She had whipped up a salad and had sausages ready to cook when Jordan and Arthur walked in. She poured two glasses of water and added plenty of ice because it was still warm out, and placed them on the table. Jordan took his, but didn’t look at her.
“Have a nice walk?” she asked.
Arthur nodded, his expression serious. “Jordan and I had a good chat.”
She could only imagine what Jordan had told him. “Sam said to call him if you want a lift home.” Not that she was trying to get rid of Arthur, but she needed to speak to Jordan and clear the air.
“No. He’s staying,” Jordan said. “So he can hear what you have to say about Dad.”
Arthur gave her a sympathetic look. “You can tell me later,” he said to Jordan.
Jordan scowled and took a deep breath, readying himself for an argument.
“It’s fine,” Gretchen said. Though she hated airing her dirty laundry, she needed to get Jordan to listen, and if this was the only way he would, so be it. “Why don’t you tell me what happened today?” She sat at the table.
Jordan stared at the glass.
“Watson, tell her what you told me,” Arthur said.
Jordan straightened. “I saw Dad. He stopped us on the way to Cody’s place.”
A sliver of jealousy tickled her and she pushed it aside. It was good Jordan had someone to confide in, even if it wasn’t her. “You recognised him?”
Jordan scowled. “Of course I did. I’m not stupid.”
It had been five years, and they didn’t have any photos around of Kurt, but she let the comment slide. “What did he say?”
“He said he missed me. He was sorry for being a bad dad, and had tried to email and call, butyouwouldn’t let him speak to me.” His eyes glistened with righteous tears.
“Do you remember what I told you the other day?” Gretchen asked. “When you asked about your dad?”
“You lied!”
“I didn’t.” She placed a hand over his, and he snatched it away. She ignored the hurt. “I left your dad because he was involved with bad people, and I didn’t want either of us hurt.”
Arthur straightened at her words and pressed his lips together.
“He worked with Gram and Grampa,” Jordan retorted.
“They didn’t always follow the law.” Something she’d been very late to realise. The only reason Kurt had been interested in her was to get to them. Her parents had thought Kurt was the ideal son-in-law, bringing him into the family business. Though Kurt wasn’t as good as they were at separating home and work life. She’d overheard late-night conversations when threats were made, had people sneak into her backyard and leave packages in the cubby house, and smelled the perfume and smoke on Kurt’s shirts. When she’d told her mother, she’d realised the family business was not what she thought it was.
At first, she’d stayed because her mother had told her not to make a fuss, and she had no money of her own. Over time she’d realised Kurt didn’t give a damn about them and she wanted to remove Jordan from the toxic environment.
“I left him because he was bringing danger to the house.”
Arthur’s frown deepened.
“He loved me, and I loved him,” Jordan retorted.
She shook her head. “After we left, I didn’t hear from him,” Gretchen continued. “Not until about a month ago when he arrived in Retribution Bay.”
Jordan straightened. “And you didn’t tell me?”
“He didn’t ask about you. He wanted me to spy on my friends.”
“Who?” Arthur asked.
She turned to him. “The Stokes.”
