He blinked as the news sank in. “How come you didn’t tell me before?”
“Your mother wanted to tell you when she was ready and felt you could handle the truth. I guess that’s up to me now.”
Kevin bowed his head. “Did she have an affair?”
Gideon drew a deep breath. “Your mother continued to see another man after she got engaged to me. I didn’t know about it until long after we’d moved from New York and you’d turned three years old. About that time she met Frank and asked me for a divorce.
“I knew our marriage hadn’t been the greatest, but I hated to see it break up. I told her I wanted custody of you, and that was the moment I learned about the other man—who doesn’t know he fathered a child. But the judge declared that you were my son, which you are, and granted me liberal visitation rights.”
A hand reached out to grasp Gideon’s. “I’m glad he did.”
“So am I, Kevin.” He pulled him into his arms for a hug.
“I always wondered why I didn’t look like you.”
He cast loving eyes on his son. “You look so much like your mother, I never questioned it. Make no mistake, Kevin. Your mother adores you. In fact, it’s a testament to her love that she’s finally agreed to let you live with me. Deep down she wants what you want, even if she sounded angry when she left the house a minute ago.”
That part was a lie, but Gideon had no desire to paint a bad picture of Fay. One day, when he was older, Kevin would figure out certain things for himself.
“Remember, she’s lived with you and loved you since the day you were born. She’s going to miss you very much. To help her, you’ll have to visit her a lot from now on to make her realize you love her as much as ever, to prove that nothing’s changed.”
“I know.”
“In case you’d forgotten…she lost her parents at a very young age and was taken in by an older aunt who had enough on her hands raising her own four children.
“While your mom was growing up, she suffered insecurities you and I don’t know anything about. She’s found happiness with Frank. Promise me you won’t judge her for a mistake she made fifteen years ago.”
It seemed like an eternity before Kevin said, “I promise.”
Gideon’s eyes filled. “Do you have any idea what a wonderful son you are? I’m the luckiest father on earth.”
Kevin sniffed, then turned to Gideon. “I’m sorry we came in the house without ringing the bell. Mom said she wanted to surprise you.”
“I’d say she did a good job of that.” As for Heidi…
Anxious to talk to her, Gideon got up from the couch. “Let’s check on dinner. Heidi was going to start it, but I can’t smell anything.”
They went into the kitchen. When Gideon couldn’t see her suitcase, let alone any sign of her, he wasn’t surprised, but his heart plunged to his feet.
“I guess she left.”
“You’re right, Kevin. She’s gone.”
Heidi must have been shocked that his ex-wife would be that audacious and cruel. He closed his eyes for one brief moment. Knowing Heidi, she was embarrassed to have been caught in the middle of a family problem. It was exactly like her to do everything in her power to avoid coming between him and Kevin.
His son eyed him glumly. “Are you going over to her apartment now?”
Gideon heaved a sigh. “No. I don’t even know if she’d be there. Furthermore, I don’t want to leave you. I’ll get in touch with her later.”
Kevin perked up. “Can we take Pokey for a run before we fix dinner?”
“Sure. Let me go put on my running shoes and I’ll catch up with you.”
“Okay.”
When boy and dog had slammed out the back door, Gideon turned sharply away to reach for the phone. Fortunately, he now had Heidi’s cell-phone number. Unless she’d turned it off, he’d be able to reach her anywhere.
“JUST A MINUTE, Mom. Someone’s on call waiting.”
Please be Gideon.
She pressed the flash button. “Hello?”
“Heidi?”
“Hi,” she said, relieved.
“Thank God you answered.” He sounded as emotional as she felt.
“Just a minute, Gideon. I’m on a call with my mother. Let me say goodbye to her.”
“If you need to talk to her longer, phone me later. I’m at home.”
“N-no…I mean, we’ve been discussing what Dr. Siricca told you and me about Amy. Please don’t hang up.”
“I won’t.”
“Good. Just a moment.”
She switched back to her mother. “Mom? It’s Gideon.”
“Then you get back to him. Phone me later.”
“Okay.” She cleared her throat. “Thanks for listening.”
“You know I’m always here. Just make me one promise.”
“What’s that?”
“Bring Gideon by the house tomorrow. Your father and I want to meet him.”
“I will. Good night, Mom.”
“Good night, honey.”
Heidi went back to Gideon’s call. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“If anyone’s sorry, I am—for the way Fay burst in on us earlier this evening. For what it’s worth, she’s never done anything like that before.”
“It’s all right, Gideon.”
“No,” he countered. “What she did in using Kevin’s key to gain entrance without warning us was a malicious act. It made you so uncomfortable you felt you had to leave my home.”
“Please forgive me for slipping away without letting you know.”
“You don’t need to explain anything,” he said in even tones. “My ex-wife was out of control. But for once, there were consequences.”
Adrenaline surged through her body. “What do you mean?”
“Kevin’s going to be living with me from now on.”
“You mean she gave up custody?” she asked, astonished by this turn of events.
“Only long enough to tear you and me apart, or so she supposes. What she doesn’t realize is that it’s final, as far as Kevin is concerned. He’s been begging for this for a long time. Naturally I couldn’t be happier.” The joy in his voice was unmistakable.
Tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Gideon, I know how much you and Kevin love each other. No matter how it came about, it’s wonderful!”
“I have to thank you for being so understanding of what has been a delicate situation up to now,” he said, his voice husky.
Her hand tightened on her cell phone. “I imagine you’ll have to proceed carefully with him for a while.”
“I’m going for a run with him and Pokey now. That’s when I’ll tell him I’m bringing you back here tonight.”
“No, don’t do that!” Her voice shook. “This is his first night with you under these new arrangements. He needs his father to himself. It’s been a long time coming.”
She heard a muffled groan. “I’d give anything not to have any distance separating us right now. Then you’d find out just how much you mean to me.”
“Maybe it’s better we’re apart, because I feel the same way,” she confessed.
“Heidi, listen. I’ll run Kevin to school in the morning, then come by for you around eight-fifteen.”
“I’ll be ready.”
“Don’t unpack your suitcase. You’ll need it for the rest of the week.”
He said goodbye and quickly ended the call, making it impossible for her to respond.
Gideon had sounded so definite just now, but she had a hunch he’d forgotten his son’s declaration about not wanting to watch his father teach the criminology course anymore. If Kevin still felt that way, he certainly wouldn’t be thrilled to find out he had to share his father with her after class, too.
THE DOG STARTED to bark.
“Hey, Dad!” Kevin stood at the sink, filling the dishwasher after their dinner of grilled cheese-and-ham sandwiches. “Max and Gaby just drove up.”
“I know.” Gideon crossed to the counter to cover
the bowl of leftover salad with foil. “Before I met you on the beach, I called and asked them to come over.”
“You mean…”
“I thought we’d celebrate.”
Kevin beamed. “Did you tell them about me?”
“Nope. That’s your surprise.”
“You’re the greatest, Dad!” He hugged him hard, then ran to the back door to let their guests inside.
“Guess what?” he cried. “I’m living with Dad from now on!”
Max flashed Gideon a glance of surprise as he and Gaby began to make a big fuss over Kevin and Pokey.
“Ice-cream sundaes coming up,” Gideon announced.
Gaby joined him by the refrigerator and they hugged. “Mmm. I shouldn’t do this when I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, but I can’t say no to chocolate fudge.”
Gideon grinned, then patted her swollen stomach. “Your little guy or girl will love it,” he teased.
She lifted starry eyes to him. “I hope he looks just like Max.”
“You know it’s a boy?”
“No. It’s just a feeling I have.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Max asked.
“What do you think?” Gideon threw back at his friend, who chuckled.
Soon everyone was settled in the family room enjoying dessert.
Max eyed Gideon, then Kevin. “So, tell us how this miracle happened for our favorite fourteen-year-old.”
“I’ve been begging Mom for a long time. Today she said she had something important to tell Dad and brought me over here.”
“That’s right,” Gideon interceded. “She came straight to the point, then left without him.”
Max’s wife leaned forward. “Other than learning I was pregnant, I think this is the best news I’ve ever heard.”
“Yeah. Me, too.” Kevin’s face was wreathed in smiles.
“I think this calls for some fun on your new Play Station, Kevin,” Gaby said. “Whoever wins two out of three games has to treat the other to a movie this weekend. How about it?”
“You’re on!”
She looked at Max, then Gideon. “We’ll be back later, guys.”
“Yeah,” Kevin joined in. “Much later.”
Gideon watched them leave the room. Bless her. She knew how much he needed to talk to Max alone.
“Damned if my wife’s not better at those computer games than I am.”
“Those, and stickball.”
“Don’t remind me,” Max groaned. “I thought pregnancy might slow her down, but…”
“Well, all I can say is, you’re a lucky couple.”
They smiled at each other in perfect understanding. Then Max’s smile faded. “What really happened with Kevin?”
“To put it bluntly, Heidi and I had just removed ourselves to the bedroom when we heard voices in the kitchen. Fay used Kevin’s house key to walk in unannounced.”
Max’s brow furrowed. “Did she know Heidi was here?”
“She hoped.”
Max muttered an oath. “Tell me what’s been going on.”
It was a relief to confide in his friend. They discussed Fay and Kevin at some length. Then the subject switched to Heidi. After sharing his personal feelings, Gideon filled Max in on the details of the Turner case. Finally he expounded his theory that it was a suicide meant to look like murder.
“I’m getting close, Max, but I need your help with one part of the investigation. It could be the most important part.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Something tells me Amy was on drugs at the time. The autopsy might or might not confirm it. There are two women, Kristen and Stacy, who testified at the trial on her behalf. They would know. It’s possible they’re drug users, too.
“Assuming that’s the case, I want to know who supplied them. On the day Amy died, she tried to get a semester’s worth of tuition money from her parents.”
Max nodded. “She probably needed it to buy more drugs—get stoned in order to go through with the suicide.”
“I agree. She wasn’t successful with her parents, though. I’d like to find out if she got the money someplace else. If not, maybe she had a long-enough track record with one supplier that she could go to him in desperation and promise to pay later. He’d know she was good for the money.”
