Firestone (38 page)

“
And Heather?” Sandy
asked.

“
That’s the question,
isn’t it?” Seth asked.

“
What’s the question?”
Sandy asked. “What are you talking about?”

“
Sorry,” Seth said, and
sighed. “We found a references for an A. Fontaine — Alma, Allison,
Alete — and her daughter, Heather, of course, and — Hazel, Harriet,
Helen.”

“
How many did you find?”
Sandy asked.

“
I’m not sure,” Seth said.
“I was a little drunk and high then.”

“
More than a little,”
Sandy sniffed.

“
Yes,” Seth said. “Plus,
Mitch looked into Heather. He confronted Heather’s mother. She told
him something that convinced him everything was on the up-and-up. I
don’t know what.”

“
So why are you
so . . . weird about this?” Sandy asked.

“
The last time Allison
Fontaine and her daughter Helen lived in Denver, Helen had a
child,” Seth nodded.

“
With whom?” Sandy asked.
“Just say it.”

“
With Sam Lipson’s father,
Roger,” Seth said. “Helen and Allison Fontaine disappeared and left
Helen’s son at the hospital.”

“
You think Blane is
Heather’s son,” Sandy said.

Seth nodded.

“
Well, that’s weird,”
Sandy said. “You know that Heather’s pregnant right
now.”

Seth nodded.

“
With Blane’s child,”
Sandy said.

Seth nodded.

“
Did you know that they
ran both Blane’s and Heather’s DNA?” Sandy asked.

Seth nodded.

“
You think Alma fucked
with the DNA,” Sandy said.

Seth nodded. Sandy grimaced.

“
I have always disliked
that woman,” Sandy said. “God, poor Heather.”

Sandy stared off into space for a moment,
and then her eyes turned to Seth.

“
Well, it doesn’t matter
now,” Sandy said.

“
Why?”

“
Tanesha asked if we could
come over to Heather’s house,” Sandy said.

“
It’s probably time for a
break,” Seth said. “I’ll keep working and you
can . . .”

“
Oh, you’re going with
me,” Sandy said.

Seth winced, and Sandy nodded.

“
Now,” Sandy
said.

Seth sighed and followed her out of the
room. For the first time in recent memory, Sandy took the elevator,
and Seth followed. The elevator started moving, and Sandy turned to
Seth.

“
No one knows this,” Sandy
said in a low tone. “But Heather’s had her and Blane’s
and
the baby’s DNA
tested.”

“
And?”

“
Blane is not her son,”
Sandy said. “Not related to her at all.”

“
You’re sure?”

“
Ava took the sample and
tested it herself.” Sandy nodded.

“
When?”

“
When you were sick,”
Sandy said. “You paid for it.”

“
That was nice of me,”
Seth said.

“
I knew you’d want to
pay,” Sandy said.

“
I do . . .
did,” Seth said. “Why did Heather do it?”

“
Heather thought her
mother was too involved in the DNA testing,” Sandy said. “The woman
who collected the DNA is a friend of her mother’s. Everyone at the
testing place knew her mother. From the bank — at least that’s what
they said. Then all that stuff happened with Katy and Jill. It kind
of reeks of Heather’s mom. Plus, don’t you think it’s weird that we
never found a match?”

Seth turned to look at Sandy.

“
It’s not unusual,” Seth
said.

“
We tested thousands of
people,” Sandy said. “From all over the world. Blane has saved
Alex’s life many times, and he helps her team all the time. She
took it upon herself to get everyone she knows tested. She even ran
it through some military database.”

“
That’s a lot of people,”
Seth said.

The elevator stopped at the first floor.

“
And?” Seth
asked.

“
Roger Lipson was Blane’s
father,” Sandy said.

“
And the
mother?”

“
Big mystery,” Sandy
said.

“
They look alike,” Seth
said. “Blane and Jacob. Wouldn’t it be someone close to
Celia?”

Sandy shrugged.

“
Didn’t match anyone,”
Sandy said. “Remember no one knows. I only know because you paid
through me.”

