No one said anything.
“You feeling me?” Rock asked.
“Yeah, of course,” Reid said. “It just sucks, is all.”
“No shit. But we have to be there.”
“Any news on Zinnia?” Roy asked.
“Zinnia?” I said.
“Yeah. She’s a woman who entered into some kind of settlement with Dad and Father Jim.”
“Father Jim?”
“Shit. There’s a lot you don’t know,” Rock said. “Lace, you want to fill her in, since you uncovered this part of it?”
“Sure.” Lacey cleared her throat. “When I was an associate at my old firm, I found the signature page of a document in the copy room. All I know is that it was some kind of settlement and confidentiality agreement, and your father was one of the signatories. The other one was someone named James—we think it was probably Father Jim, but I can’t recall the last name—and the third one was a woman named Zinnia. Again, I can’t remember the last name. It took a lot of doing just to remember that much.”
“Father Jim?”
“Yeah, Father Jim,” Roy said. “He’s not the paragon of the church he’d like us to think he is.”
“Did he ever…” I gulped.
“No, no. He’s not one of those priests.” Roy shook his head. “At least as far as I know, though it wouldn’t surprise me. His victims seem to be adult women.”
“But Dad…” I gulped again.
Lacey, who sat next to me, touched my forearm. I whisked it away.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“It’s okay. I just…”
Don’t like to be touched. The words were true, but also contradictory. I’d let Matt touch me. In fact, I’d craved it.
“Dad liked little girls,” Rock said. “We all know it now.”
I shook my head.
“Riley?” Roy asked.
“Dad didn’t like little girls,” I said. “I mean, only me. He never…”
“Wait, wait, wait… What are you trying to say?” Rock asked.
“I’m saying that… Sometimes Dad and I… We were with…others. And he only touched me.”
Roy shook his head. “Riley. Fuck.”
“It’s okay,” I said, though it wasn’t okay at all.
“We all know the truth now, Riley,” Reid said, “and we’re all so damned sorry.”
“It’s in the past,” I said. The recent past, but still the past.
“We’re going to get you all the help you need,” Rock said. “The best there is. Roy and Lace have been working with a psychologist they really like.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”
“It’s okay. We’re on your time,” Reid said. “You call the shots.”
I laughed. Actually laughed.
“What’s funny?” Rock asked.
“Just the idea of me calling my own shots. Totally laughable. He controlled me my whole life.”
“Well, the bastard’s dead and buried,” Rock said. “From now on, you’re in charge of your own life, and we’re all here for you. Got it?”
“Got it.” I smiled. Actually smiled like I’d smiled with Matt. “And damn, it feels good.”
24
Matteo
Mid-afternoon the next day found me wandering around town, visiting all the places I’d taken Riley. After a visit to Mrs. Carson’s—where she fed me a Mexican lunch of posole and rice, which tasted like sawdust—I walked by Trudy’s. She was closed, getting ready for the dinner rush, but I waved to her through the window and she motioned for me to come in.
“How’s tricks, Matt?” she asked.
“Okay.”
“You seem blue. That’s not like you.”
“Nah. I’m good.”
“Ha! I’ve known you for too long. What’s going on?”
Telling her I’d fallen for a woman in two days and that she’d left without a trace made me sound ridiculous, so I just said, “You’re imagining things.”
“If you say so. Want some iced tea or something?”
“That’d be great. Thanks.”
She headed to the kitchen and came back with two iced teas and then gestured to a table. “Sit.”
“Something smells great. What’s on for tonight?”
“Coq au vin. I got a shipment of burgundy yesterday, so I’m making good use of it.”
“Awesome. Maybe I’ll come by for dinner.” If I was hungry, that was.
“Great! Bring your lady friend.”
I lifted my eyebrows. “You mean Riley? She’s gone.”
“Oh? I thought she was here for the week.”
“She was. Her plans changed, apparently.”
“So that’s what’s got you down in the dumps.”
I took a long sip of iced tea. “Don’t be silly.”
“I could tell the other night you had it pretty bad.”
“I’d just met her the other night.”
“So? Don’t you believe in love at first sight?”
I scoffed, nearly spitting out tea. “Of course not.”
“I do,” she said. “And trust me. That look on your face the other night? I’ve seen it before.”
“On me?”
“Hell, no, not on you. Matt Rossi the heartbreaker. Usually on women you bring in.”
“And this time?”
“I saw it on you.”
“I’ll say it again, Trudy.” I finished my tea and stood. “You’re imagining things. Thanks for the drink.”
“Anytime. See you tonight for supper?”
“Yeah. Maybe.” I walked to the door and walked back out onto the street.
Love at first sight. What a crock.
I walked past Bess’s antique shop. Hmm. We’d never ventured in there. I’d meant to, but then Riley tripped and dropped her purse.
Her cigarettes. I’d admonished her for smoking.
Strange. I’d been with her nearly nonstop for two days and I’d never seen her light up.
Very strange indeed.
A few doors down stood the flower shop. I’d bought her a pink rose…which she’d subsequently thrown on the ground and trampled. But she apologized, and I forgave her.
At the time, I’d have forgiven her anything.
Could I forgive her for leaving?
A moot question, to be sure. If I never found her, I couldn’t forgive her. So I’d find her first, and then I’d decide whether to forgive her.
I opened the door to the flower shop, ringing the bell attached to the handle.
“Just a minute,” Kari called from the back.
“It’s just me,” I said. “Matt.”
“Oh, hey, Mattie. Be right out. I need to talk to you.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. Give me a minute.”
“Okay.”
What did Kari need to talk to me about? Probably had a job for me. I’d fixed some plumbing for her in the past and made some repairs to her refrigeration unit. Great. I could use the cash.