Baltimore 03 - Did You Miss Me?

the blanket with her. To hold her and . . . be happy.
    He would. Once he made sure she was safe. He rummaged through his papers and found contact information for McManus and Kerr.
    He got McManus’s voicemail, but Kerr answered. Turned out the Pittsburgh Fed had come to the same conclusions that Joseph had. Kerr had also put in a request for information on Agent Claudia Baker. Whoever got the info first would call the others.
    With no more that could be done till morning, Joseph was ready to crawl back into bed with Daphne when he saw the big black dog still stretched across her door.
    He grabbed her leash. ‘Tasha, let’s go outside.’ He hoped the dog remembered him – specifically he hoped the dog remembered that she liked him. When she didn’t take a bite out his hand, Joseph figured he was safe.
    Out in the hall he tapped on Hector’s door. And blinked when Kate Coppola answered. ‘Don’t even think it,’ she warned. ‘We’re sharing out of necessity.’
    Joseph looked over her shoulder to see Hector sprawled on the sofa, a can of cola in one hand and a slice of pizza in the other.
    ‘What necessity?’ Joseph asked.
    ‘Simone and Maggie had a fight. Simone wanted to get her own room, but the only vacancies were on other floors. I told Simone to take my room. Therefore, necessity.’
    ‘Why did they fight?’
    ‘I only caught the tail end of it, after Simone broke a music box.’
    ‘Why did she have one of those?’
    ‘I’m not sure, but I know I heard the melody last night when Simone had nightmares and Maggie tried to get her to go back to sleep. I’m guessing it’s a sleep aid.’
    ‘How did she break it? Tell me she didn’t throw it.’
    ‘No. She threw a pillow that knocked it off the dresser. I came in to find Simone snarling at Maggie who was trying to help her pick up the pieces. She said she’d had enough of Maggie’s help for a lifetime. I gathered that up to that point the fight was about Daphne. Simone said “betrayal”. A lot. That’s all I know.’
    ‘I can guess. Maggie’s known about Beckett, almost since the beginning.’
    Kate winced. ‘And she didn’t tell Simone?’
    ‘Maggie was acting in a therapist role. Daphne made her promise not to tell. Daphne was afraid that if her mother knew, she’d go after Beckett.’
    ‘And then Beckett would kill her.’ Kate’s mouth bent sympathetically. ‘Finding out after all this time that Maggie knew would cause a rift. I’m staying out of that one.’
    ‘Wise. I actually knocked to see if Hector would keep an eye on Daphne while I walk the dog, but now that I’m standing here that pizza smells really good.’
    ‘You might as well come on in and join us,’ Hector called from the sofa. ‘We’re expensing it to your budget.’
    Let’s see  . . .  eating a relaxed meal or crawling back under the covers with Daphne?
    ‘ I’m beat. I think I’ll take a slice to eat while I walk the dog, then call it a night.’
    Hector came to the door, a slice in his hand and a look of knowing amusement on his face. ‘I kind of thought you’d say that. Eat up, boss. You never know when you’ll need that sudden burst of energy.’
    Kate bit back a smile and Joseph knew his jig was up.
    ‘Thanks,’ Joseph said, taking the slice with as much dignity as he could muster. ‘Status meeting in my room tomorrow morning at seven. Don’t be late. Goodnight.’
    But when he got to the elevator, Joseph let himself grin.

Chapter Twenty-Three
    Wheeling, West Virginia, Thursday, December 5, 1.45 A.M.
    T he screaming woke her up. On a sharp indrawn breath Daphne’s eyes flew open, her body going rigid in the bed. And she listened. To nothing.
    Slowly she exhaled. Just the nightmare. She’d expected it. After everything that had happened yesterday, how could she not?
    A strong arm curved around her waist, pulling her against a warm, hard body. Joseph . His hand slipped up under her nightshirt, cupping her breast gently but possessively.
    ‘I’m here,’ he murmured. ‘You’re safe.’
    ‘I know.’ Now . ‘It was just a dream.’
    ‘Same one you had last night?’
    ‘Yeah.’
    He pressed his lips to the side of her neck, not kissing, just firm contact. ‘Tell me.’
    ‘It’s just screaming.’
    ‘Kelly?’
    ‘Sometimes. Sometimes it’s me. I run and I run and I can’t breathe. And there’s a hole . . . in the floor. I always stop in time. But the hole is dark. I know something evil is there. And I back away