Page 35 of The Fighter
“One Motlander bride deciding between five Nmen. They each get a date with her to impress her but so far they’re not doing too well. That one with the braided beard was so nervous that he hardly spoke to her at all. He’s from Alaska and had never seen a woman in real life. The third one from the left told her a crude joke that made her wrinkle her nose up in disgust a few minutes ago.”
I watched as another man was presented to us viewers as the next contender for the Motlander bride, who was a smiling woman in her late twenties called Saphira.
“Zander is a man who loves nature,” a narrator spoke while we saw footage of the large Nman running in a forest, climbing trees, and driving a snowmobile. “But he’s also excited to learn more about other cultures and having a best friend to laugh with.” More footage showed Zander standing outside a restaurant like he was waiting for someone. With a wide grin and clear blue eyes, he looked straight into the camera.
Erika sighed. “Why didn’t they mention anything about how well he fights? Who wants a man who cares about other cultures?”
“Motlander women.”
Erika narrowed her eyes in suspicion. “Don’t tell me you would pick a man who couldn’t fight.”
“Not a chance.”
“Good. I knew we had raised you better than that.” Her eyes returned to the screen, where Zander was trying to impress the Motlander bride, Saphira, with his cooking skills.
“What is your favorite piece of art?” she asked him as they sat down for dinner.
“Does porn count?” Zander quickly swallowed his laugh when Saphira didn’t even smile.
“What is porn? Is it a painting?”
I was amused when Zander’s ears grew red and he offered her some more food with nervous movement. “It’s a very graphic art form. You probably wouldn’t like it.”
“Maybe you could show me.”
“Uh-huh, but not tonight. What kind of art do you like?”
“I enjoy music very much and sculptures. Do you like sculptures?”
A loud snort came from Erika. “These women… it’s like they turn everything upside down. They want men who can make them laugh and who know about art, and conversation. Why would they come to the Northlands for that? If they want weak men, then they should have stayed home.”
“It’s not that they want weak men. They just define strength in a different way than people do here.”
Erika lowered her brow. “They are trying to tame our men and make them soft. I don’t like it. A real man has to be a bit dangerous.”
I thought about the times I’d seen Leo fight at the police station and how it had always excited me to see how lethal he was. “I know what you mean.” I nodded at the screen. “Still, maybe it’s not such a bad thing that the women get a chance to get to know the men and interact with them before choosing a mate. I’ve read some of my parents’ old romance novels and there’s something to be said about a man who makes an effort to seduce a woman.”
“Hmmm.”
“It’s like Marcus when he made you the ornaments; that was a romantic gesture too.”
“I suppose you have a point there.”
Feeling nervous about asking the rude question that was on my mind, I pulled down the sleeves on my blue shirt. “Actually, I have some more questions for you.”
Erika’s smile stiffened. “If it’s about Dina, I can’t offer you more than I’ve already told you.” Picking up her pile of cards from the table, she began shuffling them with abrupt movements.
Her dismissive signals were as clear as day, but I needed answers to solve my case or I would never prove to the world that I had what it took to be an officer. An unwilling witness shouldn’t be enough to stop me. Taking a deep breath, I blurted out, “We found Dina’s diaries and I’m not sure you know this, but she overheard you and Marcus fight one night when she turned twelve.”
Erika slowed her shuffling.
“Marcus said that he wasn’t the biological father of Khan.”
All the color faded from Erika’s face, and she put down the cards and placed her shaky hands on the table. “Dina must have misunderstood what she heard. Marcus was the father of all our children.”
Even though we were alone in the library, I still leaned closer and lowered my voice. “Erika, I know he wasn’t. I’m sorry for the question but did you cheat on Marcus?”
“Cheat?” Her hands were now clinging to the side of her chair like she was afraid she might fall down. “How dare you?”
