Family Sins(85)

“You might want this, but you can’t have it, and neither can I,” he said. “Just get well.”

“We could pretend.”

He laughed.

“We moved way past that stage when you turned sixteen.”

“I’ve been missing you for so long,” she said.

It was the quiet tone of her voice that made him look closer.

“What’s wrong?”

She hesitated for a moment before she answered.

“I guess I’m afraid this is all too good to be true. I wanted this for so long and thought it was lost to me. Getting you back, and with the dream, seems too good to be true.”

Bowie hated the fear he heard in her voice. “What dream are you talking about, baby?”

“The one where we live happily ever after.”

Bowie took her hands and held them against his chest.

“What do you feel?” he asked.

She shrugged, uncertain what he meant. “I feel you.”

“What else?” he asked.

“How soft your T-shirt is and how hard your muscles are.”

“What else?” he asked again.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she said.

He held her hands tighter against him. “Close your eyes, then tell me what you feel.”

He waited.

Suddenly her eyes were open and she was smiling.

“Your heartbeat. I feel your heartbeat.”

“As long as my heart beats, it beats for you. We aren’t going to be happy. We already are. Even in the middle of such sadness and uncertainty, we already have each other. Now, no more fear about our future. We’re good to go, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Love you,” he said softly.

“Love you more.”

“Well, I know that. You have to,” Bowie said.

Talia laughed. “Why do I have to love you more?”

He stood.

“Because there’s so much more of me to love,” he said, and blew her a kiss as he headed for the garden to check on Jesse.

She was still smiling when he started tilling the ground between the rows of sweet corn.

A short while later Leigh came back to the house, then stopped at the porch swing and held out her hand.

“Come inside with me where it’s cool, honey. The day is already way too hot.”

Talia eased herself up and went inside. Only after the cool air hit her did she realize how good it felt. “Can I help you do anything?” she asked.

Leigh looked pale and shaken. Watching them dig her husband’s grave had been gutting.

“You’ve already given me something wonderful. You brought joy back into my son’s life. As tragic as Stanton’s loss is for this family, you are the gift that none of us saw coming.”

Talia hugged her. “You’re going to make me cry again. Seems like these days that’s all I do.”

“These days will pass,” Leigh said softly. “They won’t pass quickly, but they will pass, and we will be all the stronger for it when they’re gone.”





Nineteen

Riordan was worried about Clayton’s revelation being too good to be true until he, too, saw the evidence Andrew Bingham had produced. He didn’t care how it had happened, because he now had what he needed, and instead of putting one member of the family behind bars, he was going to put two.

“We appreciate your honesty and your good intentions in coming forward with this evidence,” Riordan said. “I have your phone number. You’ve given your deposition. If there are any other questions that arise, we’ll contact you.”

Andrew nodded. So much for leaving the country right now; however, Florida would be a good second choice.

“Will I have to testify or anything?” he asked.

“I seriously doubt this will go to trial. Purposefully going after a gun shows intent. Cleaning the gun afterward and wiping it clean of prints speaks to an understanding of guilt. And the victim was run down like prey and then shot in the back, which eliminates the excuse that it was an accident. No matter what reasoning the killer can come up with, it will never excuse premeditated murder. However, thanks to you, my job is almost done. The rest will be up to the courts.”

“So I’m free to leave?” Andrew asked.

Riordan nodded.

Andrew straightened his jacket as he stood, and then shook their hands.

“Gentlemen, I won’t say this has been a pleasure, but it has been enlightening.”

He left with his laptop, gratefully leaving the damning evidence behind. It was time to plot a course for sunny Florida.

Riordan looked at Chief Clayton and grinned. “What do you say we go arrest ourselves a killer?”

“I appreciate the offer to ride along. I’m ready when you are. Where do you think he is right now?”

“I checked. He’s at work.”

Clayton nodded. “Then let’s do it.”

*

Blake had just finished a call to one of their overseas subsidiaries, trying to calm the panic and uncertainty rolling through every aspect of their financial empire. He glanced at the clock, then thought about seeing if Charles was free for lunch. Things had been a little strained between them since the incident at the lake house, and he wanted to make sure his son knew he had his back.