Bex Wynter Box Set 2

by Elleby Harper

  Silke had called him, wanting to meet.

  “I’m at the Yard, so I’ll come around when this meeting’s finished,” he told her. “As soon as I’ve had a chance to shake hands with our new leader.”

  “Don’t come to my place. I’ll pick you up, but not at your work. Let’s meet some place quieter.”

  So they had settled on Foxglove Mews and he had walked here from the Victorian Embankment promenade.

  The Mews was a single lane road, relying on the courtesy of other drivers for the right of way to travel in either direction. He kept his eyes peeled for his mother’s Audi A5, but felt his hackles rise when a sleek black limo emerged from the shadows. It glided to a stop by the curb and a dark tinted window rolled down. The peak of a chauffeur’s cap emerged.

  “Please get in the car, sir,” the driver said.

  Idris glanced around but the Mews was quiet, with no sign of life apart from the glimmer of light slicing through closed curtains. He held back until the rear passenger window slid down and he saw Silke’s turbaned head. The light reflected off her glass lenses.

  “Please get in the car, Idris.”

  The passenger door swung open. Shelving his misgivings, Idris climbed inside and found himself seated next to his mother and opposite Sawyer Starling. Across from him, seated beside Sawyer, was Tali.

  “What is this, some sort of ridiculous intervention?” Idris huffed.

  Silke placed a hand on his forearm, squeezing gently. “Just listen to Sawyer, Idris. He wants to help. But I knew you wouldn’t meet us if I told you he would be here.”

  The name on Sawyer’s birth certificate had changed, but his age hadn’t. Yet at fifty-three, his body was still trim, his jawline tight, with only a shallow fan of laughter lines spreading from the corners of his eyes. His hair was a leonine thick mane of natural-looking chestnut brown. His eyes were the same pale grey as Idris’s and his features mocked his son’s, albeit in a lighter skin shade.

  “I’ll cut straight to the chase about why I wanted to meet the three of you in private.”

  Sawyer’s voice was a rich baritone, perfect for Shakespearean declamation. His words sounded rehearsed to Idris’s ears.

  “I’ve brought us together because I need to warn you that Aislinn Scully is preparing a blood letting on me. She’s not left a single secret buried. Every scrap of dirty laundry is about to be aired. I wanted you to be prepared and to go to ground if necessary so you’re out of reach of any fallout from the publicity,” Sawyer said, glancing across to Tali. “I don’t know how they found out, but they’ve gone for the jugular on this one to bring me down.”

  The blood was rushing through Idris’s veins so hard, he heard it as a roar in his ears. That bitch had lied to him! He’d given in to her demands and she was still about to hang him out to dry!

  “You mean she’s going to reveal our names?” Idris demanded through a dry mouth.

  “She’s going to reveal names, dates and ages,” Sawyer answered.

  “How do your ages matter? My mother was older than you, but you were both consenting adults so I don’t see how that’s important.”

  “Aislinn spoke to an old theater friend from my past. He must’ve repeated some rumors, spilled some gossip and shared some photos from that time. Enough for her to build a story on.” He looked again at Tali. “I’m so sorry.”

  Tali’s eyes were narrowed with steely resolve. It was a familiar look. Tali always thought she could take on the world and win. The only alternative to winning was losing, and as far as Tali was concerned she didn’t give herself that option.

  “They can’t have any evidence, Eddie, because there is none.”

  Tali used Sawyer’s real name in a tone that dared him to contradict her.

  “What are you talking about, Tali? If they print my birth certificate and explain Sawyer’s change of name that’s all they need to prove he’s my father.”

  “If I’m reading the situation correctly, Sawyer’s more concerned about them proving who’s your mother.” Silke spoke for the first time. “Isn’t that right, Sawyer?”

  “Yes, you’re right, Silke.”

  Idris ground his back teeth in frustration at the feeling everyone in the car was speaking in riddles about a puzzle they all knew the answer to except for him. He turned to his mother.

  “What in hell does that mean?”

  Silke ignored him. She leant forward and took her daughter’s hand. “It’s time, Tali. Better he hears it from us first.”