“It’s possible.”
“Here’s a photocopy of the trial transcript.” Gideon lifted it from the end table and put it in Max’s hands.
“All the names you need are in there. At the time of the trial, Amy’s friends were attending an acting college here in San Diego. I don’t know what’s happened to them since.”
“I’ll read it through tonight, then give you a call in the morning.”
“You’re sure it’s not asking too much on top of your normal caseload?”
“Come on, Gideon. You think I don’t know what it’ll mean to you to get Dana released from prison? Gabriella and I can hardly wait to meet Heidi. Bring her and Kevin to dinner tomorrow before your class. While the women get acquainted, we’ll plan a strategy.”
“Have you talked to Gaby about this?”
“We discussed the idea in the car on the way over. Little did we know we’d find Kevin living with you on a permanent basis. That’s great news. I couldn’t be happier for you.”
Gideon nodded. “Of course, you know Fay. In a few days she’s going to scream foul.”
“Her jealousy of Heidi has cost her more than she bargained for this time,” Max said fiercely. “No matter how she tries to manipulate Kevin now, it won’t get her anywhere.”
Fay had alienated Max as far back as New York. He had little patience with her.
“I could have pushed it two years ago, but I’m glad I didn’t. It’s much better this way. He’s older now, and he knows the truth about everything. That makes him less vulnerable than before.”
“I agree.” Max sat forward. “How does Kevin feel about Heidi?”
Gideon was silent for a moment. Then, “For starters, he made a scene in front of Heidi and me at a Mexican restaurant.” Gideon told him the details that had led to the hospital incident. “Kevin hasn’t shown any overt hostility toward her tonight, but we have to remember his mother stole the spotlight. I’ll find out the true state of affairs when Heidi and I pick him up at school tomorrow.”
“Well, it’s late.” Getting to his feet, Max said, “We need to leave so you two can go to bed. I’m ready to call it a night myself. My pregnant wife has trouble sleeping and will want to discuss every detail of this case with me.”
Gideon grimaced as he eyed the photocopy. “Dana’s case can’t get solved soon enough for me. I feel like I’m standing on the brink of something marvelous with Heidi, but…”
“But you can’t jump in with both feet yet,” Max said. “I went through the same thing last August with Gabriella. It was heaven and hell.”
“You’re right about that.”
Max clasped his shoulder. “I’ll do everything I can to help. If the autopsy reveals evidence of drugs, we’ll get a search warrant so we can check out the places Amy’s girlfriends live.”
“Sounds like a plan. Thanks for coming over. You guys made this into a terrific night for Kevin. It’s what we both needed.”
“Take it from me, what you need is the right wife.”
Gideon’s eyes closed. “I figured that out the night I met Heidi.”
“It’s going to happen.”
“It has to, Max.”
HEIDI AWOKE EARLY Wednesday morning so excited to see Gideon she was ready long before he’d said he’d come by.
She would’ve loved to pretend she was running late. Then she’d invite him in. The moment they shut the door, they’d pick up where they left off last night. She knew what would happen if he touched her….
Even when Gideon wasn’t around, she ached for him. Just thinking about him made her body tremble with desire. But she had to resist her feelings for Gideon—because of his son.
/> Until Kevin could like her for herself, he wouldn’t be able to accept her in his father’s life. That could take a long time. She refused to think never, but this was a teenager with some serious insecurities.
Now Kevin would be living with Gideon. He’d probably dreamed about having his dad around all day, every day, an arrangement most of his other friends took for granted.
Heidi’s mere presence could fracture the beautiful picture Kevin no doubt carried in his mind—father, son and dog facing the world together.
She put herself in Kevin’s place, recognizing that the last thing she’d want was some strange woman taking up space in his dad’s house, vying for his dad’s attention.
He finally had a chance to be with his father, to live the life he wanted. Heidi couldn’t wreck that for Kevin. She wouldn’t!
Gideon had told her not to unpack her bag. It stood by the front door waiting for his return.
“No! It’s not going to happen!” she cried to the empty apartment. Marching across the room, she picked the bag up and took it to the bedroom, where she put everything away.
How could she even think about her wants and needs when Kevin was so fragile and Dana still languished in prison?
Shocked by her own selfishness, Heidi acknowledged how complicated everything had become since she’d joined Gideon’s class. Deep in thought, she jumped when she heard the knock at her door.
“Heidi?” Gideon called out.
He was early!
She’d planned to run out to the car as soon as she saw it pull up at the curb. Now it was too late. Her heartbeat accelerated to a violent tattoo.
Halfway to the door, she halted. “Gideon, I’m not quite ready.” I have to think what I’m going to do about you. “Could you just wait for me in the car? I’ll be down as soon as I can.”
“Open the door, Heidi.”
His request sounded more like a command, and she started to shake.
“Heidi!”
She gave in and darted to the door, then swung it open. Like lightning, Gideon backed her into the apartment and covered her mouth with his. A voracious hunger seemed to be driving him.
He finally tore his lips from hers. “Do you have any idea how I felt when I walked into the kitchen last night and discovered you’d gone?”
My Private Detective Page 18