Chapter Thirty-five
“Your call was a lifesaver,” Ryan said, pulling Brian into an embrace.
They had agreed to meet up at a nearby park as Brian had spent the night at Karlie’s house. It was just before dusk and surprisingly the Baldwin Harbor Park was empty, which was fine by him.
Brian did not return the hug; instead, he shoved Ryan hard. Ryan flailed backward. He would have fallen on his butt, but a bench saved his nasty fall.
Ryan grabbed his son by the shirt. “Don’t you ever dishonor me by putting your hands on me again! I might be a lousy father, but I command your respect, and you will give me that.”
Brian pursed his lips and gave a slight nod.
Ryan released him, and Brian slunk into the bench. He couldn’t believe Brian had the audacity to put hands on him. Ryan counted to ten, and then sat next to him. “I thought Karlie would be with you.”
“No, she went to see her parents.” Brian glared at him. “Her real parents.”
Ryan flinched at the jab. He swiped at his brow. The humidity was no joke. “I’m not trying to take Neil’s place. I just need to know if Karlie’s mine.”
Brian crammed a finger in Ryan’s chest. “Why now? Five years went by, and you didn’t say anything. Your only motivation was to ruin my life.”
Ryan shifted toward Brian. “If you want to leave here with all your fingers, you’d better move your hand.”
Brian removed his finger.
“I’m not ruining your life, son. I’m straightening it out. Whatever you think you feel for Karlie must end. I can’t have you pining after your sister.”
“I didn’t know who she was!” Brian jumped to his feet and inhaled deeply to catch his breath. “Have you thought about the damage you’ve done? Last night, Karlie was crying in my arms trying to figure out why you didn’t want her.”
Ryan stood so he and Brian were eye to eye. “It’s not that I didn’t want Karlie. Let’s face it. I was a chief contender for the world’s worst parent. I was a horrible father to you. I neglected you. I was always working, and I—”
“Enough!” Brian interrupted. “Your excuses are as flimsy as a cheap paper towel.”
Ryan lowered his head. There was no talking his way around this mess. “I’m sorry. If I could turn back the clock—”
“But you can’t,” Brian interrupted. “When I was growing up, I craved your attention. I acted out and did all sorts of schemes for you to notice me. I thought that was painful, but what I went through was a breeze compared to Karlie. Her mother died. Her grandmother rejected her, and now her father didn’t have the time or energy to claim her.” He held out his hands. “Do you understand her devastation?”
Ryan realized he was worse than mildew scum around the toilet bowl. “I’m beginning to see, son. Before I gave my life to God, I really didn’t see the error of my ways.”
Brian snorted. “Please don’t excuse your bad behavior because you weren’t saved before. You knew right from wrong.”
Ryan sighed. “If you called me here to crush my head with your foot, it’s working. You’re contradicting everything I say.”
“Are you really saved? Or are you playing at being saved? I’ve been watching you, and you seem to think God is there for your convenience.”
Now, where did that come from? Ryan wondered.
Brian pierced him with his eyes, and Ryan stepped back under their intensity. For a second, it felt as if God was looking at him. Ryan shook off that feeling.
Ryan was quickly losing patience with what he viewed as a dead-end conversation. His cell phone rang. He saw Frank’s name and number pop up. Frank moved fast.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to take this,” Ryan said, and he walked away from the park bench.
“Why didn’t you tell me Jackson Higgins was telling the truth?” Frank bellowed.
Ryan glanced nervously at his son. Worried that Brian might be listening, Ryan discreetly lowered the volume on his cell phone and walked a few more feet away.
“Will that be a problem?” Ryan whispered. His chest constricted. He needed Frank. Millions of dollars were at stake.
“No, but I like knowing what I’m dealing with. This means I’ll have to strong-arm—change tactics. I’ll be tossing this phone. We need to meet in person.”
Ryan twisted his body to signal to Brian he would be off the phone soon. His son shrugged, but Ryan wasn’t fooled. He knew Brian was still angry.
Sweat beads formed across Ryan’s bare upper lip. He didn’t like the sound of strong-arm tactics. He considered himself a child of God, and God didn’t like this kind of ugly. Maybe he should pay Jackson’s demands.
“I also learned his wife is sick,” Frank said. “Dying. He needs the money.”
If this made the news, Ryan worried he’d be the monster who couldn’t empathize with a man and his sick wife. Michael Ward’s reputation was also on the line. Ryan tensed. He didn’t want to alert Michael about this nightmare. It’s best he settled it.
Yesterday.
“I need this to go away,” Ryan said.
“Give me a couple weeks.” Frank ended the call.
Brian could practically smell his father’s fear.
From the bits and pieces of conversation he’d overheard, he knew whatever was going on wasn’t good. His father looked scared. Brian touched his chin. He had to find out. This might be the opening he needed in his plan for revenge.
“I’m giving up my apartment and coming home,” Brian told his father as soon as he ended the call.
Brian knew he had stunned his father.
Ryan blinked rapidly. “Whoa! Where did that come from? Are you on something? My head is spinning. I would love to have you home, of course, but after all you said to me, I would think you’d want to be as far away from me as possible.”
“You’re right,” Brian said. “My coming home has nothing to do with you.” Brian didn’t trip over his lie. He wanted to know what trouble his father was in and find out how he could use it against him.
“I can’t stay at Merle’s house, and I want to be near Karlie,” Brian added. That was true.
Ryan froze. “You need to leave her alone. There are plenty of other women out there.”
Brian folded his arms. “You’re not going to dictate my actions. You need to fix yourself because your deeds are way past reprehensible.”
“I’m only saying you can have any woman you want,” his father said in a much more even-tempered tone.
Brian knew that. It didn’t remedy Karlie plaguing his mind, though.
“I’ll arrange to close up your apartment and get your things moved into storage,” Ryan said. “Are you coming home tonight?”
His father was nothing but efficient. “I’ll be home tomorrow. I’m going to check on Karlie. See how her visits went.” But first he had to call Nikki, who had been calling him nonstop.
“See you then.” Ryan walked off.
By this time, night had fallen and the streetlights were on. Brian watched his father’s departure.
Soon, Dad. I’ll avenge Karlie, and I’ll derive great satisfaction knowing it happened right under your roof.