Breath of Scandal(126)

"We'll see."

Graham was preparing to demand a firmer commitment from her when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." He shot to his feet. "One of my friends is bringing over his new Nintendo cartridge. Dillon, if you want me to, I'll teach you how to play. "

Dillon made that slanted expression with his mouth that passed for a smile. "Not knowing how to play Kid Icarus makes me feel real old and very stupid."

"No more than I,- Jade told him with a soft laugh. "I still haven't developed the knack of handling a joy stick. "

A glint of mischief appeared in his eyes. "I've heard that all it takes is practice."

Jade welcomed Graham's shout from the front door. "Mo-om! It's that lady again." Jade left her chair and moved toward the hall, drawing up short when Graham led Donna Dee into the living room. "She came here once before, looking for you," Graham said.

Donna Dee's eyes landed briefly on Dillon before finding Jade. "I probably should have called first, but ... can I see you for a minute?"

Jade had made her position clear during their last conversation. She didn't want a repeat performance, especially in front of Cathy, Graham, and their guest. "Let's go out on the veranda."

Once they had cleared the front door, Jade turned to Donna Dee and said, "You should have called. I could have told you not to waste your time by coming here again. "

Donna Dee dropped all pretense of civilities. "Don't get snotty with me, Jade. I saw the spread on you in the Sunday supplement last weekend. You're a big shot now. The way that Garrison broad wrote about you, you'd think you're the best thing that's ever happened to the low country. But wild horses couldn't have dragged me to your front parlor if you weren't my last hope."

"For what?"

"Hutch. He's gotten worse. His condition is critical. If a kidney donor isn't found within the next few days, I'm going to lose him."

Jade lowered her gaze to the painted floorboards of the porch. "I'm sorry, Donna Dee, but I can't help you.- "You've got to! Graham is the only hope he's got.- "You don't know that.- Jade kept her voice low, but it



was taut with anger. "I resent your placing full responsibility for Hutch's life on my son's shoulders. "

"Not on his-on yours. How can you let a man die without doing something to help him?"

"Not just any man, Donna Dee. A man who raped me. If Hutch were on fire, I would throw water on him, but you're asking a lot more than that. I wouldn't even put Graham through the necessary testing. " She shook her head adamantly. "No. Absolutely not."

"Even if Hutch is Graham's father?" "Shh! He'll hear you. Lower your voice."

"What are you going to tell your son when he wants to know about his father? Are you going to say that you let his daddy die because you're out for revenge?"

"Be quiet, for heaven's sake.-

"For your sake, don't you mean? You don't want Graham to know that you're as good as a killer. Do you think he'll love you if he ever finds out that you let his father die without lifting a hand to help him?"

"What the hell is all the shouting about?"



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Sandra Brown



Breath of-Scandal



353



Jade spun around. Dillon was looking at them through the screen door. "Where's Graham?" she asked, fearful that he, too, had overheard Donna Dee's vituperative words.

"Cathy hustled him upstairs." He stepped through the screen door and joined them on the porch. "What's going on?"

"I came to plead for my husband's life," Donna Dee said to him. "Jade can save him if only she would." "That's not true, Donna Dee. You don't know anything for certain."

"This very minute, Hutch is lying in an ICU,- Donna Dee explained to Dillon. "He's going to die unless Jade lets their son donate a kidney to him. She refuses because she doesn't want the boy to know his father."

Dillon's eyes swung to Jade. They were inquisitive and penetrating. Mutely, she shook her head. "Okay," he said, his gaze moving back to Donna Dee. "You've said what you came to say. Goodbye."

Haughtily, Donna Dee looked up at him. His expression remained intractable. Her bravado faltered. To Jade she said, "If your son finds out about this, he'll never forgive you. I hope he winds up hating you." She left the veranda, hastened down the sidewalk, and got into her car. Just as she pulled away from the curb, Graham came barreling through the door with Cathy close on his heels. "Mom, what were y9all yelling about?"

"Nothing, Graham. It doesn't concern you," she replied, avoiding the hard stare Dillon had fixed on her.

"This is the second time she's come here, so it must be important. Tell me what she wants with you."

"It's a private matter, Graham." "You can tell me."

"No, I can't, and I don't want to argue about it! Now drop it!"

Her raised, chastening voice embarrassed him in front of his hero, Dillon. "You nevertell me anything," he shouted. "You treat me like a damn kid." He rushed back into the house and ran upstairs.