by Richard Neer
Mary said, “She wasn’t even sure who my real dad was but I know she would have wanted it to be you, that’s how much she loved you. But the science says otherwise.”
It was hard to respond. I expected that Máiréad would go through life hating me for running away, and I deserved it. Looking back, if she had told me she was pregnant, the Riley King of today would have married her, whether the child was mine or not. My younger self? I couldn’t be sure.
I said, “You know, I thought I’d feel relieved if I knew for sure that I wasn’t your dad. But now I feel even more guilty. I could have been there for Máiréad Flanagan if I was a stronger man. I failed her. I failed you.”
“Riley, the only way you’ve failed me is not being more in my life in the years since we met. You’re everything I ever wanted in a man.”
“Mary, that’s crazy. I’m twenty years older than you. I’m old enough to be your father.”
She laughed at that. “Yeah, you are. But you kept coming here every year. Calling me every few weeks. I can’t say that I’ve been celibate since we met. But now that I know the truth, I want us to be together.”
I don’t know what wine we were drinking, but it was good. Bosco had finished his dinner and was nestled in on a dog bed in front of the fire. It was Christmas Eve. The snow was falling on Ginn’s present of a spotless car, but I didn’t care.
“Mary, I want to stay in the guest room tonight. I need time to process all of this. Let’s take it slow. I do care about you a lot, I think you know that. ”
“The closing for this place is the first week of the New Year. If the offer still stands, I could come live with you by the sea. No commitment, just see how it goes.”
“And you’d be there as what? My ward?”
“You’re funny. I don’t even know what that means. Let’s eat and drink and talk about silly things that don’t matter. I don’t need an answer right away. I’ve waited a long time already.”
“Look, I have no set time I need to get back to the Island. And Bosco seems to have made himself at home. I haven’t even given you my gift yet.”
Something caught her attention as she reached down to pet the dog. “Oh wow, the music Pandora’s playing now. I love this song. It’s lovely, so romantic. Dream about Tomorrow. Some new band. Do you know it?”
“Strange coincidence. Just last week, I met the man who wrote that song. It was written over forty years ago. I saw the original inscription in the notebook where kept all his songs. He dedicated it --- For Chip. It’s about his dog.”
Acknowledgements
This story was inspired by a New York Times article about a singer/songwriter named Jim Sullivan, who vanished in 1975. Unlike our fictional Mr. Townes, no one knows what happened to Sullivan.
For those new to the Riley King series, there is no Hilton Head Island police force. They are patrolled by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department. The police and former sheriff in the book are fictitious and bear no resemblance to those on duty at the time of Colton’s disappearance. Sadly, the Caleb Whiteleather story is true.
The Brand X incident is chronicled in Three Chords and the Truth, the book that introduces Jason Black, Katrina McCann and Sarah Bernstein. Reading that novel will reveal facts that Riley King has yet to learn.
Pomodori, Fat Patties, WiseGuys and the Mulberry Street Trattoria are actual restaurants and quite fine, but alas, the Frog and Peach and its wonderful tiramisu is imaginary.
My wife Vicky Pomerance Neer has again done amazing work on the cover art with a huge contribution from the talented Camine Pappas. Bette Schwartz did a great job proofreading. Erin Mitchell is the webmaster at RichardNeer.com, where you can get information about all my books and an occasional essay, free short story or audio book. A tip of the cap to Dan from Long Beach, a WFAN listener who suggested the title.
Reed Farrel Coleman and Lawrence Block have been great sources of wisdom and advice, helping me to embark on a second career as a writer.
My experiences at WNEW FM informed the John Lennon portions and I grieve to this day on the loss of this seminal artist. The night of December 8, 1980 was the zenith of that radio station, I believe, in the sense of community and the outpouring of love that tragedy inspired.
Duncan the Wonder Dog still believes that the Golden Retriever Bosco is based on him. I haven’t the heart to tell him that Bosco is truly golden in color, whereas Duncan’s English ancestry renders him mostly white.
About the Author
“Nowhere Man” is Richard Neer's tenth novel, and features the collaboration of Riley King and Jason Black who was introduced in 2020’s “Three Chords and the Truth.”
The successful series of Riley King novels include “Something of the Night”, “The Master Builders”, “Indian Summer”, “The Last Resort”, “The Punch List”, “An American Storm”, “Wrecking Ball” and “Brilliant Disguise”.
His work of non-fiction entitled “FM, the Rise and Fall of Rock Radio”, (Villard 2001), is the true story of how corporate interests destroyed a format that millions grew up with.
Neer has worked in important roles at two of the most prestigious and groundbreaking radio stations in history --- the legendary WNEW-FM for almost thirty years, and the nation's first full time sports talker, WFAN, since 1988. Early in his career, he and Michael Harrison started the first suburban progressive rock station, WLIR on Long Island.