Lady Midnight Read Online Free Page A

 
    “It’s all right, Senator,” I said, sensing the man’s hesitance to reveal so many sensitive family issues to someone he had only just met. No doubt somewhere in his mind he was envisioning tabloids with all the lurid details of his strained relationship with his daughter splashed across them. I had seen that sort of thing happen, and I didn’t blame him.  
    “Everything that’s said between us here remains confidential. I assure you that you can tell me anything. None of this goes any farther than the three of us.”  
    Patrick nodded and allowed his expression to soften. There was something a bit more human about him in that instant. “Forgive me. Of course your reputation speaks for itself regarding such matters. I do feel that I can trust you, Mr. Longville.”  
    “Then call me Roland.”  
    Patrick smiled slightly at that. “Okay. Roland. Well, you see, there’s a bit more. Connie has disappeared. She just graduated from college, and dropped out of sight. Well, perhaps ‘disappeared’ is putting it too strongly. I know that she’s gone away of her own free will, but the truth is, a couple of months ago we had a rather big argument. It was a terrible fight, really.”  
    Patrick looked grim as he recollected what was clearly painful for him to think about.  
    “We’ve had other arguments like it, and in those cases, she’s done the same thing, which is to disappear for a while. It’s her way of punishing me. I’m used to it. This time, though, things were said that were hurtful, and unfortunately, since she’s been gone, something has happened within the family, something that she needs to know about.”  
    “The family? Pardon me, Senator, but I thought there were just the two of you.”  
    “Well, for the most part. But there was, until recently, my late wife’s father, Claude Ettinger. He was a fine man, though he had become a recluse in his last years. He and Connie were close when she was a child. Not only was he her only surviving grandparent, but he was her last link to her mother. I think that she must have felt that connection acutely, though it had been years, I think, since she actually saw him. He passed away recently, and he left almost everything that he had to Connie. I have tried to notify her, of course, and I made very effort to get in touch with her during his illness, but had no luck.”  
    He leaned forward, and added as though it were an after-thought, “Of course there was the need to keep the matter of her intentional disappearance quiet, so the regular authorities could not be consulted.”  
    “You don’t want any of this to get to the media,” I said quietly and flatly.  
    Baucom stepped in again. “The Senator’s political enemies would take unfair advantage of his private life to divert attention away from his campaign, and his proposed reforms. They would also harass Connie, we felt. Senator Patrick therefore decided to keep the matter private.”  
    I looked at Patrick. I decided to be blunt, too. “So, Senator, you’d like me to find Connie and tell her about her grandfather’s death, and the inheritance he left her. And this, without the news media finding out that she’s done a disappearing act, so your opponents won’t use it to show you can’t take care of your affairs at home.”  
    “In a nutshell, Roland, that’s correct,” Baucom answered for Patrick, who was still trying to formulate an answer.  
    “Any idea on where she might be?”  
    Baucom produced a manila envelope and extended it to me. I opened it and pulled out two large, glossy pictures. The first was of a beautiful young woman, with platinum blond hair that was almost white, and icy blue eyes the color of the sky in ages long gone. Constance Patrick. The second picture was of a young man. He had long, darkish hair and dark eyes, and a friendly smile.  
    “That’s Randy Herron. He’s an erstwhile musician,” Baucom explained. “We think Connie is probably