Where There's Faith Read online

  He backed up, sitting heavily into a chair as he stared at the pendant.

  Faith trembled at the look on Robbie’s face. “I don’t know where I got it.”

  “What do you mean you don’t know?” he demanded.

  “They found it in my pocket with a broken chain. I always wondered what the numbers meant.”

  Robbie stood up, his eyes wild. “I’ve got to think.” He sprinted out the door, not noticing Nikki hurrying down the hall.

  “Robbie? What’s wrong? Is it Faith?” she asked, worry creasing her brow.

  “What is this?” he asked as he held out the necklace. “Is this someone’s idea of a joke? It’s not funny.”

  “What do you mean? That was found in Faith’s pocket when they brought her into the hospital.”

  “This was Madison’s,” he said as he walked away, his shoulders slumped.

  Faith looked up when the door opened, hoping Robbie had come back to explain why he freaked out when he saw her necklace. Seeing it was Nikki, she couldn’t hold the tears back any longer.

  Adam took Faith’s hand. “I’ll go talk to him, see if I can’t get him to explain what’s going on.”

  “Thanks, Adam.”

  “You okay, Faith?” Nikki asked, worried about the heartbroken look on her face.

  “No. Robbie saw my necklace, and he freaked out. I don’t know why he looked so shattered.”

  “I saw him in the hall. He said something about it being Madison’s necklace, and then he took off.”

  “Madison’s? Why would I have had Madison’s necklace in my pocket?”

  “I don’t know, sweetie.”

  Chapter 20

  Faith sat on the porch swing at Cassie’s, holding the engagement ring in her hand, wishing that Robbie would come walking up the sidewalk with that grin on his face that she loved. It had been three days since he walked out of her hospital room with her necklace in his hand and a haunted look in his eyes. He seemed to have vanished in a puff of smoke when he drove out of the hospital parking lot. No one had seen him, and her calls went directly to voicemail. Where are you, Robbie? Why did I have Madison’s necklace in my pocket? The answer was locked in her memory, the memory she would never get back.

  Her laptop sat next to her unopened. The book was almost done, but she couldn’t concentrate enough to finish it. Every time she opened her computer, she remembered her first encounter with Robbie when she ended up practically plastered to his naked chest.

  The swing creaked as Cassie sat down. “I brought you some lunch.”

  “Thanks, but I’m not hungry.”

  Cassie’s eyes filled with sorrow. “You need to eat.”

  “I appreciate you letting me stay with you, Cassie. I just couldn’t face the house with all the memories.” She took a bite of the sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. “I just hope he’s okay.” She put her hand on her stomach as the nausea hit. “Oh, God.” Jumping up, she leaned over the porch railing and threw up what little she had eaten that day.

  Cassie rubbed her back and held her hair out of the way as she was wracked with dry heaves. Helping her back to the swing, she felt her forehead. “You don’t feel warm. It must be nerves. Let’s me call the doctor and see if she can see you today.”

  Robbie leaned against the railing and watched the clouds roll in from the west. Black and ominous, they promised some nasty weather. Clutching the necklace in his fist, he remembered the day in May that changed his life; the day he met Madison on the boardwalk at Venice Beach.

  With his surfboard under his arm, he waited for the parade of Hare Krishnas to go by so he could get back to his condo a couple of blocks away. The rent was ridiculous but being so close to the beach was worth it for a transplanted Midwesterner. He turned to check how much longer he would have to wait, forgetting to watch as he swung his surfboard around.

  “Hey, watch what you’re doing, big guy.”

  He turned to face that voice and found a vision sitting on the ground beside him rubbing her left knee. “Oh God, did I hit you with my board? I’m so sorry.” He reached down. “Here, let me help you up.”

  She looked up, and he was mesmerized, her whiskey-colored eyes grabbed his attention like a tractor beam, pulling him down into their swirling depths. Her hand squeezed his, reminding him that he was supposed to be helping her up. They spent the rest of the day wandering up and down the boardwalk hand in hand, talking about anything and everything.

