Temptation - Brenda Jackson [52]
A short time later as she gave Sunnie her bath, Sheila couldn’t help thinking of what her mother said. That had always been her mother’s problem. She thought life was a game. Get them before they get me first. There was no excuse for her cheating on her first husband. But then she had cheated on her second and fourth husbands, as well.
Her phone rang and she crossed the room to pick it up, hoping it wasn’t her mother calling back with any more maternal advice. “Yes?”
“Hi, beautiful.”
She smiled upon recognizing Zeke’s voice. “Howdy, handsome.”
She and Zeke had made love before he’d left that morning and she had felt tingly sensations running through her body all day. They had been a reminder of what the two of them had shared through the night. And to think she had ridden him. Boy, had she ridden him. She blushed all over just thinking about it.
“I think we have a new lead,” he said excitedly.
“You do? How?”
He told her how Summer had dropped by when he was showing the videotape in his office to Brad, and that she had identified the hands of the woman who had left Sunnie on the TCC’s doorstep. He and Brad were now on their way to talk to Abigail Langley. There was a chance she could identify the man who the pregnant woman had left with that night. Then they would drop by the shelter to pull tapes for the authorities. There was a possibility Sunnie’s mother was about to be identified.
By the time she’d hung up the phone from talking to Zeke, she knew he was closer to exposing the truth once and for all. Was Diane Worth Sunnie’s biological mother? If she was, why did she leave her baby on the TCC’s doorstep claiming she was Bradford Price’s child?
Abigail led Zeke and Brad into the study of her home. “Yes, I can give you a description of the guy,” she said, sitting down on a love seat. “I didn’t know who he was then, but I do now from seeing a picture of him flash on television one night on CNN when they did an episode on drug rings in this country. His name is Miguel Rivera and he’s reputed to be a drug lord with an organization in Denver.”
“Denver?” Zeke asked, looking at Brad. “Why would a drug lord from Denver be in Royal seven months ago?”
Brad shrugged. “I wouldn’t know unless he’s connected to Paulo Rodriguez.” Brad then brought Zeke up to date on what had gone on in Royal a few years ago when the local drug trafficker had entangled prominent TCC members in an embezzlement and arson scandal.
“I think I need to fly to Denver to see what I can find out,” Zeke said. He glanced over at Abigail. “I appreciate you making time to see us today.”
“I don’t mind. No baby should have been abandoned like that.”
Knowing that the subject of the baby was a teary subject with her for some reason, Zeke said, “Well, we’ll be going. We need to stop by the shelter to see what we can find out there.”
They were about to walk out the study, when Brad noticed something on the table and stopped. “You still have this?” he asked Abigail.
Zeke saw the trophy sitting on the table that had caught Brad’s eye.
“Yes. I was cleaning out the attic at my parents’ house and came across it,” she said.
Intrigued, Zeke asked. “What is it for?”
“This,” Brad said, chuckling as he picked up the trophy and held it up for Zeke to see, “should have been mine. Abigail and I were in a spelling bee. It was a contest that I should have won.”
“But you didn’t,” she said, laughing. “I can’t believe you haven’t gotten over that. You didn’t even know how to spell the word occupation.”
“Hell, I tried,” Brad said, joining her in laughter.
“Trying wasn’t good enough that day, Brad. Get over it.”
Zeke watched the two. It was evident they shared history. It was also evident they had always been rivals. He wondered if they could continue to take their boxing gloves off and share