On Ice (41 page)

“
Well, it’s inevitable since I’m almost family.” He grinned down at her before heading for the shower. T.J. rolled herself into the satin sheets, groaning loudly as she covered her head.

~*~

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Terrence drove into the Sanders’ driveway and around to the garage. Hitting the remote button, he scanned the surroundings as the creaky door rolled open. Pulling into the garage, he waited for it to crank down before opening the car door. Since Mark attacked him, he was cautious when entering or leaving the area.

He turned off the ignition and listened to the song on the radio as he recalled his breakfast at T.J.’s house.

Mrs. McCann had indeed called her husband at the lake to inform him of their daughter’s misdeeds. Terrence had no knowledge of the conversation, but T.J. was unusually somber as she sat across from him at the kitchen table, pushing scrambled eggs around her plate.

“
Your father is coming home,” Mrs. McCann said quietly. “He wants to talk to you.”

T.J nodded, her eyes cast down.

“
And to you,” Mrs. McCann added, looking solemnly at Terrence.

“
Yes, Ma’am. I’d be happy to meet T.J.’s da.” Glancing from T.J. to Mrs. McCann, he realized that neither of the women thought he would enjoy the meeting.

The lake was an hour away by car, but Jack McCann must have set a new speed record. He arrived as Terrence scooped the last bite of eggs from his plate. The kitchen door was thrown open with a burst of barely contained energy. Terrence was conscious of a huge presence framed in the doorway. The morning sunlight was behind him, casting the figure into darkness.

Terrence sat, his fork poised halfway to his lips.

“
Daddy!” T.J. gasped in a faint voice.

“
Tiger Jin.” The deep, gravely voice emanating from the presence enunciated every syllable of her full name.

Terrence rose from the table. He glanced around to see where he would land when he took the punch he was expecting.

“
Sir,” he said, extending his hand only to have it hang awkwardly in the air.

“
Tiger,” the presence said.

T.J. jumped to her feet. “Daddy, this is Terrence Kilbride.”

Only then did the presence extend his hand, a hand as large as Terrence’s own. The grip was like steel. Terrence had to exert a bit of pressure to prevent his hand from being crushed.

“
Jack McCann,” the voice growled as he gave Terrence’s hand one very firm shake.

“
Breakfast, dear?” Mrs. McCann stood on tiptoe to kiss her husband on the cheek.

He stepped into the light of the kitchen, stooping slightly for the kiss. “No, thank you, Ahn. Just coffee. Mr. Kilbride and I need to talk.” He gestured for Terrence to precede him into the front of the house. Terrence noted that the living room was painted a soft yellow accented with cream and small touches of red. The room was sunny and bright, but when he turned to face Mr. McCann, he felt chilled by the cold, glaring countenance.

Surely he wouldn’t be beaten up in this room
.
“Sir, I, ah,” he began.

“
Sit!” McCann pointed to the sofa.

Terrence tried not to envision himself bleeding on the delicate silk print.

Mr. McCann took a cigar from a humidor on the mantle. He jammed the hand-rolled cylinder into his mouth, moving it to the side. Turning to face Terrence, he chomped it several times, before removing it to use as a pointer.

“
See here,” he said, sternly. “Tiger is my only daughter. I know you young people do things differently nowadays, but I would be most troubled if you did anything to--that would,” he broke off abruptly. “If you dishonored her in any way.” McCann glowered at Terrence, champing down on the unlit cigar again.

“
I see.” Terrence took a deep breath. “I should tell you that I’m my parent’s only son and they would also take a dim view of her breaking my heart.” He smiled up at McCann’s angry countenance.

“
Hmmph!” McCann snorted. “It’s not the same thing. Not the same at all.”

“
To be sure, my poor heart could be broken,” Terrence insisted. He rose from the dainty sofa, feeling at a disadvantage to be looking up at the tall man. “I do truly love your daughter and what happened just--happened.” His hands made helpless circles in the air.

“
Hmmph!” McCann snorted again, squinting angrily. “Just happened? And in my home? Did you have to do this--here?”

“
I mean, sir, it wasn’t an elaborate seduction or anything. When the police let us go, it was late and she was going to prepare my breakfast, but we just--”

“
Police? There were police involved?” He scowled. “What kind of an accent is that? You’re not Irish are you?”

“
No, sir. I’m proud to be from Edinburgh, Scotland.” Terrence rocked back and forth uneasily.

“
A Scot, hmm?” His eyes swept over Terrence as if for the first time. “I suppose she could do worse.”

“
Yes, sir, I mean, uh, yes, sir.” Terrence had decided to quit while he was ahead.

He turned off the radio in the car and stepped out, activating the alarm. He punched in the code to exit the garage by a side door and reactivated that alarm as well.

T.J.’s father was a remarkable man. They sat together discussing Scotland, McCann’s ancestry as well as his own and Terrence’s intentions toward T.J. McCann. In the end McCann accepted that Terrence had no evil intentions toward his only daughter and stopped just short of arranging their betrothal.

Not such a bad thing. Not a bad thing, at all.

~*~

T.J. hid out in her room. She gazed around at the scene of the crime, absently picking up the clothing she had dropped beside the bed in the early morning hours. Tossing them into the hamper, she started to strip her bed, a typical Saturday morning activity. She sat, instead, stroking the sheet where Terrence had lain. The warmth of her palm released the scent of him, assailing her senses with a sweet melancholy tenderness. She pressed her face to the pillow, recalling the feel of Terrence’s shoulder. Such a nice pillow he made. She pushed herself away. It would be best to get some work done because she couldn’t hang around to face her parent’s accusing stares.

She carried her handbag downstairs, tucked in her laundry hamper. She started the washer, retrieving her purse before dumping it into the swirling water with the contents of the hamper.

