Baltimore 03 - Did You Miss Me?

reporters had nearly come over the crime scene tape again, their instinct – and his own pallor – telling them something had happened. They started shouting questions. Then one of them took a gamble and shouted the right one.
    Does SA Montgomery know her son is dead?
    It had taken Joseph a few seconds to realize the reporter was baiting him, but a few seconds was all the vipers had needed. They rushed to get in front of their cameras so they could be the first to break the ‘development’.
    And short of killing each one of them, there wasn’t a damn thing Joseph could do to stop them. But he could make sure Daphne didn’t hear it on the news.
    Commandeering a squad car, he’d driven back to the city like a bat out of hell, his siren screaming, his only thought that he couldn’t let her find out that way. She deserved better than that.
    He’d called Grayson on his way, warning him to keep Daphne off the computer, away from the TV, the phone, and anyone outside their team who might tell her before he got to her. But now she knew and Joseph didn’t have a clue of what to do next.
    ‘My mother,’ Daphne said quietly. ‘Does my mother know?’
    ‘Grayson and I were going to tell her for you,’ Paige said.
    ‘Thank you, but no.’ Daphne released Joseph’s shirt and pushed away from his chest, turning to face her friend. ‘Mama needs to hear it from me. But if you could go with me, I’d appreciate it. I’ll meet you outside. Give Joseph and me a minute.’
    When they were alone, Daphne rose, then extended her hand, urging him to his feet. ‘We have things to do. I have to tell my mother. You still have to find that baby.’
    ‘I found her,’ he said. ‘She was a little dehydrated, but otherwise fine. She’s with social services now.’
    ‘Good. I’m glad.’ She walked out of the washroom and pointed to a white board, filled with notes. ‘We made a list of everything we knew about Doug.’
    He read Coppola’s notes. ‘This is good stuff. It’ll help.’
    ‘Good.’ She dropped her chin to her chest. ‘Thank you, Joseph. For everything you’ve done for me today. I don’t know what I would have done without you.’
    ‘I wish everything had turned out differently,’ he said. ‘If it helps at all, I do know how you feel. A little anyway. When it’s your child . . . I know it’s different.’
    ‘Who was she? The person you lost?’
    ‘My wife.’
    Daphne lifted her head slowly, stunned. ‘You were married?’
    ‘For a few days. A long time ago.’
    Her eyes flickered. ‘You were on your honeymoon?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Did you catch who did it?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Are they still alive?’
    He shook his head slowly. ‘No,’ he said coldly.
    Her lips trembled and she sternly firmed them. ‘Good. Now I have to . . . I have to go.’ But she didn’t move. She just stood where she was, lost. ‘Joseph.’
    He put his arms around her again. ‘I’m here.’
    She slid her arms around his waist, the second hand on the wall clock ticking away as she held on tight, her cheek pressed against his chest. They were standing that way when there was a light rap on the door and it opened a crack.
    ‘Agent Carter, it’s Fiona Brodie. I need to talk to you both.’
    ‘ Now? ’ Joseph asked.
    ‘Yes. Now .’ Brodie opened the door. ‘This will make a difference.’
    Joseph felt Daphne swallow. ‘Okay.’ She released him, then grabbed her bag from underneath one of the chairs. ‘I need a minute.’ She disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door. Seconds later, water was running.
    Brodie took the chair next to the one Daphne had been sitting in. And said nothing.
    ‘What the hell’s this about?’ he asked.
    The look she gave him was one of reproach. ‘When you called me from the squad car, I told you I wasn’t ready for her to be told. You said you’d wait to tell her until I called you, but you didn’t. Now I’m here to talk to Daphne.’
    ‘When I got here, there were fifteen reporters camped around the front door.’
    ‘That didn’t give you the right to—’
    ‘Fiona.’ He rarely used her first name and she quieted. ‘I had to throw two reporters out of the elevator. They’d signed in with the desk downstairs, claiming they were going to a different floor, intending to come here all the time. One told the other that their producer wanted her face when she learned the news. That they’d top the ratings. I couldn’t wait for your go-ahead.’
    She sighed. ‘I