Falling for the Nanny (9 page)

All the same, she took the stick with her.

 

T
HE CRACKING SOUNDS FROM
within made Alec hesitate on the doorstep. Patty must be playing pool solo, since he didn't see any other cars in front of the house, but the hard, thunking noises didn't bode well as to her mood. This was exactly the kind of defender Fiona needed, though: determined and fierce.

He rang the bell. A moment later, the door opened onto an unadorned entryway. To one side, Patty poised, half-shielded by the door, pool cue in hand.

“It's just me,” Alec said.

Steady gray eyes took in his short-sleeved shirt and pressed jeans. “How do you manage that?”

“What?”

“To wear old grubbies like they were a Brooks Brothers suit.” She gestured at her own loose T-shirt above a pair of work pants frayed around the hems.

“When my clothes get worn, I give them to the poor,” he said. “Are you going to let me in or do I need to go roll in the mud first?”

As she moved back, he noticed the slim shape of her bare
feet, and when she turned, the way the oversize shirt clung to her breasts made his body tighten.
Stop that.

“What brings you here this fine morning, Dr. Denny?” she inquired coolly.

“Please don't use the doctor thing.” He instantly regretted the edge to his voice. But did he have to feel so aware of her as a woman? If it took a trace of irritability to keep her and his own reactions at bay, fine.

“Don't worry. I'm not going to faint into your arms and beg for mouth-to-mouth. Besides, as Mike told you, CPR is our department.” She closed the door, revealing a Spartan living room in which a worn couch and chairs faced a large TV screen. The setup was perfect for watching ball games, and there was nothing on the coffee table but a couple of mug-shaped rings.

“This place suits you.” When was the last time he'd simply hung out, losing track of time and forgetting about looming responsibilities? But he'd taken on his responsibilities willingly. And, in Fiona's case, with his entire heart and soul.

“This is mostly Leo's stuff, from before he moved in with Nora.” Patty padded ahead of him into the kitchen and indicated a half-full pot of coffee. “Care for some?”

“No, thanks. I won't be staying long. I'm here on business.” Yet, in this relaxed setting, the little speech he'd prepared about them both being professionals seemed stuffy and unconvincing.

“Yeah?” Patty's mouth worked expressively.

Her mouth had always been one of her best features. Last night, he'd thrashed around in bed all night, dreaming of her heated eagerness and passionate kiss.
And you are not going to think about that again.

“I want to hire you. So does my mother,” Alec blurted.

“Did your mommy write a note?”

“Yes,” he retorted. “It says, ‘Dear Miss Hartman, the
Denny family requests the honor of your services at my granddaughter's birthday party next Saturday at Krazy Kids Pizza.' That's where Sabrina's most likely to make her move. Also, our nanny freaked out when she heard there was a threat. We really need you, even if it's just through next weekend. And those notes you took yesterday—you're halfway to putting together a plan already. Just a few days, that's all I'm asking.”

He paused to catch his breath. Funny how he could supervise a complex scientific organization and deal with a difficult, abrasive boss, but barely kept from fidgeting beneath Patty's skeptical stare.

“Your mother agreed to hire me?” she said.

“She thinks you're perfect for the job. So do I.”

For half a minute, Patty appeared to mull it over. “Cancel the pizza party,” she said.

“I beg your pardon?”

She shrugged. “You wanted my advice.”

He hadn't come here to be dismissed so lightly, especially with his daughter's safety at stake. Abruptly, Alec lost his taste for humoring Patty. “If you refuse to work for me, that's your choice. But I expect to be treated with common courtesy.”

As they faced off across the linoleum, he caught a familiar pugnacious set to her shoulders, and had a brief mental image of Patty launching herself forward and tackling him. Well, let her try. A flip remark like that was uncalled for, and he intended to stand his ground.

“I'll take the job,” she said. “Through next weekend, anyway.”

He wasn't sure he'd heard correctly. “You will?”

“If you cancel the party,” Patty amended.

“You were serious about that?”

“A pizza place is wide-open. No way to secure it, even with Mike on hand. If your ex intends to make trouble, especially if she brings help, we can't be everywhere at once.”

He'd misjudged her comment, Alec realized. He should have known Patty wasn't simply yanking his chain. “How about if we move it instead of canceling?”

“There's a private clubhouse at your condo complex,” she said. “That should work.”

“I'll see if it's available. If not, we'll hold the party at my place.” He could handle half a dozen tykes for one afternoon.

