Page 38 of Winter
Tyler studied his adoptive daughter. “You do?”
Inca was surprised. “Yes, of course. Why do you ask that?”
Tyler shook his head. “It’s just … you don’t seemexcitedabout him. When I fell in love with your mother, I was like a horse with ginger up its butt for the first few years.”
Inca giggled at the image. “Lovely, Pa. I guess it just feels more relaxed than that. More …”
“Sedate?”
Inca thought about it. “Yeah. Like it justis, you know?”
“Each to their own.”
“That’s what I think.”
Tyler nodded. “He’ll keep you safe.”
Inca stopped and then let the fear show in her face. “He will. Pa … I don’t understand what is happening. Why … if someone wants to kill me, why not just do it?”
Tyler paled, but nodded. Before he’d retired, before all of this, he had been the island’s police chief, privy to investigations and resources that he wished desperately to have access to now. The thought of Inca being a target was agony to him. “I can’t answer you, Bubba. But nothing is going to happen to you. I promise.”
Later, in the split-level duplex on Hewlett Avenue, Tyler poured himself a finger of scotch and slumped into the armchair. He heard Nancy moving around in the kitchen, the smell of roast chicken and thyme drifting through the house. She poked her head in the room.
“Hungry?”
Tyler tried to smile and nodded. “Smells great, Nance.”
She hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat down on the arm of his chair. He patted her leg as she kissed the top of his head. The TV flickered quietly in the corner, the familiar scenery of the town invaded by reporters from the city. They watched it in silence. Eventually, Tyler sighed.
“I’m worried about Inca.”
He felt Nancy nod. “I know, honey.” The reassurance he expected from her didn’t come, and he felt the knot in his stomach tighten. Nancy’s eyes were concerned. She sat down in the chair opposite him and took his hands.
“But, honey, she’s an adult. She’s stronger than you think; she really is. She’s come so far and grown so independent. All we can do is support her decisions and hope, whoever this maniac is, that he doesn’t get to her.”
Tyler studied her face, her dark eyes just starting to crinkle at the edges, her brown hair just starting to show fine strands of grey. Nancy Hama had come into his life at a time when he’d come to terms with being alone. After his initial adoption of Inca had been turned down—I am sorry, Mr. Sardee; the child is damaged, and you are on your own—he’d slumped into despondency.
Nancy had been one of the nurses at the children’s unit in Seattle where they’d taken Inca after the horror of what had happened with her birth parents. Nancy and Tyler had talked long into the night over Inca’s sleeping form, her tiny body bandaged, the little crease between her brows starting to relax. Nancy was forthright, opinionated, and had the biggest heart of anyone he’d ever known. When Inca had left the hospital, Nancy had gone home with Tyler and never left—heir adoption of Inca successful this time.
He sighed. “Can you believe she was married and never told us?”
“No. And believe me, I let her know how dumb that was.” Nancy’s expression was fierce and Tyler smiled, before sighing.
“I don’t know if I trust Tommaso Winter.”
Nancy was silent for a moment. “We can’t interfere. It’s up to Inca now. I’m not about to tell her she can’t be with the man she loves. Are you? She knows the risks.”
He stroked her face and she leaned into his touch. “What would I do without you, pooks?” She smiled, then mock-grimaced.
“Yuck, schmaltzy. Come eat this chicken before I throw up.”
Tyler laughed and took the hand she offered.
Inca and Tommasoate with Raffaelo that night and Inca was surprised that Raffaelo was making an effort to chat with them. She hadn’t thought he had it in him to make polite conversation. He even smiled at one point, and Inca was surprise how happy it made her to see him laugh. He had the same, devastating smile as his brother, but somehow, because it was a rare sight, it made Inca want to cry. She decided she would try and make friends with the man and, by coincidence, that night Tommaso apologized to her.
“I have to go to Paris for a meeting,” he told them both, and looked at Inca regretfully. “And normally I would see this as an opportunity to take you with me, but you’ve already told me that you have to work.”
Inca nodded. “I do, and believe me, I wouldn’t normally turn down a trip to Paris, but I promised Scarlett the time off.”
