“Then is it possible that you could have misconstrued what you saw that night? That he was merely calming her down after one of her irrational episodes?”
"No, he was punching her," Tiffany shouted. "Punching her head and hands. I heard him threaten to take her daughter away from her. And, he had on more than one occasion gloated to his father about how much hell he'd been putting Tara though.”
“You bitch!” Reid was on his feet and rushing toward the stand. Shaver had to hold him back, pulling him back to his seat.
“Order.” the judge called.” Keep your client under control, Counsel.”
“No further questions, Your Honor.”
Chapter 27
Jude
Present Day
Over the last month, I've listened to Tara, and now Tiffany, describe the way the woman I love was beaten and abused at the hands of Reid Craig. After I dropped her off at home I drove for a long time, contemplating what to do. I wanted to go to a pub and drown my sorrows, but that would not help Tara. Instead, I found myself pulling up outside a monstrosity of a house in Lakeside. To think he lived just a few streets away from the hospital I worked at.
I rang the bell, and a housekeeper answered. "May I help you, Sir?"
"I would like to see Reid Craig, please. I'm Jude Finn, a friend of his ex-wife."
“Do hold on,” she said before closing the door.
A few moments later Reid appeared, still in dress pants and a formal shirt.
"What can I do for you, Jude Finn?"
My fist connected with his face causing him to stumble back. He lurched for me and pushed me backward. I got out of his hold and got another punch to his side. He shouldered me, and we both fell in his front patio. He managed to give me an uppercut which hurt like hell before he straddled me and offered me a solid blow to the eye. That was going to leave a mark. I pushed him off me quickly and gave him a punch to the eye. If I was going to wear one, so should he.
He struggled out from under me and rushed to the door.
"How does it feel, huh? You like hitting women, don't you? But, you won't stand for a proper fight."
“You came here to my home and assaulted me. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer soon.”
"I don't give a shit, that just shows what a coward you are. You fucked around, beat the shit out of her, stole her kid, and now, now you can't hear the truth, so you run to a lawyer again. You bastard." I shook my head. "It'll be worth sitting in court for."
A young girl, no more than fourteen, ran out, touching her father all over. "Are you okay? What happened?" She looked from me to him.
I frowned. She looked familiar, and it wasn’t just the fact that she had the set of Tara’s jaw. It was because she looked exactly like someone else I knew.
I stumbled back, holding onto the pillar for support.
"This isn't over, Craig," I growled and walked to my car in a daze. I sat in the driver's seat for a long time, wondering whether I’d seen things. The girl was practically a replica of my mother when she was young. We'd been going through some pictures a few years ago, and I recalled one that stood out the most. The girl looked nothing like Tara, and she looked nothing like Reid because she wasn't his daughter, she was mine.
* * *
I finally earnedmyself that drink and had to call Tara to fetch me. I could barely make it to the car, but I didn't lean on her for support. Had she known all along and kept it from me on purpose? Did she not see the signs? Yes, Reid and I looked similar, same dark hair and green eyes. But the girl…
"Did you think I wouldn't be able to handle it?" I slurred when she buckled me in, and we were on our way to her apartment, or mine. Who knew.
“Handle what?”
“A baby?” I looked over at her.
“You want to have a baby?” She grinned, wiggling her brows and reaching for my crotch.
“No, Tara. Back then, did you think I couldn’t handle being a father?”