Seth nodded. The elevator opened and they
left for Heather’s mother’s house.

~~~~~~~~

Monday evening — 8:05 p.m.

“
I haven’t heard from
Heather,” Blane said to Jacob.

Jacob looked up from his cards.

“
You’d tell me if
something was wrong, wouldn’t you?” Blane asked Jacob.

“
If I knew,” Jacob
said.

“
And now?” Blane
asked.

Jacob looked out across the room for a
moment.

“
What?” Blane
asked.

“
There’s a
weird . . . cloud around your mother-in-law’s home,”
Jacob said.

“
Of bitterness,” Blane
snorted.

Jacob scowled.

“
Now you’re making me
nervous,” Blane said.

“
It’s just
that . . .” Jacob nodded.
“Uh . . .”

“
What?” Blane asked. “Tell
me.”

“
It’s weird,” Jacob
said.

“
What’s not weird?” Blane
asked. “I’m in the hospital. That’s weird. You’re not cheating at
solitaire . . .”

“
That’s weird,” they said
in unison and laughed.

“
So what is it?” Blane
asked.

“
There’s a
man . . .” Jacob said. “He’s looking, looking,
looking, everywhere, and every time.”

Jacob nodded.

“
And Heather’s
mother . . .” Jacob swallowed hard. “Whenever he
gets close, she disappears.”

“
Disappears?” Blane put
his hand over his heart. “With my Heather?”

Jacob nodded. Blane blanched white.

“
But . . .”
Jacob said.

“
But?” Blane asked. “Come
on, Jake, I’m freaking out here.”

“
She can’t do it this
time,” Jacob said.

“
Why?” Blane asked. “You
have no idea how incredibly selfish this woman is. Heather’s entire
life has revolved around her mother’s whims and moods. All she
talks about is how wounded and injured
she
is, so much so that she never
sees the evil she perpetrates on everyone around her. Heather
barely lets her touch Mack.”

Jacob shook his head.

“
She can’t do it this
time,” Jacob said.

“
Why?” Blane asked. “Who’s
going to stop her?”

“
That’s what’s so weird,”
Jacob said.

“
Who’s going to stop her?”
Blane asked. “You?”

Jacob shook his head.

“
Who?” Blane asked. “Jake!
You have to tell me.”

“
Paddie Hargreaves,” Jacob
said. “Paddie will refuse her mother passage.”

“
What?”

“
The man will be here
soon,” Jacob said.

~~~~~~~~

Monday evening — 8:15 p.m.

Jill trotted up to the door of Heather’s
mother’s house to get there before Katy and Paddie. Heather’s
mother had never been very kind to children. In fact, Heather’s
mother wasn’t very fond of Katy. If Jacob had been home, Jill would
have left Katy with him.

Reaching the door, she smiled at her own
lie. She could have left Katy with Delphie or MJ and Honey. She put
on her brightest smile and knocked on the door.

Alma Fontaine opened the door. She looked at
Jill and put a plastic smile on her face.

“
Jillian, how are you?”
Heather’s mother asked. “Did you come for the party?”

“
Yes, sorry we’re late,”
Jill said.

Katy and Paddie had reached the door by
then, and Jill put her arms on the kids’ shoulders.

“
Katy, you remember Auntie
Heather’s mother,” Jill said.

“
Mrs. Fontaine,” Katy said
in her sweetest voice.

“
Fairy-child,” Alma said
under her breath.

“
Excuse me?” Jill
asked.

“
Has anyone ever told you
that you look so much like your father?” Alma asked.

“
No,” Jill said.
“Never.”

Alma scowled at Jill. She glanced at Paddie,
and he gave her a sweet smile. Alma took note of his white-blonde
hair, pirate costume, and the plain wooden toy sword in Paddie’s
belt before stepping back from the door.

“
Please come in,” Alma
said. “We have quite a party. The girls are playing
Twister.”

Katy gave Alma a sweet smile before she and
Paddie ran into the house.

