Conklin's Corruption (#3) (Conklin's Trilogy) (43 page)

The sound of the water hitting the tile was surprisingly soothing to my aching head, along with my hands gently massaging the shampoo into my hair. 

I didn’t want to believe my faint memories that began to clear in my mind.  But they all started to add up and make sense.

The obscene amounts of money.

The hushed phone calls in his office.

My mother pacing the kitchen some nights, waiting for him to come home.

The late nights.

All those nights…

My tears blended with the water, sinking to the bottom of the drain along with my heart.

“You okay, Becs?” Tyler asked as he tapped on the shower door.

“I’m fine,” I lied, putting on my best attempt to sound normal.

Tyler stood in front of the foggy door until I turned the water off, greeting me with a towel.  His expression was unreadable, and he knew I’d figured out I hadn’t been having nightmares.  They were all a reality.  We didn’t say anything as I curled the towel around my body.  I refrained from snuggling into Tyler like I normally would.

“I’m guessing you can’t talk about what happened,” I whispered into the towel.  His head cocked as pity filled his face.  I watched the lump slide down his throat as he studied me.  “It’s okay.  You don’t have to,” I said a little louder, walking past him into the closet.

Tyler audible sighed as he followed me.  “Becca, I—”

“It’s fine,” I said flatly.  I quickly rummaged through my drawers, trying to find clothing as I mumbled, “I just feel like such an idiot.  All this time…” I shook my head.  How was I fooled for so long?

Understanding and sympathy spilled out of Tyler’s voice.  “I know, baby.  I know.”

My hands found my head as silent tears dripped down my cheeks.

Tyler hugged me from behind as he hushed into my ear.  “It’ll be okay.  I love you.  I’m here; I’m always here to listen and comfort you.  You could cry until our house became an indoor swimming pool, and I’d still be here.”  He spun me around as gently as he could, my towel falling and baring my body to him as he pulled me in close.  “I’m always going to protect you, even if it’s from the man who brought you into this world.”

I cried harder, my naked body trembling with his embrace.  “I’m more worried about him hurting you,” I croaked.

I felt Tyler’s heart speed up from my head being pressed against his chest.  “Yeah, I think I’ll be okay,” he murmured into my hair.  “Max and I had a talk.  We’re good.”

My arms found his waist, securely locking around him. 

My tears finally dried as I unraveled myself from Tyler’s hold.  His eyebrows furrowed when I turned to find clothing.

“I have to see him,” I said, amazed by the strength in my voice as I sniffled.

“Becs…”

“No.”  I spun quickly to face him.  “I have to.  I don’t care what he told you.  He needs to hear my two cents on his lifestyle he’s kept hidden for so long.”  Tyler looked torn.   “I’m going, and you’re staying here.”

***

Tyler wanted to drive me to my father’s Grand Rapids office, but I refused.  I needed to do this myself.  I had so many emotions running through my head you’d think I was an experienced marathon runner.

I decided to bring the gift I purchased for him for our wedding, figuring it would make for a good opener to conversation.  I hadn’t put a lot of thought into the gift until the ride into town, but it seemed perfect due to recent events.  I figured I could give it to him early since the monogram was finished.  Besides, I needed some excuse to barge into his office.

I was furious the entire car ride from Grand Haven to Grand Rapids.  I was plotting out everything I needed to say to him.  The fight I was preparing to have with my father played at least three times in my head as I drove through the parking ramp under my father’s building.

Flying by my father’s assistant, I opened his door, surprised to see him standing and staring out the window.

When he turned to see me, his soft brown eyes taking me in, all my anger rushed out of my body.  The timid, quiet Becca made her obnoxious appearance, and I knew she was going to need more of a push to come out of her shell.

“Becca, sweetie, I didn’t know you were stopping by.  You should have called.  We could’ve gotten lunch,” he said in his kind, soft voice.

I swallowed hard, taking my eyes from his and finding the floor.  “Sorry.  I didn’t mean to stop by unannounced.  I just wanted to give you your wedding gift from me.”

“You’re always welcome in my office, Becca.  Why are you giving me a present for your wedding?  Isn’t it the other way around?” he said softly.  I could sense his loving smile.

I stood still for a moment then forced my legs to walk towards him.  I pulled out the small package from my bag and handed it to him.  He looked taken aback as he studied the package.  “Go ahead, open it.  I want you to have it now,” I whispered.

A small smile played on his lips as he eyed me then began to unwrap the present.

How did he act so calm and like himself after all I remembered happening?  He’d shot a man!  How was my caring father, who’d never hurt a fly, not a huge mess right now?

His eyes twinkled as he pulled the watch from the box.

“This is great, sweetheart.  Thank you,” he said sincerely while examining the platinum Cartier watch. 

Cartier, yes.  I’m sure you can guess who helped me pick it out.  We still had one in a box somewhere that was meant for RJ.  I think Tyler was going to give it to Nathan instead.

“I figured you could always use another source to keep time,” I said, my eyes finally finding his.

For the first time ever, Max Stine couldn’t meet my stare.  For whatever reason, his discomfort fueled my desire to speak up and tell him all that had been ticking in my head.  A bomb of emotions was about to explode, and I wasn’t sure if either of us were going to survive by the time I was done.

“Time’s a funny thing,” I said a bit louder.  “It’s funny how so much time can go by, and you don’t even realize what’s been happening around you.”

My father looked out the window, licking his lips as he took in what I was saying.

“Why?” I whispered.  “Why?” I asked again, gritting my teeth.

“I don’t know what you’re asking, Becca,” Max said, making his way to his desk. 

