Page 56 of Shelter for Shay
“If he was, he deserves an Oscar,” Rufus said. “But I don’t think he was and I’m pretty good at detecting liars. He didn’t dodge anything. No twitching. No tells. He looked me straight in the eye when he said he had no idea why Margaret would name him as your father. It caught him off guard, especially since he’s got a family and a decent reputation.”
“Did he offer anything useful?” Moose’s voice came through again, calm but pressing.
Rufus scratched his jaw. “Sort of. Back during their freshman year—after she ignored his flirting—Margaret used to sneak around a lot. Said she was dating someone but never told anyone who it was. Thought maybe it was a professor at first. But after Margaret got pregnant and never dropped out, he figured maybe the guy was older. Or married.”
Shay’s pulse jumped. “Did he have a name? A guess?”
Rufus shook his head. “Nope. Said she kept it locked up tight. But what really got his attention was she suddenly had the down payment for a house and bought one up in Lake George. That’s quite the commute, considering she was about to have a baby. Bradley thought all of it was strange. She constantly complained about how she was barely scraping by. That she only had her mother’s help and she wasn’t much help at all. Loans were killing her. And then bam, she’s a homeowner. But he also mentioned that after she had the baby, she isolated herself. Focused on her studies and didn’t socialize with anyone.”
“It sounds like someone gave her the money.” Moose’s voice turned graver. “I need to circle back with Ry and find out what, if anything, she’s been able to uncover.”
Rufus nodded. “Bradley said everyone liked Margaret, but once she had the baby, she simply withdrew. He hasn’t given her much thought over the years. He was shocked and saddened to hear she’d passed.”
Shay gripped the edge of the table. “He could be lying. I saw a strange man at the funeral. One I didn’t recognize. It could’ve been him.”
Rufus gave her a kind but firm look. “Shay, he was genuinely stunned to hear that your mom suggested he could’ve been your dad. He gave me a hair sample if you want to do a paternity test. That’s how certain he is.”
The words stung more than she expected.
“Thanks, Rufus,” she said quietly. “I appreciate your efforts.”
He stood and tipped his cap. “I’ll keep digging. Maybe someone else knew who she was seeing back then.”
As he stepped out the front door, Shay remained at the table, staring at the closed screen. “You still there?” she asked, eyeing the phone.
“Still here,” Moose said.
She exhaled, long and slow. “So Bradley’s not my dad.”
“No,” Moose said gently. “But we’re closer to the truth. And now we know Margaret didn’t just make up the name. But it’s odd, because if ever confronted, it’s obvious he’d challenge the story.”
“But my mom made it pretty clear she didn’t want me digging and I played into it.” Shay rubbed her arms. “And now we’re back to the idea that my dad was probably married. Maybe powerful. Dangerous.”
“That’s what we’re going to find out,” Moose said. “One step at a time.”
She smiled faintly. “I wish you were here.”
“Me too. But I’m calling again tonight. And I’ll be back before you know it.”
“I have to go in soon. Opening arguments today.”
“You’ve got this, Shay. Just keep your head down. Trust yourself. And if he looks at you again—don’t flinch.” Moose’s voice came through, warm and steady.
“I didn’t flinch last time.”
“I know,” he said. “But if I could, I’d be sitting in the front row, daring him to try.”
Her heart swelled. “I love you, you know.”
“I know,” he murmured. “And I love you right back.”
Shay – Courthouse, Opening Arguments
The courtroom was stiflingly quiet.
Not in volume, but in pressure—thick and heavy, like a storm pressing against the walls. Shay sat in the jury box with her spine straight, hands folded neatly in her lap, trying to look like she belonged. Like she wasn’t second-guessing every breath she took.
Blake Edmonds sat just across the room, flanked by his defense team. A tailored navy suit hugged his frame, and his expression was unreadable.
