Page 53

“It’s damn near impossible,” William agreed.

“Gramps wouldn’t kill all of those guards like that anyway,” said Joy. Her faith in that man was a source of inspiration for William. Maybe someday, if they could get out of this cycle of drama, she’d view him that way.

“That’s what I’m saying too,” said Tess. “This too big for Gramps to pull off. But since we know it can’t be Gramps, who could it be?”

“Only one name comes to mind in my view,” said Bobby.

They all looked at him. “Who?” asked Joy.

“Arthur Davenport,” Bobby said.

“The man married to that sista in Canada? The sista that’s running to be their first black prime minister?”

“That’s the one,” said Bobby. “Arthur Davenport is the most likely suspect if you ask me.”

Max nodded. “Brilliant minds think alike because that’s who I’m putting my money on too.”

“He’s the only one with a major-ass grudge against Boss who also has the means and wherewithal to pull off something that major,” Bobby reasoned.

“I agree,” William said, which was a major admission for him too.

“So how you wanna play it, Boss?” Max asked William as Max’s phone began to ring.

“One way we can’t play it,” William said, “is to accuse a man like Arthur Davenport of what amounts to murder and attempted murder unless we’re damn certain.”

Max answered his phone. Because it seemed obvious, by his responses, that the call concerned the case at hand, they all waited for him to end the call. He finally ended the call.

“Well?” asked Joy.

“We’re damn certain,” Max said. “Pedro Hernandez used to be one of Arthur Davenport’s bodyguards.”

They were all shocked, but elated too. Finally they were getting somewhere!

Max looked at William. “How do you wanna play it, Boss?” he asked him again.

William didn’t hesitate. “Bring him in,” he said.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Bringing him in was taking longer than they had ever anticipated. Four days and still counting. But instead of sitting around the house waiting for the next shoe to drop, or for William to continue to work from home to stay by Joy’s side until they uncovered who was truly behind the attacks, and since it was looking less and less likely that Gramps was the mastermind, they decided to get out and go to lunch.

This was only the second time Joy had stepped foot into William’s country club. The first time was when William had just asked her to be his girlfriend. This time, she was entering as his wife.

And boy was the reception different!

“Mr. Skeffington, Mrs. Skeffington, right this way please.”

“Hello William. Hello Joy.”

“So nice to see you again, William. And hello to your beautiful bride.”

“How are you, William? How are you, Joy?”

It was a remarkable difference.

Even William seemed buoyed, too, as he sat her beside him, rather than across from him, in his booth. And he placed his arm around her waist and kept it there. It was as if he was so proud that she was his woman that he wanted to show her up.

After they had given their drink orders, Joy leaned against him. “When I was your girlfriend they treated me like I was a wedding crasher. But now that I’m your wife they treat me like a rock star.”