No-no-no! she thought. Don’t go there! Oh, please don’t go there!
“Impossible.”
“He could be getting even for something.”
“By…” The word fucking sprang to mind but she couldn’t bring herself to say it, not when it concerned Dawn. “By going with his own niece?”
“He’s a twisted SOB. Who knows what’s going on in his head. But the only way I can help you find out is by learning about her father.”
“No!”
He looked annoyed and she could understand that. But she couldn’t tell him.
“Come on, Christy. Who was he? Was he involved when you disappeared for those weeks?”
She looked at him. “How did you—?” Then she stopped and nodded. “Oh, right. You’re a detective. But you’re supposed to be investigating Jerry Bethlehem, not me.”
“Just putting together all the pieces of this jigsaw you handed me. Now…what about those weeks? Was he involved?”
“Forget it. I don’t even want to think about him. It was a terrible—it was the worst time in my life.”
“It was bad for everyone in Atlanta around then. The abortionist assassinations, the—”
The abortionist assassinations? Why was he bringing them up?
The missing weeks, the killings, a brother she’d never known existed…too much. Panic blossomed, shutting off her air. Her heart rattled about in her chest, she couldn’t breathe, the car was shrinking, closing in on her, pressing Jack closer until—
She yanked on the door handle, pushed it open, and scrambled out.
“Christy!”
“Leave me alone!”
She stumbled, found her feet, and began to run toward the lake.
7
Jack sat frozen, staring as Christy ran thirty or forty yards straight away across the grass to stop by a huge willow. She leaned against the trunk for a few heartbeats, then sank to her knees, sobbing.
He hopped out and hurried toward her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a couple of old biddies out walking their dogs stop and stare.
Had to play it careful here. Didn’t want any 911 calls about a domestic dispute going down in public.
When he reached Christy he squatted close but didn’t touch her. He hesitated, unsure of what to say. What was up here? He decided the last thing he should do right now was push.
“If you don’t want to talk about him, you don’t have to.” He glanced at the two biddies who were still watching. “But whatever you decide, let’s get back to the car.”
She wiped her eyes and looked at him, then nodded. Jack rose and held his hand out to her. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. As she and Jack walked side by side to the car, the biddies turned away and continued their stroll.
Back inside the Mercedes, Jack kept mum as he watched Christy and waited, mentally spurring her to spill. Finally…
“Why did you mention the Atlanta abortionist assassinations?”
Jack thought about that and didn’t have a ready answer. All her problems revolved around Jeremy Bolton, the assassin, so he supposed it must have been running through his mind.
“I…when I was backgrounding you, it was the big story of the times in Atlanta.”
“Well, I had nothing to do with killing anybody.”
Why would she think he’d even consider that?
“I never thought you did.”
“Yeah, well, for a while there the cops weren’t so sure.”
Jack stared at her. “You were a suspect?”
“I…I was connected to those doctors.”
“Golden and Dalton?”
“You know their names?”
“Told you, I’ve been looking for someone from your past. What about the guy who killed them?”
She blinked. “Jeremy Bolton?”
“Now who’s got the good memory.”
She loosed a harsh laugh. “Oh, I’ll never forget that name. When the cops finally caught him and found no connection between us, they lost all interest in me.”
Jack hesitated. His next question might touch a nerve.
“You don’t have to answer this but I’ve got to ask: Did you have abortions from the dead docs?”
She stared straight ahead. “No.”
Something about the change in her tone…was she telling the truth?
“Being a murder suspect…” He shook his head. “That must be rough. That why you said it was the worst time in your life?”
“That…and other things.”
“Dawn’s father?”
“He’s off-limits.”
Remembering the last time he’d pushed her, Jack backed off.
“Well, if you change your mind, let me know so I can see where he fits in this puzzle.”
“Believe me, he doesn’t fit anywhere.”
“What about the name change? Why did Moonglow Garber become Christy Pickering?”
“You’re really on top of things, aren’t you. Pretty damn thorough for so short a time.”
“Just trying to give you your money’s worth,” Jack said without mentioning that someone else had done all the investigating.
“Well, the name change is my business.”
“Another secret?”
She looked at him. “No. Just something I choose not to share.”
Jack nodded. She was wound tight—maybe too tight. He decided to leave out the pregnancy part for now—it wasn’t going to affect his course of action and it might drive Christy over the edge.
But since she wouldn’t talk about Dawn’s father, that put a sample of the mystery man’s DNA out of reach. Levy’s second choice was a sample of Dawn’s. Jack had to figure a way to get it without triggering a barrage of questions. After a moment he came up with what he hoped was a plausible story.
He touched Christy’s arm. “Did Dawn leave anything behind that might be carrying some of her DNA?”
She looked at him with an alarmed expression. “Why?”
“Let’s see how close she and Bethlehem are—genetically, that is. Maybe the chance of birth defects—”
“Birth defects? Oh God, don’t even think about her being pregnant!”
Jack took her reaction as proof his instincts had been right.
