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She walked as far as the archway before turning. “And Shoe is okay. I called the vet at six to check on him. He’s snoring like a log and all of his bloodwork came back normal.”
Gratitude mixed with shame. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
She just smiled. “It’s stressful, Gabe. And I know why you were upset. I’d have been the same way if someone told me that my father had been paying a strange woman for years. We’ll figure this out. I promise.”
Then she was gone. A few seconds later, he heard the creak of the bifold doors to her room.
Burke moved the envelope to his briefcase, then poured Gabe a cup of coffee. “Cream and sugar?”
“Please and thank you.”
Burke served them both, then took the seat where Molly had been sitting. “For what it’s worth, I don’t believe your father cheated on your mother.”
Relief left him feeling lighter. “Thank you. I don’t think I realized how much I needed to hear that.”
Burke sighed. “But this whole thing has me stumped.”
“Maybe the Morrow woman runs a charity, like Molly said.”
Burke shook his head. “Maybe, but I don’t think so. How would she have known to name a charity after your brother? At a minimum, Rocky and this Cicely Morrow were close enough that she knew of John Alan.”
“Whose name is the company in?”
Burke opened his own laptop. “John Alan Industries LLC lists... Okay. It’s owned by another corporation. And that corporation is owned by...” He exhaled impatiently. “Another corporation.” He was quiet for a few minutes, typing and scowling, then typing some more. Finally, he leaned back in his seat. “Your father buried this deep. I finally have an actual name. Gigi Gauthier.”
Gabe blinked. “Aunt Gigi?”
Burke perked up. “You have an aunt Gigi?”
“My mother’s sister. She lives in Montreal. That’s where Mom was born and raised.”
“Montreal’s not the address provided. The address on Gigi’s LLC is in Baton Rouge. Let me do a search...” He looked up and shrugged. “It’s a box in a UPS store.”
Gabe rubbed his temples. “Of course it is. Let me get my phone. We can call her.” He took a bracing gulp of coffee before rising. “Not bad. Not as good as my coffee, but not bad.”
“Thank you,” Burke said mildly.
Gabe got his phone, then paused outside of the spare room on his way back to the kitchen. He cocked his head, listening. Then nodded when he heard a soft snore.
Good. She was getting some rest.
He found Burke peering into the fridge. “Can I help you find something?” Gabe asked.
Burke looked over his shoulder. “I’m starving.”
Gabe held up his phone. “Can we call my aunt Gigi first?”
Burke heaved a put-upon sigh. “I suppose I’ll survive. Maybe.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. “Maybe, indeed.” He found Gigi’s name in his favorites list, called her, and put it on speaker. Then rolled his eyes again when he got her voice mail greeting.
“Si vous entendez ce message, ça veux dire que je fais quelques chose de plus intéressant que de vous parler. Laisser un message. Je pourrais vous rappeler.”
“Salut, Tante Gigi,” Gabe said. “Rappelle-moi, s’il te plaît. C’est très important.” He ended the call and shook his head. “My aunt is a character, but I love her.”
“My French is rusty. Did she say she was doing something more interesting than talking to you?”
“She did, indeed.” He motioned Burke away from the open refrigerator. “Then she said to leave her a message and ‘I might call you back.’ ”
