His shock at not getting the answer he expected contributed to a far blunter response to that than he would normally have given.
“He’s not living, actually. He died a few months back.”
“Oh, Khizar, I’m so sorry. I know it’s hard to lose someone.”
She sounded completely sincere, concerned for him and sad for his friend.
Khizar didn’t know what to say next. James’ information had been solid, but maybe he had somehow managed to track down the wrong relative? Was there another Jacqueline Bauer in Milwaukee?
Or was Jacqui lying to him? The diamond was worth enough that people had done crazy things in a quest to buy or steal it from Bill; if she was aware of its value, she might have known exactly who he was the whole time and what his goal was. Maybe she’d been playing him all along?
He spared a moment to feel some guilt at his thought that Jacqui might have lied to him. Khizar had certainly concealed his intent in courting her, taking it to the extreme of proposing without any intention of marrying her. If she had done the same, it was only fair.
He tried one more time. “So you don’t have any idea who William Bauer is?”
Jacqui lifted her head, propping herself up on his chest.
“I don’t, I’m sorry. It’s funny that we have the same last name, but that’s all.”
The earnestness in her eyes convinced him that she was telling the truth. And now, Khizar didn’t know what to do. Jacqui was his only lead, and if she wasn’t related to Bill—or if she was but didn’t know—he wasn’t sure what to do next.
If Jacqui wasn’t his path to the diamond, was it time to leave? His heart gave a sudden, wild thump at that idea and his brain echoed it. Khizar didn’t like the idea of just leaving Jacqui anymore. He liked her, maybe even more than liked her.
What if he was meant to find Jacqui all along?
Khizar mulled that thought over for the rest of the night, long after he and Jacqui went back to her apartment. As he fell asleep, his arms wrapped around her, he couldn’t shake the thought that maybe, all this time, he’d been looking for the wrong thing.
Chapter 11
Jacqui
18 Years Before
It was her birthday! Her last birthday had gone mostly unnoticed, but this one was going to be different.
Her new mom and dad had promised her a party with cake and balloons and other kids. They’d filled the backyard of their modest suburban home with games like pin the tail on the donkey and a ring toss. There was even a little bouncy house!
Eight-year-old Jacqui ran around playing with the other kids, most of them from her neighborhood or in her class at school. She had stopped to get a drink of punch when her new mom called her over.
“Jacqui, you have a visitor. Come say hello.”
Jacqui ran over and saw her mom talking to an old man, with white hair and wrinkles. He was dressed funny, in pants with pockets all over them and a beat-up leather jacket. He looked kind of like the picture their teacher had showed them of somebody who dug in the dirt for old buildings and tombs and stuff.
He was carrying a big stuffed teddy bear, and when Jacqui stopped next to them, the man knelt down on one knee next to her and held the bear out.
“Hi, Jacqui. Thank you for letting me interrupt your party for a minute. I wanted to give you a birthday present.”
He held out the bear and Jacqui looked at her mom, who nodded. Jacqui took the bear in her arms; it was really heavy. But it was soft and brown and had giant sad eyes that made Jacqui want to give it hugs. She decided she would call it Alexander Bear. Her real daddy’s name had been Alexander, and for some reason, this bear made her think of him.
Jacqui looked up at the old man. He looked nice and a little sad, like the bear.
She hugged the bear hard and said, “Thank you.”
He smiled. “You’re welcome. Keep the bear with you, Jacqui. Don’t ever lose him, okay?”
Jacqui nodded in the vigorous way of eight-year-olds. “Okay.”
“One day, when you’re older, you’ll learn that this bear has a very special secret. So you must take good care of him until then, okay?”
“I promise,” Jacqui said solemnly.
“Good. Will you do one more thing for me?”