“You’re the one who told me they were having sex.”
“Yes, but pregnant?”
“One tends to follow the other.”
“I can’t even think about it.”
“Well, then, think about this: You need to show her something. I have Bethlehem’s DNA on file at the lab. If I can get some of Dawn’s for a comparison, who knows…? Maybe it’ll change her mind, or at least give her second thoughts about getting too cozy with that close a relative.”
Christy said nothing for a while, then nodded. “I’m sure I saw a hairbrush in one of her drawers after she left. Will that do?”
“Just fine.”
“Then let’s not waste any more time.”
8
Jack sat in his car near the lake and waited. Christy had wanted to drive him over to her house to retrieve the brush but Jack had nixed that for the same reason he’d met her here today.
While waiting, he’d called Levy and told him Dawn’s father was a no go but he’d have the girl’s hair soon. Jack had expected an argument, with Levy wanting to put him off till tomorrow, but he’d jumped on Jack’s suggestion to meet again at the Argonaut.
Levy seemed really into this possibility of a super-oDNA kid.
Jack closed his eyes and untethered his thoughts, letting them take random bounces.
Christy’s panic attack…what had triggered it? His mention of the abortionist assassinations? Or something else?
She’d said she’d been “connected” to the two dead docs? What did that mean?
He let it all hang out and cooked up the wildest scenario he could imagine: Had they performed abortions on her and left her so wracked with guilt that she’d killed them?
No. He’d learned the hard way to
judge character, and he just couldn’t see Christy as a cold-blooded killer.
Then again, Levy said Thompson had told him Bolton was framed. What if it was true? What if Christy had been involved in the frame and now he was getting back at her?
But the cops and probably the feds as well had investigated her and cleared her. And, for whatever it was worth, she couldn’t have known Bolton—he’d changed since going to the lockup, but not so much that she wouldn’t recognize him as Jerry Bethlehem, beard or no.
He shook his head, baffled. This was making him crazy.
And making him even crazier was this idea of a super-oDNA kid. Clearly someone had designed this situation, but to what end?
And who? The mysterious Jonah Stevens? Who was Jonah Stevens? He pops up out of nowhere, does a Johnny Appleseed thing with his sperm, and dies—supposedly.
But did he die? With no body to exhume, who could be sure he was really dead, or even who he’d said he was?
He could have been Rasalom.
Jack shifted in his seat. Now there was a discomfiting thought: the Otherness’s agent on Earth spreading some sort of toxic seed in the hope of creating a child to—what? Wake up everyone’s oDNA and start Armageddon?
Was that the Plan? Was that what Bolton had meant by the comin of the Key to the future…a new world?
By “new” did he mean Otherness dominated?
Rasalom had been mounting attacks on multiple fronts to bring the Otherness to this sphere. Was the super-oDNA kid one of those fronts?
Up ahead he saw Christy’s car approaching. She stopped next to him, driver to driver, and rolled down her window.
“Got it.”
She handed him the brush. He checked it and saw plenty of hair wound in the bristles.
“I only need ten or so strands.”
Christy shrugged. “Take the whole thing. It’s old.”
He looked at her. “Feeling better?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I think so. When do you think you’ll have the results?”
“I’m going to get this rolling tonight. If all goes well I’ll have some ammunition for you by tomorrow.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Tomorrow? I’ve heard it takes weeks. Who do you know?”
He gave her what he hoped was a sly smile. “Low friends in high places.”
9
When Christy got home and found Dawn’s car parked in the driveway, her heart started thumping. Had she had a fight with that man? Had they split? She prayed the bastard hadn’t hurt her. If he’d laid one finger on her—
She rushed into the house, calling, “Dawnie?”
Dawn came down the stairs and stood before her. She carried a full duffel bag. Moving more of her stuff out? She looked no worse for wear—no tears, no bruises, no quivering lower lip. She stared at Christy with a disappointed expression.
“I was totally hoping to get in and get out without a scene.”
Christy’s heart fell. “So, you’re not back.”
“I’m so not. Maybe someday I’ll forgive you for trying to buy him off, but it’s going to take a while.”
Christy opened her arms and moved toward her. She wanted to take her little girl in her arms and beg her to come back, but Dawn sidestepped her.
“All right,” Christy said. “I admit that was a bad move on my part. I regret it.”
Dawn shook her head. “Why? Because it totally didn’t work?”
Exactly!
But she couldn’t say that. Could she say anything about the blood relationship? No. She wasn’t convinced herself. She’d have to keep mum until she had proof. So she tried to lighten things up.
She held out her hand. “That’s fifty cents you owe me.”
Dawn simply stared.
Christy forced a smile. “Come on. Two totallies: fifty cents.”
Dawn shook her head again. “That’s so over, Mom. But speaking of money, where is it? Do you still have the cash?”
Oh, damn. She’d been so involved in this mess that she hadn’t returned it to the bank. Tomorrow…tomorrow for sure.
“Yes. Why?”
