Chapter 8 #4
Flying around and racking his brain for some kind of clearer identifying information was just wasting time.
He needed to get to their father, who knew more about the women than he did.
Together, they might figure out where the girls were.
He’d feel completely stupid if he showed up at her dad’s house and found out she was having coffee with her sister and had just dropped her phone. But if something was wrong…
He headed back to the parking lot where he’d left his clothing.
Thankfully, the car hiding his stuff hadn’t moved.
Shifting again, he quickly dressed. He was relieved to see both his and Kizzy’s phones were still there under the pile of clothes.
He tucked them into his pants pockets, then he raced for the subway.
About forty minutes later, he was walking up to the Samuels’ stately home in Brookline. He rang the doorbell and waited. And waited. And waited…
At last, a stout woman with gray hair opened the door.
“May I help you?”
“I’m Noah Fierro, a friend of Kizzy’s. Is her father here?”
“Yes, I’ll go get him. Would you like to come in and wait in the parlor?”
Noah wasn’t sure how much the patriarch would appreciate his coming into his home, but he certainly didn’t want to refuse hospitality, so he stepped inside.
The woman ushered him into a separate formal living room and told him to have a seat.
He was too antsy to sit still, so he wandered around the room, scanning the built-in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.
It looked like their taste in literature was eclectic.
There was everything from how-to books, to biographies, to World War II stories, to—Fifty Shades?
Oh wow. He wondered who was reading that…
and what they thought of it. Something to file away for another day.
When Dr. Samuels entered the room, Noah put on a pleasant expression and stuck out his hand. “Hello, Dr. Samuels. You’re Kizzy’s father, right?”
The gentleman shook his hand. “Yes, and you are?”
“I’m Noah Fierro. A friend of Kizzy’s.”
“I don’t remember hearing your name. What can I do for you?”
“Forgive me. I don’t want to alarm you, but I found Kizzy’s phone on the ground outside Government Center.” Noah produced Kizzy’s phone, handing it to her father. “I was participating in a charity event, and I saw her there before it started. After it was over, all I found was her phone.”
“And where is my daughter?”
“Last time I saw her, she was with her sister. I don’t know her sister’s phone number, or I would’ve called her.”
Dr. Samuels took his own phone out of his pocket, touched the screen a couple of times, and waited.
After several rings, he was listening to a message.
“Ruth, this is Dad. Call me back. Right away. And if Kizzy is there with you, tell her I have her phone.” He touched the screen once more to end the call.
“Thank you for bringing this to me.” He laid the phones on an entry table.
Stroking his beard, he said, “I guess Kizzy must’ve told you where she lived.
She doesn’t usually do that. You must be a good friend. ”
Something like that. “If I may, sir, I overheard her and Ruth saying something about a possible threat. I don’t know any of the details, but if you can tell me anything, I’ll do whatever I can to protect her. I only want to help.”
Dr. Samuels didn’t speak for several moments. When he finally did, Noah could see the man struggling to make up something plausible, since he spoke slowly and deliberately.
“It’s probably nothing. Just a rumor. And although I appreciate the offer, I don’t expect there’s much you can do. Unless you see her and then tell her to come home immediately. Please.”
“Of course. You must be worried. I know I am.”
Dr. Samuels walked him to the door, clasping his shoulder. “You’re a good man, Noah Fierro. I appreciate your looking out for my daughter.”
Noah knew when he was being dismissed. If only he could tell the guy he was a phoenix shifter.
But how would he explain that he knew the guy believed in shifters?
Nobody believed in shifters…unless they had some paranormal abilities themselves.
Whoa. Could the good doctor be some kind of paranormal?
Maybe a vampire? The patriarch opened the door and didn’t burst into flames, so no.
Not a vampire. Maybe some kind of male witch or wizard?
There was really no polite way to ask. He shook the man’s hand and strode down the flagstone walkway to the street. He wished he didn’t have to work that night. He’d be worried about Kizzy the entire time—unless she called.
Noah pivoted and bounded back up to the front door. Before he reached it, Dr. Samuels opened it again.
“Did you forget something?”
“Yes. I forgot to ask you to have Kizzy call me as soon as you hear from her. I have to work a seventy-two-hour shift, and I’ll be unfit for duty if I can’t sleep.”
“Ah. You’re the firefighter.”
“Yes, sir.”
To Noah’s surprise, the older gentleman smiled. “I’ll be sure to give her the message.”