“I know it’s not something that’s typically considered a charity,” she began. “It’s more of a research group. It would fund intriguing new studies on how to handle this country’s addiction problem. Just say no doesn’t work.”
She shouldn’t have said that. The woman in front of her might have had legit ties to Nancy Reagan.
Ava poured the tea with an elegant hand, something she’d likely practiced a thousand times.
When she was growing up tea was something her mom kept in a pitcher in the fridge and put way too much sugar in.
“Obviously,” Ava agreed. “I’ve found the people who tell others to say no have usually said yes at some point. It’s not so simple, is it? This isn’t a subject I know much about, though I did lose some family members to addiction. It doesn’t seem to care if you’re rich or poor.”
“No, it doesn’t. It cares if you’re lonely, if you have an empty place inside you.” Vanessa leaned forward, warming to her subject. “There is a biological component, and many people are studying that, but I want to specifically research how community affects addiction. There are some incredible studies out of Portugal that show promise in significantly reducing relapse by encouraging recovering addicts to engage in community projects.”
“Well, that sounds intriguing.” Ava poured her own cup. “Tell me more. I’d like to hear all about it. How did you get involved?”
She sounded so sincere, and no one ever wanted to talk about Lara since George died. “I had a very good friend. She was a director, the best director I ever had.”
She started to talk, getting comfortable, her passion coming out for the first time in a long while.
Chapter Thirteen
“I still don’t quite understand what happened. I walked in and Drake was sitting in my living room and both he and Chelsea looked exhausted and they’d gone through half a bottle of Scotch.”
Two mornings later, Simon shook his head and stared out the window of Michael’s office.
“Seriously? She won’t tell you what happened?” Michael sat back. It was a rainy morning, and his mind was still on Vanessa and how they’d spent the weekend.
Apparently Simon had spent a portion of his with the man they knew as Drake. He was the CIA operative tasked to handle Chelsea Weston, and he’d had several interactions with McKay-Taggart.
Simon shook his head. “She said it was beyond classified, and it was better I didn’t know. I swear I wanted to throttle Drake. Why can’t the bloody Agency leave her alone?”
“Because she’s still the best hacker in the world,” Michael pointed out. “I know I feel safer when Chelsea’s behind the keyboard. How is she today?”
Simon shrugged. “Back at work like nothing happened. I think it would have been far worse if she’d had to deal with the children. She wants to take Vanessa out to dinner sometime this week as a way to thank her. I think she also wants to get to know her because Sophy’s talked so much about her. According to our daughter, Vanessa is very cool. I thought we could make it a double date. Sophy’s spending next weekend out at the lake house with Erin and Theo. She’s spending a lot of time with Devi since they started playing on the same football team.”
Over a decade in the States and his cousin still called soccer football.
“Sure. That sounds great.” He would pick a place that had private dining rooms and a discreet entrance. Lucky for him Top had both, and if reporters showed up, the kitchen was full of ex-military men and women who didn’t mind kicking a little ass. “It would be good for her to get out and spend some time with friends.”
Simon turned. “I hear she’s making quite a few. She seems to have charmed Aunt Ava.”
His mom had sat and talked with Vanessa so long he and JT had been forced to order pizza to feed the kids. They’d all sat around his usually empty dining room table and eaten dinner together, and he’d been shocked at how emotional the whole evening had made him.
It had felt right to sit across from Vanessa and spend time with his family. He’d felt like he fit in a way he hadn’t in a very long time.
Because she’s the right woman for you.
“They got along very well. Better than I expected them to,” he admitted.
“Does she understand the situation?” Simon asked. “Aunt Ava, I mean.”
“I told her the relationship began as part of an investigation.”
“Began?” A brow rose over his cousin’s eyes.
“I’m not even trying to fool myself anymore. I want this relationship to continue. Even if I find out she stole that money, I want her.”
Simon’s brows rose. “You still think she did it?”
He’d talked to Si about the investigation when he’d brought in Phoebe Murdoch to do some financial investigation for him. “I don’t see who else would have gotten on her computer to move money around. Phoebe says she thinks she’s got something for me, but she got hung up at her kids’ school. I’m meeting with her later this afternoon.”