A Lover's Vow

by Brenda Jackson

  Jules rolled her eyes. “Circumstantial evidence. Why wasn’t that part thrown out of court?”

  “Not sure. His attorney should have been on top of his game. Doesn’t sound like he was.”

  Jules nodded as she took a sip of her lemonade. “The issue of Sheppard Granger’s replacing his attorney with Carson Boyett did come up last night. She admitted Mr. Granger felt that Jess Washington, his previous counsel, didn’t do a good job representing him at the trial. And now it seems that Mr. Granger is wondering whether it was intentional, since Vidal Duncan, the man who tried to kill Jace not long ago, was the one who recommended Washington.”

  Ben stood to take his plate to the sink. “Under the circumstances, I would wonder the same thing.”

  Jules nodded as she ate the last of the fried fish her father had prepared for their lunch. It had been close to three in the morning when everyone had finally left Dalton’s condo. Instead of driving home, although it was only another ten miles, she’d come here to spend the night, only to find her father had spent the night elsewhere. Since she had a key, she had let herself in and used the guest bedroom as usual.

  She glanced over at her dad. He was loading the dishwasher, smiling and whistling. He’d been doing both things a lot lately, so she couldn’t be mad at Mona. She probably should be thanking the woman for her father’s jubilant moods. Ben and Mona had met in the grocery store almost six months ago, although for the life of her, Jules couldn’t imagine her six-foot-three-inch, sixty-two-year-old father hanging around any store long enough to hit on a woman. In her opinion, her father had always been a handsome man, but during all the years after their mom had died, neither she nor Shana had known him to be involved with a woman. Oh, they knew he’d dated once in a while, since she could still recall the packs of condoms she and her sister had found in his drawer one year. But he’d never brought any of those dates home to meet his daughters.

  Now, not only had he brought Mona, a college professor at the University of Virginia, home, but he was bringing her to family functions, too, like Shana’s wedding and Sunday dinners. Although Mona was legally blind, there was a fifty-fifty chance she could get her eyesight back, since her optic nerve hadn’t been damaged in the auto accident, just her peripheral nerves.

  Jules had slept until almost noon that morning, and it had been the smell of the fish her father was frying in the kitchen downstairs that had awakened her. She loved all types of seafood, with fish and shrimp topping the list as her favorites. Luckily for her, her father enjoyed fishing. And no one fried fish and cooked hush puppies like Ben Bradford.

  By the time she’d showered and dressed to go downstairs, he’d set the table for lunch. He hadn’t provided any explanation about where he’d spent the night, and she hadn’t asked. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to tell from the smile on his face that he had spent the night with Mona. She’d figured they had become sexually active during their trip to New York last month. But any time she thought about her father having sex when she wasn’t managed to grate on her last nerve. Now more than before, she intended to call Ray Ford the first chance she got.

  “So what are you thinking about, Jules?”

  She blinked, realizing her father had spoken and what he’d asked. It was not the time to be honest and tell him what she really had been thinking, so she said, “About Sheppard Granger and his situation.” That wasn’t a total lie, since everything that had happened last night was still on her mind when she woke up this morning, especially that kiss. No matter how tired she’d been last night, it hadn’t kept Dalton from invading her dreams. Last night had been worse, since she now knew how he tasted.

  “And?”

  She shrugged. “You tell me, Dad. You’ve met him.” A week before Shana’s wedding, Jace had invited her dad to accompany him and Shana to Delvers to meet his father. The only thing Ben had said afterward was that Sheppard Granger was a likable guy. That hadn’t told her much, since there were plenty of murderers who’d gone down in history as being likable.

  “The meeting with him didn’t last long, Jules.”

  “Doesn’t matter. The ex-cop and ex-detective in you would have sized him up pretty quickly. Tell me something other than he was a likable guy.”

  Ben turned from the sink and met his daughter’s intense gaze while heaving a deep sigh. “Apparently, the word likable doesn’t do it for you.”

  “No, it doesn’t.”

  Ben moved across the room to take a chair. He knew Jules had questions for a reason, and he didn’t particularly like where this line of questioning might lead. “If I had to do a quick character analysis of Sheppard Granger, I would have to say if he wasn’t behind bars, he would be an affluent entrepreneur who, although born with a silver spoon in his mouth, is the type of man who doesn’t have a problem sharing his wealth and thinking about those less fortunate. He would be an awesome benefactor. Not just of his wealth but of his knowledge, which I believe is extensive. I could tell he’s kept himself up-to-date on modern technology, changing trends and world events. I believe that although he’s behind bars, he has a special leadership gift that few men possess, which is why he was able to not only form relationships with the three men you met last night, but also become a positive role model, counselor, adviser and confidant to them, as well as to others.”

  Ben paused a moment to gather his thoughts, knowing that his daughter, the ex-cop, was latching on to his every word. “I was able to pick up on those things about him immediately, the minute I walked into the prison. He’s highly respected by more than just the warden. He’s earned the respect of the guards and his fellow inmates. They know he’s getting special favors, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone. In fact, it’s as if they know any favors given to him will eventually benefit them. They know that he will look out for them.”

