Part 22 (1/2)
Kayden frowned. ”Then how . . . ?”
”Patty moved to Imnek to live with an aunt while pregnant, to have family near as she was adjusting to life as a single mom. Conrad and Vivienne had two boys of their own, and Patty married a guy named Steve Tate when Shane was still a baby. He raised Shane as his own, though he proved to be a lousy husband, according to Patty.”
”Okay, so how did Conrad and his family end up in Imnek? And, how did he discover Shane was his son?” Jake asked.
”Conrad saw an article in Alaska magazine about a climbing champions.h.i.+p Patty had just won. There was a picture of Patty and Shane in the article.”
”And that was enough?”
”Enough to make him curious. Shane has his eyes. He made a trip down to Imnek and confronted Patty. She told him Shane was his, but that she didn't want him in their lives.”
”But Conrad didn't listen?” Kayden said.
”He made up some business excuse for why he and Vivienne had to relocate to Imnek and then started pursuing Patty.”
”That's why he joined the gym and learned to climb.”
Daniel nodded. ”It got him time with Patty and the boy.”
Kayden linked her arms across her chest. ”I'll say he was determined if nothing else.”
”Conrad was a bulldog when he set his mind to something.”
The realization of the full depth of the situation kicked Jake in the gut. ”Does Shane know?”
”As far as I know, Patty hasn't told him,” Daniel said. ”But you'd have to ask her.”
Kayden looked to Jake. ”Shane killed his own father. How do you live with something like that?”
24.
”No,” Patty seethed, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. ”I never told Shane.”
”Why not?” Jake asked.
”Because I wanted to protect him. He'd already lost one dad when Steven left-I didn't want him having to go through that again if Conrad decided to leave.” She slumped into a chair, her hair frazzled, her clothes askew from nearly wrestling with Th.o.r.eau. ”Maybe I should have.”
She looked up at Jake, eyes full of venom. ”Regardless, Shane didn't do this. He couldn't have.”
”He confessed.”
”To cover for me, no doubt.”
”Are you saying you killed Conrad?”
”No. I'm saying Shane must have heard you stating the evidence against me and came to my rescue. We're all each other has. You can't do this.”
”I don't have a choice.”
Patty stood, her eyes narrowing, her sharp features taking on a hard edge. ”We all have a choice. I suggest you make the correct one.”
”That sounded like a threat.”
Patty c.o.c.ked her head. ”I'm simply asking you to do the right thing.”
”I am. Your son confessed.”
Her jaw tightened. ”I told you, you have the wrong person. I will not allow you to take my son from me-whatever it takes. Do you hear me?”
”That's enough, Patty,” Daniel said from the doorway. ”We need to talk.”
Patty glared at Jake and Kayden before doing as the lawyer instructed.
Kayden rubbed her arms. ”Was it just me, or did Patty suddenly go creepy on us?”
”Definitely nasty,” Jake said.
”He is her only son. I imagine a mother will do just about anything to protect her child.”
”I can't imagine how Shane's going to feel when he learns the truth.”
”The shock of discovering you killed your own parent . . .” She couldn't imagine. Couldn't imagine the thought of wanting to kill someone in the first place. Plain scary how easily Shane had moved from anger to murder.
Kayden waited in Jake's office while he, Patty, and Daniel broke the news about his parentage to Shane. She was utterly grateful not to be present for that conversation.
She walked the perimeter of Jake's office, noting the lack of personal items. No pictures or mementos of any kind. She wondered what his office in Boston had been like. What kinds of pictures had decorated his walls?
She moved to his chair with his jacket draped over the back and sank into it. Swiveling around, she spun a couple times for decompression, then settled facing his desk.
Jake stood, leaning against the doorframe, a gentle smile on his handsome face.
She straightened. ”Sorry, I was just-”
”You're fine. I'm glad you made yourself comfortable.”
”How'd it go?”
Jake grimaced.
”That bad?”
”Let's just say poor Shane has a lot to deal with.”
”Did he change his story any?”