“I am. Thanks for using your pull at the department to rush this through.”
He opened the envelope. The results were not surprising, considering his half sister’s confidence.
“Brooke and I are related,” he said to Monica. “This is exactly what she predicted.”
Monica’s gaze connected with his with a sincerity he found comforting. “How about you? Is this good news?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. I suppose I’m still processing the notion that I have two sisters and numerous nieces and nephews. I’ve never thought of myself as part of an extended family, and that’s been okay. All my life I’ve basically been a loner until the judge made me a member of a family of two.”
“So how do you feel about all this now?”
He smiled. “It’s funny, but now I’m getting used to the idea of a family. In fact, I’m kind of liking the notion. At least I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of them.”
She nodded. “Families are complicated. You’ve seen mine. On some level, I love my brother, but I don’t trust him to do right by us, or even by himself.”
“I get where you’re coming from,” Edward said. “How do you go from skepticism to trust? Sixteen years of my life I didn’t trust anyone, never even came close. I suppose that could have been my fault as much as the system’s, but it was a habit I couldn’t break. The judge was the first person I could relate to in any sort of stable way.”
Monica’s expression was so sincere, he felt his trust issues almost fade away. “I understand,” she said. “I grew up knowing I had love and support all around me. Even Miguel was my protector at one time, though that has obviously changed. But it doesn’t mean that trust has become any less a part of my life. I want the same feelings for you.” She smiled. “I’m thinking these sisters will convince you that family can be an integral part of your life.”
“I hope you’re right. I’ve watched you with your family. Everyone is so supportive, and it’s...nice. I guess on some level I want what you have, for so long I had no family at all. Then the judge showed me love and security can be found in the most unlikely place. The man who sent me to juvie was the man who gave me a future. Can I extend these feelings to a bunch of people I’ve only just heard about? I don’t know. But you’re slowly convincing me that I should try.”
“I’m happy to hear you say that, Edward,” Monica said. “Despite my problems with Miguel, I still believe that family comes first.”
Edward nodded. “I envy you, Monica.” Envy? That was only one of the emotions he felt toward this woman, and they were growing every day. “Speaking of family, how is Emilio today?”
“Actually, he’s great. I know he was scared, but he’s decided to now look at the incident as an adventure. You gotta love the resiliency of a kid.”
“That’s for sure. Since my father died, I’ve learned that my bounce-back capacity is definitely limited.”
“You’ll get better, Edward. The human spirit is a remarkable thing.”
“I suppose.”
“It’s good that you’ve decided to give this sister thing a chance,” she said.
“It seems easier now that I’ve talked to you, Monica, but I don’t have too much time to adjust. Got a call from Brooke this morning. She wants to come back here tomorrow with her twin, my other sister. She’s pushing this togetherness factor awfully hard.”
“What did you tell her?”
“We both decided to wait for the DNA results. But now that they’re in, I’ll call her to give her the go-ahead to book flights.”
Monica’s joy in his decision shone in her kind, dark eyes. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
“No reason not to, I guess. If being a member of a family is in my future, why wait?” He gave her a wry smile. “Just hope I don’t get too nervous waiting for them to get here.”
“I get it. It’s all so new. You need to relax, Edward,” she said. “Let things happen. Don’t be worried about expressing your concerns or how you’re feeling.”
“Sure, but I wish I had a plan, something that will keep my sisters occupied when we’re not discussing the ‘big issue’ of what our lives will be like from now on. They’re going to stay at the house. I guess I can take them out to dinner...”
Monica touched his arm, instantly calming him.
“If you think it’ll help,” she said, “I’ll come over to your place tomorrow night. Maybe an evening where you’re comfortable will be better for everyone. I’ll bring the food. Good food, sangria and a few Cortezes that can usually make any gathering a party.” She paused, looking thoughtful. “Of course, if you think that will only complicate things, I’ll stay away. Your call.”
Edward liked her idea immediately. He had no doubt that Monica’s family would break the ice with their exuberance and love of life.
“That’s a great idea,” he said. “Thanks, Monica. Having you there with your relatives will be a good thing for all of us.” He grinned at her. “I look forward to getting to know them better.”
“Good. It’s settled then. I’ll bring Emilio, too. He needs a distraction from the episode with his father.” She took a deep breath and a sip of the beer Nick had delivered. “Now I have something else to tell you.”
“I’m listening.”
“It’s about the investigation into your father’s death.”
Edward sat back in his bar stool, every nerve suddenly alert to what she had to say.
“Have you discovered another possible suspect?” he asked.
“Maybe. Nothing concrete, but I heard about a couple of locals who had argued with the judge recently. One elderly man, Dave Cochran, was angry when the judge didn’t allow him to berth at the marina dock. He said the previous owner had allowed it. So instead, he’s got his little Carolina flatboat hitched to a tree off his property. It isn’t ideal.”
“Doesn’t sound like too great a motive to me,” Edward said. “All the guy had to do was explain his situation to my dad. I can’t imagine my dad wouldn’t have tried to help him out.”
She smiled sympathetically. “I know, but any lead is better than none, right?”
