The Bed You Make
Chapter 22, continued

Detective Alex Garcia was not a vain man. But he also saw no reason to pretend that women did not find him charming and attractive. Alex liked to believe that he was also a good guy and that ultimately women did want a good guy when it was time to settle down. That's why he was so concerned about Dara.

Dara had outgrown her need to sow wild oats with bad boys. She'd said so herself once. Dara hadn't gone into detail about those guys in her past, but her point had been clear, Alex reflected. She was past that stage of interaction. So whatever was going on between her and Cassadine couldn't have its basis in attraction.

The changes Dara had made to her life and career were so radical that they made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. No, Alex concluded, Dara was in some kind of trouble and he was going to help her get out of it.

As if on cue, Marcus Taggert strode through the door of the PCPD squad room. The big detective glanced pointedly at the clock on the wall and then back at Alex.

“I know, I know,” Alex hastened to say. “And I am on my way out the door.” He rolled his chair next to Marcus' desk. “I just wondered if Miss Davis told you anything about Dara.”

“Are you reading my messages now, Alex?” Marcus' voice was mild, a sure sign that he was irritated.

“I wouldn't do that.”

“Then how,” Taggert asked calmly, “did you know I was meeting with Alexis Davis this afternoon?”

Alex glanced about the squad room. “The security guard told me. He's a neighbor.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “I helped him get the job. He was doing me a favor. I don't want to see him get in trouble over this.”

“Then stop using him for your personal business.”

“I'll tell him. So…” Garcia hedged, “did Miss Davis mention Dara?”

Marcus sighed deeply and put aside the paperwork he had been trying to complete. “No, she didn't. At all .”

“Oh.”

“Look. I'm gonna give you some advice – as a friend. Take a step back from this, Garcia.”

Alex couldn't prevent his surprise from showing. “I thought you cared about Dara. You want me to just let her deal with whatever trouble she's in alone?”

“I do care about Dara,” Marcus said. “But I also believe that if she needed our help, she'd let us know. I might not believe in this great fairytale she's trying to sell everyone, but I do believe her when she says it was all her choice.”

“Good for you.” Garcia rose abruptly. “Cause I don't.”

continued