Courting Trouble (The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 3) (8 page)

And he followed up by suggesting she take her car into the shop? And now he wanted to explain the kiss? A kiss like she'd never experienced before. A kiss that reminded her of Independence Day sparklers in all their fiery glory.

"I'm not mad about the kiss, Chuck. And if you don't get it, I'm not going to tell you." She ran a hand through her hair, hoping she would appear nonchalant. "Let's find Meagan and Jeff."

Alec threw the car into gear, but try as they might, they couldn't find Jeff's car. Alec pulled to the shoulder of the road, then glanced up a gravel driveway at a parked car that looked like the one they'd followed.

"Thank goodness, we've found them," she said.

Alec shook his head. "That's not his license plate number." He slammed down the accelerator, stirring up loose rock as the car darted forward.

Diedra watched him as he drove. All his concentration was directed on the road and looking for Jeff. A lock of his wavy dark hair had fallen over his high forehead, giving him a boyish look. It was hard to remain angry when all she really wanted to do was run her hand through that hair and kiss him until the morning. Oh, baby.

Tension knotted her stomach. Meagan. Where had Jeff taken her? Had she and Alec gone tearing off too quickly? "Do you think we followed the wrong car? Maybe we should go back to town. They might have returned by now."

Alec stopped the car again and their eyes met. Neither said a word. After a long moment, Alec turned away. "I can't think of where else to look for them, unless they've gone home."

He made a U-turn, heading back to Dallas.

Diedra closed her eyes and pressed into her seat. Maybe she'd overreacted to the threat posed by Jeff. Alec seemed confident that Jeff was still in love with Meagan. And Jeff had never done anything to lead her to believe he'd harm her sister.

With the way the day had progressed, it really wasn't any wonder she had panicked. After seeing those knives flying at Alec's crotch, well, wouldn't it be normal to feel tense? Her neck and back muscles were probably permanently clenched from the worry.

As they drove back, they decided to go home and each check whether their half of the errant couple had returned.

They detoured first to the restaurant, but found no sign of Meagan, Jeff, Bert, Heather or Mimi. Alec drove on to his office parking garage.

He started to climb out of the car, but his gaze met hers and he leaned toward her. Was he going to kiss her again? Half of her wanted him to and the other half wanted to punch his lights out after his reaction earlier. She sat there frozen, heart pumping up a storm. He pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Wordlessly, he got out of the car. She watched as he walked away. He didn't turn back once.

Jerk. She eyed his backside. Too-cute-for-words jerk. And she was stupid, stupid, stupid. She definitely had it bad for him and it seemed to be getting worse.

She headed home, hoping to find Meagan. How could their carefully laid plans have gone so awry?

When she pulled up to her house, it was dark. Her heart sank.

She let herself in and immediately discarded her sandals. A quick check through the house turned up no sign of her sister. Now what should she do? Should she call Alec? Maybe Meagan was with Jeff at Alec's place. That's where he'd been staying since returning to Dallas.

Diedra called Meagan's cell phone, but again no response. Next she dialed Alec's number.

He answered on the first ring. It didn't bode well.

"Meagan isn't here."

"Don't panic, Diedra. I'm sure they're just talking it over, working things out."

"I just wish she'd call. If you hear from Jeff, you'll call me, won't you?"

"Of course I will. I know you're worried. When you hear from Meagan, call me."

"Okay." Diedra didn't know what else they could do. It wasn't as though she could make a missing person's report to the police. Jeff hadn't actually threatened Meagan. And it was possible Meagan and Jeff were doing just what Diedra wanted them to. Talk.

But she didn't want to hang up the phone, either. She was exhausted physically and mentally, and emotionally spent. Alec's kiss had done that and his puzzling behavior afterward made her head spin.

"Diedra?"

"Yes," she whispered.

Her tone was forlorn and A.C. wanted to comfort her somehow.

"I enjoyed that kiss. Night." A.C. punched the disconnect button, wondering what had possessed him to tell her that.

Then he placed another call. His mother answered immediately.

"You haven't phoned in four days, Alexander."

A.C. ground his teeth. At the age of fourteen, weeks after his father had permanently left home, A.C. had asked his mom, repeatedly, to call him A.C. She hadn't been able to remember then and he'd long since given up asking, but it hadn't stopped bothering him.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I've been busy. Have you heard from Jeff?"

"He called me yesterday. And we had a long talk." Her omissions said it all. Jeff was a better nephew than Alec was a son.

"Has Jeff called or come by tonight? I'm trying to find him."

"No. I haven't seen him. Isn't he still living with you?"

"So far as I know. His stuff is still here cluttering up the place. But he had dinner with Meagan tonight, so he might be moving out soon."

"Meagan? I hoped they were getting divorced." Her tone reeked with disapproval. She'd never liked Meagan and she especially hadn't liked the fact they had moved out of state. Although it had been Jeff's decision, Mom had blamed Meagan.

What his mother had apparently forgotten was how unhappy she'd been when Dad left her. How she could wish that on another person he didn't know.

When Dad left her, he'd left completely. A.C.'s mom had become his responsibility.

