“I know. I’m sorry about the way I reacted before. You were just trying to warn me, and I bit your head off. Said terrible things. And the whole time you were right. Some things are better left in the past.”
“I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have been so judgmental. Just because I don’t want to meet our father doesn’t mean I should expect you to feel the same way. After all this is over, I’ll have Sam look into it for you. He’s got crazy connections.”
It was a tempting offer, but it felt a little like poking the lid on Pandora’s box. What if Sam found proof Moreno was their father? Did she really want to know? Could she live with that knowledge the rest of her life, or was it better just to wonder?
Or what if what he found was even worse?
“Thanks, Raina. But I think maybe I’m finally ready to let this one go.”
The thought made her inexplicably sad. Raina must have sensed it because she was quiet for a minute, then said brightly, “Anyway, I’ll be back this weekend. If this shoot was anything other than Sports Illustrated, you know I’d come home immediately, right?”
“I know. I don’t want you to miss this, either. I’ve been here this long, so I can hang out for a few more days. I don’t suppose it’ll make much difference at this point.”
But as she hung up with her sister she wondered if the next few days wouldn’t be the hardest she’d ever been through.
Ridley got up from the bed and wandered over to the window. She pushed it up and stuck her head out into the warm, humid night air. Her room faced the back of the house so all she could see were trees and the backs of other houses. Raina’s house should be a few houses down on the right. There was a light shining through the trees right where her sister’s house should be.
Was that a light on?
Ridley leaned farther, stretching as far as she could over the windowsill. Just then the light went off. She shook her head. That must be one of Raina’s neighbors. She’d probably misjudged the distance. Then she remembered the phone call from Mrs. Ashton. If someone was willing to burn down her apartment, what would stop them from trying to do the same to her sister’s house?
Nothing,she thought with a shiver. She backed up and closed the window, making sure the locks were in place.
Absolutely nothing.