“I'll arrange for Mike to come with me tomorrow to take another look around. We'll go over our plan then. Any chance your mother and the nanny could be there, too?”

“Mom wouldn't miss it. As for Tatum, she has a low tolerance for scary topics. It's better if I fill her in later.” He felt as if he was racing to keep up with this rapid flow of requests.

“Let me check Mike's schedule and get back to you.” Patty reached out and shook his hand. Firmly. Impersonally.

Pleased as he was by this development, Alec wished to understand it. “What changed your mind?”

“About what?”

“Working for me.”

Patty regarded him with a level expression. This was Officer Hartman, or, rather, Detective Hartman, Alec thought, struck by how little he knew his old friend, after all.

“For one thing, that pizza-party plan demonstrated that you people have no idea how to guard against a possible abduction,” she responded.

“What's the other thing?”

She gave a faint smile. “If your mother really did request me, I wouldn't want her to think I hold grudges.”

“Glad to hear it.” Alec would have enjoyed lingering, but he'd learned that once you negotiated an agreement, it was time to leave. No hanging around, no snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. “See you tomorrow.”

“I'll call you in the morning to set a time.”

So this was the new Patty, he mused as he went down the steps between neatly clipped bushes. Across the street, a teenage boy pushed a lawn mower noisily over the grass. Two little girls skipped rope while a terrier darted around them, yipping excitedly.

Alec wasn't convinced Patty had told him the whole story about why she'd changed her mind. He was just grateful that she had.

By early Monday evening, when Patty and Mike met with Alec and his mother, they'd prepared a list of recommendations broken down into categories. Immediate steps—changing the alarm codes, rekeying locks and coordinating with condo management and security—were only the beginning.

To Patty's satisfaction, Alec assured her he'd reported his ex-wife's threat to the police. They'd asked him to keep them informed if she did anything else suspicious.

After visiting the clubhouse, which turned out to be available on Saturday, the four of them toured the premises and repaired to Darlene's unit. Meeting there allowed Fiona and Tatum to stay undisturbed at home, and gave Patty a chance to assess the downstairs condo, which needed a stronger lock on the sliding patio door.

Now, sitting on the flowery furniture amid the scent of sweet rolls Darlene had baked for them, Patty watched Alec's reaction during Mike's presentation. A muscle quirking in his jaw, he listened intently, taking it all in with the keenness of a father preparing to defend his young.

She'd never thought of Alec as a warrior, but while he certainly lacked formal training, she had no doubt that he'd leap to take action. Much as she admired his devotion, she was glad when Mike said, “Whichever one of us, Patty or I, is present when anything occurs, you and everyone else should
follow our lead. No matter how much you want to play hero, don't. That's our job.”

Darlene nodded, wide-eyed. Alec considered for a moment before he, too, conceded.

Mike continued with their list. He planned to meet with the complex's manager, ensure that landscapers and other workmen were screened and coordinate with the condo's security personnel. In addition to conducting random patrols to watch for suspicious activity, he and Patty would talk to the neighbors. “Not only do they need to know who we are and why we're here, they're on the premises 24/7. They can be our eyes and ears.”

Darlene gave a small shudder. To her credit, she accepted their expertise and didn't ask if this was really necessary.

“I've done some preliminary checking on Eduardo Patron,” Mike went on, his tall frame nearly overwhelming one of the delicate chairs. Normally, he wouldn't have done this much work without first receiving a retainer, but he'd picked up Patty's concern and had pressed ahead. “He appears to be a legitimate businessman with a colorful personal life. His wife, Paloma, is a former TV actress with a hot temper, and he's had a couple of affairs. This appears to be the first time he's sought a divorce, though.”

“If Sabrina does manage to take Fiona to Argentina, do you think this woman might get violent? Toward Fiona, I mean?” Darlene obviously didn't care about any risk to her ex-daughter-in-law.

“No telling, but we'll do our best to keep it from going that far,” Mike assured her. “My question is whether Sabrina Denny might harm her own daughter, accidentally or otherwise.”

That she might was hard for Patty to imagine, but Alec looked uncertain. “I don't believe she'd intentionally hurt Fiona, but there's no telling what she might do. Given the
way she endangered our daughter once…” He trailed off, obviously disturbed by the memory.

“She fits right in with this guy Patron's taste in women. One of his former lovers was a Peruvian newswoman who attacked him with scissors when he broke up with her,” Mike said. “Made the newspapers down there.”

“I don't understand why Sabrina's making such an issue of getting her hands on Fiona.” Darlene pushed through the quaver in her voice. “It's not as if she's much of a mother.”