I shook my head rapidly back and forth, irritated he was going to try and keep me in the dark.

“I know Anderson drugged me.”

My father’s eyes shot up, meeting mine, a touch of anger in them.

“Tyler didn’t tell me.  Please don’t threaten him,” I said sternly.

Max took me in, his expression unreadable now.

“How long?” I asked, my tone meaning no nonsense.

Leaning back in his chair, he sighed heavily as his hands found the arms of his chair.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I crossed my arms.  Fine.  If he were going to sit there and play dumb, then he could sit there and hear everything that was heavy on my heart.

“Have you always lived two lives?  The good, church going, ethical businessman that I knew you as?  The father who worked so hard to make something for himself?  The father whose kids looked up to him because they thought he was a good man, who preached morals and the importance of integrity?” 

I shook my head at him in disgust as he watched me with a still presence.  “That man… he wasn’t in that Arena two days ago.  He wasn’t there when my future brother-in-law was lying on the ground with a bullet in his leg.  He wasn’t there when a gun was pointed directly at my head.  That man wasn’t the one who shot someone, bringing him to his knees just to remind him
who was in charge
.”  My voice rose with each word, anger and hurt bluntly laced with each tone.

“All those late nights you were gone, all the golf and tennis matches, choir concerts, teacher conferences and open houses, the daddy-daughter dances you missed… was it because you were being this other man?  The man who basically admitted he was a drug dealer and partners with someone who tried to rip me apart from the only man who’s ever truly loved me?”

His eyes darted up to meet mine at that last sentence, and I almost felt bad for the words leaving my lips.  But the way his eyes found his desk again only encouraged me to keep going.

“All the money you donate?  The millions of dollars… is it all dirty?  Did you earn any of it legally?”

He sighed heavily.  “If money is doing good for someone or a community, it isn’t dirty.  It helps provide for people in need.”

I stared at him, emotion thick in my heart.  “Dad, you make enough money with your business investments.  Why risk everything to make more?”

He leaned forward in his chair, resting his arms on his desk.  “I want to provide for people who don’t have anything, including my family.  Someone has to take risks to help others.  When I was in foster care, I knew I’d need something to make money when I got booted from the system.  I had kids who looked up to me for whatever reason.  They did all transactions while I planned everything.”

“You mean Chino?” It was a question, but I knew that was the answer.

“Yes.  Leeland and I met in a foster facility when we were young.  Somehow we kept getting placed together.  We ended up being in the same school district.  I stayed with the same foster family my last two years of high school, but Lee kept getting moved around.”

“You liked them.  I remember Mom telling me she liked them too.”  My parents met in high school.  My mother always talked about how my father’s foster family was well off.

He nodded, a slight smile framing his face.  “My foster father was a business tycoon.  He’s who I learned how to run companies and make proper investments from.  Most people don’t know this, but they actually adopted me right before I turned 18.”  My father’s face went blank.  He stood from his chair, finding the window and began gazing out as he continued.  “They paid for my schooling.  My adopted father was my role model.  He taught me everything he knew about business.”

“I’m sorry you lost them in the car accident,” I whispered.

He gave me a thankful smile.  “Sit down, sweetie.”

I followed my father’s gentle command, sitting obediently in one of the leather seats while he talked.

“The police came and got me.  Brought me into the station.  My father’s number one business partner was there, telling me I owned everything that had belonged to my adopted parents, including a very large check.  They didn’t have anyone else, only me.”

I nodded my head.  I knew this.  This was why our attendance for holidays was so important to my mother.  She loved having us all together because we were all each other had.

Max half sat on his desk in front of me, his hands finding the edge of the desk on his sides.  “My first purchase was a diamond ring for your mom.”  He grinned softly as though recalling the moment.  “Once I graduated college, I took over my adopted father’s business.  But my side jobs with Leeland and the others continued to grow.  Before I knew it, we were pulling in all kinds of money, and every single person took orders from me.  By the time I was 26, I started to realize this other job was getting out of hand and was extremely illegal.  That’s when I met Anderson.  He was 18, started joining the crew.  He didn’t have a record yet like the rest, so I sent him to the academy.”

“Only Anderson?” I questioned.

His eyes left the floor to find my face.  “There were a few others.  I began sending other kids in certain directions, figuring in time I’d need knowledge in other areas.  I paid their tuition.  It felt good.”

That explained the doctors, lawyers, detectives.  Who knew how many other random people were on his payroll.

“What about Lee?  He pointed a gun at my head.  Threatened to kill Heather and her kids.  Your grandkids!”

“Leeland won’t be doing business anywhere near Grand Rapids,” Max promised.

“But you’re still going to do business with him?” I asked baffled.

Max sighed heavily, drinking me in while biting his cheeks.

“You’re unbelievable.  How can you be a drug dealer?” I asked in horror, tears filling my eyes.

“I don’t do the drugs Becca.  I rarely come in contact with them.”

“So that makes it okay?” My whisper turned into more tears.

He sighed, cocking his head in my direction.  “No, it doesn’t. Becca, I’ve only ever wanted to give you, your siblings, and your mom the world.”

“We didn’t need to have everything money could buy,” I whispered, tears shamelessly escaping my eyes.  “All we needed was you.  All those nights you were gone… you make so much money from your investments.  Why not leave the bad business behind?  Stop risking getting caught and thrown in jail!”

His head dipped down in shame, one hand reaching for his forehead.  “Sometimes, it’s easier to stay involved than to leave, baby.”

“Does mom know?” I asked boldly, standing from my chair so he would look at me.  He was still silent.  Not speaking, only thinking like he always did.  Finally he nodded his head.

“And she’s okay with it?”