Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 95080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
“Yeah, but I still should have called.”
“I forgive you. Now tell me all that is happening. I am sitting, having tea, so speak at length.”
So I told him all about Breckin and Celia and the explosives under her car. About how I was probably going to Vermont, but that no one had said anything to me officially. Then I covered the guy last night trying to break in with the dead rabbit, and went on to cover Tim Stanson and Sean Granger. I then switched topics to Beth and Joanna and how much Alex didn’t want our father to be serious about anyone.
“He loves your mother,” he replied gently. “He is her firstborn son. Perhaps you should make better allowances for his feelings.”
“I am. I just don’t want him to make my dad feel guilty about finally being happy.”
“Which is good, but again, be kind to Alex. He remembers her best.”
I sighed deeply. “I promise.”
He grunted. “Now, tell me why Cord has not considered Breckin or Sean to be suspects.”
“Oh, he has,” I groaned, and then went over everyone’s alibis, and how worried Cord was, and how distraught Alex was, and that my father was being strong and silent, and how nice it was to have Evan home.
“You have good family.”
“Well, I consider you a part of it as well.”
“Which is my honor,” he almost whispered, and I knew he was touched.
Once I hung up with him, I rolled over, facedown, and tried to sleep, but someone came in and flopped down beside me on the bed.
“You okay?”
Evan.
“Yeah,” I lied.
“You want the report from downstairs?”
I rolled onto my back and threw off the covers. “Okay.”
“Well, Breckin plans to sit in the kitchen until hell freezes over or you come down or whatever. Basically, he’s staying put. Cord needs to talk to you about Vermont, so he’s staying put too. Celia, Joanna, and Beth left. Alex is having words with Breckin, or trying to over Dad shushing him. It’s a lot of fun down there.”
“She seemed nice, huh?” I sighed heavily.
“Who?”
“Celia Hughes. Who else?”
“I dunno. Joanna? Beth?”
“Oh.” He was right, of course. We hadn’t actually discussed our father’s lady friend. We had not given one another our opinions. I was more than eager to change the subject. “Yeah. I thought Beth was really nice. I’m sure Joanna is too, though I didn’t really get to talk to her last night.”
“Right.”
“Beth and Dad look good together. She’s very elegant, and he’s so distinguished. They could be one of those couples in the frames.”
“What?”
“You know, when you buy a new frame, there’s always a picture of a perfect couple in there already.”
Evan squinted at me. “I have my frames custom made. There’re no people in them when they’re delivered.”
“Such a snob,” I said, shaking my head. “My point is, they fit.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “Much like Celia and Breckin.”
“What?”
He scoffed. “Come on. You and Breckin, I never saw that.”
“What are you talking about? You loved Breckin.”
“I liked him a lot. I did. But not anymore. He cheated twice.”
“He did.”
“Not that it matters. Once was enough for me. And just so you know, even if you forgive him for all this bullshit, I won’t. Not ever. Nobody treats you like this. He and I are done.”
It was sad to hear. One of my favorite things had been that both my brothers liked Breckin so much.
“But even before that, I never really got you guys.”
“How do you mean?”
Evan shrugged. “He’s a status guy, and you, you’re happy with the working-class stuff. You’re about the day-to-day and the work and the long run, and him, he’s more about the fast rise and power and prestige.”
“How can you say that? He was an ER doctor.”
“Was,” he emphasized. “Now he does research and decides who gets grants from the foundation he works for. He attends fundraisers. He’s the face of Dedham and rolling in money now.”
“I guess.”
“But back in the day, when he was yours, did he really enjoy being an ER doc?”
“I thought so.”
“But you’re not sure.”
“No.”
He was quiet a moment. “So what does Breckin really want?”
I grunted. “Well, obviously, I have no idea and probably never did.”
“Exactly.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means, I think, that his goals were always country-club dinners and yachts and shit.”
I snorted out a laugh, I couldn’t help it.
“Celia is much more his kind of long-term commitment.”
I couldn’t argue because the more I really looked at his life now, the more that made sense. “Maybe he met me at a weird moment for him, like he was feeling vulnerable that day.”
“Like you were some kind of charity case? That’s what you’re saying?”
“I dunno. Maybe.”
“So being with you was his idea of slumming?”
“Could be.”
“You’re stupid.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter anymore, does it?” he checked.
“No, and I think he’s going through the motions of trying to get me back because he thinks he should. Like we’re in a rom-com and this is the script.”