  Idris’s insides chilled at the sight of tears trickling down Tali’s cheeks. Tali never cried. He remembered an occasion when he was only five and, in the midst of a squabble, he got so mad he stuck a pin in her arm. She hadn’t even flinched.

  “You tell him,” she said. “After all, it was your idea.”

  Silke turned to Idris, claiming his big paw between both hands.

  “Someone had better tell me what’s going on,” he blustered.

  “Idris, all this time you’ve believed I was your mother, but that’s only true in one sense. Tali is your birth mother. That night I met Sawyer, Tali was with me. She came to the opening night party with me and she and Sawyer hit it off. Tali was always mature for her age and Sawyer didn’t realize she was only fifteen. He thought she was closer to his age. They had a love affair. It was brief, but—”

  “But I was the result!” Idris’s other fist clenched.

  “Yes, Tali fell pregnant. We were careful, but not careful enough,” Sawyer said.

  “And you abandoned her?” Idris’s voice was harsh as he turned his rage on Sawyer.

  “No, Eddie wanted to do the right thing,” Tali protested. “Don’t blame him. When I told him my age, he was shocked. He wanted to take responsibility, Idris, but I was the one who didn’t want to settle down. I had plans to finish high school and see what I could accomplish with my life.”

  When emotion choked off her words, Silke stepped in.

  “I had Tali when I was just seventeen, so I know what struggles there are for young parents. I didn’t want Tali to give up her dreams. I also didn’t want her to have to go through an abortion. So I had the idea to claim you as my own. Tali agreed to have a home birth, so there was no hospital red tape. Luckily it was a casebook pregnancy and I was able to deliver you myself. When it came time to register your birth I simply filled my name in the box instead of Tali’s. Sawyer was there at the birth and he insisted on signing the birth registry for you. I would’ve left it blank, but he wanted you to have a father.”

  Through his veil of anger, Idris was torn. If Sawyer hadn’t insisted, then the spot for a father’s name would have been blank and Aislinn Scully wouldn’t have a link between Idris and Sawyer. Silke and Tali had given Sawyer an out and he hadn’t taken it. Idris had never given Sawyer credit for not shirking that responsibility.

  Idris dropped his head into his hands, trying to absorb how his world had flipped on its axis. His real mother was his sister and the woman he knew as his mother was his grandmother. It was almost too much to absorb.

  “Aislinn can’t prove that Tali is your mother, but she intends to blacken all our names any way by claiming we had an affair. She wants to make the story as sensational as possible. I apologize to all of you. It’s entirely my fault. If I had no claim to fame, the media wouldn’t be interested. But right now, we have to decide if there’s any way to minimize the fallout.

  “My agent thinks we should pre-empt tomorrow’s broadcast by making an announcement that you’re my long lost son. I’ve always been honest with my wife about you, and she’s on board with the suggestion. I’m afraid it’s going to come as a shock to my two girls though, but we’ll survive.”

  Sawyer had made brief appearances in Idris’s life around birthdays and Christmases until Idris was fourteen and refused to see Sawyer any more, but he continued to support them generously and Idris used the trust fund set up in his name.

  “I’d better let Joe know what’s in store. Aislinn�
�s already targeted the hospital to get me to answer her calls,” Tali said. “We’ll just have to keep our heads low and ride it out. Idris, are you okay?”

  Dazed, Idris fought to stay on top of the conversations flowing around him. It felt like his insides had shriveled, knowing the two people he loved most in the world had lied to him his whole life.

  “Aislinn can’t prove I’m not Idris’s mother, so we’ll keep it that way,” Silke said firmly. “I’ve always been your mother, Idris, and I’ll always feel that way.”

  His head was exploding with conflicting emotions and he couldn’t make any decisions. Everything he’d believed all his life was a lie!

  “Stop the car! I need some fresh air to clear my head.”

  Idris rapped loudly on the glass separating passengers from driver. The car eased into the curb and Idris unhooked the door. Half way out, he looked back at Sawyer.

  “Make whatever decision’s best for…Silke and Tali. I can cope.”

