Page 89 of A Vintage of Regret
A delicate silence.
“Here we go,” Sandy said. “Come on, Grant. You’ve got this.
“You approve so many things. It’s easy to forget. Easy to hope others do too, I suppose,”Riley’s mother said.
“Ink doesn’t forget, but funny thing is, I didn’t do it. I didn’t approve them, and yet, my name’s all over it. Money’s still missing. How did that happen, Ma? Can you explain that one? Because I didn’t do it, and when I left Dad that morning, he was inclined to believe me.”
“Grant, you can deny all you want. I understand why you’re doing it, but it’s a little late.”Mild scold now.“I’m disappointed in you. I raised you better than that, and unfortunately, the time to pay it back without consequences has passed.”
Erin’s jaw tightened. Riley could see the old pain resurface in her sister's expression. In the front seat, Sandy shifted, raising her hands to the headset covering her ears as she leaned forward.
“You know, I’ve thought a lot about that morning,”Grant said.“You whispering in my ear, telling me I could just pay the money back, and no one would be the wiser. And Dad telling me I needed to do the right thing. But what really stuck out to me from that morning was how you mentioned that you and Dad were on the same page. I hadn’t given it a second thought until recent events, but that doesn’t sound like you and Dad wanted me to play by the same rules.”
“I believe your memory might be mixed up.”More clanking noises filtered through the static. As if it were a spoon hitting the sides of a cup.
“Are you suggesting you didn’t want me to quietly pay the money back?”
The pause this time wasn’t delicate. It was heavy.
“No.”A louder clank.“I’m pointing out that you misunderstood your father. No way would he have wanted his only son to go to prison.”
“This guy is good.” The FBI agent nodded.
“I heard Dad loud and clear. Especially the parts about Mayor Jessip, Mason, even Walter, already… investigating the missing money.”
“I wondered how people in this town found out. I guess your father got a good case of conscience and tossed his own son under the bus.”Her voice sharpened.“I’ve spent years cleaning up messes men have made in this town. Your father included. How do you expect me to clean up yours?”
“Oh, come on. This is pathetic. How did I let this woman rule my life for decades?” Erin’s whisper scraped across Riley’s jangled nerves.
Grant chuckled. No humor in it.“Oh, Mother. That’s an interesting twist and makes absolutely no sense. All it does is deflect from the real culprit.”
“Who? Do you think it’s someone from the Revitalization Committee?”Her mother’s tone sounded breathy—almost childlike, and Riley could easily picture her mother’s eyes widening as she attempted to project innocence—Riley had seen it so often when the affair with Parker surfaced.
Grant snorted. “Not unless you’ve joined the committee recently.”
“Watch yourself,”Elizabeth snapped.
Riley was done calling that woman, her mother.
“I won’t be spoken to in that tone.”
“We could trade barbs all day,”he said.“But let’s trade facts instead.”Paper rustled faintly.“Checks with my name. Ledger entries re-keyed after hours from your home IP. Vendor accounts routed and rerouted to accounts that… eventually can be traced back to you.”
“Are you accusing your own mother of stealing?”Her outrage was perfectly pitched, ripe for the audience she didn’t know she had.
“You accused me. I’m just asking why your fingerprints are on my noose.”
“You’re being melodramatic.”
“Maybe. Or maybe I’m being a son who’s tired of you using your children for whatever games you’re playing.”Grant spoke the words slowly, letting them land.“Do you remember the summer fundraiser right after Riley found out about you and Parker? When the silent auction ‘mysteriously’ came up short?”
“Chaotic night,”she said smoothly.“Cash handling was sloppy, and I covered for that young lady. And you’re very mistaken about what your sister saw.”
Riley closed her eyes for a long moment, refusing to let those two memories form in her mind.
“No. I don’t think I am. I know what Riley saw. So does Erin. That missing money—it was all deflection to take the heat off you and your affair. And Riley wouldn’t steal a dime from anyone. But you wouldn’t know a thing about your youngest child because you haven’t taken the time to get to know her.”Silence. Then a soft clink—perhaps her mug set down a touch too hard.
“If you’re here to sling mud and be cruel, then you can leave,”Elizabeth said.
