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One person will. Cori. What she does with it, I’m not sure. He was going to have to discuss this with Brice later; it would have a ripple effect throughout the family if Cori went public with the information.
“How is it that you didn’t get hurt in the fire?”
The man lifted his shirt, and Logan saw he was mistaken. The guy had scars across his stomach and chest from third-degree burns. “My legs look the same. I am fortunate that I lived at all. Joe is the one who saved me. He pulled me to safety before going back in to try and save the vineyard.” The old man sniffed. “He was a good man and your family hated him for it.”
Logan knew people viewed him as being from that same lot. Everything about his father disgusted him. Now he had a grandmother to hate equally. Was there any end to this? Was this the generation that finally ended the cruel behavior? God, I hope so.
“Why wait until now to speak up? Why not open up before now?”
“Because I didn’t want James to finish what he’d started thirty years ago. He wanted the Sparks family to pay a price. They did. But I knew if what really happened ever surfaced, he’d return. That is why I work at the police station. I knew someday someone would come looking again. Someone other than Cordelia Sparks, his granddaughter. And I needed to be there to make sure no one ever knew.”
“You’re protecting James?” That thought angered the shit out of him.
“No! A man came to the hospital burn unit I was in and told me if I ever spoke to anyone about the Hendersons, I’d be killed and so would whoever I shared the truth with. So I shut my mouth. You’re a Henderson. This is your family. You know what I’m telling you is true.”
“Why aren’t you afraid of me?”
“I have a cousin on the East Coast. He was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor they said was inoperable. You took a chance when no one else would and removed the tumor. Not only did he survive, but he regained full function. That day I knew you weren’t like your father.”
Logan stared past him. He knew he wasn’t like his father, but nothing like him might be a stretch. It was sad but one surgery blended into the next. He didn’t remember this case, but by the time someone got to him, they usually had been given a death sentence from everyone else. I’m just glad I’ve been able to save so many.
“And now I am old and tired of hiding. The truth will die with us. Otherwise, let me get back in my car and go back to what I’ve always done.”
“What is that?”
“I didn’t just work for Joe. He took me under his wing when no one would give me a job. I owed him so much. He’d told me if anything ever happened to him to do one thing: make sure Cordelia and Sarah were always taken care of. I don’t have money, but I’ve been able to prevent them from ever finding out what happened. Sarah never bothered, but Cordelia is different. She’d go after your family with a vengeance; I fear what you’ll do to her.”
I’d protect her with my life.Logan didn’t try to stop him as he got back in his car and drove off. He had the answers he’d come for. They weren’t anything he’d expected. Now he needed to return and get something very important answered before he even considered sharing this with Cori.
He ran through the timeline in his head. He knew the approximate time Joe worked for his grandmother, but this guy hadn’t had any exact time period. They’d been lovers so long ago, and both Joe and his grandmother were dead. They were the only ones who could confirm it. He didn’t like the way things were adding up. It couldn’t be, but it sure in hell would explain why his grandmother hated him. Had she been pregnant when he left? No one ever spoke of our grandfather. Is it possible that Joe was my grandfather? Fuck I hope not.
Cori wished he’dcall. She’d given in and texted him a few times, but his answers were so short they hardly counted as a conversation. He wasn’t cold to her, but there wasn’t any affection there either.
That should be okay with her because what had they exchanged anyway? A few kisses didn’t make a relationship. Neither did long hours of chatting. The only thing that bound them together was the lie they were both telling, that they were a couple. A couple of fools, that’s what we are. The only ones we’re hurting are ourselves.
She was falling for him. It surely wasn’t from the research she’d done beforehand. If so, he’d be the last man she’d be interested in. It wasn’t his sexy looks either. She’d seen a part of him that touched her heart. And when he didn’t know she was watching him, the hardness left his eyes, and she knew somehow he needed her. A Henderson needing me? That’s funny.
None of this was going according to plan, and that didn’t please her one bit. Cori knew this was supposed to be an assignment she’d given herself. It should launch her career. How could she move forward with that if she cared about him? You don’t hurt those you love.
Oh, that word echoed in her mind. She wasn’t ready to label how she felt, especially with the big four-letter word, but it was something she was starting to feel. If not she wouldn’t give one hoot if she never heard from him again, but instead she was picking up her phone every few minutes to make sure she didn’t miss a call or text. Yeah, whatever this feeling is I hate it.
There were so many other things she should be thinking about right now instead of how much she missed his sweet lips on hers. If he missed her as much as she did him, he’d be knocking on her door. But nothing. Instead, two days had gone by, and she hadn’t seen him at all. I’ve seen more of his family. Go figure. That’s the one place he was trying to keep me out of.
It was ironic how things seemed to be playing out. This morning Morgan had called to see if she’d enjoyed shopping with Ziva. These people genuinely cared. It took a lot for her not to mention Logan’s disappearing act. Although everyone was acting like nothing was wrong, her gut, which was normally a good indicator, said something was. What are you doing, Logan? You’re not at your office. You’ve canceled your appointments, and your sisters-in-law don’t seem to know you’re gone.
Cori didn’t want to do it, but she knew one person who’d have the answer. That didn’t mean he was going to share it with her. Crossing her fingers like a child who actually believed it’d help, she called Brice.
“Henderson here.”
Even his voice made her shake. Brice wouldn’t be happy she was questioning Logan’s whereabouts. Digging deep, she mustered what courage she had and asked, “You wouldn’t happen to know where Logan is, would you?”
“Who is this?” Brice barked at her.
Like he’d know my voice. Get over yourself. You’re not that important.She was sure if it were one of his sisters-in-law he wouldn’t use that tone. Or maybe he would. Lena said he’s a hard ass.
“Sorry. This is Cori. I’m Logan’s gir—” She couldn’t bring herself to say it. “We met at the bar a few days ago.” That sounded so pathetic.
“I should apologize. Sorry I snapped, Cori. You’re calling me looking for Logan? Did you two fight?”
