Page 6 of Collin, Episodes 13-15 (The Residency Boys #5)

Damian took the tablet back and tapped away for a moment.

“Yes, a few different names. Paulsen found a social media post from twenty years ago referring to her by the nickname Bunny. Her maiden name was Chase. Her father was Jonathan Chase and her mother was born Nancy St. Charles. We have records that both Priscilla and her mother spent periods of time in the States. Jonathan and Nancy’s marriage wasn’t a happy one, but they died married.

Well, Jonathan died first. Nancy died ten years ago. ”

“Maybe a trigger?” Collin tilted his head. “That means Dana was born the following year. How do the dates stack up?”

Damian ran his finger down his screen. “Dana was born twelve months and ten days after her grandmother died.”

“Why would Priscilla want to get pregnant by a dead man’s sperm right after her mother died?”

“Money?” Damian shrugged. “It’s possible Priscilla had nothing to do with getting the sperm and only agreed to carry a child for someone.”

“Or she was lonely.” Collin crossed his arms. “What about something else? Who near Bernstein was near your uncle?”

Damian groaned. “That’s a much longer list. But what we can’t figure out is why someone with Bernstein’s resources wouldn’t have used it sooner and challenged sooner.

The sooner they challenged, the more weight it would have had.

For example, if the child had been born within nine months of his death. ”

“It’s a flimsy challenge,” Mr. Reevesworth offered. “You, Eleanor, everyone we’ve consulted expects the suit to get tossed.”

“Elaborate theater?” Collin postulated. Humans need story. Broderic O’Brian’s words rang in Collin’s head. “Who’s telling a story, and why do they need it?”

“Bernstein seems to be at the center.” Damian shrugged.

“Him, his conglomerate, his board of directors. It’s their lawyers doing the work.

And they’re the ones who have delivered threats and are trying to stop the rail line, among other changes.

They’re not exactly thrilled about Reevesworth Industries in general. ”

“We outperform them in every area we overlap.” Mr. Reevesworth leaned back in his chair. “Bernstein had an understanding with my uncle to not put each other out. I did not honor that. It would have required compromising some of Linda’s and my core values.”

“Did Bernstein and your uncle have any plans to join their businesses?”

Mr. Reevesworth shook his head. “Not to my knowledge. There are no records. And the ages wouldn’t have matched up for their children.”

“They might have for the next generation,” Damian noted.

“Bernstein has wanted a war for a while,” Mr. Reevesworth said.

“Winning governmental support for the passenger rail and actually going forward with a strong plan could have been enough to make him start flailing like this. After all, his pride is wrapped up in the way things have been. The stations and the new flow of traffic will change his world and that of his friends. Existential threat and threat to one’s identity is enough to move a man to irrational decisions.

That may be all there is to it. No big conspiracy. ”

Damian huffed. “I’ll have Paulsen continue his work on Priscilla. Do you mind if we check your uncle’s private photos?”

“Do it.” Mr. Reevesworth stood up. “It’s time for lunch, yes?”

Damian closed down his tablet. “You good with us filing for dismissal of the case based on the evidence?”

Mr. Reevesworth nodded. “I’ll inform Linda within the hour, but go ahead and get the ball rolling.

Don’t, however, close the case. We want it to stay open so we can meet Dana.

She may not be in line for the inheritance her guardians are pushing for, but she could be considered family.

Linda and I would like to meet her privately.

She didn’t choose to be brought into the world as she was. ”

That evening after getting home, Collin changed into lounge pants and a shirt and joined Mr. Moreau in the kitchen. “Hello, sir.” He slid his arms around Mr. Moreau from behind in a hug.

The dark Frenchman turned and embraced Collin back, claiming a kiss before he was finished. “We’re cooking for six tonight. Linda and Ellisandre just confirmed.”

A glow started in Collin’s chest. “It’ll be good to see them both. It’s been a little while.”

“Hmm. Yes. We’re going to serve French onion soup with the last of the sourdough, fresh ice cream and raspberries, and I was thinking of doing a take on a Chinese dish I had last time I was traveling there: Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce.

I will instruct you on starting the ice cream first. It requires heat, then cold, for at least two hours.

I keep the ice cream mixer bowl in the freezer so it’s always ready to be used.

Then you can start cutting and soaking the eggplant. We have just enough time.”

Collin reached for his apron. “Yes, sir.”

