The Homecoming. Anne Marie Winston

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СКАЧАТЬ she saw Danny’s face and she immediately set her new knowledge aside. “What’s wrong?”

      Danny resumed his seat opposite her at the lovely glass-topped table beneath the umbrella. He sighed. “My brother called with some good news. At least, it’s sort of good news.”

      Sydney raised an eyebrow. “Well, that explains why you look as if your last friend in the world just died.”

      Danny looked at her strangely. “Actually, it’s the very opposite of that.”

      She was intrigued by the statement, and by the air of melancholy that surrounded the handsome man. She’d noticed even through yesterday’s somewhat muddled impressions that Danny rarely smiled. The corners of his mouth turned up a little when something amused him, but his expressions were nearly all variations on a sober theme. What could make a man look like that?

      “I’m sorry,” Danny was saying. “You have enough to worry about. How’s your head feeling?”

      But she wasn’t going to abandon his moment of sharing, regardless of whether he regretted it. Danny needed someone to talk to, she was certain. It would be a small thing to do in return for what he’d done for her. “My head’s fine,” she said firmly. “Tell me what you meant about your friend.”

      Danny hesitated. One long finger traced the rim of his saucer over and over in a gesture she doubted he even knew he was making. “When I was six years old,” he said at last, “my best friend was abducted. A man took him right out of my front yard.”

      She was horrified both by the revelation and by what he hadn’t said. “Did you see it happen?” she asked carefully.

      He nodded.

      “Oh, dear heaven.” Without thinking she reached out and placed her hand atop his. “I’m so sorry.”

      He looked surprised as his gaze locked on her face. “Thank you,” he said. “It was a tough thing to go through.”

      “I can’t imagine,” she responded. When he didn’t speak, she prompted, “You said you had some good news.”

      He nodded. “Apparently, my friend has been found alive. He was living under another name.”

      “Wow.” Realizing she was still holding his hand, she released him and tried unobtrusively to draw her own hand back across the table. “That is good news.”

      “Yes, but he’s been accused of being involved in a kidnapping ring.”

      She shook her head, speechless. Every time he revealed something new, she was sure her mouth was hanging open. “Well,” she finally said, “I can see why you aren’t sure it’s good news. Does his family know?”

      “Trent didn’t say. But I’m sure they must. That’s part of what’s so awful. They held a funeral for him—or at least for a child they thought was him—years ago. And the kidnapping ring has been targeting an adoption and fertility clinic called Children’s Connection, which his parents, the Logans, have supported in a big way.”

      Children’s Connection. The name hit her like a bolt from a clear blue sky. She must have made some sound or expression of shock, because Danny leaned forward, looking alarmed. “What’s wrong?”

      “Children’s Connection is in Portland. Attached to the hospital.”

      This time he was the one who took her hand in a strong grip. “That’s right! You remember that? What else?”

      “I—I’m not from Portland, I’m from Washington state. But I moved to Portland several years ago.” She felt as if she were swimming underwater with her eyes open, seeing things with the blurred vision the water produced. “And I’m Sydney, Sydney…Aston!” she said triumphantly.

      Danny was squeezing her hand tightly and she turned her fingers up without thinking and laced them through his. “That’s terrific,” he said. “You’re remembering.”

      He didn’t sound entirely surprised, and she paused in the middle of the returning memories to glance at him. “You knew already, didn’t you?”

      “Only your name,” he said. “I didn’t know you lived in Portland. That’s interesting. My family is from Portland.”

      “Crosby,” she said, her eyes widening. “You’re one of the Crosby Systems Crosbys?”

      “Yeah.” His lips curved upward in that intriguing little smile. “I guess I am.”

      “How weird is that, that I should be rescued by someone from my own city?” She shook her head. “How did you know my name, anyway?”

      “When I called the police to report finding you, your hotel had reported a woman of your description missing. But the doctor didn’t think I should prompt you.”

      “The Marriott,” she said promptly. “So they know I’m all right?” Then something else floated to the surface of her mind. “Good heavens, I’ve got to call my mother. She’ll be frantic, not hearing from me in two days. She’s keeping my son. I have a son! Nicholas.” She smiled crookedly, feeling tears rise. “I can’t believe I forgot him. He’s five and he’s wonderful and I miss him so much.”

      Danny carefully withdrew his hand from hers and stood. “I’m glad you’re remembering,” he said. “I’ll go call the doctor and let him know.” He turned and started across the terrace toward the house.

      “This is a wonderful day!” she said exuberantly. “Lots of good news.”

      Danny paused for a moment, turning to look at her. “Yes,” he said, “lots of good news.” But his expression was odd—remote, as if he were no longer involved in their conversation but merely a disinterested observer.

      Her euphoria dropped a notch as he left the lanai. Sipping her juice, she thought back over their conversation. When she’d begun to tell him what she remembered, he disappeared. What had happened to cause that reaction? He’d withdrawn as surely as if he’d pulled a curtain down between them.

      Leilani, the housekeeper who’d been so kind to her, came out to the table with a covered dish, which she set on a trivet with a conch-shell beside Sydney’s plate. “Macadamia-nut pancakes, eggs Benedict and fresh pineapple,” she said, whipping the shiny cover off with a flourish. “Guaranteed to put some meat on your skinny little bones.”

      Sydney forced a laugh, though her thoughts were still on Danny. “Thank you,” she said. “Sounds delicious.”

      “Where Danny go?” Leilani asked, looking around.

      Sydney shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

      Leilani made a plainly disgruntled sound beneath her breath. “Dat boy,” she said, “need something to distract him from his troubles. But if he won’t stick around and talk to you, how he gonna distract himself?”

      Before Sydney could ask what she meant by that cryptic comment, the housekeeper had vanished, leaving her to eat her breakfast on the beautiful patio overlooking the ocean. From here she could see the green hills and red cliffs of Kauai, the island from which she’d come, and the marvelous blue shades of the water between.

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