  Later that evening, he went back to the shop on the boardwalk and bought the necklace she had admired, having the date engraved on the back. Not that he would ever forget. On their third date, he gave it to her. Once he put it around her neck, she never took it off. He thought it had been lost in the accident.

  Two days locked up in this hotel room and Robbie was no closer to figuring out how Madison’s necklace ended up in Faith’s pocket. He remembered the pendant glinting in the light when he closed the car door after kissing Madison goodbye. What happened that day?

  After sending off a text to Brent about meeting up, he rubbed his hands over his face, not wanting to stir up all the old feelings but knowing he had to find out the truth. No way could he start a new life with Faith with this hanging over their heads.

  The bar was comfortably dim and deserted at such an early hour. Sipping on his iced tea, Robbie glanced at his watch, wondering what was taking Brent so long to get there. He hoped the man had kept his whereabouts a secret. He couldn’t face Faith without some answers. Staring into his glass, he wondered what it all meant.

  “Robbie? You okay?”

  Looking up, he found the man he had been pondering sitting across from him with a drink in his hand. “About as okay as I can be. I need your help.”

  “Anything you need, I’m here. You know that,” Brent said as he motioned to the bartender for another round. “I hope that’s tea.”

  “I wanted to order whiskey but didn’t. I have to face this sober.” Robbie waited until the waitress left with their empty glasses before he pulled the necklace out of his pocket. “This was Madison’s. I gave it to her on our third date, and I don’t ever remember her taking it off. I distinctly remember her wearing it when she left for the airport. I know it’s hers because of the numbers engraved on the back. They represent the day we met—May 13. Somehow, it was found in Faith’s pocket when she was brought into the emergency room.”

  “You’re sure it’s the same necklace?”

  “No doubt in my mind.” Robbie dangled the chain from his fingers, the pendant swaying and catching the light from the candle on the table. “I remember you said you worked with the LAPD for about six months on a case. I need to get some answers, and you’re my best chance. I’m hoping you still have some contacts out there.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. A picture of the necklace would be helpful.”

  Robbie spread it out on the table, turning it over to show the engraving on the back. “Thanks, Brent.”

  “You need to call Faith. Jordan told me she’s been sick, and Cassie was worried enough to get her an appointment at the clinic.”

  “Why? What’s wrong with her?” Robbie tried to swallow around the baseball that had taken up residence in his throat. His hands shook as he tried to select her number.

  “Jordan ran some tests but didn’t find anything. Maybe the fact that her fiancé disappeared without a trace a couple of days ago has something to do with it. You need to talk to her.”

  Robbie took a deep breath and pulled his keys out of his pocket. “Thanks. I owe you big time.”

  Brent smiled and dialed his phone, hoping that Detective Mickelson would be able to help.

  The crack of thunder made her jump, her heart thumping loudly in her ears. The house was quiet. She had finally convinced Cassie that she would be okay by herself, but every little sound was making her mind race. Remembering her hostess’s story of the ghost of her gram, she shivered at the creaks and groans of the old house. Turning off her Kindle, she looked up and scr
eamed.

  “Robbie?” And there it was, that grin that made her heart thump harder in her chest.

  “I’m sorry, Faith. I shouldn’t have left like I did but finding her necklace in with your clothes surprised me.”

  “You believe that I have no idea why it was in my pocket, don’t you?” she asked with a tremor in her voice.

  Pulling her into his arms, he looked down at the ring on her right hand. “Let’s put that on the correct finger.” Gently, he switched the ring from her right to her left hand. “That should answer your question. I love you, Faith McMillan.”

  “I love you, Robert Allen Newlin, more than you know.” Running her hand along his jaw, she remarked, “You look like you haven’t slept.” She tugged him down, and they both relaxed into the couch. “We’re together. Nothing else matters.”

  With his arms around her protectively, he finally let himself relax for the first time since he received the call about her accident.