  Jules nodded then asked the question Ben had been waiting for. The one he had known she would get around to asking. “Do you think he’s someone who could have killed his wife?”

  Ben didn’t say anything for a minute. “I only met him that one time, Jules, and the meeting lasted a little more than an hour. But it’s my belief that the only way he could have done such a thing is if he’d been pushed, and I mean pushed really hard. I never knew his wife, so I can’t say what he was dealing with. But, according to what Jace and Shana shared with me on the ride to Delvers, the brothers have proof that it was their mother, not their father, who was having an affair.”

  Jules already knew that. The way the story went was that one night, while working late at Granger Aeronautics, Shana and Jace had discovered a secret compartment inside a sofa in Sheppard Granger’s office. The secret compartment held a file containing proof of the affair.

  What Jules had found just as fascinating was why her sister and now-brother-in-law were in his father’s empty office in the first place. Both Jace and Shana had sealed their lips on that part, but Jules figured they must have been giving that sofa one hell of a workout.

  “Throwing that into the mix,” Ben interrupted her thoughts to say, “a jealous husband might do just about anything. He might have snapped.”

  Jules rolled her eyes. “Maybe right then, but not a few months later.”

  Ben shrugged his wide shoulders. “Maybe not. But maybe he wanted a divorce, and she refused to give him one.”

  Jules drained the last of her lemonade. “What if Sheppard Granger’s suspicions are true and whoever sent that email meant business? That means Shana could be in as much danger as Jace. It also means there might be more behind Sylvia Granger’s death than her affair. That may have just been a cover-up for something bigger.”

  Ben didn’t want to hear that, although the same thought had crossed his mind earlier. Before he could formulate a response to his daughter’s comments, his phone rang. He stood up, grateful for the reprieve. “Excuse me for a minute. That might be Mona.” He qu
ickly left the room to answer his mobile phone, which he’d left in the living room.

  When he reached it, he frowned, not recognizing the phone number. “Hello?”

  “Ben, this is Sheppard Granger. Is there any way you can pay me a visit? Today, if possible? I might need your help.”

  Eight

  Dalton walked into McQueen’s and glanced around. It was happy hour, and the place was certainly lively. He walked over to the bar and slid into a seat, thinking that just a few months ago, he and his brothers would have been enjoying a drink together after a long day at work. Now Jace and Caden were biting at the bit to get home to their wives.

  “What are you having, Granger 3?” Myron, the bartender and owner of McQueen’s, asked. Myron was a fun-loving guy who managed a nice place. The drinks were good and the food exceptional. Myron had started differentiating between Dalton and his brothers by referring to Jace as Granger 1, Caden as Granger 2 and Dalton as Granger 3.

  “The usual.”

  Myron grinned. “Your usual is coming right up. Where are Grangers 1 and 2?”

  Dalton shrugged. “Home with their wives, I suppose. Probably ran red lights to get there.”

  “Marriage has a way of doing that to you,” Myron said, placing a glass of scotch in front of Dalton. “So don’t hate them.”

  Dalton frowned. “I don’t. I just didn’t expect the changes so soon. Jace, Caden and I were apart for years, living our lives in separate places, but now we’re back in Charlottesville, what do they do the first chance they get? Get married. If that’s not bullshit, I don’t know what is.”

  Myron shook his head, grinning. “Doesn’t sound like bullshit to me but good common sense. Remember, I’m also married—and happily. I played your game for years, different woman every day of the week, a flavor of the month. But at some point that crap gets old. I wouldn’t trade being married.”

  Dalton figured he didn’t want to hear anything else Myron had to say. He wasn’t in the mood. Taking his drink, he said, “I’m grabbing a table. Talk to you later.”

  Crossing the room, he saw several women checking him out, some brazenly, not even trying to hide their interest. Surprisingly, he wasn’t in the mood for them, either—women throwing themselves at him, probably needing a good fuck as much as he did. So why was he having a pity party when he could probably go somewhere and have an orgy? He felt the answer soak deep into his skin, and he could taste it on his lips. Because he only wanted a certain woman. One who was more edgy than soft, sharp than dull, one who invaded his dreams every night like she had a damned right to be there.

  He slid into a booth and took a sip of his scotch, loving the taste. He needed it tonight. His brain was on overload. Last night had been a jolt to his system, and something was still kicking inside him. Anger. Frustration. Horniness. All three. He hadn’t liked giving in to Jace’s suggestion that they give their father time to decide how he would deal with them. Shit, they weren’t children but grown-ass men. What was there to deal with?

  “Mind if I join you?”

  He glanced up and stared into Stonewall’s face. He took another sip of scotch. “Does it matter if I mind?” he asked flatly.

  “Not really,” Stonewall answered, sliding into the seat across from him. “Now that you know what my job entails, there’s no longer a reason for me to be discreet or keep a low profile.”

  Dalton wasn’t sure whether that was good or bad. The fact that he’d been followed around for a little over a month without his knowledge still didn’t sit well with him. The USN had taught him how to be on his guard, expect the unexpected and be ready. But over time, once he’d put the agency behind him, he had stopped looking over his shoulder. Now it seemed he would have to start doing so again for an entirely different reason.

