Page 30 of New Beginnings
Rachel and Rebel chuckled as Siobhan pulled me towards Rebel.
“I’m going to get out of your hair,” Rachel said as she stood from the barstool. “I’ve got a night class.” As she walked by, she mussed Siobhan’s hair and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you guys, Monday. Nice to meet you, Rebel.”
“You too, Rachel,” Rebel said as Rachel disappeared out of the kitchen.
“I’m sorry to just show up to your home. I tried to call you, but I couldn’t get an answer.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “Let me get this little monster put to bed.”
“Aww.” A frown formed on Siobhan’s face. “I want to stay and play with Rebel, Daddy.”
“Maybe next time, angel,” Rebel said. “How about the next time I see you, I bring you something pretty and sparkly?”
“Will it be pink?” Siobhan asked.
Rebel’s face lit up with a beaming smile. “If you want.”
Siobhan nodded, then hugged Rebel before she ran out the room.
“Give me a minute.”
“Take your time.”
I winked at her then walked to Siobhan’s room. When I entered, she was already under her covers. I sat on the edge of the bed and ran my hand over the crown of her head. “You want me to read to you tonight?”
Since Dani’s death sometimes Siobhan wanted me to read to her and sometimes, she didn’t. It was something her mother always did, and I didn’t want to break her routine. I wanted her nights to be as normal as possible, but I also didn’t push her.
“No.” She grabbed her picture of her mother and her from the nightstand and pulled it to her chest. It was something she did every night and before I went to bed, I’d take it out of her arms and sit it back on the nightstand. “I’m sleepy.”
“Alright, sweet girl.” I stood and kissed her on the forehead. “I love you. Goodnight.”
“I love you, too. Goodnight. And Daddy, can you tell my new friend goodnight, too?”
I chuckled. “I sure will.”
I watched her kiss the picture of her mother, whisper goodnight, then turn on her side. It wouldn’t take her long before she passed out. I smiled and walked back to the kitchen where Rebel was sitting in the same place.
“She’s a gorgeous, little girl.”
“She is, and she told me to tell you goodnight.” She smiled, and I planted my forearms on the kitchen island and leaned forward. Only the island separated us. “I had some things to take care of today, so I couldn’t answer your call. How did the meeting with your godfather go?”
Eventually we’d have to tackle that issue.
“How do you think it went? But that’s not why I’m here. I got a lead.”
My eyes widened. “What?”
“I pulled the phone records for Earl Daniels and I found video footage of him meeting with someone not too far from the police department a week before Dani’s death.”
“You got a name?”
“Unfortunately, the phone records where a bust. But I hope you know who he was meeting with on the video footage?”
My brows furrowed. “And why would I know who it is?”
“Because he’s wearing a leather vest similar to the one you wear. I was hoping you could identify it.”
Fuck! Another motorcycle club.
