The Quickie - James Patterson [77]
I tried to let that rather large sum sink in. I was experiencing major difficulties, though.
Paul continued, “Three months after I stole the money, I get a call that puts ice in my blood. It’s Veronica. She tells me she’s pregnant. At first I’m insane. I tell her I want a paternity test, I want to talk to my lawyer, but she says to calm down, she’s not going to boil any rabbits. She just wanted to be nice. She thought I should know that I had a daughter coming into the world. Whatever I wanted to do was up to me.
“So I debated and didn’t do anything for a long time, but eventually I went down to meet Caroline. One thing led to another, and well . . . One day a week, I take the shuttle down here and become Daddy.”
“For the past four years?” I said. “Work knows about this?”
Paul shook his head.
“I just telecommute.”
“What about Veronica? You want me to believe you’re not still screwing her?”
“It’s true,” Paul said.
A second later, I found myself screeching with my hands around his throat. “Bullshit! You married her!” I screamed. “I saw the pictures in the hall!”
Paul pulled my hands off him.
“No, no, no!” he said, holding his hands out before himself protectively as he backed away. “That was all for Caroline’s sake. We wanted her to think she has a regular daddy like everybody else. We had a photographer take some pictures. That’s all. She thinks I’m a pilot.”
My eyes felt like they were filled with acid, burning deep into the sockets.
“And who does Veronica think you are?”
Paul shrugged. “She knows who I am,” he said.
“That makes her in the minority, Paul, don’t you think?” I said. “Does she know about me?”
“From the start.”
“You fucker!” I said. I was insane with rage. I felt like biting him. “Do you know who you are? Because I don’t. Is your new job a bullshit story, too?”
“No, that’s actually real,” Paul said, suddenly sitting down on an empty bench.
“Let’s face it, Lauren,” he said after a little while. “When you and I found out we couldn’t have children, our marriage started sliding badly. We both were feeling hurt, screwed up. Then you got promoted to Bronx Homicide, Lauren, and that was all she wrote. Turnaround after turnaround. Double, triple shifts. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t blame you. I just never saw much of you. I really didn’t think there was a chance in hell of us getting back together.
“But things are so different now, Lauren. You’re pregnant. It was like somebody hit a ‘pause’ button, then remembered the two of us after four years and just hit ‘play’ again. Caroline is in my heart, but I’d be willing to give up even her for you. There’s an actual ‘us’ again, a future. I’m ready to do anything for that.”
Paul gripped my hand.
“I’ve always just wanted us. You know that. From the first time I set eyes on you. We can work it out, Lauren. This . . . shit — It’s just a stupid, horrible detour. All the lies are over now.”
“That sounds really sweet, Paul,” I said, pulling my hand away. “Really wonderful and nice, except for one thing. One small detail.”
He looked at me quizzically. Now it was my turn to hurt him. Let’s see how he liked getting his heart napalmed.
“You left something out. Something really important, Paul. The cop I watched you kill. I was there when you killed Scott, dumbass.”
Chapter 109
PAUL’S FACE SEEMED TO CRUMBLE in front of me. “You were where?” he asked.
“At Scott’s place in Riverdale,” I told him. “You must have read our e-mails, but guess what? You were too late. He’d just been with me, Paul. Right before you cracked his skull open, we’d been in bed together. Turnabout is fair play, no? So how does it feel?”
Apparently not too good. Paul’s mouth was gaping wider than The Scream’s. “So you were . . . How did . . . ,” he stammered.
“That’s right, Paul,” I said. “Surprise, surprise.”
I grabbed his wrist, squeezed with all my might.
“Who the hell do you think has