions as often as she did.
“When I, ah, lived in Ohio, I dated a man who wasn’t who I thought he was. Excuse me.” Kerry reached over, grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. “Peyton, that was his name, was wonderful, or so I’d believed. I thought we were going to be married. When I became pregnant, he went crazy. You see, he was already married, only I didn’t know it.”
Rage roiled inside him. Hunter wanted to fly up to Ohio and punch the shit out of this guy for hurting her. The word baby then sunk in and a yearning nearly felled him. “You were pregnant? What happened to the child?”
She stared at her twisted hands. “I miscarried. I was so devastated—still am.”
Hunter placed a hand on her knee. “Is that why you came down here? To get away from him?”
“In part. I also received a good job offer at Brahman University, one I couldn’t afford to turn down. Grandpa had already survived cancer and when he suffered a stroke, I had to come.”
A caregiver to the max.
“I’m sorry about what happened to you. I can see why you’re skittish around men.” Boy, could he.
“I am?” She waved a hand as if to erase her comment.
He opened his mouth to say something when she cut him off.
“You didn’t come here to find out about my history.”
“True.” From the cool, composed tone, the story telling was over. “I stopped by to ask you something about Susan’s boyfriend. What do you want me to find out from him?”
25
Kerry wasn’t sure how she’d managed to convince Hunter to let her tag along when he interviewed Susan’s ex-boyfriend. Hunter had been so over-the-top protective every time she suggested she help with any kind of investigation. Hell, he complained when he had to leave her alone at work. It must be because of the ramblings of the homeless man who claimed he saw a medical examiner’s van pick up Willie Wyble.
Apprehension bit her at meeting this Brad person. Hunter first had driven by Brad’s home to see if perhaps Teresa might be playing outside. Unfortunately, she wasn’t, nor was anyone home. If the snoopy, but helpful, neighbor hadn’t come out and told them where Susan’s ex worked, they’d be back to where they started.
Hunter pulled into the parking lot of an all-glass building where Brad worked. “We’re here.”
“Upscale place.”
Finding where he worked had been easier than getting in to see him. Only people with security clearance could enter the contract manufacturing plant. Go figure.
Once Hunter flashed his badge, the secretary turned pale, nodded and then brought them into the work place. She didn’t see what required the security.
With a ramrod back, the receptionist led them to Brad’s cubicle—one among at least one hundred.
“Brad?” the receptionist said, in a soft tone. “There are some people here to see you.”
Brad stood and the receptionist tossed them a wan smile before scuttling back to her desk in front.
Susan’s ex was not what Kerry had expected. Instead of this evil troll she’d imagined, the guy was nearly as tall as Hunter. Despite the maroon Polo being a size or two too big on him, his belly managed to protrude. Brad’s face was pleasant enough, but he wasn’t handsome like Hunter. One eye socket sat lower on his cheek than the other, but that was something only she’d notice.
Brad didn’t blink when Hunter showed his credentials, which implied he might not have anything to hide?
“What can I do for you, officers?” He sounded smooth, educated and in control.
Hunter didn’t correct his misconception about Kerry’s identity or give away who she was, thank goodness. Since Brad didn’t recognize her, it was obvious Susan had never shown him her picture.
“Mr. Stafford,” Hunter began. “Ms. Susan Nottingham came to us claiming you and she had a child together.”
Stafford froze, his gaze flicking to his left. The clacking of the computer keyboard and the nearby phone conversations dimmed. His shoulders relaxed, and he wiped invisible moisture off his brow. “Wow, that name came out of no where. She was pregnant when we broke up, but I haven’t heard from her in over two years.”
“That’s not what Susan claims,” Hunter said.
Brad ran a finger around his buttoned collared shirt. “Can we, ah, go someplace more private? There’s a conference room at the end of the hall.” He glanced around at the many pairs of eyes staring back.
“Sure.”
The officemates returned their chairs to the recesses of their cubicles. Brad moved toward the end of the hall looking like he was on a death march. He swiped a badge to open the door, and the activity behind them returned to normal.
She and Hunter entered. The place had a high-end designer look, all tan and black leather chairs, large mahogany table and wall art of computer components. Interesting.
“Please sit.”
He maneuvered around the table and sat opposite them. The aroma of warm coffee lingered in the air. What she wouldn’t give for a cup right now. Her throat was bone dry—no pun intended.
“So what’s this all about? Is Susan pressing charges or something?” His lower lip trembled. “She said she didn’t want help with child support, and I believed her.”
“Nothing like that. Ms. Nottingham is interested in laying claim to her child. She says you kidnapped the baby, and then disappeared back to Ohio.”
Kerry held her breath. The bastard better own up to what he’d done with Teresa or she wasn’t sure what she’d do to him.
He leaned forward and then slapped the desk. “I never left Florida. As you can see I’m here.” He grinned and opened his arms wide.
“What can you tell me about your daughter?” Hunter said.
“Bonnie?”
Kerry touched Hunter’s arm. “You have two daughters?”
“No.”
“What are you trying to pull? Tell me about Teresa,” Kerry demanded.
Brad’s half-smile melted into a frown as his gaze shot to the ceiling. “Fuck. We have a problem. Or should I say, I have a problem?” Slack jawed, he shook his head.
She’d had enough of this guy. “What kind of problem?” She didn’t bother to keep the frost from her voice.
“You see... Bonnie is...um, dead.” His gaze clung to the ceiling tiles.
“Bonnie? I’m talking about Teresa.” Teresa couldn’t be dead.
He cleared his throat. “Susan named her Teresa. I changed her name to Bonnie.”
Sirens sounded in Kerry’s head and traveled down to her stomach as vomit rolled up to her mouth, forcing her to swallow hard. “She’s dead?” Blood pounded in her ears.
“Yes.”
Kerry didn’t want to believe him. Something wasn’t right. “Why did you change her name? Was it so your child’s mother couldn’t find her, or because you didn’t want anyone finding out what you’d done to her?” It didn’t matter she had no proof Brad had harmed the child, abusers often didn’t stop at adults.”
Hunter grabbed her hand and squeezed. His comfort meant the world to her, but nothing could contain the black, evil thoughts that swirled inside her.
“It wasn’t like that.”
Hunter leaned forward. “Tell us what happened.” His tone came out cold and forceful, but not nearly as angry as she would have sounded had she been able to speak.
Brad stabbed a hand through his neatly groomed hair. “We were living in Ohio when Susan gave birth. In the hospital, I asked Susan to marry me, but she said no.”
If Brad didn’t bring up the abuse, she sure as hell would. “Go on,” she spit out, not knowing how she formed the words through her grief.