The Midas Legacy (Wilde/Chase 12) by Andy McDermott Read Free Book Online Page A

smiling, there was still a critical undercurrent to her greeting. ‘Look, Macy! Here’s your mommy.’
    ‘Hi, Mommy!’ squealed Macy Wilde Chase, running to meet her mother. Nina hugged her, noticing to her dismay that her daughter’s coat was the only one left on the hooks. ‘We painted pictures today! I painted a ship, because Daddy’s on one. Do you want to see?’
    ‘I’d love to, honey,’ Nina replied. Macy skipped away to get it. ‘I’m so sorry I’m late,’ she told Penny. ‘I was helping with my old job at the United Nations, and Eddie . . .’ She remembered the couple’s discussion after he escaped the temple. ‘I had to make sure he finished what he was doing.’
    ‘That’s fine,’ said Penny. ‘But it’s not going to be a regular problem, is it? We’re more than happy to have some flexibility around parents’ schedules, but we need to know in advance.’
    ‘No, no, this was a one-time thing. It seems.’ She tried not to sound too despondent about being cut out of what had been her profession.
    ‘Have you considered hiring a nanny? I can recommend some good people.’
    ‘I don’t think we’re quite ready for that, thanks,’ Nina said as her daughter returned bearing a large sheet of paper. ‘Is this your painting?’
    ‘Yes, it is!’ Macy said, pointing out aspects of her finger-painted masterwork. ‘That’s the sea, and that’s the boat Daddy’s on, and that’s a fish, and that’s a sumb . . . sub . . . submarine!’
    ‘Wow, that’s really good,’ Nina told her. For a three-year-old, it was quite advanced, everything Macy indicated a distinct object rather than a splodgy agglomeration, though rough circles and triangles were the limit of her artistic talents. ‘Is Daddy there too?’
    ‘He’s on the sumbarine!’ She jabbed at a pink thumbprint.
    Nina smiled. ‘It’s a very good likeness. I’m sure he’ll want to see it when he gets home. Let’s put on your coat.’
    ‘When is he coming home?’ Macy asked.
    ‘He’ll be back tomorrow.’
    ‘Tomorrow!’ The little girl looked stricken. ‘But he always reads me a story for bedtime!’
    ‘I’ll read you one tonight, hon. The one Daddy wrote for you, about the eggs?’
    ‘But Daddy does the funny voices. You can’t do funny voices.’
    ‘Daddy has an advantage because he’s got a funny voice,’ said Nina. She put Macy’s arms into her sleeves. ‘Okay, are you ready? I’ll take your painting, and you hold my other hand. Say bye-bye to Penny.’
    They started for the exit. At the door, Nina paused, feeling a strange sense of incongruity. Less than an hour ago she had been involved in an archaeological expedition deep beneath the sea, and now she was collecting her daughter from school and discussing bedtime stories.
    There was another feeling, too. It took her a moment to work out what it was, and when she did, guilt joined her emotions.
    The abrupt return to everyday normality had left her disappointed .

3
    ‘I’m back!’ Eddie called as he entered the apartment.
    ‘Daddy!’ cried Macy, rushing to hug him. ‘You’re home!’
    ‘Hi, love!’ He kissed her. ‘Where’s Mummy?’
    ‘Mommy,’ his wife and daughter corrected as one as Nina joined them. ‘I am so happy to see you. Safe and well.’
    ‘And in one piece,’ said Eddie. He scooped Macy up. ‘Wow, look at you! I’m away for a couple of days and it looks like you’ve grown another inch.’
    ‘Did you see fish in the sea, Daddy?’ she asked.
    ‘Quite a few. They went like this: bloop-bloop-bloop .’ He mimed a big-lipped fish blowing kisses. Macy giggled.
    ‘Did they bring the Secret Codex back to the IHA?’ Nina asked as they went into the lounge.
    ‘Yeah, Nerio took it. He was supposed to work at Atlantis for a few more days, but after what happened, they decided to give him a break.’
    ‘It was a close call. I wish I’d been there with you.’
    Eddie sat, Macy hopping off his knee and running from the room.