Page 54 of Fatal Deception
“Rosalie’s wedding was beautiful. Did you get the pictures I sent?”
There was a kind of sniffing noise. “Easy to be beautiful when your husband is loaded,” she said bitterly. “But you know, I’m seeing someone myself.”
It was petty and superficial. Childish, really. Copeland couldn’t believe the woman on the other line was a mother, let alone the mother of adult children. Once this case was over, he was going to send his mother flowers as a thank-you.
“I suppose Rosalie thinks she wins with a baseball player and his boatload of money, but my Isaac? He’s a burgeoning artist. He’s going to make such a splash.”
“Oh, that’s…great, Mom.”
“It is,” the woman said firmly, but Copeland’s mind was whirling.
He’d been looking in to all of Audra’s half siblings, so he knew bits and pieces about them. Like that Austin worked at an art gallery in Boise and was attempting to become an artist himself.
A coincidence. Itcouldbe, but what kind of insane coincidence was that?
“Is there anything else, Audra? I am very busy.”
“Oh. No, I guess not. I just…heard recently that one of my half siblings has gone missing. Austin. He’s the middle one I think and—”
“I can’t believe you’d even utter that name to me.”
“I’m sorry,” Audra said, in what was clearly an automatic, knee-jerk apology. “It’s just…upsetting and made me think of you. Worry about you.”
“And you think I’d care aboutthat? After all theupsettingyour father put me through? With thatother family? Honestly, Audra, whatareyou thinking?”
“I suppose I wasn’t. I’m sorry.” She pushed a finger into the corner of her eye, like a headache was drumming there, and Copeland had the acute stab of guilt that he was putting her through this.
Butartand Florida suddenly had a connection, and they wouldn’t have stumbled upon it without this little foray into the heart of Audra’s pain.
“I have to go. This has beenveryupsetting. Next time you call, I don’t want any topic that even remotely connects to your father. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“After what he did. After… Oh, I’m so worked up now. That’s what I get for taking a call from you. There is no reason to call me again unless it’sactuallyimportant, Audra. And you can tell that to your sister too. Goodbye.”
“’Bye, Mom.” But it was clear the connection had ended before she’d even gotten the goodbye out.
Copeland fought the urge to bundle her up and just hold on until this all went away. But it wasn’t going away, and they had to get to the bottom of this more than deal with her completely understandable issues.
He’d send his mother two bouquets of flowers.
“Well, no need to use the boyfriend excuse,” Audra said. She sounded very much herself, but he could see the way she chose each word carefully. The way she held herself just so, as if she was still enough the pain couldn’t get through. “She was too busy bragging about hers.” Audra sighed deeply, closing her eyes and leaning her head on the back of the couch. “She doesn’t know Austin, Copeland. You heard how she reacted. She’s not connected. She can’t be.”
“Do you know what your half brother does for a living?”
“Huh?” She opened her eyes, looked at him in confusion. “No. I don’t…”
“He works at an art gallery in Boise. And does some of his own painting on the side with a clear desire to make it to the big time.”
“That’s…”
“A pretty big coincidence.”
Chapter Seventeen
Even though he had leads to follow, Copeland didn’t insist she stay put, like Audra expected. After they ate lunch, he insisted on doing her chores with her. Well, after she’d ripped off the Band-Aid and called Franny too.
No doubt by tomorrow she’d have a full house again. Would Copeland stay? Did she want him to?