Page 53 of The Forsaken (Echoes from the Past #4)

FORTY-FIVE

“That looks delicious,” Colin said as he helped himself to a piece of salmon. “And what’s in that sauce?”

“It’s plain yogurt with a bit of dill and lemon juice,” Quinn replied shyly, taken aback by the praise. No one except Gabe ever complimented her cooking.

“Outstanding,” Logan agreed as he popped another forkful of fish into his mouth. He swallowed and gave Quinn a brilliant smile. “So, are we going to acknowledge the five-hundred-pound elephant in the room named Quentin or are we going to talk about fish some more?” he asked playfully.

“I wasn’t sure if you knew,” Quinn replied.

“Oh, I know. Mum has been ranting and raving about your confrontation for days.”

“Logan, did you know about Quentin before?” she asked, watching his face for clues.

Logan shook his head. “I didn’t know about either of you. I love my mum, Quinn, but I don’t pretend to understand her. There are parts of her she keeps to herself and always has done, even while my dad was alive.”

“May I ask you something?” Quinn said, hoping he wouldn’t take offense at her prying.

“I think you’re entitled to some answers,” he said as he continued to eat, unperturbed.

“Did your parents have a happy marriage?” Sylvia rarely mentioned her husband, who’d died of cancer several years before Quinn and Sylvia met.

She seemed to mourn him, but not deeply, not the way Susan would mourn Roger Allenby if he passed, or the way Grandma Ruth mourned her Joe.

He’d always been there, in her heart, and in everything she did, and she hadn’t feared death, knowing they would be reunited at last. That was the sort of love Quinn strove for and the kind of marriage she aspired to with Gabe.

Perhaps Sylvia was someone who wasn’t capable of very deep feelings, but she did seem to adore Jude and felt very protective of him.

Logan didn’t answer immediately. He took a sip of wine and held it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. “I thought they did, but knowing what I now know, I’m not so sure. Their marriage was very quiet.”

“Meaning?” Colin asked, his eyebrow furrowing in confusion.

“Meaning they just got on with it. They never rowed or disagreed. They kind of just rubbed along, like two coworkers who must share an office space.”

“That’s a good thing, surely,” Colin said, still looking puzzled.

Logan blessed Colin with a brilliant smile, a smile that spoke volumes, and laid his hand over his partner’s. “Would you want us to have a quiet relationship?”

Colin blushed prettily. “No, I suppose not. That kind of relationship doesn’t have much passion, does it?”

“No. When neither person is invested enough to get excited about anything, it’s as good as being dead.”

“Hmm, I never thought of it that way,” Gabe interjected. “My parents went at it hammer and tongs when I was a kid.”

“And I bet they had great make-up sex afterwards,” Logan concluded.

“Well, I can’t attest to that, thankfully, but I can honestly say they loved each other. My mum was devastated when Dad died. She misses him sorely, even the parts of his character she found irritating. ”

“Quinn, what about your folks?” Logan asked.

Quinn chuckled and smiled at him. “No, my parents did not have a quiet marriage, but they did get on, and still do. They are not shy about showing affection though, and they feel comfortable to disagree and defend their point of view. It doesn’t undermine their relationship; it makes it stronger.”

“I don’t think my dad knew Mum at all, now that I think of it,” Logan said, shaking his head. “She kept a lot to herself, as we now know. She likes secrets.”

“Will there be more revelations, do you think?” Quinn asked, suddenly worried.

“Lord, I hope not. This is about as much as I can handle,” Logan joked. “So, what’s our plan?”

“Our plan?” Quinn gazed at Logan across the table. She hadn’t expected him to want to help, but she’d accept his assistance gladly if it was on offer.

“Well, you are planning to look for her, are you not?” he asked as he helped himself to more rice.

“Yes, but it’s proving rather difficult. I have no legal ties to Quentin, and neither does Sylvia. And all this happened nearly thirty-one years ago. Hetty Marks, the Social Services case worker I met with this afternoon, suggested I start at the hospital.”

