Hershel backed up from the table, stood up, and went to the big bay window where he stared out with his back to everybody else.
Davey got up, hit the wall with his fist, and began pacing the floor. Ricki and her mother were holding each other and crying together. Then Davey went over, got down on his knees, and held both of them. And just like that they were a family again. They were a unit again.
Even Hershel eventually went over to the family, stood his wife up, and pulled her into his arms. He broke down too.
Vince felt as if he was an interloper in their life. He went outside, and sat on the porch.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The Richardson family were gathered together in the great room and silence was the main attraction. Mamie and Hershel sat on the sofa. Davey was leaned against the wall staring at his family. Ricki was seated in a chair. They were all still coming down from the shock of what had happened.
They could see Vince out on the porch on his phone, walking back and forth as if he was handling some business, and it all seemed so strange to Ricki. She never in a million years thought her parents even liked Erica. They never showed her any affection whatsoever. Not even their mother. She was the problem child. She was the bad seed. They had all kinds of names for Erica. But they were as devastated as Ricki was. Maybe even more so. It was startling to Ricki.
Hershel looked at her daughter. “We need to discuss how we can mend this family,” he said. Another shocker to Ricki. “I’m going to ask your white man to leave.”
Her white man? What kind of way was that to speak of somebody? But Ricki didn’t argue. Her father was grieving his daughter’s death. There was no doubt about that. But her father was still her father. “I’ll tell him,” she said, as she got up and went outside.
Mamie looked at Hershel. Hershel hesitated, and then he looked at her too.
But outside, Vince was leaned against the porch rail deep into a conversation. When he saw Ricki come outside and close the front door, he allowed the person on the other end of the phone to finish speaking, and then he ended the call.
He looked at Ricki. “Your car is at the Ford dealership here in Milton and it’s being repaired. You should be able to pick it up tomorrow. That is, if you plan to still be around these parts.”
“I’m staying in town until after her funeral,” Ricki said.
“Is that what you want?”
Ricki hunched her small shoulders. “I don’t know what I want right now. But I don’t see myself leaving and coming back in another week. I want to know what happened to her, and who wanted her dead.”
Vince nodded. He understood. “About your sister, Rasheda, I am so sorry this happened. Perhaps if I would have bailed her out--”
But Ricki was shaking her head. “No, Vince, no. This is not your fault. If somebody wanted her dead, they would have gotten to her no matter where she was. Don’t blame yourself.”
Vince exhaled. “You’re probably right.”
“I know I’m right,” said Ricki. Then she folded her arms. “Was your attorney able to find out anything?”
“Nothing yet. The cops are convinced it was a suicide.”
“It wasn’t, Vince.”
“I agree. But nobody’s willing to own it yet. But once my investigators get in town, if there’s something to find they’ll find it.”
Ricki was reassured by that. “Thanks.”
“Are you ready to leave?”
“No. That’s why I’m out here. I’m going to stay here tonight.”
Vince was surprised to hear it. “Here?”
“Daddy says we need to discuss our family relationship going forward. He wants to try to make things right. Erica’s death has really affected him. My mother too.”
“But do you want to try to make things right?”
Ricki wasn’t quick to say yes, which Vince respected. Then she nodded. “If it’s possible,” she said, “maybe so.”
“But you don’t think it’s possible?”