  Cassie found them there, sleeping peacefully. She turned to tiptoe out of the room when she noticed Robbie’s eyes were open. “Go back to sleep, everything else can wait.”

  “Thanks for watching out for Faith while I was gone.” He slowly sat up, being careful not to wake his love. “I’m sorry I went off the deep end.”

  “I hope you told her that.”

  “Of course I did. I just can’t figure out how the necklace ended up in her pocket. I asked Brent to look into it.”

  “I’m sure he’ll figure it out. Have you talked to Ragan? She’s worried about you.”

  “Yeah, I called her before I got here.”

  “Good. Now, go to sleep, you look like you need it.”

  “Cassie, Brent told me Faith hasn’t been eating. Has she been back to the doctor? Is something else wrong?”

  Cassie sat on the chair. “Jordan stopped by and examined her. There’s nothing wrong with her other than worrying about you.”

  “I didn’t mean to make her worry.” He pulled Faith a little closer. “She’s my life now, and I need to let Madison go, but I can’t do that until I know how the necklace ended up in Faith’s pocket.”

  “I’ll let you go back to sleep. Dinner will be ready in a couple of hours. I hope you’ll stay and eat with us before you head back to the lake.”

  “Okay. Thanks again for taking care of Faith.”

  “Anytime, Robbie.”

  The last rays of the sun disappeared, shrouding them in darkness. Faith was curled up leaning into Robbie, tucked under his arm where he could keep her warm. “You warm enough, baby?”

  “Yeah,” she replied as she snuggled closer to him, “this is nice.”

  “Can I talk to you about the necklace?”

  “Sure, honey. I don’t know what else I can tell you about it.”

  “I asked Brent to look into it. I want to be able to put the past behind me once and for all.” He kissed the top of her head. “You’re my life now, but I need answers.”

  “So do I. I need to know who I was before the accident. Maybe Brent will be able to figure it out.”

  Chapter 21

  Brent picked up the CD case and headed out the door, contemplating on how Robbie would react to what he’d found.

  Robbie stirred the pot of spaghetti sauce before dipping in a tasting spoon. Axe, who was his first recruit, had been resistant to the program at first, but he had discovered a passion for cooking. “Good job,” he commented. “That’s as good as any I’ve tasted.”

  The boy grinned. “Thanks, boss. I’ll have Betty put spaghetti up as today’s special.”

  Robbie was proud of what he and Brent had built, a program that kept kids off the streets and gave them the training they could use to get a real job. He glanced at the clock. “Shit, I better get upstairs.”

  “I heard that, boss,” Axe yelled from the front of the restaurant. “That will be a buck for the swear jar.”

  “You got me.” Shoving a dollar in the jar on the shelf, Robbie decided it was time to use the money to get the kids something special. Oh, who was he kidding, he would use his own money. Professional chef’s jackets would cost more than the number of dollar bills that could be stuffed in that jar. He took the stairs two at a time, anxious to hear what Brent found out about Madison’s necklace.

  The man of the hour was stirring creamer into a cup of coffee, his face giving nothing away.

  “Let’s go in my office. Betty knows not to disturb us unless it’s an emergency,” Robbie commented as he walked across the room.

  Once they were both seated, Brent pushed the CD case towards Robbie. “I was surprised at what I found. I’m not sure how you’re going to feel about it. Pull up the first file on the CD, there’s something on it you need to see.”

  Robbie loaded the disc into his laptop. “What is this?” he asked when it started playing.

  “This was caught by a news helicopter preparing for a broadcast.” The helicopter zoomed in on the freeway, swooping low enough that license plates were visible. “See that car heading for the off-ramp?”

  “That’s my Mustang. You can read the license plate and tell that it’s Madison driving.” He watched as she struggled to get the car to the off-ramp, a flat tire trying to veer the car back out into traffic. “So she had a flat tire. What does that have to do with her necklace ending up in Faith’s pocket?”