  Stonewall summoned a waitress to take his drink order, giving Dalton a chance to study the man more closely. He figured Stonewall was in his midthirties and worked out a lot, probably hitting the gym every day. Dalton could tell that even while talking to the waitress, Stonewall was scoping out his surroundings and had taken stock of every single person in McQueen’s, somehow making a mental note while not missing a beat. And he was doing so with evident ease and efficiency, which led Dalton to believe he was well-practiced at it.

  As soon as the waitress left, that assumption led him to ask, “How long have you been doing this?”

  Stonewall’s gaze shifted from the backside of the waitress walking away to Dalton. His eyes were filled with male appreciation, and Dalton knew that the smile touching the man’s lips had nothing to do with the question but with the woman he’d just ogled.

  “Why do you want to know?”

  Dalton shrugged. “Let’s just say I’m curious.”

  At that moment, the waitress came back and smiled at them both before placing Stonewall’s drink before him. This time, they both watched when she walked off. Knowing they were looking, she put a deliberate sway in her hips for their benefit.

  Dalton grinned. “I love coming to this place.”

  Stonewall nodded. “After my first night of tailing you, it became obvious that you do.”

  Dalton took a sip of his drink and watched as Stonewall did the same. Just to make sure the question he’d asked earlier wasn’t lost in the shuffle, he leaned forward in his seat. “So how long have you been working for Summers?”

  Stonewall took another sip of his drink. “Off and on for about ten years, while working on my degree.”

  “Degree in what?” Dalton asked with a raised brow.

  “Education.”

  Now he’d heard everything. “You ever use it?”

  “I sub sometimes.”

  Dalton shook his head. Interesting. The man was full of surprises. He couldn’t imagine him being a substitute teacher in any classroom. “One last question.”

  Stonewall’s gaze was keen. “And make sure it’s your last.”

  Dalton stared across the table at him. “When are you going to stop following me around?”

  Stonewall held his stare. “Not until Shep gives the word, so whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me.”

  * * *

  Gesturing her sister over to the sofa, Shana eased down in the wingback chair across from it and gave Jules a bright smile. “So you’re here to tell me why you were staked outside Dalton’s place last night?”

  Jules rolled her eyes. “No, I’m here to see how you’re feeling. Dad said you texted him to say that you wouldn’t be going into the office today.”

  Shana chuckled softly. “I’m fine, but since I had a late night I decided to stay home and take it easy. In fact, it was really Jace’s idea.”

  Jules laughed. “I guess sleeping with the boss has it perks.”

  Shana joined in, laughing with her. “Yes, it does, trust me. More than one,” she said, leaning back against the chair and lifting her legs to rest on the ottoman. “Although, technically, Jace isn’t my boss. I was hired to do a job for his company, and one thing led to another.”

  It most certainly did, Jules thought, studying her sister. Was she imagining things, or was Shana finally getting a little pudgy in the stomach? It was about time. She was pregnant, so she might as well look it. “When will you find out whether you’re having a boy or a girl?”

  Shana shrugged. “Not sure if we want to know. I think we just want to be surprised.”

  It was their choice, but if she were the one having a baby, she would want to know. “Did Dad ever tell you that our maternal grandmother was a triplet?”

  Shana frowned. “No, and he didn’t tell you that, either, so don’t play with me like that, Juliet. And speaking of Dad, I understand you spent the night over at his place.”

  “Yes, and did he mention he wasn’t home when I got there?”

  “No, he didn’t
mention that. It had to be after two when we left Dalton’s place.”

  “Exactly. He didn’t come home all night, and I have a feeling it wasn’t the first time.” When Shana didn’t say anything, just sat and smiled, Jules’s eyes widened. “You knew?”

  “Yes, and I wondered how long it would take for you to figure things out. I believe he began spending nights at Mona’s place after they took that New York trip together. So I guess it’s now really serious.”

  Jules waved off Shana’s words. “Men sleep with women all the time, and there’s not a doggone serious thing about it.”

  “True. But we’re talking about our dad, Benjamin Bradford, the man who has never introduced a girlfriend to us before Mona. Trust me, it’s serious.”

  “Maybe he’ll get over it.”

  Shana glared at her sister. “I hope you’re not counting on that happening, and why should you? Dad’s happy. I’m happy for him, and you should be, too.”

  “I am, but...”

  “But what?”

  Jules didn’t say anything for a minute. “But we never had to share him with anyone after Mom died.”

  Shana nodded her understanding. “I know, but don’t you think it’s time? We both have our lives, and now it’s time for him to have his. It would be selfish of us not to want that for him.”

  Jules knew Shana was right and would admit she liked Mona. But still...

  “Just think of the bright side,” Shana said, interrupting her thoughts.

  “Which is?”

  “He’s found someone special. Someone we can both admire. She’s a very strong woman, the kind of woman he raised his daughters to be. Mona hasn’t let her blindness stop her from living a fulfilling life. I think that’s one of the reasons Dad fell in love with her.”