Paradise had a death grip on Blake’s hand, but he managed not to wince. “Did you hear any rumors that your father planned to leave your mother? Could that have been a motive to stop him from derailing his run for governor?”
“I—I overheard a fight between my parents just the day beforeDad died. He had asked her for a divorce, and she screamed at him that she would make sure his political aspirations never came about. He stomped out and took off with tires screeching and didn’t come home that night.”
“Did you tell the police about it?”
Taylor stared down at her hands. “I was sixteen and wanted to protect my mother.”
Paradise leaned against Blake and exhaled. He wished he could spare her hearing all this and having to relive the night her parents died too. These deaths had to be related, but for the life of him, he couldn’t see who would want them all dead. Unless... “Would your dad’s family have tried to talk him out of divorce? Could it have been a disagreement with one of them that got out of hand?”
Taylor reached for her glass of tea and took a sip without answering for several moments. She set the beverage back on the table and laced her fingers together. “The only family member Dad ever argued with was Uncle Bear. He was older than Dad and never had much success with politics, though it was his passion. Tempers could run high between them since they often disagreed on policy or election strategies. But in spite of those differences, they were tight. I can’t see Uncle Bear ever hurting my dad.”
“Bear?” Paradise asked.
“His real name is Arthur, but we all call him Bear. I was never sure where he got the nickname.”
Paradise pulled her hand from Blake’s and rubbed her head. “I was there the night my parents died, and I blocked out most of it until recently.”
“I understand your loss.” Taylor glanced down at her clasped hands. “I—I found my mother at the bottom of the stairs. She’djust gotten up and was still in her robe and slippers. It was very traumatic, and I try not to remember.”
Drew reached over and touched Taylor’s hands. “That had to have been very hard.”
She moved slightly so that his hand fell away. Blake tried not to dislike her for it. She’d taken a hard hit with this news, and she already had two brothers. She wouldn’t welcome the unknown addition with open arms. At least not yet.
Drew returned his hand to his chair’s armrest. “I’d like to speak to your brothers too. And your uncle of course. Are there any other siblings? A-are your grandparents still alive...?” His voice trailed off and betrayed how much that final question meant.
Grandparents were important in any kid’s life, and Paradise had keenly felt the lack of any in her life. Blake had too. Visits with his maternal grandparents had been few and far between since they lived in Scotland, and his paternal grandfather had died in the Korean conflict. His paternal grandmother had died in childbirth.
Taylor looked down at her hands again. “My grandparents live here. I mean, with me. This is their home, really, and I just come when I need to get away from the hubbub of the legislature.”
Drew’s eager gaze darted to the door. “Are they home so I could ask them some questions?”
Taylor gave a jerky nod. “Give me a few minutes to explain the situation. They raised us after our parents died.”
Chapter 21
Blake watched Drew pace the brick patio. Blake didn’t blame him for the agitation. He took a glance at his watch. Three o’clock. Hez and Savannah were due to meet them at Lighthouse Park in two hours. Maybe he hadn’t thought this engagement idea through as well as he should have. He hadn’t expected an entire family meeting to open up to them. Hez would wait though. This was important.
Paradise linked her fingers through his. “Think I should try to calm him?” she whispered.
“No. He needs some time to process what he’s learned.” Blake had already figured out his soon-to-be brother-in-law was a deep thinker, which was why he was such a successful detective. Another person’s thoughts were just noise when he was trying to sort things out.
Blake studied the yard to distract himself. Tiki lights lined the oyster walkway, and a small monument stood off to the right side. One dedicated to Ben? Way on the back side of the acreage he spotted a large building. He assumed it was the garage that housed the car collection.
Fifteen minutes ticked by before Taylor returned with her grandparents. Barely five-two, the older woman was as slim as a girl and her grayish-blonde hair was in a sleek bob. She wore yoga clothes and there was a slight sheen on her forehead as if she’d been caught exercising. She had the money to keep herself up and looked as if she always worked at it. Her husband was just as stylish in khaki pants and a light blue shirt. His white hair was as thick as Blake’s but neatly styled.
The tiny woman behind Taylor didn’t wait to be introduced but came barreling past her granddaughter. Her inquisitive green eyes flashed from Drew to Blake, then back to Drew. She held out her hand. “You must be Drew. Your nose is like my Ben’s.”
Drew’s only indication of emotion was the way his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed. “I’m glad to hear that. I never met him.”
“I knew about you, of course. Benny told me everything after he reconnected with Becky and heard about your birth. He didn’t know she was pregnant when they broke up. She’d found out he was married and ended it. They never spoke until they happened to run into each other at a charity function at TGU, of all things. I sometimes wondered if he secretly hoped to find her there. I was supposed to make an appearance, but I got the flu at the last minute, and he quickly volunteered.”
Drew blinked as the torrent of information poured out of her. “I wasn’t sure what had happened. I didn’t catch your name.”
“I’m Victoria, but the grandchildren call me Pippy.” She turned and gestured to her husband. “This is your grandfather, Percy, but you may call him Duke like the other grandchildren. Percy tried to find you after Ben died but didn’t have much luck.”
Drew shoved his hands in his pockets as if he wasn’t sure what to do with them. “Pleased to meet you.”
Blake hadn’t thought things would go this well. It helped that they already knew about Drew’s existence. He watched them all shake hands, but he noted the way Victoria checked the impulse to hug him. She would be easier to win over than Taylor.