“I long ago stopped trying to understand people's behavior in divorce situations,” Mike admitted.

Patty had an idea of how the woman might be thinking. “This Eduardo character appears to have a short attention span. With his wife screaming bloody murder, Sabrina may be grasping for a way to draw his attention back to herself.”

“You mean she's putting my granddaughter in jeopardy just to stir things up with her boyfriend?” Darlene's face puckered as if she'd like to bite someone, and there was no question about who that someone was.

“I wouldn't put it past her,” Alec muttered tightly.

“On the plus side, we don't seem to be dealing with professional criminals, although we can't rule out the possibility that she'll hire someone,” Mike went on in his usual steady tone. “On the downside, she's unpredictable. Still, this isn't the movies—she's not going to parachute onto the roof. From a practical standpoint, we need to assess when your daughter will be most vulnerable.”

Alec leaned forward. He'd come straight from work, wearing tailored slacks and a button-down shirt open at the throat. Remembering the hardness of his chest as she'd stroked it the other night, Patty had to tear her gaze away.

“I switched her bedroom with Tatum's, as Patty recommended,” he said. “What else should we worry about?”

Patty took the lead for this part of the presentation, as she
and Mike had planned. “Anytime she's away from home, someone could grab her. Playing in a park, shopping, getting in and out of the car.”

“We can't lock her up!” Darlene protested.

“If there's an immediate threat, that's exactly what we'd advise,” Mike told her. “It's up to Dr.—excuse me, Mr. Denny—to determine how much risk he's willing to take.”

“I'd like to hire Patty to accompany Fiona whenever she's off the premises,” Alec replied thoughtfully. “At least for the next week, until we see how this plays out.”

That meant spending a lot of time with the little girl. Patty actually looked forward to it, and fortunately, she doubted she'd need to be alone with Alec. Because no matter how hard she concentrated, she always felt a subtle hum of awareness in his presence.

“Also, be careful whenever she moves between your condo and your mother's,” Patty warned. “When I'm not around, it would be best to keep her on the second floor exclusively. And we'll have to teach her to take precautions. It's a good idea for children to learn some basic self-protection rules, anyway.”

“She's an innocent little kid. I hate having to do this.” Alec's fists clenched and unclenched. “Are you sure this isn't too much?”

“That's up to you to decide,” Mike said. “But I recommend that we start immediately.”

Alec took only a second to think it over. “All right. Even if it's overkill, it's worth it.”

From his briefcase, Mike produced a contract. Although Alec blanched when he saw the cost, he raised no objection. After signing the form, he wrote a check for what Patty knew must be a substantial amount.

“I'll go liaise with condo management while Patty talks to your daughter and her nanny.” After rising, Mike shook hands all around. “Mrs. Denny, please take extra precautions for
your own safety. Call upstairs to let them know when you're coming, and also when you return safely to your condo. Check the elevator and the stairwell before exiting public view.”

Darlene's hand fluttered to her chest. “You think I might be in danger?”

“There's a chance Sabrina might confront you in some way,” Mike said. “Do you live alone here? Patty mentioned a housekeeper. What hours does she work?”

Alec looked exasperated. “That's an ongoing problem. Marla has health issues, and she's sent a series of nieces in her stead. They haven't been particularly reliable.”

“Not a good situation—” Mike started to say, until Darlene waved her hand, as if asking permission to speak. “Yes, Mrs. Denny?”

“In all the excitement, I forgot to mention that Marla called yesterday to say she's sending her cousin Rosita. She apologized for all the problems and said Rosita's very mature and experienced. She starts day after tomorrow.”

“On Wednesday? That's good news. At least, I hope so.” Alec didn't sound convinced.

“That's another issue—background checks,” Mike said. “We can run those on your staff and the people close to you.”

“Whatever you think is necessary.” Alec got to his feet. “Let's not delay any longer. Tatum's supposed to be off duty, and I hate taking advantage of her.”

Within minutes, Patty and Alec were on their way upstairs. She was glad to hear Darlene locking the dead bolt behind them.

“This situation doesn't quite feel real to me,” Alec admitted as he followed Patty up the steps.

“You're not used to it. I am.” She kept her eyes forward, trying not to think about how appealing he'd looked downstairs with his shirt collar open and his slim-fitting pants
emphasizing the hard length of his legs. For the duration of this assignment, he was the client. Nothing more and nothing less.

“You like this kind of work?” he asked.

