CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

 

“It has been a week,” Theresa was saying solemnly as she handed Diana a glass of grape juice, “and I thought we should try again to have a civilized dinner.”

Diana nodded, baffled. Theresa was obviously trying to be friendlier toward her. Roman was grinning as usual—his stout frame seemed to be twitching with glee—but Natasha was still sulky and barely said a word to Diana.

They had actually made it through five delicious courses of various Jamaican delicacies when Roman finally asked Diana, “So how is the search for your siblings going?”

“Really well,” Diana said, smiling at him. “I found them all, except one; my brother Flynn is missing. Finch is working on that. I met a sister, but most of the others are not available for a meeting.”

Theresa made the effort to make conversation and followed her husband’s cue: “Some children are not too keen on meeting their biological parents,” she said, smiling at Robert. “They accept their adopted family and renounce all others.”

“It should hurt, though, when you want to meet your family but they aren't interested in you,” Roman said, tucking into a plate piled high with various dessert items.

“Hear, hear,” Natasha said dryly. “My biological father hated me on sight.”

“Sometimes you never know what you are going to find when you start digging,” Robert said reflectively. “Look at Diana’s brother, Flynn. He is unaccounted for, probably murdered.”

“Don’t say that,” Diana said quickly. “He was my favorite sibling.”

“Murder?” Roman’s eyebrows rose dramatically. “Interesting! What made you say that, Rob?”

“Finch’s theory is that his biological father, Ian McTaggert, carried him up to his house and beat him to death.”

The spoon going to Roman’s mouth clattered on his plate and his expression looked incredulous.

“Who did you say?” Theresa had a look of surprise on her face.

“McTaggert,” Robert replied, looking from one parent to the other. “What do you know about him?”

Roman picked up his fork and started eating again. “I do business with him.”

Diana smiled. “It's a small world. Is he the murderous type?”

Roman choked and Theresa got up and slapped him on the back forcefully.

“No, he is not,” Roman stuttered. “He is a good businessman. I met him four years ago. He came searching for us because we had some property close to his in Flower Hill that he wanted to buy.

“The land has a river on it,” Roman continued, wiping his eyes. “And he wanted it for his horses. It kinda looks like that picture that Robert keeps drawing.”

“Did you sell the land to him?” Diana asked.

“No,” Roman said as he tucked back into his dessert. “I think one day one of my children will come to appreciate the rolling hills and the peaceful valleys. Robert seemed to like it. We took him there only once and he can’t stop drawing the place.”

“So that’s it,” Robert said, relieved. “I can’t imagine why I kept drawing that place.”

“Basically, I kept it for you,” Roman said. “Natasha would die out there in the bush.”

“You are right,” Natasha said, warming up to the discussion.

“I have dreams of that place too,” Diana said absently, “but I guess it's because I used to live there.”

“Why don’t you go there tomorrow then?” Roman suggested. “Tell McTaggert I said hello, and don’t ask the man if he murdered his offspring, please. That wouldn’t be neighborly.”