CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Hawk
I pulled into my driveway and peeked in on Diablo before heading to the house. He was restless, and I figured it had been a few days since he’d gotten a good run. I’d get something cold to drink and then take him out.
I walked in and threw my keys on the counter, heading for the refrigerator and grabbing a cold beer.
“You got one for me?” a low voice said behind me.
I whirled and slid a butcher knife from the block on the counter as I did so. It was a smooth, thoughtless movement born of too many fights that sprang from the shadows.
Before me sat Worthington LaViere, III. My father.
“How did you—?”
“Get in?” he finished for me. “Not difficult. I know my way around security systems. Find out you were here? I’ve been watching you as long as you’ve been watching us. That’s right, your brother first spotted you. So, I made a few calls, and sure enough, someone called me back about an hour ago.”
I should never have thought I could outwit him. It was no accident I was bright and resourceful myself.
“Sit down, Ford. I think it’s time we had a talk.”
I caught my breath and whirled again toward the refrigerator, trying to gather my thoughts. I grabbed another bottle and as I came close to him, tossed it. He caught it reflexively and twisted off the cap. Unwilling to let him take control of the conversation as though I was an errant child, I said, “What do you want?”
His eyebrows went up. “I might ask the same of you, son. You’ve chosen to move in as a neighbor without so much as letting us know you were alive. Your mother and I have been worried sick.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, I can tell.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that I’ve been on my own now for years, and you haven’t reached out with so much as a finger to find me.”
“Where’s Bernie?”
“Dead. Screwed one too many asses.”
“Ford…” he growled the name, his jaw tight. “That man was a part of this family, and he gave up his life for you.”
I took a swig of my beer. “Yeah, you’re right. In fact, he was more of a father to me than my own.”
My father winced, though it seemed not entirely authentic. “So, that’s where we are, is it?”
“You could say so.”
“What’s with this Sansabri charade?” His voice was stern no matter how casual he was attempting to sound. A man of his profession should be better at passive interrogation.
“Think about it. It’ll come to you.” Nothing escaped him. He was toying with me.
“Well, just from observation I’d say that you went to a great deal of trouble to get next to the family without our knowing about it, although I’d say you wanted to get discovered. If you didn’t, you’d have stayed in Mexico. Second, I’m wondering why you felt the need for stealth. We’re your family, and you belong with us. If I’d known where you were, I’d have come looking for you long ago.”
“Oh, really?” My sarcasm was thick.
He sat forward in his chair. “Ford, it all happened in the space of an afternoon. You got out of the institution and were on the run. We knew they would come looking for you at home first. We had to be accounted for, so the only person who could take you was Bernie. In fact, he volunteered, and we trusted him implicitly. There was no other choice. I set up a quick route to get money to you, and we didn’t have the time to work out contingencies. I’m guessing when he died, you were without funds. All you had to do was get word to me.”
“Sure, right. You gave me a big calling card with instructions how to do that without getting picked up by the Federales, right?”
He sighed and leaned back again. “I guess you had a tough time of it, son. I’m sorry for that and yet in a way, you had to go through that. It wasn’t your fault. Your mother and I did a piss poor job of preparing you for life outside our neat, safe little circle.”
“Well, at least we can agree to that,” I stated. “You had enough presence of mind to lock me up, didn’t you?”
His eyes narrowed. “Hey. You made choices that took that out of my hands. That was the judge’s doing.”
“And you mean to tell me, given the LaViere name and fortune, you couldn’t buy my way out? Get off your moral high horse and be real, Father. You simply didn’t give a shit!”
“Not true! Damnit, no, I wasn’t the best parent. I admit that. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t care. It’s two different things. I loved and still love you, as does your mother. She asks me about you all the time. I’d already screwed up so bad and had no idea how to undo it. All I could think of was keeping everyone safe. I didn’t want you institutionalized again.”
“Keep the big crazy kid away from the sweet innocent babes, is that how it went down?” My voice held a deep bitterness. My phone dinged then, and I looked down to see a message from Liane: Breath and keep your dignity.
Her abilities were unbelievable.
“So what changed?” he was asking.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, something has changed. One day you’re spying on us from beneath tree branches and the next you’re getting your birth certificate and driver’s license — coming out, so to speak. What prompted this sudden change of heart?”
“You’ll meet her.”
He slapped his thigh then. “You’re my son, there’s no doubt about that. It’s always a woman that brings us to our knees.”
I let his remark pass. I wouldn’t play his game. We drank in silence, each contemplating which move would protect our queen.
“Will you come down to dinner? Come see your mother and the twins?”
“Not yet.”
Sadness crept into his eyes, but he wiped it away quickly. “I see. Want this kept quiet?”
“I do.”
“I won’t be able to keep it from her forever. She doesn’t deserve that, Ford.”
“I go by Hawk.”
“Hawk, then.” He smiled. “You always did want to be one, as I remember. So how long do I have to keep quiet?”
“I’ll let you know.”
“She must be damned special.”
I felt her mental hug. “You have no idea.”
“Alright, have it your way. I’ll keep this between us for now, but it won’t be forever. Your mother deserves to know you’re safe. It killed a part of her when you left. Believe that or not, it’s your choice. I’m the bastard in all this, son. Give her the love she remembers from you. You two used to be pretty close, as I recall.”
“You leaving now?” I suggested, mockery dripping from my voice.
He stood and walked out the door. There were no parting words.
My hand was shaking a bit when he left. I hadn’t been prepared for that. I’d wanted it to be better rehearsed, set on my terms, not his. I would never underestimate him again. I tapped Liane’s number, and she answered on the first ring.
“I knew you were calling,” she said. “I already had the phone in my hand.”
I nodded. “I came home to find my father in my living room. He’d had people watching for me, and someone called him when I applied for a replacement birth certificate.”
“You didn’t see that coming?” she asked, and I was a bit embarrassed.
“No, I guess I was thinking more about you and my businesses than what traps would be sprung.”
“So, it’s over? You’ll go over and make up?” she asked, hope alive in her words.
“What do you think?” I tried to keep the sarcasm out of my voice, but it was still dripping about the room.
“I think you’re forgetting I’m on your side, Hawk.”
I scrubbed my face with my hands. “You’re right, I’m sorry. He made quite an impact on me. It’s been a long time.”
“So, you asked for some time, I take it?”
“Yes.”
“Want me to go with you, when the time comes?”
“Of course.”
“Will you come see me tonight? I’d like to make you dinner.”
“I’d love to. I’ve promised Diablo a run, then I’ll shower and be over. What can I bring?”
“Why don’t you stop by the bakery and bring a big, thick humble pie?”
It took me a second to catch on. At first, I thought it was a British thing. “Very funny.”
“I’ll bet you’re smiling.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
“Good, then skip the pie, and I’ll have dinner waiting.”
The line went silent. I loved the simplicity with which we communicated. She displayed no artifice, no agenda but was simple and direct. I loved that woman beyond belief.