Heat

Chapter 51

Jesse sweated National airport, even though he had told Kip he was leaving from Dulles. He turned in his rent-a-car and, with Carrie in tow, went to the airline counter and bought her a one-way ticket to Spokane, all the while sweeping the area with his eyes. The ticket bought, he went to a phone and called Jenny.

“Hi, everything’s fine; I’m making the plane all right.”

“Good, I’ll meet you in Spokane.”

“How’s Carey?”

“She’s just fine, and she’s looking forward to... seeing you. No problems at all?”

“Not a one; I think I sold some major plywood this morning.”

“See you tonight.”

Jesse had a few minutes before the flight, so he made a tour of the airport shops with Carrie, checking each window for the reflection of a tail. By the time they reached their gate, Jesse’s heart was pounding. The boarding call asked for people with small children first, so he was able to sit on the plane and scan the face of each person who passed them. Any one of half a dozen businessmen fit the type he was looking for, but none of them showed the slightest interest in a man and a little girl.

Carrie was asleep before the airplane left the ground, and as soon as the seatbelt sign went off, Jesse ordered a double bourbon. He needed it. He stroked the little head on a pillow in his lap and tried not to think of the future. For the next few days he must live entirely in the present and not be distracted by dreams of yet another new life.

Halfway home, Carrie woke up. She stared into her father’s eyes. “Where have you been?” she asked. “If you weren’t in heaven, why didn’t you come get me?”

“Rabbit, believe me, I came the first minute I could. When Uncle Kip and Aunt Arlene took you to Washington, they didn’t tell me, so I had to look for you for a real long time.”

“Oh,” she said.

“Were they nice to you?”

“Oh, yes; they gave me lots of toys and things, but I wouldn’t call Aunt Arlene mommy, and she didn’t like that.”

“You did the right thing, sweetheart,” he said. “Now I have some wonderful news for you.”

“Oh, tell me, tell me!”

“You remember I told you I had found you a sister?”

“Yes, where is she?”

“We’re going to a town called St. Clair, and she’s waiting for you there. It’ll be real late when we get home, and she’ll be asleep, but you’ll meet her in the morning.”

“Is her mommy in heaven, too?”

“No, her mommy is meeting us at the airport, and I think you’re going to love her a lot. She’s going to be your new mommy.”

Carrie’s eyes widened. “I didn’t know you could have two mommies.”

“When your first mommy goes to heaven, then your daddy can find you a new mommy.”

“And you found me a new one?”

“I sure did, and she’s wonderful.”

“What’s her name?”

“Her name is Jenny.”

“Do I have to call her mommy?”

“Not unless you want to. It would make her very happy if you did, though.”

“Did you and Jenny get married?”

“Yes, we did.”

“Well, I guess she’s my new mommy, then, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she is.”

“And I won’t live with Aunt Arlene and Uncle Kip anymore?”

“No, you’ll live with your new family.”

“Will I ever see Aunt Arlene and Uncle Kip again?”

“Maybe, but not for a long, long time.”

“Will it make them sad?”

“Yes, they’ll miss you a lot, but they have the new baby to love.”

“That’s true,” Carrie said, nodding gravely. “They won’t be all by themselves.” Soon she was asleep again.

Jesse carried the little girl, still sleeping, off the airplane, and Jenny was at the gate to meet them.

“I’ll introduce you to your new daughter,” he said, “if she ever wakes up.”

“Plenty of time for that,” Jenny said. “What have you told her?”

“I’ve told her about you and Carey.”

“What are we going to do about the names? They sound just alike.”

“I haven’t a clue.”

When they had left the airport and were driving toward St. Clair Jesse asked, “What did you tell Carey about us?”

“I’ve told her that you had a daughter by your first marriage. She immediately asked if all your daughters weren’t killed in the car wreck, but I told her one of them wasn’t in the car with you, and she had been living with friends in another town until you were ready to bring her to St. Clair.”

“Do you think she’ll tell anyone at school?”

“I’ve told her it’s a big secret for the time being, and when she asked me why, I told her that was a secret, too. She seemed to accept that.”

“Do you think she’ll turn us in at school?”

“The school has warped some of Carey’s attitudes, and we’re going to have to work to help her get over that. But she and I have a bond that the school hasn’t been able to penetrate, and if she tells me she’ll keep the secret, then she will. You can depend on that.”

Jesse hoped she was right.

They arrived at home in St. Clair after two in the morning, and Jesse carried the luggage into the house first, making sure they were not being watched.

They tucked Carrie into bed, and then Jesse spent another two hours going over the whole house, looking for bugs. It was after four when he finally went to bed.

“Did you find anything?” Jenny asked.

“There were two: one in the living room and one in the kitchen. I’ve disabled the one in the kitchen, so be sure and keep Carrie out of the living room when I’m away from the house.”

Jenny snuggled up close. “She’s a beautiful child. I’m going to love her, I know it.”

“And she’s going to love you,” Jesse said.