  “Now watch the second video file.”

  “What’s this? I don’t understand.”

  Brent cracked his knuckles and started explaining. “This was taken by a police car dash camera about five miles past the off-ramp in the first video. It was recording as the officer made a traffic stop. Watch the cars driving past.”

  “What am I looking for? Oh wait, there’s my Mustang. Madison must have put the top up when she stopped to change the flat tire.”

  “Take a really good look at the driver of the car. Notice anything strange?”

  Robbie watched the video again, this time focusing on the driver. “Why does Madison’s hair look so dark? It’s almost like she’s got black hair.”

  “There’s a good reason for that. I don’t think that’s Madison.”

  “What do you mean it’s not Madison? That’s my car, I recognize the license plate.”

  “It’s possible Madison wasn’t the one who died in the accident.”

  “The coroner identified the remains as Madison. She’s dead, isn’t she?” Robbie’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, nothing making sense. “If Madison is still alive, why hasn’t she come home to me? No way she left me voluntarily.”

  “There was no reason to question it was Madison’s body.”

  Brent put his hand on Robbie’s shoulder. “Do you have anything of Madison’s that might have her DNA? Her toothbrush or her hairbrush? We need to compare it to the DNA from the body found in the car, so I’ll need to get an order to exhume the body. I’ll get the paperwork to you for your signature.”

  He continued to stare at the video. “When I packed up my apartment, I threw all of her things in a box and had everything shipped here. The box is in the storage space in the basement at the cottage.” He rubbed his hands down his face. “I’ll bring it to you when I come into town tomorrow.”

  Robbie sat motionless on the end of the dock, staring out across the lake. Madison might be alive? Why wouldn’t she have contacted me? Thoughts swirled around his brain, making him second-guess everything about his relationship with her.

  What about the baby? He might have a child somewhere out there.

  It had been almost a week since he had provided Madison’s toothbrush to Brent for DNA analysis and signed the exhumation order. He felt like he was going to jump out his skin. If Madison were still alive, he just wanted to know why she had let him think she was dead all this time.

  The sound of footsteps on the dock behind him brought his focus back to the present. He turned and looked up at Faith.

  “Brent’s here. He’s got the results of the DNA test.”

  �
��You okay, Faith? No matter what the test says, we will get through this together.” He put her hand in his and brought it up to his mouth for a kiss. They walked up to the cottage hand in hand.

  Brent turned when they walked into the room, his face an unreadable mask. “I’m sure Faith told you I have the results.”

  “Yeah. Let’s get this over with.”

  Brent opened the file in his hand and spread the pages out over the coffee table. He picked up the DNA analysis report and gave it to Robbie. “The DNA extracted from Madison’s toothbrush is not a match to the body pulled from your car.”

  Faith’s hand squeezed Robbie’s tighter as she searched his face. “You okay, Robbie?”

  “After watching that video, I was expecting this, but I don’t know how to react. Happy that she didn’t die in the wreck? Pissed off that she’s been alive all this time and never contacted me?”

  “Was she acting strangely before that day? Any unusual behavior?” Brent asked.

  “No. We were happy, dammit. At least, I was. Maybe she wasn’t, though.” Robbie ran his hands through his hair. “I need to know why. I hope you understand, Faith.”

  “Yeah, I do,” she said as she hugged him. “Not knowing will eat at you. I know from experience.”

  “So, if it wasn’t Madison in the car, who was it?”

  Brent handed another report to Robbie. “I can’t say for sure as we didn’t get a DNA match with anything in our databases, but the DNA indicates it was a close relative to Madison, most likely a sibling. Being that her sister disappeared the same day, I’m guessing she’s the one who died in the crash.”

  Robbie gripped Faith’s hand tighter. “Is there any way we can find out for sure? I don’t have anything of hers that would have her DNA. I don’t know what happened to the stuff in her apartment. I vaguely remember one of the officers saying something about taking some of it into evidence.”