Before she could ask anything more, Simon tapped lightly on the doorjamb.

“Daddy,” Annabelle cried. She stood on the bed and jumped up and down.

“All right if I come in?” He stood there, waiting until Kate nodded, and then walked over, picking up Annabelle and swinging her around as she shrieked with laughter.

“Are you coming downstairs?” he asked Kate as he put Annabelle down. “I have to leave soon.”

“Yes. I’ll get her dressed and we’ll be down.” Her voice was cold.

Simon had told her last night that he needed to drive to Delaware this morning to see a client. He’d sounded worried, but when Kate questioned him, he’d brushed off her concern.

“There’s nothing wrong. Just need to go over some items in the bid,” he’d said, but his words rang hollow.

She knew him well enough to know when something was wrong, and he definitely had that “work worried” look on his face.

“I have to go,” he’d said, “even though I really don’t like being two hours away from you and Annabelle.”

“If it’s just to answer some questions, can’t someone else go in your place?”

“No,” he’d snapped, and then more calmly said, “They want to see me.”

She’d been a little unsettled by his reaction, but that’s where things were left when they’d gone to their separate rooms the night before.

There was a steaming mug of coffee waiting when Kate and Annabelle came into the kitchen. “I’m taking orders,” Simon said. “What kind of eggs would you two ladies like?”

“Scrambled,” Annabelle chirped.

“Nothing for me.” Kate took a sip of coffee and sat down just as Simon’s cell phone rang. The coffee tasted odd, but maybe it was because she’d just brushed her teeth. She couldn’t let that stupid text actually convince her that everything was tampered with. That was what this person wanted, but she couldn’t deny that it tasted funny.

He glanced at the display and rejected the call, quickly putting the phone in his pocket.

“Who was that?” Kate asked.

“Don’t know. Didn’t recognize the number. You sure I can’t fix you something?” he asked.

“No, you should probably get going,” she said, trying to tamp down her suspicion that he was lying about the phone call. Her paranoia was wearing her down. She took another sip of coffee. “What did you put in here? It tastes funny.”

He shrugged. “Just milk and a stevia. The way you always like it.”

She walked to the refrigerator and took the milk out, looking at the date. Still a week to go. She opened the top and smelled it. It hadn’t gone sour. Had Simon put something else in the coffee? Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. “Taste it.” She handed him the mug.