Sure his dad had paid child support. But money didn't take out the garbage or hold weeping mothers during long, cold nights. He'd never forget the night his father had called to say he wasn't ever coming home.

But that was all behind him. Years behind him.

"I don't think things ever progressed that far, Mom. They were just separated. If you hear from Jeff, tell him to call me, okay?"

"All right." His mom coughed. "The light over the stairs is out again."

His responsibilities would never end. Unlike his father, he couldn't walk away, wouldn't walk away. "I'll try to change it tomorrow, or else I'll send someone over to do it."

"No. That's okay. I know you're busy. I'm sure I can find the ladder..."

"Don't be silly. I'll take care of it. Night."

"Night, Alec. Don't be a stranger."

A.C. hung up, wondering whether it was possible any relationship could ever work out.

Chapter 7

A.C. waited for Diedra to answer the phone. He'd been at his downtown law office since a quarter after seven that morning but had waited until eight o'clock before calling her.

In the meantime, he'd arranged for a handyman to go over to his mom's house to change the light and take care of any other things she might need repaired.

The phone kept ringing. Just as he moved to punch the disconnect button, he heard a sleepy, "Hello."

"Diedra? Is that you?"

"Hmm."

He heard the rustling of sheets and for a moment fantasized about joining her in a warm bed. It might be worth it, but considering how things always went wrong around her, he'd probably end up in traction afterward. "Wake up, kid. Has Meagan come home?"

Her reply was slow in coming. "I fell asleep about an hour ago. She might have come in since then. Hang on a sec while I go look." Alec could hear the sound of bedcovers being thrown back and the light pitter pat of Diedra's footsteps. Within a minute, she demanded, "Tell me you've seen Jeff."

What could he say? He'd expected them both to turn up at Diedra's place.

Evidently his silence said it all. "You haven't heard from them, either." Diedra's voice rose. "What are we going to do?"

"There's no use panicking. I'll find them. I have a few connections who can help me track him down."

"Good. I'll be at your office in an hour. Don't do anything, don't go anywhere, until I get there. Understand?"

"I'll make some calls and stay put until you get here. With any luck they'll show up by that time, dragging their tails at making us worry."

Diedra sighed. "I hope so." He could hear the forlorn note slip into her voice and silently vowed to call in all the chips that were necessary to find out something. Jeff or Meagan should have called her. It wasn't fair. And he wanted to hear Diedra laugh. Somehow he needed to hear that laugh and he was determined to put it back into her voice.

"See you in an hour."

A.C. stayed busy on the phone. He called a friend in the Department of Motor Vehicles. He called an acquaintance in the sheriff's office. He even called an old college buddy who worked as a computer operator with Jeff's credit-card company. That's where he struck pay dirt.

But the answer was even more confusing than where he'd started. What the hell was Jeff doing in New Orleans? He'd evidently left on an early flight that morning. Alone. Or at least, he'd charged only one ticket.

His pal at the D.A.'s office had been able to get that information from the airline. Jeff had flown out alone. Where was Meagan?

A.C.'s mouth felt dry. What could he tell Diedra? Could Jeff really have harmed Meagan? And skipped town? He thought he knew Jeff very well. Better than most people knew their family members. They were best friends and A.C. could have sworn he knew everything there was to know about Jeff.

But wasn't that what everyone thought? Maybe no one could ever fully know another person and or what someone was truly capable of.

Thinking that way was of no use. A.C. drummed his fingers on his desk, waiting to hear back from his contacts in New Orleans, contacts that were nebulous at best. The only other action he could take was to fly to New Orleans. However, he'd promised Diedra he'd wait for her, and she was now seven minutes late.

He heard a sound in the reception area. Maybe it was her. He dashed to the door but didn't see anyone except Sarah, his secretary.

"Diedra's not here?"

"No, I haven't heard from her. I do have the flight times out of Love Field for New Orleans, though." She held out a pink stickit note with the information, which he waved away.

"I'll take whichever flight is next."

"Nine-thirty it is, then."

Just then, the outer door opened and Diedra stepped in, looking like a lost little girl. Her long, curly hair was pulled back with a clip but she wasn't wearing any makeup that he could see. Shadows under her eyes gave her a haunted look. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms.

It felt so right. She felt so right. He wasn't ordinarily a demonstrative person, but Diedra was different. He needed to take care of her. Comfort her. Hold her. Touch her.

"You holding up okay, babe?" His voice came out gruffer than he'd expected. Was that an indication of how he felt about her? He dismissed the thought.

Diedra tucked her head under his chin and held onto his lapels. She nodded. "Have you heard anything?"

A.C. released her from his arms and took her hands into his, unwilling to sever all physical contact with her. "I haven't heard from Jeff, but I know where he is."

"And Meagan?" Diedra gripped his hands so tightly he could feel her pulse beat through her fingers. He shook his head.

"Tell me what you know."

"Jeff's in New Orleans. Alone."

Diedra's face went white. "Where the hell is Meagan?"

"We'll find her." A.C. turned to Sarah. "Have we got that 9:30 flight? I think we have just enough time to make it. Call Hawkins and let him know our arrival time." He eased one hand out of Diedra's grip. "Let's go."

Chapter 8