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Grabbing my tablet off my desk, I headed to the kitchen and pulled out a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a big spoon. Sitting at my kitchen table, I opened the ice cream and shoved a big spoonful into my mouth as I did a search for anything and everything about Alastair Heney. Before I attempted to call the man I needed to be prepared.
Several hours had passed, and the ice cream was either eaten or melted into a soupy mess when I heard another knock at the door. Without taking my eyes off the article I was reading I walked a few feet to my front door and opened it. “Perie!” my friend exclaimed as she pulled me into a tight hug. “I am so sorry, sweetie.”
I finally tore my eyes off my tablet and hugged her back. “Cassy it's so much worse.”
“What is sweetie? Was she murdered?”
“No no, but Mother’s husband… oh I can’t even admit it out loud.”
“What about him? Is he some criminal or something?” Cassy held me at an arm's length away from her. I could see her trying to figure out what I was trying to tell her.
With a deep sigh, I led her to the couch and pulled her to sit down with me. “Oh, you look gorgeous tonight.”
“Girl, you’re killing me here,” Cassy said, ignoring my compliment for the distraction it was.
“Okay, you know how my mother owned Winter’s Publishing?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, from what I read, she married Alastair Heney, owner and CEO of Authors Plus last week.”
Cassy nodded her head, “Seems like a good merger. What’s wrong, though?”
“Well earlier I was trying to upload Love Searching but was having issues so I called customer service at Authors Plus. An Alastair at extension 2101 helped me fix things so I could get it uploaded on time. Look at this business card the police officer gave me.” I pointed out Alastair’s phone number and watched as Cassy’s eyes got big.
“Oh shit! You were talking to your stepfather without even knowing it.”
“Cassy, I flirted with him because he had the sexiest accent!” I covered my face with my hands as I blushed in embarrassment.
“It says here that Alastair is thirty-two. He was five years younger than your mother. As cold and harsh as she was at our graduation do you think it was just a business arrangement? I mean why would a man that fine want to be with your bitch of a mother? In my circles, Alastair Heney is, well was or is it is again? Anyways, he’s considered one of the most eligible bachelors in this city.”
“Perie, are you okay?” Cassy looked at me with a worried look on her face.
“Cas, what do I do? I’m so embarrassed.”
“Don’t be, sweetie. I bet he doesn’t even realize it was his stepdaughter he was talking to.”
“CASSY! Stop referring to him like that. It’s so messed up.”
Cassy started to giggle and then laugh as I joined her. “This is something you read in those stories you write. This is so insane.”
After a good laugh, I felt better. Yes, I was sad I’d never be able to reconcile with my mother, but I also knew that it was highly unlikely we ever would. My mother was never one to admit she was less than perfect to anyone, especially to her “ungrateful daughter.”
“He gave the police officer that business card and said he wanted to speak to me at some point. When should I call him?”
Cassy pondered as she looked at the photo on my tablet. “I think some time tomorrow would be appropriate. He was married to your mother and probably needs you to deal with her estate at the very least. Everything I’ve heard about the man is good and you know I have an ear for the dishy dark gossip. Yeah, tonight let's order Chinese food, I’m starving, watch Under the Tuscan Sun and say goodbye to your mother in style.”
Chapter 4
Perie
It was mid-morning when I finally got the courage to call Alastair Heney. I noticed that his business card listed both his business number as well as his cell. As it was Saturday, I thought it’d be best to call his cell phone. I was so nervous it was ridiculous.
Taking a deep breath, I dialed the phone number for his cell phone. As he answered on the second ring I replied, “Mr. Heney. It’s Peridot Winters.”
“Ms. Winters! I’m so glad you called me. I’m so sorry about your mother. She was on her way to meet me for dinner regarding merging our companies but unfortunately, she never arrived.”
“The police mentioned the two of you were married?”
