The Ahern Brothers Collection - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,41
happened to me, Wes. As you know, I freak out when things change. Being together in that way most likely will change our relationship.” She shakes her head. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have brought that up.”
She tenses. “What if I have a panic attack in the middle of the act?”
“Hey, I’m here for you. You lead, and you need to remember that nothing will happen unless you want it to, okay?”
She presses her lips together tightly and nods. I begin to work as we eat. I usually arrive at the office between six and seven. In that way I can start the day almost at the same time as the East Coast. If I do that, I’d miss this, sharing breakfast with Abby. I look up to her, smiling at her. Having her by my side has changed a lot of things in just a few days, and I’m happy about it.
When I move my attention from the computer to her, she’s frowning at her empty mug. Without saying a word, I stand up, pour her more coffee, adding a spoon full of sugar with a little milk this time.
“Thank you.” Her lips turn up into a lovely smile. “You didn’t have to; I was just thinking that …”
“Hey, it’s me, your best friend Wes. What do you need?”
“Can we go away for the weekend?” her voice is almost lost.
“Of course, Abby.” I hop back onto the bar stool, open my email app, and start sending a message to my assistant. “Where do you want to go?”
“Tahoe.” She exhales, her sigh softly deflating. It’s as if some of the tension has lifted from her back.
“We’re going to Tahoe, then,” I announce, asking Anita for the plane to be ready at noon. I’d rather arrive early and have a few hours to work facing the lake.
This might be good for Abby. It’s been a long week. She’s been a little more skittish than usual when we’re out. Last weekend we visited the fresh market by Cherry Creek Mall and she kept looking around. It seems like the ghosts from her past follow her everywhere. I wish I knew what’s going on with her.
“By the way, I wanted to ask you for a favor, if it’s possible,” she says quietly.
“Anything for you, Abbs, you know that.”
“Can you get me the police and autopsy reports about Ava’s death?” The hesitation in her voice doesn’t go unnoticed.
I nod once, studying her face.
“Are you sure you want to know about this?”
“I think so,” she says biting her lip avoiding my gaze.
“Let me see what I can do,” I ignore the quick twist on my gut. This feels like a bad idea.
She shrugs a shoulder, looking at the granite counter. “You know, just whatever you can gather would be helpful.” She squints, pressing her lips together.
I can hear the gears inside her head moving. She’s choosing her words carefully to tell me just what I need to hear while withholding the real reason she wants to go through these documents.
“Maybe they’ll help me find closure,” she finally says, and the tension in her shoulders increases.
“It might not be today, but I can try. Mom can tell you the story,” I suggest.
“Well, you didn’t know about Shaun. Does she?”
I shake my head but in truth, I’m not sure about Mom’s knowledge. Like Abby, they don’t disclose too much information.
“See, that’s why I’m wondering what Corbin told the authorities about me and his children.” She shrugs as if she’s just curious.
Fuck, I’m dying to know the truth.
“Why did you continue to stay with him after your mother died?”
“I don’t know,” she says, lowering her gaze. Her fingers playing with the fork as if it were a baton.
She’s hiding the truth. I’ll let it slide for now. Until she’s comfortable enough, I can’t push her any further. Hopefully, those reports will reveal what she’s been hiding all along. I should find someone to help me search deeper though. I have a bad feeling about this Corbin character.
How was he able to stay at Abby’s house after her mother died? Did she leave him the house? Finally, the puzzle I’ve been trying to build for years is taking shape. She’s beginning to give me the pieces to put it together.
“How long were they married?”
“A little more than a year, my mom fell ill before their one-year anniversary and died not long after,” she says shivering.
“What happened to her?”
“I don’t know; we weren’t close but … I’m sure Corbin knows what