  Anger and confusion propelled him forward and he plunged into the night, in the opposite direction from the long vehicle pulling away from the curb. He had almost reached the corner when pounding footsteps made him turn, ready to confront whoever was chasing him.

  “Idris, wait!” Sawyer puffed, chest heaving as he approached. “Screw my agent! If you’re not okay with me coming clean to the world about being your father, then I’ll deny everything and sue the pants off Aislinn Scully and Trending News!”

  Sawyer’s hair was ruffled from his haste to catch Idris and his shirt had come untucked, but he didn’t seem to notice. He clutched at Idris’s arm to stop him moving away.

  “I mean it, Idris. Screw Aislinn and Trending News. They can’t prove I’m the Eddie Schmeer listed on your birth certificate. What do you say, there must be a hundred Eddie Schmeers in London alone!”

  “Yeah, common as John Smith,” Idris responded dryly.

  “Then I’ll just deny everything and leave them with egg on their face.”

  “As long as it’s rotten eggs!”

  Sawyer’s handsome face cracked into a cheerful grin. It was infectious and Idris found himself responding with a heartfelt chuckle, that seconds later had both men in belly laughs as tension and conflict abated, leaving a wistful expression resting heavily on Sawyer’s features.

  “I’ve never told you before, but I’m so proud of the man you’ve become, Idris. A police officer. A detective. I only playact the role of hero, but you’re one in real life.”

  “You wouldn’t be proud to know what I’ve betrayed to keep this news out of Aislinn’s hands.” Bitterness spiked Idris’s voice.

  Sawyer reached out, clapping him heartily on the shoulder.

  “I still remember the day you were born. After our last curtain call, my manager passed on Silke’s message that Tali was in labor and I rushed over. It was just after 1:00 a.m. Silke’s flat was cramped, not exactly suitable for a birthing suite. She’d put some sort of rubber matting on the kitchen floor with blankets and pillows to support Tali. By the time I got there, Tali’s labor was near its end, but she still had another two hours to go before you arrived. Your mother was so brave, Idris. She gritted her teeth and I swear I never heard more than whimpers escape her lips. You get your bravery from her. Silke let me hold you while she cut the umbilical cord.

  “I’ve never felt so scared or so exhilarated as I did holding this miniscule bundle of life. That miracle still makes every opening night fade into dull second-best by comparison.

  “But at twenty-one, I was such a kid myself I didn’t know how to be a dad. Silke knew that. She took control of the situation, worked it all out for all our benefits. At least it seemed that way at the time. I don’t know if you remember, but I used to visit fairly regularly. When you were about two or three I got my big break and was signed up to The Lord Chamberlain’s Troupe. Silke didn’t want fame invading your lives. I was making enough by then I could afford to help support Tali’s university dreams, but my own path was leading me in a different direction. I guess I thought throwing money at you would make up for not being around so much.”

  Sawyer had perfectly described Idris’s experience of him as the always handsome, charismatic, but inaccessible, man who spent more time charming Silke and Tali than playing with a toddler.

  “Whatever you’ve done, Idris, it can never be as bad as disowning your own child.”

  As if in a fog, he felt his father’s arms wrap around him, gripping him in a fierce hug, a first-time gesture of unspoken support and approval. With a start he realized it was perfect timing because he’d never been ready to accept either from Sawyer before. A harsh sob grated past the lump in his throat and he sagged against the warmth of a sturdy shoulder, allowing himself a moment of weakness even as he absorbed his father’s strength.

  “One thing I have learned from a lifetime in front of an audience, is not to sweat the small stuff and not to beat yourself up over your mistakes or what can’t be changed. If you miss a line or foul it up, carry on as though the mistake was intentional and you’ll bring the audience with you.”

  Bowing his head, Idris rubbed his forehead against the smooth, cool silk of his father’s jacket, letting the words be a balm for all the wounds he hadn’t realized he still carried. The abandonment he had felt as a child, his unrequited feelings for Isla, even his shame at betraying Griffin’s whereabouts to Aislinn.

