“Jeremy walked straight into his classroom. I stayed in the doorway and told him I’d be standing right there after school. He waved to me with a smile. I took it that he was giving me permission to leave, so I came home. So far, so good.”
Vic nodded. “I shouldn’t keep you from your interview.” He stepped away from her door.
“I’ll hurry home after. Oh—I made a fresh pot of coffee. I also wrapped up some roast beef sandwiches for you. They’re in the fridge.”
“Thank you. Take the rest of the day off. I’ll pick up Jeremy. We’ll see you at dinner.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive. Good luck today.”
Though he’d said the words, the selfish part of him hoped she’d turn the job down flat if it was offered to her. He’d offered her a matching salary, but she hadn’t wanted it. Why would she when the nanny job was only a means to an end?
After she drove away, he went inside the house and poured himself a cup of coffee. Now that the crisis was over and he had his boy back, he should be feeling on top of the world. Instead his life seemed to have taken a new twist that left him anxious and dissatisfied.
Feeling totally out of sorts, he phoned Kit, who’d been assigned to a new case. Vic reached his friend’s voice mail, but decided not to leave a message and hung up. Luckey and Cy were busy on other cases, too.
Vic realized he would quickly go out of his mind with no work to do. He’d like to take Jeremy out of school today and go on vacation. But he couldn’t, not when he had therapy and needed to get Jeremy’s therapy started. They could vacation later.
He grabbed a sandwich from the fridge and called Mercy Hospital to set up an appointment for Jeremy with Dr. King. The therapist had been told about Jeremy and made arrangements for him to come in tomorrow at four thirty in the afternoon. Tomorrow was his son’s last day of school. There was going to be a classroom party.
Much as Vic dreaded it, he called the employment agency where he’d found both nannies before. They had his history in the files and were delighted to help him out again. After waiting a minute, he was told there were six women of different ages who’d applied for a nanny position. When did he want to meet them?
After some hesitation, he arranged for them to come at staggered times Monday and Tuesday after lunch. He’d be back from his therapy sessions and Jeremy would be home to meet the applicants. Claire had promised she’d be there, too, in order to help them make the final decision.
For the next while he went outside to wash his truck and car. Then he called his sister-in-law, Carol, and brought her up to date. Following that conversation, he phoned forensics to find out if they had found Jeremy’s backpack in Leroy’s truck when it had been confiscated. He was told they had it and he could come by for it at any time. He needed some good news about now and went to get it before any more time lapsed.
By the time Vic had showered and dressed, it was time to pick up Jeremy. He drove to the school and went inside to wait for him outside his classroom. The kids were finishing a math assignment. In another minute the bell would ring. His son sat at his desk with his notebook closed. If he’d finished his work, he had to be the only one.
All of a sudden he turned his head toward the door. When he saw Vic, he got up from the table and quietly walked toward him with his notebook. His teacher waved to Vic as if to say “it’s okay.”
Jeremy didn’t say anything until they were at the car. “Where’s Claire?”
“She’s out doing some shopping.” It was probably the truth, just not all of it. The time for explanation would come when they got home.
Vic knew his son was being very careful not to display emotion in front of the other kids at school, but he remained just as quiet on the way home. “Do you wish I hadn’t come to get you?” he asked.
“Kind of.”
“Because it isn’t what dads do?”
“I don’t want the kids to think I’m a sissy.”
“I get it, sport. Sorry if I embarrassed you.”
“That’s okay.”
He frowned. “Jeremy? Was it hard to be at school today?”
“Dad? Do we have to talk about it?”
Vic blinked. “Nope. What would you like to do?”
“Go home and ride Comet.”
“Want to stop and get a treat first?”
“I’m not hungry. Claire said she was going to make tacos for dinner.”