I grabbed my mug.
"Let's move to my sitting room."
"What? Why? You never sit in there."
She was right, but using it would help prevent a surprise run-in between my parents.
"But you like it," I pointed out.
We entered through my bedroom and I shut the door behind us, breathing a sigh of relief.
"I do like it," my mother said, turning to take it all in.
Of course she liked it; she'd decorated it.
I liked it, too, but didn't really have a use for it.
I'd thought about turning it into an adjoining bedroom for Gideon, but everything could be changing now.
He'd pulled away from me, hidden Nathan and a dinner with Corinne from me.
I wanted an explanation, and depending on what that was, we were going to either recommit to moving forward or take the painful steps to move away from each other.
My mom settled gracefully on the chaise, her gaze coming to rest on me.
"You'll have to be very careful with the police, Eva.
If they want to talk to you again, let Richard know so he can have his lawyers present."
"Why? I don't understand why I should worry about what I say or don't say.
I haven't done anything wrong.
I didn't even know he was in town."
I watched her gaze skitter away from mine, and my tone firmed.
"What's going on, Mom?" She took a drink before speaking.
"Nathan showed up in Richard's office last week.
He wanted two and a half million dollars."
There was a sudden roaring in my ears.
"What?" "He wanted money," she said stiffly.
"A lot of it."
"Why the hell would he think he'd get any?" "He has - had - photos, Eva."
Her lower lip began to quiver.
"And video.
Of you."
"Oh my God."