  “I’ll do whatever you want about this scandal, but to be honest, I’d be proud to be known as your father. Would you really be so ashamed if people knew? Maybe it’s time to let the cat out the bag.”

  Idris lifted his hand to his face, shocked not only to find his cheeks were wet but that he had a burning desire to hold tight to the comfort offered by his father. Sawyer’s words rang with genuine feeling. Through the backwash of amber from the nearby streetlight, Idris could see the pleading in his tired eyes. Despite the darkness shrouding them, or perhaps because of it, they had both allowed their guards to slip.

  Idris’s heart pumped painfully loud in his chest as he made a decision that would change his life. Whether it would be for the better, only time would tell.

  “Yeah, maybe it is time to come clean to the world. Dad.”

  Chapter 40

  New Scotland Yard, Monday, April 9

  “Bex! Over here!” Cole’s voice was filled with a wealth of pleasure at the sight of her striding through the lobby.

  Stunned by her encounter with Remy and still feeling mildly nauseous, Bex stumbled as she approached Cole. He caught her elbow and led her outside, down the steps and past the eternal flame burning in front of New Scotland Yard.

  “You okay if we walk back to Bridesmead? I’ve got my car parked there,” Cole said.

  Silently Bex nodded, allowing Cole to keep his hand on her elbow as he guided her along the sidewalk into the dusk. The warmth of his fingers through the fabric of her jacket was comforting. Fiercely independent, she didn’t normally accept help, but Cole’s touch was that of a man appreciating a woman. It made her feel feminine rather than helpless. She let herself lean into him as they trekked through a crowd of phone-wielding, photo-taking tourists surging towards a double-decker bus.

  Even though they walked in silence, she was shocked by how much she relished the companionable feeling of not being alone. She stole a look at Cole and noted the contented smile curling one corner of his mouth.

  It didn’t take them long to reach Bridesmead. Cole’s Lotus Elan coupé was a left-hand drive American import. She had once joked it would be the perfect car for her to drive in London.

  As he unlocked the passenger door for her, his gaze skimmed over her face with a look hot enough to scorch her skin. She jumped. The look promised a future. It was too much and she dropped her eyes. Cole couldn’t know it took all her effort just to survive the present.

  Always sensitive to her mood, Cole lightened his attitude. “Hipolito will be happy to see you. You made quite an impression on him.”

  “
You mean my wallet did.”

  The only time they had dined together Bex had bought the drinks and Cole had kept them coming.

  Cole gave a lusty laugh. “From just one night you managed to sum Hipolito to a T. Nothing impresses him more than a big spender.”

  As she slid into the seat, she swore she could feel her butt spreading like jelly on the butter soft leather. Remy’s words invaded her head like a swarm of stinging wasps. Pregnant? Pregnant! Pregnant? Pregnant! You can always tell by a woman’s arse!

  Cole folded himself under the steering wheel.

  “Do you mind if I put the top down?”

  Bex shook her head, thinking the frosty air would clear her head.

  He swung the car wide to enter the road from the parking lot behind the police station. Through the windshield, lights twinkled from storefronts and passing traffic while Bex struggled to control her rising panic.

  She had attributed her unsettled stomach over the last week to the stress of her temporary role as superintendent, but what if it was another symptom?

  When was her last period? She dug out her phone to consult the calendar, but knew that wasn’t a reliable sign. Her low body fat combined with her intense weight training sessions meant her periods were always irregular, sometimes skipping a month or two.

  On the one night she and Cole had spent together, they had taken precautions. Cole hadn’t signed up to be a parent any more than she had. Of course she knew that condoms weren’t failsafe. She wasn’t a disbelieving teenager failing sex ed classes, but why should she give any credence to Remy’s wild claims? Disbelief hammered through her thoughts. She had been with Zane for five years and never even had a pregnancy scare!

  I can’t be pregnant by Cole. I hardly know the man! And he’s said multiple times that he doesn’t want complicated. Nothing is more complicated than pregnant!

  She risked a sideways glance at his profile and was startled when he flicked a glance in her direction. She encountered some untold emotion in his eyes that sent her own scuttling forward again.