Page 90 of A Vintage of Regret
“Shit,” Sandy said.
“It’s all good.” The FBI man grinned. “This guy knows his mother. He’s taking her to places that will rattle her until she cracks. Trust him.”
Riley didn’t quite have that same confidence right about now.
“I only wanted you to know that I see you,”Grant said.“Before we get to why I’m really here.”
“I don’t have time for childish games,”Elizabeth snapped.
“My goodness, he’s got her so riled up, she’s going to blow,” Erin whispered. “And when that happens, she admits all sorts of weird things. She did that when she told me she bribed Chad to take me out.”
“She did what?” The revelation hit Riley like a cold slap. Their mother hadn't just been controlling and manipulative—she'd actually paid someone to date Erin. Riley felt sick thinking about how many of their life choices might have been influenced by Elizabeth's hidden machinations.
“Shush.” Sandy waved her hand.
“Alright, Mother. Let’s talk specifics. You ran into some… financial difficulties. First with medical bills. Then, with that Ponzi scheme that I told you not to invest in but was willing to help you recover from.”
A cool exhale.“So, Parker’s medical bills are now my moral failure? Is that it? I kept this family’s head above water for years while your father was nowhere to be found and your little sister was off galivanting?—”
“Leave her out of this,”Grant snapped, the first real crack in his calm.
Riley sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Don’t take that tone with me,”Elizabeth said. “You think I don’t know what it costs to be married to a man who checked out emotionally? A man who preferred the company of people who looked down on me and then took my child from me? I made sacrifices. You should be grateful.”
“Grateful for the way you turned Erin and me against Dad? Against Ry?”Grant asked.“I allowed you to poison me against Bryson for years, letting me believe I was better than him and even thinking he was the sole reason Ry left town. But that’s not even half as bad as what you’ve done to Erin. Taking her husband’s side. A cheater. A man who treats her like she’s not even worth his breath.”
“That’s enough,”Elizabeth said.“I think you should leave now. I will not be spoken to like this in my own home.”
“Oh, no, Mom. I’m not leaving yet.”Grant let the words breathe like a fine bottle of wine.“Here’s the truth I need. Tell me you did it. Tell me you forged my name and took the money. Just me. No one else. I don’t care if anyone else ever finds out the truth. This is between a mother and her son.”
“I can’t tell you that because I didn’t do it,”she said flatly.“You did.”
“Listen. It’s real simple, Mom. I want to hear the truth. Then I’ll go and pay the money back. We both know I’ve got the funds. I’ll do my best to make excuses. It was a mistake. I’ll come up with something that hopefully doesn’t land me in prison. I’ll do that for you, but only if you tell me the truth.”
A whisper of a movement. A rustle of fabric. Riley pictured Elizabeth standing, hand to throat, every gesture calculated for maximum effect.
“I will not be threatened in my own home,”she said.“Not by my son.”
“I’m not threatening you, Mom.”He lowered his voice.“I’m offering you a way out.”
“A way out?”Elizabeth echoed, wary despite herself.
In the van, Sandy’s eyes flicked to the FBI agent. “I can’t believe he took that approach, and she’s potentially caving.”
“It’s a win-win for you. Parker’s name never has to make a headline,”Grant said.“Your spending never has to be tallied in court filings. You tell me what happened. I’ll pay back the shortfall. I’ll say I was sloppy. I’ll take the professional hit. You keep your garden club. Your charities. Your dinners. I carry it, no matter the consequences.”
Erin’s drew in a sharp breath. In the front of the van, the FBI agent murmured, “Jesus, what a fucking lifeboat.”
“You’d wreck your reputation to spare me? Why?”Elizabeth asked.
“Because I still love you,”he said simply.“And because I can survive this. The kids can survive it. I figure I can cut a deal. I’m respected. It can’t be that bad. But I need the truth to protect you and the rest of my family.”
“And if I say there is nothing to tell?”she asked.“Because why would I, after all those hurtful things you just launched at me like a grenade?”
“Because you need to know that I’m the one holding the cards here,”Grant said.“I’m the one with the power, not you.”
“You’ve never been very good at poker, because my truth isn’t going to change,”Elizabeth said.
