Page 124 of See You There
“Last night when I asked you… It was already in the works. And then just now, before he called, you doubled down saying you’d ask him. You looked me in my face and lied to me.”
“You’re angry, and you have every right to be. I fucked up. I know that. But at least hear me out. Let me tell you what Brady found out.” His eyes were earnest. Luke was worried.Good! He should be worried.
Dahlia crossed her arms across her chest and locked her back teeth. When Luke continued staring at her in silence, she arched a brow. “So, tell me.”
Cautious relief washed over his face as he brought up several images on his phone, holding the device out for her to see as he flipped through them. There were a variety of photos: Scott’s mom, a pretty brunette, and an adorable little boy.
Dahlia’s hands covered her mouth. “Oh my god!” Her eyes lifted to Luke’s. “The eyes! Scott has a son?” She studied the little boy with two different colored eyes. He was the spitting image of his father. “He has a son.”
A wave of anger, frustration, and disbelief swamped Dahlia.
“That asshole has a son, and he won’t sign my divorce papers? I need to call Elizabeth!”
“Dahlia, wait.” Luke’s hand reached out and caught hers, preventing her from leaving. “There’s something else.”
“What’s the matter? He has more than one kid? I don’t care! That jerk isn’t getting another dollar of my—”
“He’s dead.”
Dahlia felt as if the deck had fallen away beneath her feet. She put out a hand to steady herself and clutched Luke’s shirt. He grasped her arms to steady her, but it felt like the mountains were moving. Was she going to be sick?
“That can’t be right.”
Luke nodded grimly. “Brady is still looking into how. There’s no record of it, but the woman Scott’s mother lives with is a widow. She’s the boy’s mother. Brady is trying to see if some of the John Doe’s in the area—”
Dahlia’s head shook wildly. “What are you saying? Is he dead, or isn’t he?” Her voice had risen, and she knew she sounded hysterical.
Luke rubbed his hands up and down her arms, but when he tried to pull her close, she pushed against his chest hard.
“No! It’s not possible. His mother would…” Dahlia blinked several times, but her brain seemed to move in slow motion. It didn’t make sense. Scott couldn’t be dead.
“His social security number hasn’t been used to get a job, he hasn’t renewed a driver’s license, and he’s not in jail… And his mother lives with a woman who claims to be a widow. I’m sorry, Dahlia.”
Dahlia licked her lips. “Victor tried to find him. I tried to find his mother.” Her voice hardened as she remembered. “And your investigator found them all in less than a week. Does Victor know? Have they all been stealing my money this whole time?”Dahlia leaned into the anger, because if she thought about what Luke had done…
“Someone is taking the money out of that account, but it looks like it’s his mother. I don’t know if Victor knows. You said Victor and the mother are related…”
A harsh laugh spilled out. “That’s why his mother never wanted to talk to me when I tried to see her, and then she moved, telling no one where she was going. She knew, with Scott dead, I was under no obligation to keep sending so much money. Money I could have been helpingmyfamily with!”
Dahlia shivered, but she wasn’t cold. When Luke reached for her again, she put her hands up to stop him. She didn’t want to be comforted by him. Hot rage flowed through her body, and she ripped her arms away. She braced her hands on the railing and looked out over the mountains. Her breath hissed through her teeth as she tried to hold on to her temper.
“This whole time.I’mthe one who worked long hours.I’mthe one who hasn’t had a decent meal until this week, trying to be the body type the industry demands. I was the one who had to put up with slimy directors and actors, and all the time, Victor—because trust me, Tammy couldn’t pull this off on her own—is takingmymoney and telling me I should be grateful to him!”
She whirled to face Luke. “I’m going to disembowel him.”
“You can file charges against them. For fraud. Theft by taking. But what this means, Dahlia, is you’re free. After you sign your testimony, there won’t be anything to keep us apart.”
Dahlia was still reeling from the information, but his words trickled through her anger, and her heart broke. “Why did you do this?”
Luke’s eyes shifted away, and she had the answer. “We had to be sure he had nothing to do with the threats.”
“That’s not why.”
“Why do you think?” The emotion in his eyes stabbed at her, but she steeled herself against it.
“I think you didn’t like the idea of sleeping with a married woman, and you decided for me. Even after I told you not to. This is my life. My decision. It was none of your business.” Dahlia knew she wasn’t being completely fair, but she didn’t care. Once again, a man had taken the decision away from her.
“Are you saying you aren’t happy to have answers?” Luke’s hands fisted on his hips.
