Spark, page 17
“You win, Mom. You cook. I’ll vacuum.”
She smiles.
“Just make something good for Donny, okay?”
“Do you know what he likes?” she asks.
Not really. I’ve eaten one meal with him. He had calamari and a steak.
I smile and meet Mom’s gaze.
“Beef,” we say in unison.
I leave Mom to her domain and lug the vacuum down the hallway to the master bedroom. Jade will probably stay in Grand Junction tonight, but I’ll vacuum anyway, on the off chance she comes home with Donny.
After the master and two guest rooms, I come to a room filled with unpacked suitcases.
This must be where Donny’s staying until Dale and Ashley move out of the guesthouse.
I inhale.
I can smell him—that intoxicating mixture of woods, cloves, and law books. Okay, so I don’t actually know what law books smell like, but I imagine that the leather musk on the fringe of Donny’s scent comes from those voluminous tomes. Everything’s mostly online now, but I love the look of a bookshelf lined with casebooks. The kind you see on those old TV legal dramas.
I always imagined my office would look like that someday.
My office.
Wow. I have a new job to begin tomorrow.
And already I know the investigation that will be the top priority.
Who shot Talon Steel?
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Donny
Brown swill. That’s what this hospital coffee tastes like. Fucking brown swill. But it’s hot and burns my throat, which is oddly comforting at the moment.
“Did Dad ever take you to that dive bar on the other side of the city?” Dale asks.
“Oh, yeah.” I take another sip of the brown swill. This must be what dirt tastes like. Actually, it’s not. I tried dirt once when I was five because Dale told me it was crushed-up Oreos.
Fucking big brothers.
“Did he tell you why?”
I nod. “It was my twenty-first birthday. Something about his guardian angel named Mark.”
“It was Mike.”
“Right. Mike.”
“I went back there recently. I’m not sure what I was looking for. My own guardian angel, maybe. I didn’t find one.”
“Sure you did.”
He lifts his eyebrows.
“Ashley. Her name is Ashley. She’s your guardian angel.”
Dale huffs softly and shakes his head. “I won’t put that kind of pressure on my wife.”
“What is a guardian angel, anyway?” I ask. “Just someone who watches over you. Sees that you’re happy. Sounds like Ashley to me.”
“I don’t believe in guardian angels,” he says bluntly.
I scoff. “Neither do I.”
“Then what was that nonsense about?”
“Oh, that nonsense was real,” I say. “You found someone to make your heart complete. Maybe not a guardian angel. Maybe not even a soul mate. But a heart mate for sure.”
“Can we get back on topic, please?” Dale says with a hint of irritation.
Okay, more than a hint of irritation.
“Sure. What was it?”
“Dad’s dive bar.”
“Right. What about it?”
“I went back there recently. I was a mess, totally searching for answers about our birth father, why he could possibly do what he did to us. Answers about Ashley. The fire. Everything. I felt like my world was ending.”
“But it wasn’t.”
“No. But now, with Dad getting shot…”
I nod. “I get it.”
“Anyway,” he continues, “I got the feeling from Dad, all those years ago, that he found something there. I was desperately trying to find the same thing.”
“And you didn’t.”
“Right.”
“Dale, what’s this about?”
“The bar,” he says. “It got me thinking. The answers we’re seeking aren’t there, Don. Not at that particular bar. But they are in a bar.”
I nod, taking another sip of dirt water. “Right. Murphy’s.”
“Yeah. They start with that lien.”
“I’m on it first thing tomorrow morning.”
He nods. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say, and dare I say it? Dad’s shooting may work in our favor.”
I set my ceramic cup of swamp root onto the Formica table more harshly than I mean to. “The fuck?”
“Mom will be here in the city with him until he comes home, which won’t be for a few days, at least. You’ll have the office to yourself.”
“Not exactly. The investigator, the secretary. And Callie.”
“Callie?”
“Yeah. Apparently Mom hired her to be some gopher or something.”
“Fuck.” Dale rakes his fingers through his hair, making it look like a lion’s mane.
“She’s cool, Dale.”
“I know that, and I know you’ve got the hots for her. It’s just… This has to stay between us.”
I nod. “Got it. And I agree.”
“Which means you need to access records without anyone else in the office knowing it.”
“If Mom’s not there, I’ll be the boss. Shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“Any way you could give everyone else a few days off?”
“Yeah.” My voice drips with sarcasm. “That won’t look suspicious or anything.”
He sighs. “I know. You’ll make do.”
“I can be discreet,” I tell him. “Nothing to worry about.”
“And we’re supposed to pull up Brendan’s floor Tuesday,” Dale says.
“Yeah.”
“We need to get him to leave town. Whatever else might be under his floor, I sure as hell don’t want him to know about it.”
“Good point. Exactly how do we get him to leave town? And then I suppose you’re suggesting we just break into his place and remove his entire floor, all while the bar is teeming with patrons one floor below?” I shake my head. “Not happening, Dale.”
“What if we could make it happen?”
“How would we do that?”
