Bella motioned for Dad to continue eating. “You need to get your strength back so we can get you home.”
“And which home would that be?” He winked at her.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, are you planning on taking me back to my house, or the castle?”
Any happiness she’d gained by having a little cry and talking with her Dad dripped away. “I’m not going back to the castle.” She got off the bed in a cacophony of crinkles and dug into the outer pocket of her overnight bag to retrieve the envelope. With a sigh, she handed it to her father. “You’ve been paid in full.”
Dad opened the flap and glanced at the check. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank Adam. He’s the one who finished the project.” And he must have worked tirelessly to meet the deadline while she was here.
Dad’s hand trembled as he set the check on his tray. “Then I don’t deserve this.”
“Dad,” Bella scolded, “you worked for years on The Cove. You more than earned the money.”
Dad was shaking his head before she was done arguing her point. “The contract clearly stated that I would complete the job, or in this case, you would finish it. If Adam did the work, then the contract is void.”
“It’s not about the contract, Dad.”
“I gave my word.”
“And you almost died to keep it.”
“I’m not taking the money.”
Bella felt like stamping her foot. In fact, she felt it so much, that she went ahead and stamped. Then she did it again because it felt so good.
“What’s gotten into you?” Dad looked at her in horror. She couldn’t blame him; she’d never been one to throw tantrums or create a scene.
“Me? What’s gotten into you? You’re facing a mounting hospital bill, not to mention what you already owe the heart surgeon, and you won’t accept a check you earned.”
Dad sighed. He stared at the blanket, running his fingers over a crease. “I—” He cleared his throat. “A man can take few things with him when he leaves this earth. Integrity is one of them.” His eyes clouded over and his forehead wrinkled. “Bella …” He motioned her closer. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
The fevered look in his eyes had Bella rushing to his side. She looked him over, sensing that something wasn’t right. Fear pricked her thoughts. Did he sense that he wasn’t long for this world? Good heavens, she needed him. “What? What can I do?”
Dad proceeded to catch her up on all that had happened before his illness. He told her about meeting with Charles and the will and all that transpired. “I believe Charles was bribing renters to move out.” Dad coughed, his energy draining.
Bella’s mind spun and she thought she might be sick. “I didn’t know the clause was in the will when I submitted it for evidence.” If Adam thought she’d done it on purpose, a way to bring a private document into the public eye, then his standoffish behavior in the waiting room made sense. He thought she’d betrayed him. She’d seen how lonely his life could be; how few people he could trust?
“I know.”
“I need to tell him, to explain.”
“It might be too late.” Dad lay back against the pillows, his lunch forgotten.
Bella shoved the rolling table aside. “Why?”
“Charles was intent on pushing his suit through. He—”Cough, cough. “—wouldn’t wait around.”
Bella snatched up her phone and looked up the court agenda. “I can’t see anything …”
“Try Judge Stavish’s court. He never did like the Beast.”
A shiver raced up Bella’s spine. She remembered sitting in Judge Stavish’s courtroom for the injunction, and how he’d let the wolves run free while holding a tight rein on Adam. The calculating look in his eyes haunted her. The page loaded, and she gasped. “It’s today.” She glanced down at the pink scrubs in dismay. “There’s no time to change.”
Dad made a shooing motion with his hands. “Just go.”
