Full Force Fatherhood by Tyler Anne Snell

Author:Tyler Anne Snell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-04-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Silence.

It enveloped the space around the three adults. Not even the oink of a cartoon pig in the background could penetrate their collective concentration.

Eventually Mark spoke.

“Dennis Crawford became unpredictable? How?” He tried to recall anything out of the ordinary about the retired editor back during the contract. The only contact he’d had with Victor was through an email the day before the fire happened. It had been solely work-related and hadn’t raised any red flags.

“How isn’t as important as when,” Nikki answered. She looked at Kelli when she continued. “After the fire, I kept our contract open and tabs on you until it was ruled Darwin McGregor was behind it. I also kept an eye on those who were closest to the case. Nothing suspicious happened with any of the people I was watching.”

“The people?” Kelli asked.

Nikki paused and for a moment looked apologetic.

“Your friend Lynn, Victor’s friends at the various publications he had worked with, even the last of his family—the two cousins in Denmark, Dennis and the Bowman Foundation themselves.”

That surprised Mark.

“You looked into the Bowman Foundation?”

“Yes, but a cursory look that suggested they were what they said they were. Nothing more, nothing less. Dennis also appeared to act normal, considering everything.” She didn’t have to pause for dramatic effect. Mark was already reeled in. “Until right after the trial, when he made a few uncharacteristic choices.” She held up three fingers. “First, he hired a realtor in Florida.”

“He was going to move?” Kelli’s eyes widened.

“As far as I can tell, he never went out there,” Nikki cut in. She held up two fingers. “Instead, two, he retired from the Scale—in my opinion—a few years too early. And then, three, right before he went quiet, he gave a sizable contribution to a national charity organization, namely not the Bowman Foundation.”

Mark rubbed a hand across his clean-shaven jaw. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Sounds like we’ve got another Darwin McGregor thing going on,” he observed. Nikki gave him a questioning look.

“Darwin McGregor thing?”

“We think he was paid to accept the fall for someone so his grandmother would be taken care of,” Kelli said.

“And it sounds like someone else might have been paid off,” he observed. “Right after the trial, almost moving, retiring early and giving money to charity?”

“Or maybe it’s a sign of something else?” Nikki offered.

“Surely that can’t be a coincidence?” he said, mind already set on his theory. “Having two people making choices that dramatically change their lives, all surrounding the fire? They both seem guilty of being connected.”

Nikki raised her index finger. “Connected, yes, but who’s to say Dennis was behind it all?”

Mark tilted his head toward Kelli to see what she was thinking. A storm of thought was brewing just behind her eyes. He could have looked into them for hours and never lost interest. So beautiful.

He blinked and tore his gaze away. Now wasn’t the time to realize he was much more attracted to the woman he was trying to help than he would have liked to admit.

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