“You go into the database tomorrow. Find a problem with… I don’t know. His liquor license. Get it suspended for a few days.”
“That would shut the bar down, but it wouldn’t get Brendan out of the building.”
“A potential gas leak, then. Or a code violation in the building. Brendan has to stay at the hotel and close down the bar for a few days.”
“And if there’s no gas leak? No code violation?”
“Then you manufacture one.”
My jaw drops. “Who are you and what have you done with my brother?”
“I’ve been known to breach ethics now and then.”
“Exactly when?”
He sighs. “A few times.”
“Meaning you ran a red light once? Or you didn’t stop for a jaywalker?”
“For fuck’s sake, Don. Are you with me or not? There’s something going on. Our father’s been shot.”
“I’m an officer of the court,” I remind him. “I can’t intentionally break the law.”
“Right.” Dale sips his coffee, takes a bite of his donut. “It was worth a shot.”
“Of course,” I say, “I might be able to bend it a little.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Callie
I could learn a lot about the man I’ve inadvertently fallen in love with. All I have to do is look inside his suitcases.
Trespass.
A big-assed trespass.
So easy. I’m in here vacuuming. No one would know or even suspect, especially if I keep the vacuum running. Mom’s busy in the kitchen. Darla is relaxing in her room in the other wing of the house. Rory’s scrubbing mildew somewhere.
So tempting.
But already I know I won’t do it. That’s not my style. I don’t violate others’ trust.
Especially not the trust of someone I love.
I force the vacuum over the navy area rug, and then I change to a lower setting for the hardwood. Donny’s room is large, but still, it doesn’t take long to get it vacuumed. Just a bit of dog hair here and there. Plus some sunflower seed shells.
Funny. I just learned something about Donny. He likes sunflower seeds.
Big damned deal.
I could learn so much more by snooping through his luggage.
“Stop it,” I say out loud. “Don’t even go there.”
Rory peeks into the room. “Did you say something, Cal?”
My heart skips a beat. “Just talking to myself. I guess I’m done in here.”
“I’ll do the bathroom, then.” She strides in, holding a bucket full of rags and cleaning solutions.
A lightbulb shines over my head. “I’ll do this one.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. Take a break.”
“This is the last one.” She shoves the bucket into my hands. “I’ll go help Mom finish up in the kitchen.”
Once my sister is gone, I take the bucket and head into the bathroom Donny’s using. Not that I think blond hairs in the shower are going to give me some amazing clue about the man I love, but for some ridiculous and unknown reason, I don’t want my sister—or anyone else—cleaning his bathroom.
Go figure.
If possible, the bathroom smells more like Donny than the bedroom. On the marble counter sits a bottle of cologne. Aspen Grove. That explains Donny’s woodsy scent. Doesn’t explain the law book fragrance, though. I chuckle out loud. Must be in my head.
I begin in the shower, which is bigger than my whole bathroom at home. Next to the shower is a jacuzzi bathtub. A sex bathtub. That’s what I call those kind of tubs. Big enough for a threesome for sure.
Damn. Why did I have to have that thought? Donny’s a known womanizer. He’s probably had a threesome. Maybe even a foursome.
Geez.
The tub is sparkling, however. As I suspected, Donny’s a shower guy. I can’t imagine him lounging in a bubble bath by himself.
Though I wouldn’t mind him lounging in a bubble bath with me.
I open the thick glass door to the shower. It’s in good shape, given Donny’s only been home a few days and he spent last night in Aspen with me. Only a few stray blond hairs. Still, I disinfect the floor and walls, scrub the glass door until it shines. He uses American Crew three-in-one shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
Very Donny Steel.
Next, I tackle the counter and double sinks. Donny clearly uses the sink closer to the shower, as that’s where his cologne and toothpaste sit. My reflection stares back at me in the mirrored cabinet on the wall above the sink.
Without thinking, I open the cabinet.
I’m just cleaning, right?
Inside is some ibuprofen and a glasses case. Does Donny wear contacts? I don’t know. These could just be readers, but why are they in the medicine cabinet?
No, Donny doesn’t wear contacts. If he did, I’d see contact lens supplies somewhere in the bathroom, and there aren’t any.
I absently pick up the glasses case and open it.
I widen my eyes. Inside is not a pair of glasses but a key.
It looks like a key to a safe-deposit box somewhere.
Again, nothing odd. Lots of people have safe-deposit boxes.
Lots of people don’t hide the keys in a glasses case, though. Or do they? I don’t have a clue.
“Not your business, Callie,” I say aloud again.
I close the case and replace it on the shelf, close the door to the mirrored cabinet, and then spray Windex and wipe it until it’s free of all streaks.
Already the guilt is eating at me.
I give the floor of the bathroom a quick once-over and gather the cleaning supplies. I need to get out of here before my curiosity compels me to snoop further.
So he has a safe-deposit box. So he keeps the key in a glasses case.
So what?
I gather everything and leave Donny’s bedroom quickly. Rory and Mom are still in the kitchen. I hold up the bucket.