“
Thank you, Mrs.
Fontaine,” Jill said.

“
Cut the crap,” Alma said.
“There’s no reason for you to
always
be of good cheer.”

Jill put her hand on Alma’s forearm.

“
Are you all right?” Jill
asked.

The woman looked Jill in the eyes. Jill
reached inside Heather’s mother and found only a shell of a person.
Deep inside, all of her beauty and grace were sound asleep.

“
Can you wake up?” Jill
asked out loud.

Like the flicker of a curtain, Jill saw the
young woman who was Alma open her eyes. The flash of the young
woman who might be appeared and disappeared in an instant.

“
Leave me alone.” Alma’s
voice was harsh.

A pulse of anger and hatred from Alma nearly
knocked Jill off her feet.

“
Hi there,” Seth said in a
loud voice.

Alma looked up at Seth, and Jill let go of
Alma’s arm. Jill stumbled into Sandy, who propped her up.

“
More guests!” Alma’s
sickeningly sweet voice returned. “Detective O’Malley and dear
Sandy! Please come in!”

Jill and Sandy made it across the threshold
while Alma was focused on Seth. Jill felt a wave of Alma’s wrath
rise up to greet Seth. Just as she was about to say something
horrible, Heather called her mother from inside the house. Alma
scowled at Seth and went inside.

“
She’s really horrifying,”
Seth said in a low tone.

Jill and Sandy nodded.

“
She hates you,” Sandy
said.

“
Any ideas why?” Seth
asked. He looked at Sandy and then at Jill.

“
You can stop her,” Jill
said.

“
How?” Seth
asked.

“
No idea.” Jill
shrugged.

He glanced at Sandy. She nodded and they
went in to join the party.

~~~~~~~~

Monday evening — 8:20 p.m.

Yvonne gave Heather’s mother a puzzled look
and glanced at Rodney. He nodded.

“
We should get Jabari
home,” Rodney said.

When he stood up, everyone turned to look at
him. Jeraine glanced at Tanesha, who was holding Jabari. She gave
him a soft smile.

“
We can keep him,” Jeraine
said.

“
Best not to risk it,
son,” Rodney said.

“
We’ll follow you out,”
Tanesha said.

Tanesha stood up with her tiny bundle and
moved toward the door. Jeraine picked up the child’s diaper bag,
blanket, and his new favorite soft elephant. Yvonne helped Tanesha
put the child’s warm jacket on. The child fussed for a moment, but
fell back asleep against Tanesha. Yvonne turned to Heather and her
mother. She took Alma’s hands and smiled.

“
Thank you for the lovely
evening,” Yvonne said.

Alma gave Yvonne a sickeningly sweet smile,
and Yvonne let go. Rodney helped her with her jacket and then held
a hand out to Alma.

“
Nice to finally meet
you,” Rodney said. He used his other hand to cover his hand in
Alma’s. “Thank you for all the kindness you’ve shown our
Tanesha.”

Alma blushed and nodded. Turned away from
Heather’s mother, Tanesha rolled her eyes. She turned back and
smiled.

“
I’ll be right back,”
Tanesha said to Heather.

Heather nodded. Jeraine opened the door, and
Yvonne stepped outside.

“
That was odd,” Yvonne
said from the front porch. She turned back through the open
door.

“
What is it, Mom?” Tanesha
asked.

Yvonne shook her lovely head and started
down the front walk. Jeraine followed Yvonne, and Tanesha came
after him. Rodney followed them down the path.

“
What happened at the
door, Mom?” Tanesha asked.

“
Oh,” Yvonne smiled. “I
don’t really know. It just felt like . . . I don’t
know.”

“
Mom,” Tanesha
said.

“
Now, don’t bother
yourself with this,” Yvonne said.

Rodney opened the back door of the car, and
Tanesha negotiated Jabari into his car seat. She kissed his
forehead and leaned back.

“
Thanks for everything,”
Tanesha said to her parents.

“
It’s truly our pleasure,”
Rodney said.