Cooking was soothing. He mixed vanilla, milk, and cream as well as a few extras into the ice cream base and stirred, following the sound of Mr. Moreau’s steady voice.

Their shoulders touched now and again as they both worked over the stove.

Mr. Moreau prepared onions and garlic for both the soup and the eggplant.

Then he chopped fresh basil and set it to the side for the cheese that would go over the toast in the soup.

“Have you never had French onion soup?” he asked.

Collin shook his head. “Never.”

Mr. Moreau looked over his arm. “That base is perfect. Let’s pour it in the ice cream maker.”

Once the ice cream—well, the sweet, milky soup inside the container that would become ice cream—was in the freezer, Collin cut the eggplants Mr. Moreau had washed. They were smaller and slenderer than what he usually saw in the grocery store.

He held one up in front of his face and frowned at it. “Why do these look different? Were they picked early?”

Mr. Moreau guffawed. “Lots of produce looks different in other countries. That’s the variety you’ll find in China and some other countries.

There are over ten different types of eggplants, at least two of which are from Sicily alone, I think.

I could be incorrect on that. They are all very different.

Some are green, and there’s even a pink variety.

The American eggplant, also known as a global eggplant, has thicker skin and more seeds than the Chinese eggplant.

More seeds mean a more bitter taste. For Chinese dishes, you have to use the eggplant of that region.

If you try to cook it with a global eggplant, you’ll be disappointed.

For one, the skin will be difficult to chew.

And if you’re making anything that is an Italian recipe, make sure you use an Italian eggplant, also different. ”

Collin ran his thumb down the eggplant in his hand. “I always wondered why eggplants were used for that kind of emoji, but it makes more sense now.”

Mr. Moreau chuckled. “The shape is quite different, yes.”

The French onion soup smelled amazing coming out of the broilers. Collin leaned over the hot bowl in his hand. “It was so simple.”

Mr. Moreau clucked worriedly. “It’s still soup even if the top looks crusted. Set it down before you burn yourself. They were just in the broiler.”

Collin grinned and put the oven-safe bowl down on the cooling rack and went back for the other five.

Mr. Moreau plated the eggplant and garlic dish.

Beyond the kitchen were Linda’s and Richard’s voices with Ellisandre and Damian occasionally joining in.

Maribel, Linda’s German Shepherd, had come with Linda.

Artemis had sniffed at the dog and then claimed Richard’s lap, but they were accustomed to each other.

“Is it weird that it feels like someone is missing?” Collin said out loud.

“Oh?”

“I keep thinking about Ash all alone in his tech dungeon.”

Mr. Moreau nodded, eyes distant and thoughtful. “It wouldn’t be appropriate to invite him here tonight.”

“I know. I worry about him.”

“Ash is a good kid, and he needs community. Maybe you could invite him out with you and your sister this weekend. Do something together on Saturday.”

That was brilliant. Collin’s face split into a smile. “Sounds perfect. Although, I’d kinda told myself the two of them should never meet.”

Mr. Moreau chuckled. “Then they probably should, and the rest of us will brace for impact.”

It was as close to a Reevesworth family evening as Collin had seen. He curled up with his head on Mr. Reevesworth’s lap with Artemis lying on top of him. Linda sat in one of the chairs, Mr. Moreau sat in the other, and Ellisandre and Damian both chose cushions on the floor.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you sitting on a floor, Ellisandre.” Collin yawned. Dinner was sitting warm and heavy in his stomach.

Ellisandre shook their head indulgently. “This is a no-shoe house. The floor is a perfectly respectable option for sitting.”

Collin smothered a laugh. “But you’re always so…you.”

“Precisely. I am me whether I am standing, sitting, or laying.” They raised their chin haughtily, their glass of sherry rising with it.

“I think what kitten is saying is that you never unbend your spine in public,” Damian tossed out.

Ellisandre huffed. “I left my corset at home.”

“I’m pretty sure you left it at my place.” Linda laughed. “Clean the room when we get back.”

Ellisandre shot Linda a dark look. “Truly? That is where you want to take this?”

Linda blushed. “I could make you.”

Ellisandre narrowed their eyes. “You do have your ways.”

“I’m going to Indianapolis after this,” Collin told Ash as they cleaned up from Chinese class the next morning.

Zhou Laoshi waved at them from the door, ready to leave. “Zài jiàn. Xīngqīyī jiàn.”

Collin waved back. “Xièxiè, Lǎoshī. Zài jiàn.”