AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Dallas yelped, confirmation enough he approved of the name.
“Well, Rebecca,” I said, studying the dark sky and finding it full of stars, “I finally got us a dog. Just wish you were here with me to take care of him.”
11
DIANA
WASHINGTON, D.C. – FEBRUARY 2020
“I’m sorry I missed your birthday last month.” Dad kissed my cheek, then shoved a belated gift in my hand.
“It’s fine, and you didn’t need to get me anything.” I stared at the small present, assuming it was jewelry. I guess my wish for him to understand I wasn’t a jewelry person wasn’t my gift this year either.
“Maybe it’s not for your birthday. We could say it’s an early Valentine’s Day gift.” He reached my shoulder and patted twice. “Come on, open it.”
“Valentine’s is just commercial BS,” I grumbled, attributing my bad mood to both PMS and the fact I was between jobs.
The project I’d been working on at a fusion reactor in France had run out of government funding, which meant I was twenty-nine and living under Mom’s roof until I figured out my next steps. And being back at Mom’s was the last thing I wanted. Well, I guess it could’ve been worse. I could’ve been at Dad’s, watching the revolving door of women my age.
“Maybe if you had a Valentine’s date, you’d feel different about the day. I heard Mom was trying to set you up with Craig Paulsen.” He removed his hand from my shoulder, and I wondered if he felt me cringe at the name. “He’s a senator now. Single. My guess is he’ll land a pretty powerful role at the White House one of these days.”
I rolled my eyes. “At least the guy being single is a criteria for you in picking out my dates.” Not that I wanted him choosing my dates. “You do know he’s fifteen years older than me and an asshole, right?” I couldn’t help but toss out those undeniable facts.
It still made me nauseous my mom tried to set me up with him last month, knowing he’d cheated with Rebecca Dominick.
“He’s not that bad of a guy. He has his moments, but don’t we all?” Dad shrugged, then swept a lock of silvery-black hair away from his forehead.
“I’d prefer never to hear that man’s name again.” I set aside the gift, not in the mood to open up a bracelet or earrings and pretend to be dazzled by them like I was one of his girlfriends he won over with sparkly things.
“So.” He clapped his hands together, ignoring my comment, and asked, “Your mom back from dinner with Jared yet? I actually need to talk to her.”
“Ah, that’s why you personally delivered the belated gift instead of having your assistant drop it off.”
“You’re funny tonight.” Dad shoved his hands in his slacks pockets and a goofy grin I hadn’t seen in years stole over his face.
Dad wasn’t in politics anymore, spending his time playing the stock market on a daily basis instead, but he still had two personal assistants get him everything from his coffee to his dry cleaning. It was like he was unable to do anything for himself anymore. I doubted the twenty- or thirty-year-old him in the Navy would recognize the man he’d become today. It made me sad.
“What do you need to talk to Mom about?” I folded my arms over my T-shirt, pretty much wearing them 24/7 around her. She hated when I dressed “down” and she hated the graphic Ts with silly sayings and puns on them even more. I may have been going on thirty, so it was immature of me to do that, but getting under her skin the way she got under mine was a new favorite pastime.
“Nothing you need to worry about.” He patted my head this time instead of my shoulder, and ugh, now I did feel like a kid.
Thanks for that. “She’ll never share that money Rebecca Dominick left us, you know that, right?” I cut straight to it.
“Still hard to believe it’ll be almost a year since she died,” he said, sounding almost somber about it. He hadn’t even known the Barclay family that well.
Keeping my arms locked across my chest, I turned toward the windows, focusing on the view of the Potomac River outside the back living room.
“A bit shocking what happened to her husband,” he went on when I kept quiet.
I closed my eyes, remembering the last time I’d seen Carter Dominick. He hadn’t been at the reading of the will, so our paths last crossed on the rooftop after the funeral.
“Part of me wonders if he hired someone to kill her. Given his reputation now it wouldn’t shock me.” Dad’s accusation had me opening my eyes, glaring at his reflection.
“I’ve heard the rumors from Mom, and that’s all they are. There’s no way he’s become a criminal, and no flipping way he killed her.” I spun around, feeling angry on Carter’s behalf. I was beyond sick of people in Mom’s fancy circles bringing up his story every chance they got. Whispering between each other at parties or events. The gossip was out of control.
“They’re not rumors, sweetie. He’s on Homeland’s watch list. No-fly list. All the lists.” He narrowed his eyes as if worried about my judgment.
Ha. Look at yourself. “There has to be a mistake. He’s searching for his wife’s killer. He loved her so much, and he’s clearly the kind of guy who will do anything for justice.”