He agreed.
“The other guy, Harvey Bradford, was in contention to buy the marina when the previous owner was selling. Your father outbid him by a substantial amount. Bradford tried to work a deal, but the judge had other ideas.”
Edward nodded. “A better motive for sure, but again, murder? Seems a bit over-the-top.”
Nick the bartender suddenly appeared in front of them. “Can I get you guys anything from the menu?”
“No. I already ate,” Monica said. “The beer is fine.”
Nick leaned in toward them. “Say, I couldn’t help overhearing. How’s the case going?” He gave Edward a sideways glance. “You still convinced your father was murdered?”
Edward supposed his doubts about an accidental death had become grounds for much gossip around the Key. He wasn’t surprised that folks would ask. “Truthfully, Nick, I never was fully convinced. It was just that my dad wouldn’t have been clumsy enough to drown in a few feet of water.”
Monica asked, “How often would you say the judge came in here, Nick?”
“A few times a month. Maybe a couple times a week. He was known but wasn’t a daily customer.”
“How much would he usually drink?” Edward asked.
“Depended.” Nick dried a glass. “Sometimes a lot. And if he drank too much, one of the other guys helped him home. Otherwise he walked.”
“Are you saying he was unsteady on his feet?” Monica asked.
Nick stepped back, put the glass on a shelf. “I’ve only worked here a few months, but in that time I’ve seen locals who could hold their liquor and others who would wobble after only one drink.” He stared hard at Edward. “Hate to be so blunt, Eddie, but in my opinion, y
our father was a wobbler after hitting the bottle too hard.”
“And he was in here the night he died?” Edward said.
“In the early evening.” Nick set both elbows on the bar. “It’s a dang shame if the judge stumbled and fell off that dock.” He shook his head. “But it wouldn’t be the first death to happen in the Keys because of too much sauce.”
Edward looked at Monica. “Still, I arrived at the house around nine, and Dad didn’t seem drunk. Yeah, he’d been drinking. He told me that. And he had a glass in his hand when I got there, but he wasn’t sloppy, wasn’t slurring his words, and definitely wasn’t stumbling around.”
Monica patted his forearm. “I know this is hard, Edward, but we’re not done looking into this. Let me question the two guys I told you about tonight. I’ll come back to you with the results.”
He covered her arm with his palm, hoping she sensed his gratitude. She wasn’t giving up. She wasn’t telling him his suspicions were founded on nothing but shifting sand. She was definitely in his corner.
When he finished his dinner, Edward walked Monica to her car. “Thanks again for all your help,” he said. He cupped her face with both his hands. “You’re an angel, Monica.”
“Oh, stop. Lots of people would disagree.”
“I’m not one of them.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers for a quick but meaningful kiss. He figured she wouldn’t be comfortable with a longer public display of affection in her hometown, especially where so many knew her, so he drew back and rubbed his thumb over her cheek. Monica always left him wanting more.
Someday...
CHAPTER TWELVE
EDWARD WOKE EARLY on Saturday morning even though he knew A.J. would be readying the boats. When he’d talked to Brooke last night, she was delighted to hear the news about the DNA results.
“Oh, Edward, that’s great,” she’d said. “How do you feel about all this?”
“Well...”
“If this still seems like too much, too soon, I understand. But once we’re all together you’ll see how wonderful it’ll be to have each other in our lives.”
He wanted to feel the same excitement she did, and last night, he’d taken a few steps toward accepting his new family, but he’d learned in his life that it was better to wait and see than expect miracles. He’d already had one miracle, and maybe that was more than any person should hope for. At this point, he still didn’t understand what his responsibility would be as a big brother, uncle, brother-in-law. Would he see his new family only on holidays? Would he receive daily phone calls? How intimately did he want to be involved? He’d have to start getting used to the idea that he was one of a group, since the idea was becoming more appealing.
“Cammie and I will see you tomorrow,” Brooke had said cheerfully. “I know. I’m going on and on. I’ll stop now. Sleep well.”
He’d hung up the phone and drawn in a deep breath, suddenly viewing his father’s house as his visitors might. Stuff everywhere. Edward had made progress on clearing out his dad’s collections of...well, everything from newspapers to old toys and books. The kitchen cupboards were still loaded with odd-looking cooking utensils that Edward didn’t even recognize.
He’d taken one metal contraption from the cupboard and remembered his father telling him it was a “potato ricer.”
“Who rices potatoes?” he’d asked last night and decided to add the thing to a donation box. By the time he finally went to bed, he’d made good headway on decluttering his father’s space. It was a long and arduous process, though, because every time Edward stumbled upon an unusual item, it made him remember the judge and wonder why he’d kept it. Obviously, there were aspects of his dad’s life he hadn’t known about. There was the promise to Juan Cortez, for instance.
Funny, he’d never thought of his father as a secretive man, but didn’t everyone have secrets? Some more than others. In Edward’s work environment no one knew of his boyhood struggles, and Edward saw no reason to talk about it. He was fortunate. His life had turned out better than he’d ever hoped for.
