The man hesitated. “Just someone that knows her,” he answered.
“She okay?”
Fear eased and Kerry leaned forward, resting her arms on the frame of her car door as she struggled to make out his features. “Why are you asking me?” she countered. “A lot of people work in that building over there.”
Was it just my imagination, or did I see a motion that might have been a smile.
“Ah know you know her right well,” the man said. “You ain’t got to tell me, but ah heard them people talking about her and I’d like to know.” He tilted his head just slightly, waiting for her answer.
That tilt. “Some bad things happened today.”
“T’her?”
Kerry was being driven half crazy with curiousity. Who is this?
“Yes, but she’s okay. She’s just at home,” she said. “Who are you? Why do you care about her? Do I know you?” She eased the door closed and started to approach him.
He backed up a step. “Easy now.”
“No.” Kerry continued coming closer. “I won’t be easy. I’ve had a really bad day, my head hurts, I had a lousy weekend and I want to know who you are, and why you think you’ve got a right to ask me Hurricane Watch
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about my partner.”
He stopped moving and let her approach, lowering his hands again. “Feisty thing, ain’t you?” he drawled. “Careful, there, I ain’t something you want to mess with.” He half turned into the streetlight and she got a glimpse of his face.
Scars. Kerry inhaled again. Scars upon scars, in a lean, rugged outline but immediately her startled gaze was drawn past that to the pale blue eyes that stood out like marbles in all that ruin.
“Now, you can just answer or I’ll go on my way, just asking a question,” the man said. “Don’t want no trouble with you, little gal.”
“Who are you?” Kerry ignored his words.
“Nobody you know,” he answered.
“Who are you to her?” Kerry clarified her question. “And if you tell me you’re not, you’re lying.” Her heart started to hammer in her chest as suspicions peppered her mind. She knew Dar had no one close to her.
She had distant family she never spoke to. She’d mentioned her mother only once, and the tone of voice she’d had indicated it would likely be the last time. Kerry knew of only one of Dar’s relatives she’d ever mentioned with any kind of affection and that one person was dead.So who was this?
He looked around, but the lot was now pretty much empty, only an isolated car or two left from the cleaners and security guards. The other men in the lot had also left, having taken their bus or otherwise moved on and they were alone together. “Think I should just move on, let you be. ““I don’t.” Kerry screwed up her courage and moved quickly, reaching out and clasping his arm before he could leave. “You got this close. Don’t run.”
Even in the shadows, she could see his eyebrows hike. A flash of yellow lamplight lit up his eyes again and she got a good look at his expression with most of the scars obscured by the flat lamp. “Run? I ain’t much for that.”
Kerry put her hand in his and squeezed it. “My name’s Kerry,” she said. “And if you are a friend of Dar’s, today’s a good day for her to find that out because she gave up on something today that was very important to her and she could use all the friends she has right now.”
He studied her, then tilted his head and peered at their clasped hands. “Well, then, Kerry.” He said. “Mah name’s Andrew.”
Kerry felt like she’d stuck her finger in an electric socket. “Oh my god,” she whispered, staring up at him. “Are you her father? You are, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” he answered softly.
The entire world was spinning. Kerry wasn’t sure if she should yell or cry. “But...I thought...”
“Ever’body did. Even me.” Andrew said, briefly. “Anyhow, that’s 130
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why I want to know about her. Dar’s mah kid,” he added, in an awkward tone. “Ah been through some hell, just getting caught back up with it all and...”
Kerry was at a complete loss for words. She gazed up at him while a thousand different thoughts whirled through her mind, and the day’s events suddenly became painfully irrelevant. “My god,” she finally whispered. “My god.”
DAR HEARD THE sound of Kerry’s car pulling up outside and she closed the sliding glass door, limping over to the entrance and getting to the latch just as it worked and started inward. “Hey.”
Kerry came in and shut the door and Dar’s heart jumped as she saw her face. “What’s wrong?”
Kerry took her hand. “Come over here and sit down. I need to tell you something.” She led Dar over to the couch. “Oh honey.”
Dar felt lightheaded. Her heart was beating so fast she couldn’t count the thumps and she had to sit down or risk passing out.
“W...what?” she asked, this new fear coming out of a blind corner and closing her throat.
Was Kerry pissed off after all? Had something else happened?
Kerry knelt in front of her, terrifyingly, and took both hands in her own. “Right as I was leaving, something happened. In the parking lot.”
“Did you get in an accident? Are you okay?” Dar started speaking.
“Yes, no, I...” Kerry paused. “Dar, before you freak out and freak me out, this is a good thing.” She watched the panic fade a little, in the pale blue eyes. “I just don’t know how to tell you this.”
Dar waited in silence for a few beats. “You ran over Fabracini?” She hazarded a guess. “I’ll smuggle you out of the country, sweetheart. We can go live on some island off the Bahamas.”
“No, I,” Kerry paused. “Dar, a man came up to me in the lot and started asking me about you.”
It wasn’t what she’d expected. Dar’s brows creased. “What?”
Kerry gave up. “Just come with me.” She decided. “Outside.” She stood, keeping hold of Dar’s hands as she awkwardly straightened, keeping her weight on her good leg. Kerry got her arm around her partner and supported her as they made their way to the door, Chino snuffling curiously at their heels.
“I don’t know what’s going on here, Ker,” Dar said, as she got the door open. “But I don’t know if I’m up to surprises tonight.”
Kerry squeezed out the door next to her and quickly searched the parking slots, relieved when she saw the dark figure leaning against her car. “It’s okay, hon. Trust me,” she murmured as they started down the stairs. “It’s going to make today not matter.”
“What?” Dar half turned. “What’s that supposed to mean? Ker, what’s going on here?” She had to swing around as Kerry urged her Hurricane Watch
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down the steps, and her head turned in the direction of the car. “I don’t know what...”
Her eyes fastened on the tall, silent figure that now straightened up and faced her, and she stopped moving. The height, and the shape and the movement struck sudden chords of memory in her she’d thought long dead and her vision blurred as she watched him.
She almost stopped breathing. Her hands clenched around Kerry’s suddenly. “Ker who is that?” she whispered. “Near your car?”
Kerry found herself in the oddest position of her life and it was hard to think straight. “Come on.” She helped Dar down the last few steps, then she released her as they came even with their visitor and Dar could, at last, see his features.
Dar stiffened, then she half extended a hand, her eyes fastened on the tall man who carefully took a step forward towards her. “Ohh.”
“Hey there, Dardar,” the man rasped, very gently. “Damn good to see ya.”