“And she told me at breakfast that she really regretted running off the way she did, leaving you and Frankel behind.”

“He just left my office an hour ago for the airport. He probably isn’t on his plane yet. Maybe we can catch him and see if he can change his plans as well.”

“I’m not sure we want to overwhelm the poor girl,” said Everett. “Besides, wouldn’t it be wonderful for the three of us to be together? Just the family seeing in the New Year?”

“It’s a nice thought but—”

“What’s stopping you, Austin? Your daughter needs you. Come over and be here for her. Set things right between the two of you. Then maybe we can work on Rachel about seeing the light with the good detective.”

Grant looked at the clock. “It’s already ten. I’m not sure I can get there.”

“There’s a three o’clock nonstop to Geneva leaving out of Heathrow. You get in at five-thirty and can be at the house around eight. Plenty of time to have a few drinks, eat a nice dinner, and still sing ‘Auld Lang Syne.’”

“You’ve got it all figured out.”

“No one’s going to care if you play hooky your last day at the Yard. Just run home, pack what you need—and off you go.”

“You really think this is a good idea?”

“It’s our Rachel, Austin. Do you need another reason?”

Grant was tempted to mention Everett’s house being five thousand feet above sea level but wasn’t in the mood for his brother’s taunts. Besides, how many times had Everett told him his house was on the ground?

The next thing Grant knew, he told his brother he would come.

“Fantastic! Rachel will be ecstatic,” said Everett.

“I certainly hope so.”

Chapter 32

32

Heathrow was a complete mess.

Frankel exited the cab at the British Airways terminal to find extremely long lines and impatient passengers. He figured that people were flying all over the world trying to get to some party before the clock struck midnight.

But he was in no rush to get back to New York. It wasn’t like he was going to stand in Times Square with two million revelers to watch the ball drop and then spend hours trying to get out of the world’s largest human sardine can.

He didn’t care where he was when the next year started. If it weren’t in a Swiss town at the base of the Matterhorn, where the object of his desire was staying, he might as well spend it cramped up in a coach seat above the Atlantic.

And that was the fate he seemed headed for. Once he got through the interminable security line and arrived at his gate, he discovered his flight had been delayed four hours because of equipment trouble back in Chicago.