“Where does this go?” I ask.
“Not sure,” Rory says. “Darla gave me everything before she retired to her room.”
“I hate to bother her, but I don’t want to just leave it out for her to put away later.”
“Your call,” Mom says. “She probably won’t consider it a bother. Her room is down the other hallway at the very end. It goes off on another wing. Sort of.”
I nod. I’m familiar with that hallway. The library is there. But I didn’t realize there was another wing. This house goes on forever.
“Jade told me they added the servants’ wing after Diana was born,” Mom continues. “They needed a live-in nanny for the kids.”
Of course. A live-in nanny. Makes sense, when you’re billionaires.
I carry the bucket and begin my walk down the hallway, inching closer to the closed door of the library with each step. Funny how the doors all loom in the distance, as if my perspective is being challenged.
Then in a flash I’m past the library. Things return to normal, and at the end of the hallway, I veer slightly right.
Here it is. The servants’ quarters. I feel like I’m in a Victorian novel or something. Who has servants’ quarters these days?
Quick answer—the Steels.
Darla’s is slightly ajar. I knock quietly. “Darla?”
“Yeah?” comes her voice. “Come in.”
“Sorry to bother you. Rory wasn’t sure where these supplies go.”
“Just set them down. I’ll take care of it.”
“Please. I don’t want you to bother. Just tell me where.”
“You’re very sweet. There’s a supply closet on the other side of the hallway. It’s the only unlocked door.”
“Got it. Thanks, Darla. Again, sorry to bother you.”
“You’re no bother, Miss Callie. Have you heard anything else about Mr. Talon?”
“Nothing new. I don’t want to text Donny and bother him.”
“I’m sure he’ll tell us if anything changes. Thank you again for all your help.”
“We’re happy to do it. Let us know if you need anything else, okay?”
“For sure.”
I close the door and leave Darla in peace. Her eyes were red and puffy. I wonder if we did the wrong thing, taking over for her. Now she has nothing to do but worry and feel sad.
I let out a heavy sigh.
Funny. You do what you feel is right.
When it could very well be wrong.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Donny
My phone buzzes at six a.m., and I jolt out of bed.
“Hello?” I nearly scream into the phone until I realize it’s the alarm, not the ringer.
Dad’s okay. Just to be sure, I turn off the alarm and call the hospital for an update. Once I’m assured he’s still doing well and resting comfortably, and that Mom is in the room with him, sleeping in the recliner, my heart beats a little more normally. I resist the urge to text Mom. She needs to sleep while she can.
I need to go to the office. For now, I’m the acting city attorney.
An acting city attorney who’s going to finagle a gas leak or code violation at Murphy’s Bar…
Fuck me. How did I get to this point?
What is my family involved in?
And why?
Think of something nice, Don. Let your mind go to a better place, for God’s sake.
Callie, of course.
She, her sister, and her mother left me a delicious meal of beef stroganoff, homemade egg noodles, and sugar snap peas last night. Apparently they showed up and took over for Darla so she could have her day off.
Amazing neighbors, especially after all they’ve been through.
The meal was wonderful and rivaled Darla’s cooking. I tasted love in every mouthful.
God, that sounds hokey. But it’s no less true.
I’m not in love with Callie Pike. Not really. Of course, how would I know if I were? I’ve never been in love.
All I know is that she’s crept into me like no other woman ever has.
And the fact that she came over here and took care of me…
Yeah, yeah, her mother and sister were here too. It wasn’t just Callie. I need to remember that before I go all head over heels for her.
That’s not my style, anyway.
The hot shower helps. Eases away some of my tension, thank God. Once I’m suited up and ready for work, I head to the kitchen.
“Morning, Mr. Donny.”
“Hi, Darla. Coffee?”
“Coming up. You want eggs and bacon this morning?”
“I’m not really hungry.”
“I understand, but you have to eat.”
“You’re right. Just some scrambled eggs. Maybe a piece of Maureen’s sourdough toasted.”
She nods and bustles around, getting to work on my breakfast. “Any news?” she asks.
“I just talked to the hospital when I woke up. He’s resting comfortably. Mom, of course, stayed with him instead of going to the suite Dale booked for her.”
“I’d expect nothing less,” Darla says.
“Me neither.”
Dale doesn’t get our mother like I do. No way will she leave Dad’s side, even if it’s best for her.
I eat the breakfast Darla prepares. Maureen’s sourdough is nearly as good as Ava’s. I can still taste, even though I’m not particularly hungry.
Last night’s dinner was also delicious. I wouldn’t mind trying it when I’m not worried sick. And I’m not just talking about Dad, though he’s the major part of my worry. I’m worried about what secrets my family is hiding.
And what the consequences might be.
My father is a good person. The best. So are his brothers. So are Aunt Marj and all the spouses.
So I wonder… How much of what I uncover will be a surprise to them as well?
But…
People wear masks all the time. As an attorney, I’ve seen my share of good people go bad.
But not my family. Not the Steels.
Not possible.