Logan shook his head. “That’s a dead end, if you ask me. In 1983 the records would still have been handwritten, so accessing the NHS database would yield no results. Given that this case is three decades old, the files from that period would no longer be kept on-site.”

“Where would they be?” Quinn asked, alarmed. She hadn’t considered that .

“The files would have been archived. They’re either still in the building or have been transferred to some other facility. In any case, no one on staff would let you anywhere near them.”

Quinn felt a pang of disappointment. Her plans had been tentative, but now she didn’t even have a starting point. She pushed away her plate, no longer hungry.

“Can I have some pudding?” Emma asked as she came into the dining room, dragging Mr. Rabbit by the ear. “I finished watching the film.”

“I think pudding is an excellent idea,” Gabe said. “How about we clear the table and bring out pudding for everyone? Emma, will you help me?”

“Mr. Rabbit is tired,” Emma replied.

“I bet he’s weak with hunger too,” Logan joked. “I can look after him while you help your dad.”

Emma gave Logan a loaded look but handed over the toy and accepted the bread basket from Gabe. “Go put that in the kitchen.”

“What’s for pudding anyway?”

“Banofee pie,” Gabe replied with a smile of anticipation.

“Did you make it yourself?” Colin looked impressed.

“Is my name Rhys Morgan?” They all laughed at the joke. “No, I bought it on the way home, so I know it’s good.”

“Bring it on,” Logan said. “Emma, do you like banoffee pie?”

Emma shrugged. “It’s all right, I suppose. I like ice cream better.”

“We have ice cream too,” Quinn said. “I wouldn’t let you down. ”

Emma lit up. “I’ll have that then and you can all have your banana toffee thingy.”

“We’ll show you the sword as soon as Emma goes to bed,” Quinn promised quietly after Emma disappeared into the kitchen. “We don’t want her to know where it’s kept.”

“Would she go looking for it?” Colin asked.

“She might, just out of curiosity. Let me give them a hand,” Quinn said. She collected the dirty plates and headed toward the kitchen. “After ice cream, it’s off to bed with you,” she said, smiling at Emma, who was taking out an extra-large bowl for herself.

“But I want to stay up.”

“You have school tomorrow.”

“I’m not tired.”

“But Mr. Rabbit is,” Gabe replied. “Or is he to sleep alone tonight? He might get lonely.”

Quinn pinned Gabe with a disapproving look, and he shrugged. One of the things they were learning as parents was to watch what they said because Emma didn’t miss a trick.

“Is that why you two sleep together?” Emma asked. “Who will I sleep with once I’m too old to sleep with Mr. Rabbit?”

Quinn patted Gabe on the back as he nearly choked on a sip of water. “There, there, Daddy. We’ve got time yet. Here, Emma, why don’t you bring these plates and forks to the table?” she suggested. “Can’t eat the pie with our hands.”

“That would be exceptionally rude,” Emma announced, making Gabe and Quinn exchange looks and burst out laughing.

“I suppose it would be,” Gabe agreed. “Come, let me help you. ”

“Are you going to have a smart mouth too?” Quinn asked her belly as she took the kettle off the hob and made a pot of tea.

“I suppose I’d be surprised if you didn’t, with Gabe and me for parents, Emma for a sister, and your odd assortment of grandparents.

” She sighed and patted her stomach affectionately.

Once Emma finished her ice cream and was sent to bed under protest, the adults were finally able to resume their conversation.

“I think I might be able to help with the search,” Colin said. “Neither of you can access the files, but I might be able to. As a doctor, if I request a file that I think might be relevant to a case I’m working on, I have a good chance of getting it.”

“Would no one require authorization?” Gabe asked.

“The case is thirty years old. I think at this stage, no one would particularly care.”

“Would you be willing to do that?” Quinn asked.

Colin turned to Logan with a playful grin. “Feel like taking a drive to Leicester on Friday?”

“I hear Leicester is lovely this time of year,” Logan replied. “We’ll play at being day-trippers.”

“Excellent. Friday it is then. Now, let’s see that sword.”