Page 78 of Almost Dead (The Cahills 2)

Cissy couldn’t think of anything to say.

Tanya was already reaching for her coat, which hung on the hall tree in the foyer. “Call the nanny school; they have girls they need to place.” She slipped her arms through the sleeves of her raincoat and flipped the hood over her head. “Be sure to mention that you’ve got a dog. It’s kind of a big deal. And…while I’m giving out advice, maybe you should see a shrink. I know you’ve been through a lot, but I think you should talk it over with someone instead of taking it out on me.” With that she walked through the door, slamming it shut behind her.

Cissy stood in the middle of the hallway.

What had just happened?

The nanny had fired her?

Shoving her hair from her face, she started upstairs when a horrid thought hit her.

What if Tanya’s lying? What if Jack hadn’t been by? What if B.J. wasn’t with him? It seemed crazy to think that the nanny was hiding something. Why then would she wait for Cissy?

Who says she was waiting? Maybe you caught her before she left. Maybe that’s what the furtive phone call on the patio was all about.

No way. She was probably just calling about another job. Don’t make more of it than there is.

Cissy grabbed the handheld phone and quickly punched out the number of Jack’s cell phone. One ring. Two. “Come on, pick up.” Three rings. Cissy walked to the front window and stared into the black night. No one was out there, and Tanya was long gone, her car no longer parked across the street. Four rings. “Jack, come on!” she nearly screamed as, with a series of clicks, the connection went to voice mail. Nervously tapping one foot, she waited as the mechanical voice told her to leave a message after the tone. “Jack, it’s Cissy. Do you have Beej? I’m home, and I’ve had a horrible day, and Tanya said that—”

Headlights showed down the street. They moved closer until they reached the driveway, then splashed against the wall as Jack’s Jeep wheeled into the driveway. Cissy was out the door in a flash. “Have you got Beej?” she asked as Jack climbed from behind the wheel.

“Didn’t Tanya tell you?” He looked around and said, “Oh hell, she took off! I told her—”

“No, no. She told me…she was here. It’s my fault that I’m freaked out. I had a hellish day!” She was already across the lawn and opening the back door of the Jeep to find her son staring up at her with wide eyes.

“Hi, Mom-mee!” he said, and his legs kicked in excitement.

She unbuckled and unsnapped him and pulled him tight against her. He hugged her neck.

“You miss me?”

“Oh yeah, honey, Mommy missed you big time.”

“Big time,” he repeated as Jack pulled out two white sacks that smelled of garlic, tomato sauce, and cheese.

“Takeout Italian,” he said, “and definitely not pizza. So, you had a bad day?”

Cissy’s mind replayed the image of Marla in the doorway. “You wouldn’t believe,” she muttered as they headed across the lawn to the still-open front door.

“Try me.”

“Later, when B.J.’s asleep.”

“Would wine and scampi primavera help?”

Her stomach rumbled. She didn’t know whether she wanted to laugh or cry.

Seeing her, Jack said, “Ciss…?”

“Yes. Wine and scam

pi primavera.” She smiled shakily at him.

“We’ve also got old-fashioned spaghetti and meatballs and Caesar salad.”

“Perfect.”

“You look like you’re about to fall down.”

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