Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 58442 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58442 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
“Is that what we’re doing?” Grandma titters, happier than I’ve seen her in weeks. “It seems we make quite the team, Aurora.”
My cell phone rings. When I see it’s Detective Drake, I almost don’t answer it. We’re nearly at the party. But it might be important.
“Hello?” I say, answering.
“Mr. Blackwell,” she says, voice tight. “I would like your complete honesty about something we’ve just learned. I’m sorry to do it like this, but I can’t risk a leak before we’ve caught him.”
“You’ve got a lead?”
“Do you know anything about a son your father had out of wedlock?”
“Stop the car,” I whisper.
“Excuse me?” the detective says.
“Stop the goddamn car,” I growl.
“Driver–please stop the car,” Grandma says, looking at me with concern.
I stumble out into the rain. My father cheated on my mother? My memories of them are always warm, loving, kisses in the kitchen, dancing through the house, laughter, pure unadulterated joy.
“Mr. Blackwell?” Detective Drake says.
“I’m here. No–I don’t know anything. I’m sorry. This is a shock.”
“Someone has made quite an effort to cover up his existence. We believe he may be living under a false identity. Can you think of anyone who might fit this description? This person, if blood-related, might have a motive. If you and your cousin were to die…”
“You think this is about money.”
“In my experience, more often than not, it is. Please think hard. Call me back if—”
“Shit,” I mutter.
“Mr. Blackwell?”
“I’ll call you back.”
The runt of the litter…
He was always so close to Grandma.
I return to the limo but keep the door open. Aurora looks at me with confusion etched on her beautiful features.
I lean forward, looking closely at Grandma, watching her for her reaction. “Sebastian is my brother.”
She gasps, tears filling her eyes. “What?”
“You heard me. Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me I’m talking out of my ass.”
She stares out the window and wipes the tears from her cheeks. “Oh, Lord help me.”
“Grandma–tell me the truth. Please. You owe me this. If I’m wrong, just say it.”
There’s a long pause.
“Think back to how he’s been behaving. You know him better than I do. If you think there’s even a one percent chance he was behind this, you owe me the truth.”
“I just… He’s…” She wipes her cheeks again. “Your father was so careful.”
The words hit me like a punch to the chest.
I massage my forehead, a headache pulsing. “This is why you’ve always been so close to him. This is why you put up with the rumors about you two being in a relationship. This is why you allowed him to be so intimately involved in our lives.”
“Your father was ashamed of his affair. Your mother knew, and they agreed to raise Sebastian in secret.” Her voice trembles.
“You’re only telling me because I guessed it.” I try to keep the anger and resentment out of my voice, but it’s difficult. “If the detective hadn’t called, and I didn’t make the connection, you wouldn’t have said a word. Would you?”
Aurora places a soothing hand on my arm.
I lower my voice. “All this time, he’s been my goddamn brother. They think he was behind the murder, Grandma. That this is about him getting the inheritance. Is he in your will?”
“Well, yes, but after you and Julian.”
“There’s his motive,” I snarl.
“I can’t, don’t, believe he would do this.”
“I’m sure he’s learned how to charm you and play on your guilt and your good nature. He’s probably hidden his dark side from you. But he’s a human being who was forced to grow up in secret, an ignored non-member of a powerful family. From where I’m sitting, it’s easy to believe he’d do it.”
Grandma takes out a handkerchief and dabs at her eyes. “He’s always been angry about being left out. I’ve tried to do right by him, tried to treat him better than his father did. But he’s always felt unjustly treated.”
“But you still can’t believe he’d do it?”
“I don’t know,” she whispers bitterly.
“You should’ve told me this a long time ago. I’m calling the detective back. If you’re right, if he had nothing to do with this, they’ll get to the truth.”
“I pray that’s what happens,” she says tearfully.
I leave the limo again, filled with nervous, furious energy. Grandma has gone from being certain he’s not involved to hoping that’s the case, which means she was never certain at all. She let her love cloud her judgment. Can I blame her? He’s her grandson. She loves him as much as she loves me and Julian.
“Detective Drake,” I say when she answers. “I’ve got news.”
CHAPTER 29
AURORA
Raiden and I linger at the edge of the party. I’ve got my hand on his arm and an adoring expression on my face, a requirement of my role, but Raiden isn’t playing the social rich guy very well. He stares broodily around the room, his jaw pulsing, teeth clenched so hard it’s a miracle they don’t shatter.