Page 59 of Lorna's Savior
“What the fuck?”
“You fainted.”
“I’ll deny it in the future, but I’ll say again, what the fuck.”
“Yeah, I told you your wife was a lying sack of shit.” Andy helped the older man to his feet and into his chair. By the time Phillip returned, his color had come back. Shaking his head, he took the cold bottle of water and downed half of it. He picked up the picture and studied it.
“This is my daughter?”
“Yes, and it’s confirmed by DNA. Remember you had given me a copy of yours. I was able to get a sample of hers to send to the lab. That was the last piece of evidence I was waiting for. It came in the middle of last week. I spent the last few days compiling the information in a timeline for you.”
It was a long time before Marvin spoke. During the time they waited, he didn’t take his eyes off the picture of his daughter. When he did speak, he looked at Andy with tears in his eyes. “I only have one question for you.”
“What’s that?”
“Did you see or speak with Kristen anytime during your investigation?”
“No. I first met you days after she left for her three-month cruise. According to my calculations, and what I’ve been told by Lorna and Kristen’s former staff, she won’t be returning for another three and a half to four weeks.”
“Thank you,” Marvin said. “I know I said I only had one question, but did you write up a bill for me?”
“It’s in your folder.” Andy pointed to it, and for the first time since they sat down three hours earlier, Marvin opened the file. The top page was Andy’s itemized bill. It didn’t shock Andy when Marvin pulled out a checkbook and wrote a check. After handing it over to Andy, he looked him dead in the eye. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. To finally have answers.”
Andy took the check and frowned at the amount. Before he could say anything, Marvin spoke, “For a job well done.” Andy only nodded, folded the check and stuck it in his wallet. After he gathered up his papers, he removed the tape from his recorder and pushed that across to Marvin. “This is all the interviews I conducted with Kristen’s staff, ex-husbands, and daughter. It’s my only copy, but it belongs to you now.” Andy stood, took his folder, stuffed it in his briefcase, then held out his hand, and shook both Marvin’s and Phillip’s.
“Let me know if you need anything else.” He gave them a nod, “Gentlemen, I’ll see myself out.” Andy left, leaving his former client and his lawyer to mull over the information he’d given them. On his way to his truck, he stopped at the bank next door to the lawyer’s office and deposited the check Marvin had given him. He didn’t want to lose it. Marvin had taken the amount Andy had charged him, and not only did he double it, but he paid Andy two and a half times what he was billed. Shaking his head, Andy got into his truck and headed home. He knew Lorna was at work, and it took everything in him not to hunt her down and explain in his own words what he had just done, and why he had done it.
For some reason, he couldn’t get over the fact that he had just signed his own death warrant by giving all that information to Marvin. Not death as in his body would die, but death as in his relationship with Lorna. Since he had no clue why she’d asked him to leave last Sunday morning, he had a gut feeling their relationship wouldn’t recover after she found out his part in what had happened. With a sigh, he let himself in his apartment. Instead of going to his office and congratulating himself on a job well done, he went to his liquor cabinet and poured himself a stiff drink, feeling like life as he knew it was over.
Chapter 24
Lorna stepped onto the full elevator, and sighed as she realized she would have to ride to the top with it stopping on every floor. Because of the crowd, she stood to the side and slowly worked her way to the back of the car. By the time they’d reached the eighth floor, she was leaning against the back wall. Two floors later, two people exited, and she looked over to find Andy staring at her. Swallowing hard, she only nodded to him. They hadn’t seen each other since she’d asked him to leave her apartment almost two weeks prior. While they waited for the elevator to arrive at their floor, they both leaned a shoulder on the back wall, studying each other.
Neither spoke until they exited the car, and made their way down to the hall toward their apartments. Not speaking until they reached Lorna’s door. Andy was the first to break the silence.
“May I ask you something?”
Lorna shrugged as she had her key in her hand. She turned to him, and frowned as he continued to stand there. “Yes?”
“Why?”
“Why what?” She turned toward him, ignoring the keys she still held.
Andy leaned his back against the hall across from them, not crowding her. “Why did you kick me out last week? I thought we had a great time at the fundraiser, then when we got back here, I was willing to wait to have sex with you, but you went all alpha on me. Don’t get me wrong, it was great. Matter of fact, it was the best sex I’ve ever had in my life. Then, you kicked me out. Why? That’s what I can’t wrap my head around. Please, if I did something wrong, let me know, so I won’t do it again.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and exhaled.
Lorna took pity on him and studied him from across the hall. “It wasn’t you, it was me.”
“Stop that shit. What does that even mean? Be honest with me, please. I deserve a straight answer.”
Lorna studied him, then sighed. “Fine, you want the truth, here’s the truth. When you realized you’d forgotten the condom, the look on your face when you said you didn’t want children said it all.”
“I don’t, at least not now. Maybe a few years in the future. Hell, I’m only thirty-four. I’ve got plenty of time.” Andy frowned at her. “What look?”
“The look that said that you didn’t want to have them with me. I understand. I’m no prize. I’m fat now, but what would happen if I got pregnant and couldn’t lose the weight I gained. I saved you the trouble of not worrying about it.” Lorna hadn’t looked at him the whole time she’d said this, but when Andy swore a blue streak she stared at him in shock. For the first time since meeting him, she began to have doubts about his sanity.
“Son of a fucking bitch!” Andy swore, he pushed himself off the wall and stalked her. He stopped two feet from her. With his eyes boring into her, he barked out. “If I was a different type of man, I’d take you into one of our apartments, and put you over my knee. I’d spank that sweet, luscious ass until you realize that I like your body. Why the hell do you think I left that skinny bitch standing at the bar and sought you out? Why do you think I jumped on the chance to be with you again when I saw you on your deck?” He walked in circles and pulled his hair. Stopping suddenly, he looked at her and growled his frustration.
“What do I have to do to prove to you that I like your body? That I like you? For you to take me back?”
