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“Why didn’t you?”
“Her father was going to have you prosecuted. He was trumping up charges left and right, Boy. He would have destroyed your future.”
“Bullshit,” I tell him coldly. “How about you try being honest with me for once, Agent Dern. Don’t forget I’m trained to know when someone is lying to me.”
“I know. Maybe you’re forgetting that I’m the one who trained you. I’m the one who made sure you have that career you’re enjoying in record time.”
“I’m not forgetting. It’s the only reason you’re not breathing through a fucking straw right now.”
“I know you’re upset right now. If you would just step back a little, you’d understand that everything I did, I did for you, Gavin—”
“Stop the fucking lying!” I scream the words. They’re slurred from a mixture of alcohol and anger. I know we’re the center of attention, and I know they’ll be whispers and all of Stone Lake will know what’s happening, but I am past caring. Everyone thinks I’m a fucking loser who signed away rights to my child at this point. Why would it bother me for them to know I’m a chump who let the one man he trusted destroy his life and play him for a fool?
“I was in bad shape, Gavin. DeLuca had his hooks in me for forty large. I don’t know how Marshall and that little pipsqueak Atticus knew, but they did. They knew I was about to lose everything. I—”
“How much did he give you?” I ask, soured resentment swirling in my chest so thick I can’t breathe for it. The man I loved, considered my friend, father, and role model sold me out for cash. Didn’t care that he was costing me my son or the woman I loved… he just destroyed my life to save his own neck.
“Gavin, Son, you have to understand…”
“How much did Marshall give you?” I grill him again, my voice cold and the buzz from the alcohol completely gone now, and I’m feeling way too fucking sober.
“Fifty thousand. He gave me fifty thousand to get your signature on those papers, Son,” he says quietly.
“Go back to the hotel, pack up your fucking shit and get out. I don’t care where you go, I don’t care what you do, but I never want to see you again.”
“You need me. You have to have back up—”
“You haven’t been anything but dead weight around my neck for years. If you’re not gone by morning, I won’t be responsible for what happens next,” I warn him.
“Gavin—”
“Times counting down. I want you out of Stone Lake in the next hour. If you’re not, then I’m sure our Director would love to hear how you took a fifty-thousand-dollar bribe.” Then, without giving him a chance to respond to my threat, I turn to look at the bartender. “Another glass and another bottle, my last one seems to have taken a spill.”
“I saw that,” she says. “You’ll be more careful with this one, won’t you, sweetheart?” she asks smiling at me and putting the glass and bottle in front of me.
“I can promise you that there will be nothing that comes between me and this bottle,” I tell her.
“Lucky bottle,” she says with a wink, moving to her next customer. I watch her walk away wondering if maybe I should lose myself in more than a bottle tonight. There’s sure not anything or anyone stopping me…
I look down at the paper once I’m positive Dern has gone. An image of Luna flashes through my mind.
Yeah, there’s nothing stopping me. She’s sure as hell will never forgive me and who could blame her? I’ll never forgive myself.
Luna
I pull into the Cornerstone Motel, still wondering why. I should have my head examined. I should have sent his father to pick him up. To hell with that, I should have left his ass here. It’s not my place to take care of Gavin Lodge. Thirteen years, raising a child alone and all the muddy water between us should tell me that. I see Elaine Parker come out the front door of room three, and I shut off my car, pasting a smile on my face as I get out and walk toward her.
I don’t know Elaine that well. I know she owns the local bar; she got a divorce a few years back. I don’t know the circumstances, her husband always seemed like a good guy, but you can’t always judge by that. There’s an old saying I’ve heard most of my life about no one knowing what goes on behind closed doors and I absolutely believe that. Elaine is about five years older than me, pretty, chestnut hair, tall and athletic. She’s pretty, really pretty, I guess. Knowing she spent the night with Gavin shouldn’t mean anything to me, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it bothers me.