“I want to see what it looks like.”
Christy didn’t know where this was going but decided to play along. Anything to keep her here a little longer. She hurried upstairs to her room, pulled the bag from the bottom drawer of her dresser, and returned to the first floor. Without a word she handed it to Dawn.
Dawn took it, reached inside, and removed a few stacks of bills. She stared at them, then looked at Christy with tears in her eyes.
“This is what you thought I was worth?”
“Oh, God, no! You’re priceless to me. I thought that would be more than you were worth to him.”
“But you were totally wrong, weren’t you.”
Christy remembered something Jack had said.
“Maybe he has another agenda more important than money.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”
Dawn’s face hardened as she crammed the bills back into the bag and shoved it at Christy.
“What? Another detective?”
“Yes. And he’s learned a few things.”
Dawn pushed past her on her way to the door.
“He’ll have to go some to beat the first’s whoppers.”
Christy didn’t want to say it but it slipped out.
“He’s your uncle, Dawn!”
Dawn stopped and did a slow turn. She looked stunned.
“What?”
“He’s my half brother. I never knew he existed.”
Her face twisted. “You expect me to believe that?”
“Sadly, no, I don’t. But it’s true. Not only is he a dangerous, violent man and old enough to be your father, but he’s your uncle!”
“You’re just jealous because you have no man in your life and I do! And did you ever think that maybe I’m with a guy old enough to be my father because I never had one and my mother won’t tell me a fucking thing about him?” She screamed the last words.
Christy felt her heart breaking but she kept her voice calm. They’d been through this a million times over the course of Dawn’s life. Time to remove the sugar coating without telling her the whole truth.
“Your father has never wanted anything to do with you or me. What more do you need to know?”
Truth. He wouldn’t even know of Dawn’s existence.
“I’d like to hear that from him.”
“Well, then, you’ll have to find him. His last contact with me was before you were born. I have no idea where he is.”
True.
She shook her head. “Why do you hate him so?”
“I don’t. He gave me you.”
True again.
Dawn’s expression softened for a moment. “He married you and dumped you. That’s totally cold, I know, but…”
More than cold—pure fiction. She’d never married and the supposed husband and father—Dennis Pickering—never existed. She’d never even met a Dennis Pickering, let alone married him.
But she’d keep that to herself…forever.
She took a step closer to Dawn.
“Stay for dinner?”
She backed up a step. “Can’t. I’m still too pissed about the money. And this uncle thing just makes it worse. Prove it.”
“I can’t right now.”
She rolled her eyes. “Mom! You must think I’m totally stupid!”
“I know you’re very bright.” Something Jack had said clicked in her mind. “I don’t expect you to believe me. I hardly believe it myself. So prove me wrong. Take some of your hair and some of his hair and give them to the lab of your choice—I’ll even pay for the test—and have them run a check on how similar they are. If I’m wrong, the laugh will be on me.”
Dawn’s face reddened as she yanked open the front door.
“You think I’m going to totally insult him by asking him to prove he’s not my uncle? Forget it!” She turned on the front st
ep and pointed at Christy. “Better get used to him, Mom. He’s the father of your grandchild!”
With that she turned and ran to her car.
Christy wanted to chase after her, but her body wouldn’t respond.
Oh no! Oh, please, God, NO!
10
Jerry rubbed a hand over his mouth. “She really told you I’m your uncle?”
Dawn couldn’t tell if he was amused or totally pissed. She’d watched him carefully while she told him and his face had been like stone throughout the whole thing.
“Yeah, but she’s lying, right? I mean, it’s totally not possible, right?”
He slashed the air with a hand. “It’s completely impossible! Where does she get these ideas? Has she always been a loon?”
Normally Dawn would so get on the case of anyone who called her mom a name. But this was different. This time Mom was acting loony.
“No, but you and me…it’s like unhinged her.”
He looked totally upset as he began stalking back and forth across the room.
“Unhinged, hell! She’s lost it! First she says I killed one guy and kidnapped somebody else. Now—” He stopped short and stared at her. “Did she have any kind of proof—bogus proof?”
Dawn shook her head. “No. She said she couldn’t prove it.”
“Well, well, well. If nothing else, your momma is consistent. No proof I killed someone, and no proof I’m her brother.”
“Half brother.”
His face hardened as he waved a hand. “Makes no difference. This has gotta stop.”
He stepped to the closet and pulled out his jacket. Dawn grabbed his arm.
“Where are you going?”
“To see your momma.”
“Bad idea, Jerry—totally bad. If you’ve got to talk to her, call her on the phone.”
“I do better in person, darlin. You know that. I want some face time with her to warn her about spreadin any more of her shit.”
“Don’t do anything…”
He looked at her. “What? Stupid? Like making a scene and throwin things?” He shook his head. “I’m just gonna let her know that if she keeps this up, she’ll be hearin from my lawyer.”
He kissed her, hugged her, then he was on his way. She watched him stride out the front door, slamming it behind him.
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