Public Secrets Part 132

snapped the last of her control. It would be so easy to lean on him, to

pour out her heart and be comforted. But that would just be running

again. "I'm not really sure."

She rose when Lou came in. Her smile was hesitant, vulnerable, and for

Michael, devastatingly appealing. "Captain."

"Emma."Obviously pleased, he crossed to her to take both of her hands.

"All grown-up."

She nearly broke down then, almost laid her head on his chest and

wept as she once had so long ago. Instead she gripped his hands

tightly, searching his face. "You've hardly changed at all."

"That's exactly the kind of flattery a man needs from a beautiful

woman."

She smiled, easily this time. "No, really. I'm studying to be a

photographer so I try to observe and remember faces. It's kind of you

to see me again."

"Don't be silly. Sit, sit." He spied the iced tea and chose a gla.s.s,

wanting to give her time to be comfortable. "Is your father in town?"

"No." She ran her fingers up and down her own gla.s.s, but didn't drink.

"He's in London-or on his way. I'm living in New York now, going to

college there."

"I haven't been to New York for years." He settled back in a striped

wing chair that suited him so perfectly Emma imagined he rarely sat

elsewhere in that room. "Photography, you say. I remember, last time I

saw you, you had a camera."

"I still have it. Dad often says he created a monster when he gave me

that Nikon."

"How is Brian?"

"He's fine." Though she was far from sure of that. "Busy." Of that she

was sure. Then she took a deep breath and plunged into the truth. "He

doesn't know I'm here. I don't want him to."

"Why?),

She lifted her hand, then helplessly let it fall again. "He'd only be

upset, and miserably unhappy if he knew I'd come to see you, to talk

about Darren."

"Michael, will you give me a hand with something?" Marge started to

rise, but Emma shook her head.

"No, please. There's no need for you to go. It's certainly not

private. I suppose it never has been." Agitated, she set down her gla.s.s.

"It's only that I wondered if there was something, something you might

know, something the press didn't get their hands on, and that I was

considered too young to be told at the time. I've been able to put it

aside, for long stretches of time anyway. But it never really goes

away. And last night I remembered ..."

"What?" Lou leaned forward.

"Just a song," she murmured. "A song that was playing that night. I

remembered hearing it coming from downstairs gs I walked toward Daffen's

room. It was all so clear, for a moment, so clear. The song, the

lyrics, Darren crying. But I can't get to the door, you see. In my

head, when I try to remember, I can only see myself standing in the

hall."