Cordelia gulped as a man entered. A foot shorter than Gideon, he was well-dressed, silver hair neatly trimmed, buttoned shirt open at the neck, stocky but athletic torso. His expression was bland and pleasant. He might have been mistaken for a harmless visitor if Cordelia’s reaction hadn’t made it clear this was her father. A perfectly normal guy, Gideon mused, the kind who might be your dentist or lawyer, instead of a drug trafficker.
As he came around the side of the massive sofa, Gideon observed in utter shock that he held the tiny hand of a child of perhaps no more than two with curly hair and dimples.
Mackenzie’s mouth dropped open as Cordelia’s father, smiling broadly now, helped the child up onto the seat.
“Sit here for Pop Pop for a minute, all right?” he told her.
“Mama,” the little girl said, stretching her arms out toward Cordelia.
“In just a minute, honeybunch,” Frank said. “Mama and Pop Pop need to talk.”
The child slid her thumb into her mouth and nodded to her grandfather.
Gideon felt the tidal wave of dismay. The girl had Cordelia’sdark hair and Aaron’s unmistakable cleft chin. His mind sped through the math. Two years ... conceived just before Aaron’s murder. Cordelia really had no choice about handing them over to Bullseye because she had to protect this little girl, her daughter.
“Children deserve to be free,”she’d said.
Cordelia stepped clear of Gideon and held her arms out without looking at her father. “Katie, it’s okay. I want to hold you. Come here, sweetie.”
The little girl’s face lit up and she climbed off the sofa and toddled on chubby legs to her mother.
Frank did not try to prevent the child from running to Cordelia’s arms, smiling fondly at her. Cordelia swept her up in a bear hug, whispering brokenly, “I love you, baby. Mommy’s here now. It’s going to be all right.”
“She’s been such a good girl,” Frank said. “We’ve had a wonderful time getting to know each other. We’ve fingerpainted, and Cook helped her make a cake before she left. That was fun, wasn’t it, Katie, my love? Messy, but fun.”
“Cake,” Katie said, patting her mother’s cheek.
“I think there’s some left. We’ll take a slice with us so you can have it later when we’re in Pop Pop’s other house.”
“You had no right to take her,” Cordelia spat.
He appeared confused. “Of course I did. I’m her grandfather. Her well-being is my top priority. You left her in another state, for goodness’ sake. Completely vulnerable.”
“I left her with a friend. She’s my child, I—”
“You were running around putting yourself in dangerous situations trying to rescue these people.” For the first time he flicked a hostile glance at Gideon and Mackenzie before returning his attention to his daughter. “What kindof choice is it for a mother to leave her child in order to protect a couple of strangers?”
Cordelia pressed her palm over Katie’s ear. “What kind of choice was it for you to murder her father?”
Gideon saw Mackenzie go pale. He edged toward her, but the gunman stopped him.
Her father shook his head. “That was totally avoidable, Cordelia. I love you enough to call you out on your blame-shifting here. I told you that man was wrong for you, beneath you. It was simply a relationship that would hurt you in the end. I implored you never to see him again, and you lied to me and said you’d broken things off.” He huffed out a breath. “There were so many points at which you could have averted the need for his death.”
The need to have him murdered ...Gideon felt his rage building. The ultimate narcissism. He could feel Mackenzie’s tension racheting up.
Cordelia’s eyes filled, and his tone softened.
“Baby, I told you so often, didn’t I? I promised your mother that you’d never be touched by what I did for a living. That was my sacred vow to her. How could I let you marry a man who dealt drugs? Even if he swore on bended knee to step away from it? It showed what kind of man he was, don’t you see that? Someone who would stand on a street corner and peddle drugs isn’t worthy of you.”
Mackenzie’s nostrils flared. “This from a drug runner.”
He ignored her, gaze riveted on his daughter. “You wouldn’t want me to go back on my word to your mom, would you?”
The most frightening thing was that the man obviouslybelieved his murderous logic. The happy grandpa, Frank Soliel, the doting father, a stone-cold killer.
“What a hero you are. How dedicated to preserving your family while you poison other people’s children.” Mackenzie’s voice swelled with rage. Ignoring the redhead, Gideon put a warning palm on her forearm, but she jerked it away.
“What a fine, ethical man you are, Frank. You had Aaron killed to protect your daughter? To keep a promise to your dead wife? How exemplary. I guess it had nothing to do with the fact that Aaron knew what you really are.” Her hands were balled into tight fists. “You couldn’t have a son-in-law who was privy to your sordid business dealings. That would give him leverage over you. He could inform on you anytime. You couldn’t have that, could you? That would never do.”
