Page 207 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“They were to me,” Becca said softly.

“Can we drop this subject? It’s ridiculous to think any of us would have killed Mason and Suzanne,” Shayna said. “And thatiswhat you’re saying, right? You thought one of us planted a bomb or something?”

“Or tampered with the motor.”

Max felt the weight of four pairs of eyes as they all turned their gazes on him. “Why are you all staring at me?” he demanded.

Shayna was the first to look away. “It’s just that your wife died the same way.”

“I had nothing to do with it, and all of you know that.”

“We know,” Tate said. “Look, this is getting us nowhere. I’m glad you’re here, Becca or Becky or whoever you are. For one thing, you’ve livened up a pretty dull existence.”

“Call her Becca, she doesn’t look like a Becky,” Max said.

“What’s a Becky look like?” Shayna asked. She tilted her head and looked at Becca.

“Not like a Valkyrie,” Max said. He knew he’d said the wrong thing when Becca’s eyes flashed, and she pointed her chin in the air.

“You can call me Becca,” she said.

“No way. If I call you anything, it will be Brunhilda,” he said, trying to get her to smile. It didn’t work. She continued to glower at him.

“Hey, have you ever gone to that female body builder site? She calls herself a Valkyrie. Amazing muscles for a woman,” Tate said.

“You’re not helping,” Max pointed out.

“How nice you’re having such fun at my expense,” Becca snapped. “Now back to my parents. What did you argue with them about, Shayna?”

Shayna raised her eyebrows. “Nothing really. I asked your dad if it was true you might be Will’s only child.”

Becca gasped, and it was all Max could do to hold in his own surprise. He had thought that old rumor had died long ago.

“Wha—what did my father say?” Becca whispered. The color leached from her cheeks.

Shayna shrugged. “He told me to mind my own business. But it’s true, you know, Becca. No one knows for sure.” She tilted her head. “You look a bit like that picture of Uncle Will.”

“You’re making things worse,” Tate said. His nostrils flared, and he took another swig of his drink.

“I know, but I’ve seen pictures of Jake and Wynne. Becca doesn’t look much like them.”

“I know who I am,” Becca said tightly.

“Do you?” Shayna asked. “Or do you just not want to know the truth?”

Becca’s head reared back as though she’d been slapped. She whirled and ran from the room. Max started to go after her then stopped. What could he say? This might be a truth she had to face. No amount of self denial could change facts. He’d heard all the rumors. And now that he knew what to look for, he had to wonder himself.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Becca’s breath came hard in her lungs and she lunged up the steps and raced to her room. They were all hateful. Sitting there at the table discussing her lineage as though they were merely talking about the best type of tea to buy.

Becca wanted her mother. Suddenly everything she thought she knew about her life was like looking into murky water. Familiar landmarks were rendered strange and unfamiliar.

Who was she—really? When her grandmother had first mentioned the rumor, Becca had refused to even look at the facts. Now they had been forced on her. She peered at her face in the oval mirror above the dresser.

The features she’d seen all her life looked strange. She had never looked like her siblings. Both Jake and Wynne had brown eyes, hers were blue. Their hair was black as a raven’s wing while her own shone with more gold and red than brown. She was six feet tall, and Wynne was only five three. Her limbs were long and gangly while even Jake, tall as he was, had a bulky build like their father.

His father, maybe not hers. Becca couldn’t bear to think it might be true. She’d idolized her father. And would he treat her like his own if he’d suspected she belonged to his brother?

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