“You were freaked out. Majorly. My money was once used to fund your business, so I have a vested interest. What the hell is going on that you felt you had to tell me at the time?”
More silence.
Then, “I got a call from Tom an hour ago. Evie went into labor.”
“Oh. That’s nice.” Not that I gave much of a damn. “Please, Lar.”
“All right. I’ll level with you.”
God. It was about time.
“Great. Go ahead.”
“Tom and Theo had been talking to some gangster dude.”
“Who?” Not that I’d recognize a gangster name. My father probably would, though. Never had I wished more for my father than I had since he’d passed. None of us had expected it to happen so soon and so quickly. The man was a bastard, but he knew all the bad guys.
There had to be records around here somewhere. He’d died a month ago, and with Daphne’s rough pregnancy and regular ranch business, I hadn’t had the time to search for anything else.
“Who doesn’t matter. I talked them out of it, and they got out.”
Wait, wait, wait. Larry talked Tom and Theo out of something? Larry was a yes-man. The weak link. Something didn’t jibe here.
“Oh? If the who doesn’t matter, can you tell me the what?”
“I can’t. Only that it was some dark stuff.”
“Drugs? I mean, other than the pot.”
“Drugs and other stuff.”
“What other stuff?”
He gulped audibly. I seriously heard it through the phone.
“That’s all I can say. Be glad they didn’t go through with it. I think I finally appealed to Tom’s fatherly instinct. Evie’s pregnancy is what finally made him change his mind, and Theo came along with him. They gave up a shit ton of cash, though.”
“They already have a shit ton of cash.”
“That’s what I told them, but it didn’t matter. They both see only green. What mattered was Tom’s impending fatherhood. He already loves that baby, man.”
“Hey, if anyone understands that, I do.”
“Right. Yeah. When can I see my new nephew?”
“Next time you’re in town. Just let me know before you drop by.”
“You got it. I’m seeing someone myself now. I think she may be the one.”
“That’s nice. I never saw you as the wife and kids type.”
“I didn’t either, but Greta makes me rethink that. I think I might be a decent dad.”
I wasn’t sure about that, so I said simply, “I hope it works out.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Are you sure that’s everything you wanted to tell me the day I got married?”
“It’s everything I can say, Brad.”
“All right.” I’d let it go. For now.
The second line on my phone lit up. “Hey, I’ve got another call. I’ll talk to you later, bro.”
“Sure. Ciao.”
I pushed the flashing button. “Steel.”
“Steel!” Tom Simpson’s voice. “I’m a daddy. It’s a boy!”
“Yeah? Congratulations, man. Our sons will be roughly the exact same age.”
“They will. Cool, huh?”
“What’s his name?”
“Bryce. Bryce Thomas Simpson.”
“Nice. How’s Evie?”
“She’s out like a light. She had some issues, and they had to do a C-section. But she and the baby are fine. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like she’ll be able to have any more kids.”
“Oh, man. I’m sorry.”
“It’s rough. Yeah. I’m not excited about telling her.”
“What happened?”
“Apparently she has something called severe endometriosis. The doc couldn’t believe she got pregnant this time after he saw it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“We’ll get through it. Any news on your end?”
“Daphne and the baby are fine.”
“Good to hear, but I meant about your best man.”
“Nothing. Nada. Whoever did this covered their tracks. Not just covered. Eliminated them. I’ve looked high and low, and Murph didn’t seem to have an enemy in the world. I’m flummoxed.”
“Sorry, man.”
“It’s unreal. If my old man couldn’t uncover it, I’m not sure anyone can.”
“And you’re sure about…?”
“Yeah. I have eyewitnesses that say she was locked up and drugged the day of the wedding and the days prior. Even if she was lucid, she didn’t have access to a phone or anything.”
“Crazy. I’ve got to go. I should get back to Evie. I want to be there when she wakes up.”
“Yeah. Tell her hi from me and congratulations.”
“Will do. See you.”
I hung up the receiver, grabbed a key from the top desk drawer, stood, and walked to the mahogany cabinet on the adjacent wall.
My father’s—now my—gun safe.
I turned the key and opened the door.
George Steel had racked up quite a collection, but I was interested only in the Smith & Wesson forty-five.
This was the firearm my father had used to threaten Dr. Pelletier.
I hated that it had come to this, but I would now use it for the same purpose.
Because Larry hadn’t told me the truth.
When he said he’d talked Tom and Theo out of the deal with the gangster, he was lying.
No way did Larry have the intelligence or the balls to talk Tom and Theo out of anything.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Daphne
“I’m sorry, baby,” Brad said.
“But I invited Patty and Ennis for dinner. I want you here.”