Page 9 of Justice Denied

“While I’d like to think that, if I recall from what the articles—and Topher Robotics—said, the evidence against Dad was overwhelming.”

Jetta opened her mouth to refute Jade’s claim, but she didn’t know how because she hadn’t investigated beyond the news stories. Best take a closer look at what happened, then she could persuade her siblings of their father’s innocence.

Before Jetta could end the call, Jade asked, “Hey, Mom says you’ve been spending time with your hunky neighbor.”

“Seth?” The name burst out of Jetta before she had time to consider what it would telegraph to Jade. She mentally slapped herself in the forehead for giving her sis ammunition to pummel her with about her lack of a love life.

“Ha, I knew it! Spill it.”

Jetta sighed. She’d have to throw her sister a bone or Jade would never let her go and get some sleep. “He rescued Bingley tonight.” Then gave an abbreviated version of the events surrounding Bingley’s trip to the hospital.

“I knew he was more than a pretty face.” Jade’s grin came across loud and clear on the phone. “Like your own personal knight in shining armor with arm muscles are to die for. Besides, Mom approves of Seth, and since you’re not dating Kyle anymore, you’re a free agent.”

Jetta bit back a groan at her older sisters’ meddling in her life. Lately, they had morphed from trying to control her career to finding her a man. “What would your husband think of your drooling over another man?”

“He’d understand I’m only doing it to get my younger sister to see the potential right under her nose.”

Jetta stuck out her tongue. Jade wouldn’t be so gung-ho if she could see Jetta’s predicament. No one would want to date her, much less marry her, in her current situation. “You get married and suddenly, everyone has to be partnered with someone?”

“Can I help it if I want you to experience marital bliss like me?”

“Yes, you can.” She yawned. “Listen, it’s after one here and I’m beat. I’ll have to get up early if I want to visit Mom before getting Bingley from the vet.”

“Right. I still can’t keep this East Coast-West Coast time thing straight. Sleep tight, and let us know how it goes with Mom.”

“Will do.” Jetta ended the call and checked that the phone charger was still connected. She tried a different position in bed but still couldn’t get comfortable. With a sigh deeper than the ocean, as Dad used to say, she closed her eyes. Maybe more prayers would help her find rest. She prayed she would be able to get Mom to talk about the arrest and evidence against Dad when she visited her tomorrow. Sleep began its gentle pull on her body once more as she snuggled deeper into her covers.

Seth Whitman popped into her mind. His effortlessness in lifting the seventy-pound Bingley coupled with the gentleness of his movements made him an attractive package. His kindness toward others shone through in every encounter. Her mother might vouch for him, but Jetta couldn’t rely on her own instincts, not when the result of her last judgment call in trusting the wrong man kicked her in the ribs. Sleep nudged her into dreamland before she could resolve the problem of how to keep Seth in her life without leading him on, because she could use a friend like him.

* * *

Ryan Topher eyedhis oldest son, Frederick, over the rim of his cup. The boy—he still thought of him that way despite Frederick’s forty-four years—had his habitual petulant look, his lips pursed as though sucking on something sour. Frederick held a cup and saucer but hadn’t taken a sip of the excellent coffee Ryan had flown in every quarter from a Hawaiian coffee farm. Ryan waited for Frederick to state why he’d requested this meeting. Frederick’s duties as vice president of operations meant he reported directly to Yasmine and not his father, which curtailed the interactions Ryan had with Frederick, something Ryan appreciated more as the years passed and what had been cute when Frederick was younger morphed into something else entirely.

Frederick set his untouched beverage on the coffee table. His leg jiggled up and down once before he stilled it with a hand on his knee. Ryan inwardly winced at the telltale sign. Money. The kid wanted more money.

“How much this time?” Ryan kept his tone bored and low.

His son jerked as if Ryan had shot a cannon off in the spacious corner office. “What? No, I mean why would you assume I want money?”

The manufactured outrage on his son’s countenance usually made Ryan laugh, but not today. “I don’t have time to dance around the issue. If I misunderstood, I apologize.” He drained his coffee and set the cup beside his son’s untouched one on the table. “Now, I have a board meeting to prepare for, so if there’s nothing else, I’ll see you Saturday for your mother’s birthday dinner.”

Frederick shot to his feet. “Well, the, um, thing is…” He rubbed his hands together, a boyhood tick that signaled Ryan wasn’t going to like what came next. “The fees for Ridley’s boarding school went up way more than we’d anticipated, and Macey won’t graduate from college for another year.”

Ryan waited a beat. The cost of two kids in private schools must be enormous, but then again, Frederick took home a handsome salary, plus the use of a company vehicle, so he should be able to cover the expenses without a problem. A red flush crept up Frederick’s neck and onto his cheeks. Interesting. He didn’t usually blush when asking for a loan from his father.

“The thing is, Dad, that, uh…” He choked on the words.

Ryan didn’t have time to coax it out of him, not when he had to contend with an antsy board and rumors about a hostile takeover from a rival technology firm. “Spit it out or leave it for another time.”

The words came out harsher than Ryan had intended, but he wasn’t about to apologize. Frederick’s eyes widened, but he squared his shoulders and blurted, “Cynthia said she’s leaving me.”

Cynthia, still a beauty at forty-one with her ice-blue eyes and naturally blonde hair, had struck Ryan as the pragmatic type who would stick by her man come what may. Ryan leveled a hard stare at his son. “What did you do?” He held up a hand to forestall the protest he was sure would be rising to his son’s lips. “And don’t tell me nothing. Cynthia’s not a fool. She’s put up with a lot from you over the years.”

“She found out about Natasha.” Frederick’s gaze skittered away from his father’s.

Ryan firmed his lips. “I warned you about flaunting your mistresses.”

Frederick waved his hand as if brushing away a pesky fly. “Cynthia and I have an understanding.”

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