Page 36 of Into The Rabbit Hole
When they got outside, she waited until they were a few paces away from the office before she spoke. They stopped by the turning for the nextcorridor.
“Ben, what was that in there?” She kept her voicelow.
“I told you, I’m going to confess; I will do it when the time is right. Right now Wade needs me outside bars,” hereplied.
“But I know stuff.” Yes, she wanted no part of it, but it felt wrong that she knew what had happened and saidnothing.
“No. You don’t know anything.” He shook his head. “From here I will share nothing more with you, you’ll find out just like everyone else if Aaron chooses to release thatinformation.”
“What more does hehave?”
“Everything.”
It was the way he said it that got to her. It made her wonder what else he did. “Why are you trying to protect me?” She really wanted to knowwhy.
Ben, however, turned away from her, signaling the end of their conversation. He was about to proceed down the corridor but stopped when he saw Taylor coming towardsthem.
Dressed in a simple green summer dress with her hair down, hanging in loose waves, she looked stunning. Regina smiled at the sight of her. Ben looked immediatelyuncomfortable.
Taylor looked from her tohim.
“Hi,” she said with a cautiousexpression.
“Are you okay?” Regina went up to her and gave her a hug. It just dawned on her that they were in a police station. Something could have brought Taylorhere.
“I’m fine. I was looking for Dad.” She looked atBen.
“You wanted to see me?” Ben looked like hearing that meant a lot tohim.
“If you have time,” Taylor toldhim.
“Always.” Ben offered a kindsmile.
“I’ll catch up with you later, Mom,” Taylor told her and, with that, went off withBen.
Taylor never ceased to amaze her. It was great that her heart was so accommodating, but Regina knew that it would disappoint and hurt her to no end when she found out all that Ben haddone.
* * *
Taylor
* * *
They walkedout to the coffee house near the station and sat outside, around one of the little wooden tables. An arch made of ivy and honeysuckle covered them. It smelled glorious and was just the thing Taylor would have taken the time to appreciate on a betterday.
“Thanks for taking time to see me.” Taylor thought she should thank him because she knew how busy hewas.
“Don’t be silly,” her father said, shaking his head. He then looked over at her and rested his hands on the table before them. They’d ordered two cups of coffee but neither had taken a sip. The two cups sat side by side, getting cold as the breeze wafted overthem.
“Dad,” she began. He looked up and it was the first time she noticed the redness in his normally lively, gray eyes. “I wanted to see you because our last meeting wasn’t exactlygreat.”
She was in the hospital, very upset with him. She was disappointed because she’d caught him in the act with his secretary, and she was bitter and scared about what had happened toher.
She was still disappointed in him. And it didn’t help that he’d been all over the news in the last two days with scandals of his previous dirty dealings, but he was still her father. The same blood may not run through their veins, but he was herfather.
“It was entirely my fault. Everything that’s happening is all my fault.” He bit the inside of his lips and focused onher.
She didn’t know what to say to that because it was true. She couldn’t tell him that it wasn’t his fault, and there was nothing she could say to soften the blame, either. Everything that was happening washorrendous.