Part 18 (2/2)
She smiled and left him to his video games to join Emma and Hannah next door. Emma was sitting on the floor surrounded by the doll clothes Cain had bought for Hannah's new favorite companion.
At the moment the doll Hannah had named Becky was naked and hanging upside down in Hannah's arms as the little stylist struggled to get her shoes off.
Cain stood right outside the door and watched Emma. Her blond hair was a little longer than usual, so as she studied the outfits she had to brush it back more often. During their talk Hayden hadn't asked what did scare her, but here in this house was her greatest fearthat someone or something would take away these moments by either locking her up or harming Emma and the kids.
That fear made her wish she'd had that talk with Dalton. How did he balance his business obligations with keeping his family whole?
”You okay?” Emma asked from right in front of her.
The question brought Cain back from where her mind had flown to.
”I hate to break up this play date, but how'd you like to have dinner with me? It's a double date with Remi.”
”What's the special occasion?”
”I was planning to bait Juan, but any more of that and I might land in central lockup.”
”Forget about him.” Emma lifted her hand and kissed her fingertips.
”He's not important enough to worry over.”
”Whatever you say, Mrs. Casey.”
”Worry about finding something for Miss Becky to wear, or you might have to go shopping again.” Cain laughed and followed Emma into the room.
Juan, no matter what Emma thought, did warrant worry, but that was Cain's job. The role she played and accepted with all her heart was to worry, fix, and eliminate concerns and threats so her family could have these carefree moments. Perhaps that's what Dalton's answer would've been.
Chapter Twenty-Four.
Remi's phone rang right after she pressed the buzzer to Dallas's front door. ”Change your mind?” she asked about their double date with Cain and Emma for dinner, recognizing the number.
”Don't you wish,” Dallas said. ”Could you work your charm on the lock again? I'm almost ready but not quite.”
Simon stood with her back to Remi as Remi quickly unlocked the gate, and as it closed behind them it seemed someone flipped a switch on the noise as well. The door to the house was open, and when they stepped in they found the drinks Dallas had poured.
”She's a great hostess,” Simon said, taking a seat in one of the wingback chairs by the fireplace.
”True,” Remi responded automatically. Since Dallas was still upstairs she walked slowly around the room.
Thehouse, or what parts of it she'd seen, were comfortable and so tastefully put together they could be in a magazine layout. Beautiful artwork hung on the walls, and mementos of Dallas's work sat on the mantel and other pieces of furniture.
”You're snooping.”
Remi put down the badge Dallas had been issued forLady-Killers and sat across from Simon. ”I finally figured out what's off about this place.”
”Looks good to me.”
”It's great, but you could move in here and not feel like you're invading anyone's s.p.a.ce.”
Simon lowered her drink and leaned forward so they could keep their voices down. ”What are you talking about?”
”She has great art, but no photographs of any kind except a few recent ones. There's stuff that must've meant something to her from work, but nothing else. She could leave here tomorrow and pack it in a small bag, because the rest is replaceable.”
”Is that what you're afraid of?”
On the coffee table was the one piece that didn't fita rock with no markings and no recognizable shape, lying next to a vase of roses.
”I don't have any hold over DallasI'm just curious.”
”You have to care about her, because otherwise you wouldn't give a d.a.m.n one way or the other.” She waved her hand at Remi. ”Don't try and deny it. I've known you from the day you were born.” Remi heard movement at the top of the stairs, and Simon stopped talking.
The size of Simon's smile made Remi stand and turn around, because Simon rarely smiled like that except at Juno. She whispered to Remi, ”Tell me again later how you don't care. I'll wait for you outside. Good evening, Miss Dallas,” she added before leaving.
Dallas stopped on the last step, wearing a tea-length black dress with a slit up the side past her knee. If she expected any kind of reaction, Remi disappointed her by just standing there and staring.
”Is this all right? If not, I can change.”
”I'm sorry,” Remi said, moving closer. ”Please don't change a thing. You look beautiful.” She put her hands on Dallas's hips and kissed her neck.
”People tell me that all the time, and I never put a lot of credence in it. But when you say it, you make me believe it.”
”I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.”
”I believe you because you have nothing to gain from the compliment, and because you've taken the time to want to know me.”
”That process has just begun, take my word for it.” Remi let her go and took a step back. ”Shall we?”
”I'm looking forward to it.”
The answer, Remi thought, applied to a lot more than a dinner invitation.
”She doesn't exist, Papi, and I've looked. She pays no taxes, collects no checks, and owns nothing in her name. The information we have on file is bogus. The schools, the birthplace, nothing checks out. It's as if she appeared one day, then made up a life,” Mano told his father as he held a folder in his hand full of the information he'd gathered on Dallas. ”I'm sure no one's checked before because, once they break in, everyone in this business changes their name to something more marketable. It's strange, though, that none of the tabloids have picked up on this. They live for these types of stories.”
”Dallas hasn't gone for roles that would catapult her into a career that would bring extra scrutiny. Those vultures spend their time on the truly famous, and she's hovering at the cusp of that category.”
”I give her credit then.”
”How does she get paid?” Ramon asked.
”The money goes to the manager, Bob, who, as far as I can tell, must dole out an allowance, since I can't even find a bank account in her name. If I hadn't seen her at the party, I'd say she didn't exist, because I haven't been able to prove it.”
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