Before Jesse could speak, Kip held out a warning hand. “Not now, Jess; we’ll talk about it later.”
Jesse shook Kip’s hand, then, ignoring Barker, went back to his car and drove south. But he didn’t head for Dulles Airport, or, for that matter, for National.
Chapter 50
Jesse drove slowly down Argyle Terrace, then back again, casing the house. In daylight he could see a fenced backyard behind the place, and as he watched, a woman passed through the kitchen and out the back door.
He quickly parked the car and walked to the front door. Glancing up and down the street, he pretended to ring the doorbell, then turned the knob; the door was unlocked. He walked into a large entrance hall and looked around; somewhere a television set was on. He turned left and walked through the dining room and into the kitchen. A coffee pot sat on a warmer, and he poured himself a cup and sat down at the kitchen table. He could hear voices from out back. A soap opera was on television; he hated the music that played constantly during the programs. It was good coffee.
After a few minutes, he heard a foot scrape on the back steps, and she walked into the kitchen.
“Hello, Arlene,” he said.
She froze, staring at him, saying nothing.
“It’s Jesse Warden,” he said. “I’m sorry I don’t look quite the same as I did in my Miami days.”
Her shoulders relaxed, but her face remained wary. “Why are you here?” she asked, glancing at the wall phone.
“We’ll call Kip in a few minutes,” he said soothingly. “Now pour yourself a cup of coffee and have a seat. Let’s talk.”
She ignored the coffee but sat down at the table.
“It’s been a while,” he said. “What, two and a half, three years?”
“About that,” she managed to whisper. “Why are you here, Jesse?”
“I want to see her. I want you to call her in from the backyard, tell her there’s a friend here. After we’ve visited for a few minutes, we’ll call Kip, then I’ll leave.”
She didn’t move.
“You’ve nothing to fear from me, Arlene; I’m not here to hurt you. Call her from the door, please; don’t go out into the yard.”
Reluctantly, she rose and opened the back door. “Carrie, please come inside; you have a visitor.”
“An old friend,” Jesse said.
“It’s an old friend, Carrie.”
Jesse was suddenly filled with panic. She wouldn’t know him, would scream at the sight of his battered face.
The little girl came into the kitchen, her cheeks red with the cold, her eyes bright. “Who is it, Aunt Arlene?” she asked. Then she saw Jesse.
“Hello, Rabbit,” he said. Only he had ever called her that.
She blinked, staring at him. “Are you my daddy?” she asked, finally.
“I sure am,” Jesse said. “And I’m so very glad to see you.”
She came closer to him, gazing into his face. “You look different,” she said.
“I know; I had an accident, but I’m fine now.”
Suddenly, she rushed at him, threw her arms around him, laughing. “Oh, Daddy!” she cried. “Aunt Arlene and Uncle Kip told me you had gone to heaven.”
“They were wrong,” he whispered into her ear. “I’m right here with you, my Rabbit.” He held her back and looked at her. “You’ve grown so; you’re a big girl, now.”
“I’m going to be six next month,” she said.
“I know, sweetheart, and I’m going to get you a wonderful present. Six is a very important birthday; you’ll be going to school in the fall.”
“Where’s Mommy?” she asked. “They said she was in heaven, too.”
“She is in heaven, sweetheart, but she looks down on you, and she knows what a wonderful little girl you are.” He was having trouble maintaining his composure; his throat was tightening up.
“I have a new little cousin,” Carrie said. “He’s in the backyard in the stroller. Would you like to see him?”
“I would in just a minute, Rabbit. Why don’t you go and make sure he’s all right, and Aunt Arlene and I will be out in a few minutes.”
She gave him a big kiss on the cheek. “Don’t be long,” she said, then ran out the back door.
“Jesse, I want you to understand,” Arlene said. “We never set out to steal Carrie from you; we thought you would spend the rest of your life in prison. We couldn’t bear the thought of Carrie being put up for adoption; Kip and I both thought it was better that you didn’t know where she was.”
“I believe you, Arlene,” Jesse said. “But you understand, things are different now.”
“Are they so very different, Jesse? Kip hasn’t told me in any detail what you’re doing, but it was my distinct impression that your life is constantly in danger. Do you think you’re ready to make a home for Carrie?”
“Arlene, my life was constantly in danger when I was working undercover in Miami, and yes, I think I’m ready to make a home for Carrie. I’ve remarried, and she’ll have a sister.”
“I don’t know how to argue with you,” she said. “Carrie has missed you so much. She still talks about you all the time.”
“Thanks for telling me that,” Jesse replied. “Now, I don’t have much time, and I’d better call Kip.” He went to the wall phone and dialed the office number.
“She would never call us Mommy and Daddy,” Arlene said quietly, and a tear ran down her cheek.
“This is Fuller,” Kip said.
“Kip, it’s Jesse.”
“Did you miss your plane?”
“I’m afraid so; I had another stop to make.”
“Another stop?”
“I’m at your house.”
Kip made a sort of strangling noise before he could speak. “Jesse, if you lay a hand on any of them, I swear I’ll have you back in jail today.”
“Kip, Kip; there’s no need for that. Everything is going to be all right.”
“What do you want, Jesse?”
“It’s very simple; I want my little girl.”
“Jesse, you can’t; we’ve adopted her, and it’s all perfectly legal.”
“Kip, take a couple of deep breaths, and listen to me.”
“Let me speak to Arlene.”
Jesse looked at the phone and saw a speaker button; he pressed it. “Arlene is right here,” he said.
Arlene stepped closer to the phone. “I’m here, Kip; we’re all right. He’s seen Carrie; she knew him.”
“I’m sorry he’s put you through this, honey,” Kip said.
Jesse spoke up. “I’m going to try to make this as easy for everybody as I can, Kip. I’m going to explain this to you and Arlene, so please listen.”
“I’m listening,” Kip said.
“And Kip, it would be a very grave error, bad for everybody, if you called the police.”
“I haven’t called anybody, Jesse; tell me what you want.”
“This is how it’s going to be: Carrie and I are going to leave the house in just a minute. Everything is going to be calm and orderly, and there won’t be any fuss.”
“Jesse, you can’t do this,” Kip said. “You’ll put her in very serious danger.”
“No, I won’t do that, believe me, Kip; she’ll be very safe with me and her new mother.”
“Oh, God,” Kip moaned.
“Arlene is taking this better than you are; now settle down and listen to me.”
“I’m listening.”
“First of all, I’m very grateful to both of you for taking such good care of Carrie. Arlene has explained your reasons for not telling me, and I accept them. Because I’m grateful, I’m going to try and forget that you knew Barker framed me—”
“Jesse, I couldn’t prove it.”
“Kip, listen to me. Barker was the only one who could have done it; you knew that, and Barker knows you know; that’s why he’s letting you run this show. I know you felt badly about it, and that’s why you got me out of prison.”