It's One of Us(73)

The detective shakes his head. “He’s not. I’m sorry, both of you. I know this is hard to wrap your heads around. But as of yesterday, we know for a fact Peyton was right here in Nashville, driving a van he purchased in August for $500 from a man in Hermitage. We have both the van’s license plates and the details of the transaction. There is currently a BOLO for the van.”

“BOLO?” Scarlett asks.

“It’s a term we use for other police to ‘be on the lookout’ for a van matching the description. Has Peyton ever shown you his van, Scarlett?”

“No. Of course not. He doesn’t own a van, he drives an Accord. This is just too weird. Wait. I know something that might help. There was...there was a man, yesterday. Sitting at the corner of the street. He came to the end of the driveway and was watching me go into the house. He creeped me out.”

“Do you know what kind of car?”

“It was one of those quiet ones, electric. A red BMW hybrid. Chastain’s father has one, but it’s silver.”

The cops look at each other again.

“Do you know who it was?” Scarlett asks.

“I think we have an idea, yes. Park Bender drives a red hybrid BMW.”

Scarlett watches her mom, waiting for her reaction. She needs to tell her about the Facebook posts and comments, but she doesn’t want to do it in front of the cops.

“Who is this Bender person? Why is he hanging around my kid, and why is he sitting down with Erica Pearl? Is he going to accuse my son of something?” Darby asks.

It’s the woman who responds. “This is going to come out, so we might as well deal with it now. Park Bender is Peyton’s biological father. Scarlett’s, too. He is their donor.”

Silence. Darby’s hand goes over her mouth, but Scarlett says, “No, you’re wrong. Peyton is my half-brother. Not a full sibling.”

“I’m afraid that’s not true.”

Darby shakes her head in disbelief. “There’s been a mistake. Scarlett is right. They don’t have the same donor. I should know, considering. They had to send me a completely different donor because Peyton’s was tapped out. They limit the number...or they’re supposed to. But the man I chose for Scarlett—I have all the information. He’s different.”

“Well, Ms. Flynn, this case gets curiouser and curiouser, because the DNA we retrieved in Beverly Cooke’s car, the DNA that matches your son, also has a patriarchal link to Mr. Bender. He is your son’s father, there’s no question about it. We can back this up with some testing of our own, but it seems Winterborn lied to you, ma’am.”

“This is impossible. You’re saying Peyton and Scarlett are full siblings?”

“That seems to be the case.”

Her mother turns to her. “Scarlett. You told me Peyton declined to be a part of the group, that he wouldn’t give you DNA. Is that true?”

“Yes. Originally, he said he didn’t want to know. He didn’t care about having a father. Then he agreed, but I don’t think he did it. Maybe it was just...maybe he knew it would get him in trouble.”

“I can’t believe this,” Darby says, leaning back into the couch and covering her face with her hands.

It’s the woman who asks, “Scarlett? May we test your DNA to confirm Peyton is your full-blooded sibling? It will help us to know if we’ve made a mistake or not.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary—” Darby starts, but Scarlett raises her chin. “Yes. Of course.” To her mom, who is looking utterly betrayed, “Mom, we have to. We can’t help him if we don’t know the whole truth.”

“Interview’s starting,” Osley says. “We should go.”

“Wait, that’s my father the reporter is talking to, right?” Scarlett says. “Mom, can we watch?”

“I think we should all watch,” Moore says under her breath, shifting from foot to foot. Even with the shock and craziness of the past hour, Scarlett finds the woman interesting. They’ve been studying body language in psychology, and this woman is so contained, but there is something simmering beneath the surface that seems ready to explode.

Osley nods. “I’m surprised Erica Pearl isn’t here, right now, banging on the door wanting to talk to you, Ms. Flynn. She must have something big.”

Darby grabs her iPad from the side table, unplugging it and whipping back the cover. “Then let’s see what she—what he—has to say.”



34


THE HUSBAND

Park has retrieved his laptop from his office and has the computer open, searching through the security feeds for any hint of their intruder.

He has a notebook next to him, where he logs every instance of the man coming into their house.

So far, he’s found at least seventeen intrusions over the past month. They almost always seem to coincide with Park and Olivia leaving, but damn if there aren’t at least three that happen when he thinks they were home.

Olivia refuses to go upstairs and lie down and is sitting on the couch in the den, feet pulled up, looking wan and not a little terrified. Perry—goddamn him—is ministering to her like she’s a wounded cat. Practically petting her. Can I get you some tea? Are you hungry? Are you sure you shouldn’t be lying down, Liv?