Wakefield College 01 - Where It May Lead by Janice Kay Johnson Read Free Book Online

faith and by the fact that he seemed to be more
than okay with the idea of her being really good at her job, she said goodbye
and parted from him. She couldn’t resist the temptation to turn and watch him
stride away. Although he clearly wasn’t in any hurry, he moved purposefully and
his head turned to take in his surroundings. It wouldn’t be easy to take him by
surprise. Probably that was characteristic of cops.
    Walking back to Mem, Madison speculated on what it would be
like to be involved with someone in law enforcement. Did he talk about his job?
He hadn’t so far, but then she hadn’t asked. Would he be moody when he came home
after seeing awful things? Had he ever shot anyone? She’d read that cops had a
high divorce rate and a high rate of alcoholism, too. Troy had made a point out
of mentioning that he wasn’t a drinker. The subject of previous marriages hadn’t
yet arisen. At his age, it was entirely possible he had a divorce behind him,
she thought, not liking the idea.
    Reality check. They’d had one date. One coffee break. She was
getting way ahead of herself.
    Still, as the afternoon went on she found herself thinking
about both Troy and, perhaps inevitably, their respective fathers. How well had
the two known each other? They had surely been in a number of classes together.
She realized that it bothered her more than ever how little she knew about her
father’s years here. Why it mattered she couldn’t have said, but it felt weird
that he would have known all the alumni arriving tomorrow. Chances were that
there were former friends of his among them, even girlfriends. Madison’s last
name was uncommon, so someone might make the connection. She hated to have to
say, “Gee, no, Dad never mentioned you.”
    She gave serious thought that evening to calling him, but he
was in Tokyo and she had no idea what the time difference was. He was
undoubtedly asleep in his hotel room during her waking hours. He’d be irritated
if she happened to get him awake but when he was doing business, which included
all meals. And...what would he say, anyway?
    She could hear him irritably admitting he knew Joseph Troyer. What did he end up as? He would grunt when she
told him. A small-town banker sounds about right. No
ambition. Her father did condescension very well.
    Why, she asked herself, do I even want to call my
father?
    As always, she was embarrassed by the answer.
    Because he’s all I have.
    * * *
    T ROY HAD BEGUN to think he wouldn’t
like either of Madison’s parents. He doubted she had any idea how much she’d
given away when she was talking about her mother. It had been enough to make him
hurt for the little girl she’d been. Or had she been older? A teenager, maybe?
He would have to ask.
    He’d reserve judgment where the dad was concerned. Somebody had
to have done something right, or Madison wouldn’t be the woman she was. Did an
unhappy child ever learn to smile with unalloyed delight the way she did?
    Troy put in a few hours at his desk at the station, finishing
up reports and making phone calls, but she stayed on his mind. She’d been there
since he first set eyes on her, and he wished like hell they were having dinner
again tonight. He didn’t like knowing they wouldn’t be able to do more than
exchange a few words at the crowded reception tomorrow night, either.
    Patience, he told himself. Madison
wouldn’t always be as busy as she was this weekend. He should be glad to have
the chance to watch her at work. He’d learn more about her that way than he
would on a dozen dinner dates.
    Not a day passed that he didn’t wish his father was still
alive. The need to talk to Dad was even fiercer than usual right now. Driving
home, Troy thought about everything he wished he could ask. He was curious what
his father thought about these classmates, starting with Guy Laclaire. He’d have
liked Dad to meet Madison. And he was bugged that he hadn’t pushed harder when
Dad said so little about the