Page 118 of An Engagement for Erica

“Your father took part in my services,” Kristi said.

“What services?” he asked.

Kristi looked at the phone. “I’d rather not say.”

“This isn’t going to the police. This is for my records. I know what my father is or was. I’m not having any part of it or it coming back to me.”

“Fine,” Kristi said. “Your father would call me when he wanted to have a good time. We’d party and end up in bed. If he had trouble getting things to work, I’d have a pill to give him.”

She was avoiding saying she was a hooker. Or that his father even paid for it. He didn’t care about it at this point either.

“Why do you think my father is the father of your child?”

“Because all the other men I thought it could be haven’t panned out. He’s one of them left.”

He let out a big sigh. “You expect me to believe that?”

“I do,” Kristi said. “I had DNA testing done. The other men have done the same. They’ve been ruled out.”

This woman looked to be in her late thirties if not forties. Not someone he’d expect would even want to raise a child.

“My father is deceased,” he said. “What is it you are hoping to accomplish here?”

If the child was even his father’s, which he didn’t expect was the case, but stranger things had happened in his life so who the hell knew anymore?

“TC had money. It must have gone to you,” Kristi said.

“Do you want this child?” he asked, crossing his arms. “Or are you looking for some hush money? Because I can tell you right now, I don’t really care one way or another if you’re carrying my father’s child.”

She was silent while she thought for a second. “I could contest his will, right? Wouldn’t I get something if I’m carrying his child?”

That was what this was about. He was positive Kristi came here to shake his father down for money if it was his child. Or any of the guys she might be pregnant with.

She still hadn’t answered him if she wanted the child or not.

“My father’s will was ironclad. Even the best lawyers that you think you could hire can’t break it,” he said, smirking.

No way his grandfather would have let anything exist that wasn’t and his father was too damn lazy to change anything once his grandfather ensured it was set up.

There were two beneficiaries to everything.

Himself and his mother. It didn’t even say ‘children or my child.’ It stated Clara and Tucker Nelay. End of story.

His grandfather probably worried that his father would have something like this happen or could have another child out there and not know.

“So my only shot is to make trouble,” Kristi said. “Which I don’t have any problem doing.”

She obviously forgot this was being recorded. Not the smartest thing to say.

“Trouble how?” he asked.

Her eyes went back to his phone. “If TC is the father, I could let it be known and that his son isn’t supporting us.”

He laughed. “I don’t owe you or my father anything. If that kid you’re carrying, if you’re even pregnant, is my father’s, you can probably get his social security benefits for the child. It won’t be enough to raise a kid.”

“I’d think you might not want it out if you could have a half-sibling that you aren’t acknowledging.”

“You keep saying if,” he said. “How many other men have you gone to to figure this out?”

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