A Spider Steeped (The Shakespeare Murders Book 4) by John Paulits

Author:John Paulits [Paulits, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wings ePress, Inc.
Published: 2021-09-30T22:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

Kristy kept after Erin and finally, on the third day, Erin acknowledged she had no alternative but to determine the paternity of Raven. For the first two of those days, Mark kept his word and called Jeremy to tell him Kristy was trying, but Erin was resisting. With a profound sense of relief, Mark made the third call to Jeremy and announced Kristy’s success.

“Tell her I expect to be contacted very quickly,” Jeremy replied. Mark decided not to throw oil on a smoldering Erin and kept the message to himself.

Lady Windermere played to good audiences during the week, and the rehearsals for The Winter’s Tale began.

Erin again asked to drop Raven at the theatre after the Sunday matinee to go off with Bob. Raven insisted on another trip to Columbus Park and another Chinese dinner—without bird beaks—and another movie—Mark chose Pinocchio this time—and Mark again had to undergo Kristy’s gentle teasing about how good he was with Raven.

Kristy nestled up to Mark afterwards in the dark of their bedroom. “Wouldn’t you like to be a father? You’re not getting any younger, you know.”

“Kristy, don’t be ridiculous. I’m twenty-five.”

“I think you’re ready.”

Mark knew Kristy meant she was ready.

“Sweetie, keep taking your pills and try not to surprise me.”

Mark felt Kristy vanish for a moment. She rolled over, her back to him, and the conversation ended.

~ * ~

Rehearsals began again on Tuesday, and Erin made no mention of paternity tests. When the actors left for the day, Mark gave Kristy a questioning look. Kristy shook her head and shrugged. Neither of them had revisited the previous night’s topic, and the chilly good night hadn’t lingered into the new day.

The next day, Kristy took Erin to lunch. Late in the afternoon, as she and Mark walked home from the theatre, Kristy finally found an opportunity to report. They stopped in the Noho Star, a restaurant a few blocks from the theatre, and took stools at the bar.

“Update me,” said Mark. “I need to know where Erin is on all of this so I can keep Jeremy cool and calm. He told me yesterday he hadn’t heard from anyone yet about the test.”

“Erin admitted she’s in no hurry to go through with this, but she’s contacted some outfit…what did she call it? DNA Diagnostics Center.”

“Clever title. Took them a while to come up with it, I’ll bet.”

“Anyway, she contacted them.”

“Did she tell Jeremy about this yet? Will the place call him? What happens now?”

“Erin mostly chattered on and on about how unsuitable Jeremy would be as Raven’s father, but she promised to put everything in the hands of the Center.”

“Let me call Jeremy and make sure he knows. I’ll only be a minute.” Mark stepped outside, and a moment later he was back at the bar with Kristy.

“He said they called him today—the Center.”

“So, Erin told the truth.”

“For once.”

Kristy gave him a look of impatience.

“So how long does everything take, I wonder.”

“As Erin truthfully explained to me, all the three of them need to do is to give a cheek swab and wait a week to ten days.

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