Page 3 of Bourbon Girl: part 5 of 6
THE TWOGuys Detective Agency occupied a cramped space in a Lexington strip mall. I'd called ahead, my voice shaking as I asked if Octavia could see me. She'd agreed, seeming to sense the urgency in my tone.
Now I sat across from her in her over-decorated office, watching her face as I delivered the news that had been eating me alive for the past two days.
"Boyd Biggs," I repeated, my hands twisted together in my lap. "My mother's friend just remembered his name. He worked in bourbon when my mother knew him, and the timeline fits perfectly."
Octavia set down her coffee mug with a sharp click against the scarred wooden desk. Her mouth opened, then closed. She blinked twice, processing. When she finally spoke, her voice carried a weight I hadn't heard before.
"Boyd Biggs." She said it slowly, like she was testing the words. "Bernadette, do you understand who you're talking about?"
"I know he and his wife own Goldenrod Distillery. I've met them because my tour goes there." My throat constricted. "And I've met their two children, who are about my age." I hesitated to reveal the extent of my…relationshipto Dylan.
Octavia stood and walked to the window, then turned back. "I lived in Louisville for most of my adult life. The Biggs family are bourbon royalty. Boyd Biggs sits on the board of the Kentucky Distillers' Association. His wife, Jessica, is chair of at least three major charitable foundations."
The air in the small office suddenly felt insufficient.
"Every year, theCourier-Journaldoes a profile on Kentucky's most influential families," she continued. "The Biggs family is always in the top ten."
My stomach dropped. "So they're..."
"Rich? Powerful? Connected?" Octavia returned to her desk, already pulling out a legal pad. "Yes to all of the above. Boyd Biggs married into a legacy."
I thought about Boyd standing in Goldenrod's hallway, studying the historical photographs. The expensive clothes. The easy confidence. The man who might be my father occupied a world so far removed from mine we might as well exist in different galaxies.
"There's more," I said, working up my nerve. "Dylan—Boyd's son—he's been... I've been…" I couldn't finish the sentence. How did I explain that I'd been falling for someone who could be my half-brother?
Octavia's sharp eyes missed nothing. "You've been seeing him."
It wasn't a question. Heat flooded my cheeks.
"Not exactly seeing him. But there's been—" I gestured helplessly. "Interest. On both sides. Until Saturday night when I found out about Boyd."
"Jesus." Octavia sank back in her chair. "That complicates things."
I nodded solemnly. "I need more certainty before I talk to Boyd or… anyone. Can you help?"
Octavia was already writing, her pen moving rapidly across the legal pad. "I'll need some information. When did your mother know him? Where were they?"
I gave her the range of dates. "My mother's friend—Suzy—said Mom was working as a cocktail waitress at some bourbon industry event. That's where she met him." I paused,remembering Suzy's drunken phone call. "Suzy said my mother called him charming. That he swept her off her feet."
"Industry event in '97 or '98." Octavia made a note. "That's helpful. I can track down guest lists, maybe some photographs." She was thinking out loud now, her detective mind assembling puzzle pieces. "I'll start with the major events."
Relief washed through me. "Thank you. I can pay—I mean, I don't have much, but—"
She waved me off. "We'll figure out payment later. Right now, let's focus on getting you answers." She leaned forward, her expression softening. "Bernadette, I have to ask—what will you do if Boyd Biggs is your father? These people operate in a very different world. Jessica Biggs's reputation is built on family values and charitable works. A secret daughter from an affair could..."
"Destroy everything," I finished quietly. "I know."
The weight of it settled over us both.
Octavia met my eyes across the desk. "Give me a few days to see what I can dig up."
"What should I do in the meantime?"
"Avoid Dylan," she said bluntly. "Keep your distance from the Biggs family."
I nodded and left the office, emerging into the cool November air with leaden feet. Octavia had confirmed my thoughts that a secret daughter would not be welcome news to the Biggs family.
November 4, Tuesday
