Page 103 of Family Affair

“While Frank was alive, I hardly ever interacted with Cade. To us, the younger boys, Frank had always been the go-to man with our boy problems, and Cade had ranked somewhere up there with dad. Between them, Cade and Frank had a complicated dynamic. Cade knew a lot about what Frank had been doing, there were even rumors of him handling the dirty money, I don’t know. I never wanted to know, if you want the truth. Yet despite his alleged involvement, Cade had never approved of Frank’s dealings. He blamed Frank for starting it all, for dragging the family into the criminal gutter. Guess Cade had a point. But when Frank got caught, he changed his tune. All of a sudden, Cade was freaked out about losing money, going to prison, sullying the hallowed Sheffield name. That’s where the two of them really clashed.”Ross’s mouth curved. “Barbaric, as you say.”

Coco frowned. For some reason, she never imagined Frank to be as volatile as Cade or Dan. Another assumption on her part. She should finally get it through her head that Frank had been no prince.

“Are you saying Frank accepted that he was going to prison?”

“Frank was tired by then, emotionally broken.” Ross raised his stunning eyes to look at her, and the expression in them was pure sadness. “Did you know that Frank attempted suicide?”

She gave a violent jerk. Not her Frank! “No. When? Why?”

“Months before he actually died, he had slashed his wrist to the bone. He survived, much good that it did him… ”

The news was jarring. Frank’s eyes appeared so haunted in the old photos. His endurance had been stretched to the breaking point.

“No wonder he snapped. I mean, with Stevie Stark.”

Ross’s eyes grew cold. “Frank never snapped with Stevie Stark. For all his hot tempered nature, he was one of the most grounded people I knew.”

“Wasn’t he… Didn’t he drink?”

Ross cocked his head. “Who told you he drank?”

“It was in the papers about him. And Cade mentioned it.”

“Cade, huh. Frank was trying to quit. I’m sure he would have succeeded if only Cade hadn’t added to his troubles by going to Stevie Stark to try and work out a deal.”

She put up a hand. “Wait. You mean,Frankhad gone to Stevie Stark? Isn’t it what had happened? They’d fought over the Pollock drawing and Stark died as a result? By accident, of course,” she quickly amended, ever conscious of Frank’s reputation.

Ross just looked at her out of his hooded eyes, and a cold, indifferent smile played around his mouth. “I’m sure his deathwasaccidental. Only Frank never went to see Stevie Stark.”

Her mouth went dry. “What are you implying? Frank had been implicated.”

Ross remained silent.

She couldn’t believe Ross would say something that outrageous. She had to swallow to moisten her dry throat. “Are you saying… Do you mean that Cade… How do you even know something like that?”

“I overheard Ward a long time ago, a slip of a tongue, a small thing he said when he thought no one’s listening.” Ross cocked his head, casual-like, as if they were discussing a dinner menu. “It was enough.”

“You could’ve misinterpreted what you’d heard. I think your obvious dislike of Cade colored your perception.”

“It could have. Frank was my hero.” He gave her another tight little smile. “But it doesn't change the fact that there are holes in the old story.”

“Like what? What did you hear Ward say?”

Ross shook his head, refusing to answer directly. “I think that Ward had known what happened at Steve Stark’s, and I think Frank had forbidden him to interfere. He was waiting for Cade to confess, but Cade didn't, and Frank lost it, relapsed, and ultimately crashed.”

If he wanted to shock her, he had surpassed his goal. “Why are you telling me this?”

Ross suddenly stood up, all traces of laziness gone from his posture. “Cade’s been known to change his mind and to double cross. I think you should be aware since he’s developed an unfortunate habit of hanging around.” He pushed his chair back in. “He can screw with you in more ways than one. Love.”

Stunned, Coco remained rooted to the spot instead of seeing him out. Ross was almost at the door when she recovered her ability to speak.

“I don’t believe you, Ross.”

“That’s your problem.”

He left, closing the door softly and leaving Coco in a state of freefall into a dark deep pit with no bottom.

“He is a looker, isn’t he? I’ve never seen a more handsome man in my life.”