“I like protecting people.” She paused at a movement on the second-floor walkway. A teenage boy, backpack in place, was letting himself out of a unit. “Hey,” he said as he passed them, and Patty responded in kind.

She didn't see anyone else around, and Alec had to undo a dead bolt to get inside. So far, so good.

But with his ex-wife involved in a soap-opera relationship, Patty didn't discount anything. Up to and including parachutes on the roof.

 

D
ESPITE
P
ATTY'S EFFORT
to explain their plans in a nonthreatening manner, Alec could tell things weren't going well with Tatum.

Already tired from spending the day switching bedrooms, the nanny wore an uneasy expression as she learned that she'd have a bodyguard with her whenever she and Fiona went out. “What about when I'm alone?” she demanded. “Your ex-wife knows me on sight.”

In the two years since Alec had gained custody, Sabrina had bristled on the few occasions when Tatum was around during supervised visits, as if the nanny were somehow partly responsible for the situation. Sabrina never hesitated to take out her ill temper on whoever was nearby, and she'd homed in on this vulnerable target. After a few unpleasant encounters, Alec had made sure Tatum was elsewhere whenever his ex-wife made an appearance.

“After this weekend, I suspect her mother will have other things on her mind,” he told the young woman, who was tugging uneasily at her thick braid.

Fiona hugged her favorite stuffed bunny. “Mommy's coming to my party, isn't she?”

“She might.” The custody order allowed Sabrina to see her daughter on her birthday, so Alec could hardly forbid it, but visits with Sabrina were uncertain affairs, with frequent delays and no-shows. Still, he understood that his little girl loved her mother. “And Fiona, we're going to have it here at the clubhouse instead of Krazy Kids Pizza.”

His daughter stared at him in distress. “But you promised! I want clowns and games!”

“We'll have better games.” His mother had promised to call a party planner in the morning.
Please let somebody be available on short notice.

“I want my pizza party!” Fiona cried with all the pent-up emotion of a child who, Alec had to admit, had been through a lot. She'd been forced out of her bedroom today, on top of the recent move away from her friends. While he and Darlene had managed to invite a few children for Saturday, she scarcely knew them.

“I'll make balloon animals,” Tatum promised.

“I want my pizza party!” Fiona had latched on to a theme and she was sticking to it.

Tatum's eyes glistened. “I'm sorry I can't be more helpful,” she told Alec, “but this is more than I bargained for.”

“I'm sorry for all the extra demands we've placed on you.” He tried to sound soothing despite his ragged mood. Mostly he was furious with his ex-wife for creating so much trouble. “You've gone above and beyond the call of duty.”

“Take a break,” Patty advised the nanny. “We'll deal with this.”

With a short nod, Tatum fled down the hall. Alec heard her go into a bedroom, then come out and go into another one. Still unused to the change.

Fiona's lower lip quivered mutinously. “My party! You promised, Daddy!”

“I know, but…”
But I'd do anything in the world to keep you safe. Even make you angry with me.

Patty knelt on the carpet by Fiona's chair. “Aren't you going to introduce me to your bunny?”

The little girl regarded her suspiciously. Finally, she said, “This is Hoppity.”

“What's wrong with his ear?” Solemnly, Patty examined the frayed rabbit.

“It's busted. Me and Tatum patched it.” She sent a quick glance at Alec. “I mean, Tatum and me.”

Still ungrammatical, but right now, he couldn't have cared less.

“Looks like the Band-Aid's coming off.” Patty indicated the nearly unfastened patch. “Hoppity needs surgery. That's the only permanent cure.”

What was she getting at? If this was a ploy to short-circuit his daughter's hysteria, it could backfire. Fiona wasn't a two-year-old with a short attention span.

“You mean like in a hospital?” Fiona regarded Patty curiously.

“Yes.” Patty set the bunny back in the little girl's arms. “I saw an article in the newspaper once about a teddy bear clinic to help children feel comfortable visiting the doctor. We could do something like that for your party.”

“A teddy bear clinic?” That was a great idea. Alec had to give Patty credit, too, for taking his daughter's feelings seriously. “I could round up bandages and other supplies.”

“It would be good to have a nurse in uniform. Think Bailey would do it?” Patty asked.

He nodded, relief flooding him. One minute, he'd been dreading the event, and now he could see how much fun they'd
have. “We'll invite the other kids to bring their old stuffed animals.”

“Can we run tests like you do, Daddy?” Fiona asked.

“You bet.” He would figure something out. Hmm. Teddy bear infertility—could be an emerging medical field.