Now that it was Saturday morning, Edward was busy picking up, dusting, running the vacuum, making the beds and checking for supplies of clean towels and sheets. He didn’t think his father had ever hosted a party, but today, company was coming, and the place had to be ready.
In the early afternoon an SUV pulled into the marina parking lot. Edward went out on the porch to greet his family. He recognized Jeremy, the ex-football great, whom his sister Brooke was planning to marry. He recognized Brooke, of course, but not the other blond lady who got out of the back seat. She looked like Brooke, which made sense because they were twins, but she had a few characteristics that set her apart from her sister.
“This is Cammie,” Brooke said proudly, her arm around her sister who smiled at Edward but refrained from giving him a hug. Her blond hair hung to her shoulders in a casual style. She wore blue shorts, a checkered blouse and flat sandals, perfect for a warm Keys day. When she shook hands with Edward, he noticed her fingers were calloused and the nails were short. Brooke had said Cammie lived on a small farm, and Edward smiled to himself and thought about how his sisters, on the surface, at least, couldn’t seem more different.
“We’re so happy to have found you,” Camryn said. “Brooke is the one to thank. I didn’t really believe we ever would, but now I believe that Brooke can do anything she sets her mind to. She’s said nothing but good things about you since coming back home.”
Edward smiled. “I agree. Brooke is the type of woman who, when she makes up her mind to do something, you need to just get out of her way.”
Jeremy chuckled and Camryn nodded. “Determination is part of her DNA,” she said. “So I expect you have it, too.”
The two men shook hands and they all went up to the house. Edward brought lemonade outside. A cool breeze off the Gulf kept the temperature comfortable. An hour or so later, they would have to retreat to the air-conditioning.
“We have so much to discuss,” Brooke began.
“That’s fine,” Edward said. “I hope you don’t mind, but a friend of mine is coming over this evening with some of her family members. She’s bringing authentic Cuban food so you can get a taste of Sweet Pine Key.”
“Sounds like fun,” Brooke said.
Each of the siblings talked about their backgrounds. Edward couldn’t help noticing the vast difference between how he and his sisters had been raised. He’d gone from one foster home to the next before being sent to juvenile-detention centers. His sisters had been raised in a grand Civil War–era home in Charleston with parents who provided them with everything they needed and more. Brooke talked about her horseback-riding lessons. Camryn told stories about the stray animals she brought home and cared for.
Camryn was definitely the nurturing one, with two girls of her own and two boys that came with her husband. Edward could immediately see that she loved her life, her husband, her chickens and goats, her life in the country. And her sister.
Brooke, as Edward already knew, was the ambitious, workaholic one, who came out of college with her mind set on climbing the ladder in corporate broadcasting. She was stylish, outgoing and independent, and her upcoming marriage to Jeremy meant she’d also be caring for two children who’d sadly lost their mother. Brooke spoke of them with such love and devotion Edward decided she had the nurturing gene, as well.
After hearing their stories, Edward firmly believed that a strong bond existed between these different women. They were sisters in more than name only. He wondered if he would ever fit in with his two siblings. At this point he felt like the outsider he was, a man with a checkered past, and only sad memories in his mind until a kind judge rescued him from obscurity.
“Now what about you, Edward?” Camryn asked. “Tell us about your life.”
He’d been avoiding this topic. There wasn’t much to say. He’d never been hugely
ambitious like Brooke was. He’d never formed any lasting relationships with either people or animals, like Cammie had, until he’d met the man who adopted him. He’d managed to get into one scrape after another until he ran out of luck with the law and started a serious rap sheet.
Despite his tough adolescence, once he started talking about his life to his new family, he found it easy to tell the truth and even add some humor to his experiences. They didn’t criticize, they didn’t judge, just as Brooke had never given up hope of finding this lost brother. Edward admired her perseverance.
“Being adopted is often a matter of luck,” Brooke said when Edward paused from talking. “Camryn and I were lucky. We know that.”
“And I was, too, once I was taken under the judge’s wing. He supported me from the day we met, and saw me through the worst times of my life.” Edward’s eyes misted over. The death of his father was still too fresh, too hurtful.
He stood, cleared his throat. “Let’s go inside. It’s getting pretty steamy out here. I’ll show you guys to your rooms.”
Jeremy said he’d be in later. He wanted to check out the boats and catches coming in. He went off in search of A.J.
The ladies were delighted with their rooms, and said they’d need time to freshen up before the party. “We want to meet your friend, Edward,” Brooke said.
“You have already,” he told them. “She was at the restaurant when we met for breakfast the last time you were here.”
“Really? I’m not sure I remember.”
“She’s the cop who came over and spoke a few minutes.”
“Oh, of course. I remember now. The brunette. Well, any friend of yours...” She let the sentence hang between them for a moment, then added, “Or maybe she’s more than a friend?”
“No, just a friend.” Edward suddenly felt the weight of his little lie. He didn’t kiss a friend like how he’d kissed Monica. A friend’s kisses didn’t make him feel like Monica’s did.
“Okay, Cammie,” Brooke said, turning to her twin, “let’s get settled.”
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