“
I’m going out,” she called to her parents as she turned the knob. Her father looked at her over his newspaper without comment.

“
Where are you going, dear?” her mother asked, refilling her husband’s coffee.

“
I’m working on a case, Mom. I’m trying to locate someone.”

“
And is that how you got arrested?” her father asked gruffly.

“
Arrested? Oh, last night,” she said. “We weren’t arrested, just questioned after I let the suspect escape.”

“
Escape, eh?” McCann lowered his paper. “Dangerous?”

“
Not to me.” T.J. managed a weak smile as she closed the door, hoping she had exhibited more confidence than she felt.

~*~

Later that afternoon, Terrence drove the Sanders family down to Dr. Ted’s office in the medical center. T.J. had called, asking them to meet her there. Ted unlocked the office door as T.J. stepped off the elevator. They trooped inside, T.J. smiling uncertainly at Terrence. The girls made a beeline for Ted’s spacious desk, pushing his chair out of the way and climbing into the knee space underneath. They giggled, intermittently poking their heads out. Ted showed the adults into a small conference room and they arranged themselves around the oval table.

“
What’s up?” Maddy asked. “Good news, I hope.”

Terrence smiled encouragingly at T.J. She looked smaller since her mother’s bedroom visit that morning, but she straightened her shoulders and smiled back at him.

T.J. cleared her throat. “I have concerns about your sister’s safety. I asked your Miss Bangs to join us. She holds the key to Mark’s recent activities.”

“
Tina? What does she have to do with Mark?” Ted asked.

“
Oh, no!” Maddy said. “Surely, even Mark wouldn’t stoop so low!” Her voice took on a strident edge.

They heard Tina Bangs calling out, “Hello. Are you here, Miss McCann?”

“
In here, Miss Bangs,” T.J. called to her.

“
Why, look who’s here,” Tina said. “Is this a party?” She looked around smiling at them, her vague expression revealing her puzzlement.

“
Tina, please sit down.” Ted held a chair for her.

She sat, waiting expectantly.

“
How did you meet your boyfriend, Miss Bangs,” T.J. asked.

“
Oh, please call me Tina. Everyone does,” she said. “Now, what is this about my boyfriend?”

“
Please tell us how the two of you happened to meet.”

Tina couldn’t suppress a smile. “It was right here, actually. He’s a pharmaceutical representative. He called for Dr. Ted and we got to talking. He was so sweet.”

“
I’m sure he was, Tina. Did you happen to meet him at that time, Dr. Sanders?” T.J. asked.

“
I see a few reps from time to time. The people I deal with have represented the same pharmaceutical companies for years. They know when to call on me. I usually see reps on Thursdays after four. I haven’t met anyone new in years.”

“
Mike, my boyfriend,” she giggled self-consciously. “He came to the office on a Wednesday afternoon. Dr. Ted’s never in the office then,” she explained to T.J. “He has a board meeting at the hospital at noon, then he makes hospital rounds and goes home.”

“
I see,” T.J. said. “And does this routine ever vary?”

“
Oh, no, he’s had the same schedule for years.” Tina’s laugh sounded like a donkey braying.

“
So everyone knew the doctor’s routine?”

“
Oh, yes. He’s just like clockwork.”

“
After your initial meeting, how did your relationship with your boyfriend proceed?”

“
I explained that there were never any appointments on Wednesday afternoons because the doctor wasn’t in. Mike was so nice. He just stayed and talked to me for a long time. We have so much in common. I mean, would you believe, he’s interested in birds too? Of course, he doesn’t know as much as I do, but everyone has to start somewhere. Don’t you think?” Tina drew in a breath after her monologue.

“
When did you see him again?” T.J. smiled encouragement at Tina.

“
I often work late, you know, after hours. He drops by when I’m here at night. He brings me a sandwich and we talk while I run the printouts. I do the billing and the end-of-month.”

Ted nodded in response to T.J.’s questioning glance.

“
Do you happen to have a picture of Mike, Tina?” T.J. asked.

“
No, I don’t. I asked him for one to put on my desk but he says he doesn’t take a good picture.”

T.J. reached into the pocket of her blazer and pulled out a small photograph. “Is this Mike?” she asked, handing it to Tina.

A wide grin spread over Tina’s face. “Why, yes! That’s him.” The smile faded to be replaced by a puzzled expression. “I don’t understand. How did you get this?”

“
Tina,” Ted said, kindly. “I’m sorry to inform you that this is my brother-in-law, Mark Desmond. The one who put my wife in the hospital. He’s a wanted felon.” He patted her on the shoulder as she burst into tears.

“
Oh, Dr. Ted,” she wailed. “I feel so foolish. I’ve been seduced and betrayed by, by a m-married man.” She threw herself on his chest, blubbering uncontrollably.

“
Tina, Tina,” Ted chanted, patting her shoulder. He looked across the table at Maddy, his expression imploring her help.

Maddy covered her eyes with her hand, shaking her head slightly as she took a deep breath.

“
He told me he loved me, Dr. Ted.” Tina sniffled wetly against Ted’s chest. He waved his free hand, pointing to a box of tissue.

Maddy pushed it toward his hand, her face set in a grim mask.

Tina blew her nose heartily as she struggled to control her emotions. “I feel like such a fool.”

“
Tina,” Maddy said, her tone harder than she intended. “Did you give him a key to the office?”

“
No! Of course not.” Tina looked up at her sharply, her eyes red and swollen. “Why on earth would Mike want a key to this office?”

“
I surprised him here just last night,” T.J. said. “He was in the doctor’s office and had accessed the computer.”

“
But, I don’t understand,” Tina said. “He asked to check his e-mail once. I didn’t think there was any harm in letting him check his e-mail.” She looked around the room, pleading for understanding. “Are you all mad at me?”