Page 45 of The Handyman

Reece’s confusion at his reaction was palpable.

The only movement in the kitchen was my mom popping open the refrigerator.

“Don’t insult me. I cheated on my wife decades ago, but not with that poor girl. With her crazy mother.”

The air became frigid at my father’s sharp retort, and my knees wobbled dangerously as hard, brown eyes met mine.

“Have a seat, Riley.” My dad met my stunned gaze. “It’s a bit of a story, but I always knew you would find out eventually.”

32

Riley

I’d made two realizations in the last few seconds as I sat with my dad across from me and Reece across from us.

One— not all information is accurate, and I thought I could trust my dad.

Two— my dad didn’t know my mom was up to something fishy.

What the fuck is going on?The question hung heavy in my brain.

All, while my dad drank his entire glass of coke and rum to hiss lightly. Wrinkles around his lips and eyes became deeper as he scowled lightly. “I cheated on my wife many, many years ago.” Slamming that confession down my throat, my dad locked eyes with me as he twirled his glass slowly on the table. “It was a mistake I never made again. There’s no point in regretting it, now. I don’t know what questions you have, but I will answer them all truthfully, Riley.”

“What thefuck…?” What was I supposed to ask? What questions did I have? Nothing was clear and I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

My dad just stared at me under greying, bushy brows.

Licking my lips heavily, I sat back and pinched the bridge of my nose hard, squeezing my eyes shut in an effort to stop my brain from seeping out of my face. “W- what—what happened, exactly?” Tentatively asking that broad question, I kinda hoped my dad would be skimpy on the details. The facts were the facts— my dad was my dad, and my mom was a thirteen-year-old dead girl.But just because they were facts… did that make them true?

“That woman was insane— I felt bad for her kids. Her eldest son was my apprentice, so we spoke fairly often. We got together once long before I realized she was crazy and religious…not a good combination. I regretted it at the time, came clean— went to therapy with your mother. One day, at work, I got asked by the boy if I’d ever slept with his mother, and I said ‘yes’. He didn’t question me further, but I could sense something was wrong. After work, while waiting for her to pick him up, he told me his twelve-year-old sister was 4 months pregnant.” My dad’s expression darkened.

I covered my mouth as horror drained the blood from my face.

“She’d taken the condom and used it on her daughters. He overheard the conversation, came to me immediately, and I confronted her. She started spewing about how God told her to do it. I’d never even met this poor girl, but I’d singlehandedly ruined her life. So, I told the boy to convince her to run away, and I’d get her an abortion. She was brainwashed by her mother, thinking you’d be the next Jesus Christ and that what her mother did was justified. I was so disgusted. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t go to the police because they’d think I did it and back in those days, investigations rarely found the truth. For months, I tried to convince her not to go through with it. We’d meet at a motel, and she’d try to get me to understand her views in turn. One day, she showed up deep in labor— hadn’t told anyone, including her mom. Cried and said she was scared, and that she should’ve listened to me. That she felt filled with doom that she wouldn’t live through it. She was a baby herself, and it was heartbreaking. Of course, there wasn’t anything I could do. She died.”

Disgust and abhorrence roiled in my gut, churning my stomach dangerously.

My dad sighed heavily. “I never told you the truth because you had enough problems without knowing where you came from. What I did to you and that girl and your mother was terrible. I knew it when I brought you home and begged Tanya to keep you. That woman must’ve realized that the truth would get out— her son would turn on her, or someone from school would know what happened and come forward. She shut down the investigation, and everyone moved on.”

“This bitch used a turkey baster or something on her twelve-year-old?” Reece spoke up into the silence as his face twisted in thought. “I don’t think you’re lying, and I’m pretty good at spotting liars.”

“S-so…” A horrible sense of relief slumped my shoulders, and I lowered my hand to keep my heart from bursting out of my chest. Reece’s confirmation was enough for me, but I had never thought my dad capable of being that kind of monster in the first place.

Watching me through shrewd, wise eyes, he showed no emotion.

I gulped down the dense lump in my throat. “So—you’re just a regular cheater-good? That’s good, right?”

“That’s good, baby. That answers one question, at least,” Reece stated.

I mean…cheating was a horrible thing, but it was better than cheating with a child.I can’t believe I just thought that.Turning to Reece, I clasped my hands tightly as I struggled to breathe.

“That’s not why we’re here, though,” Reece stated coldly. “We came for a different murder.”

By the sink, my mom dropped a glass that shattered so loud and abrasive that it rattled my teeth, and I stuffed my knuckles into my mouth.

The air was dead quiet and Reece arched a brow at my father.

My brain went into overdrive.This is insane. I want to leave.“Dad—” My voice crackled unsightly, and I inhaled a shallow rasp through flared nostrils as a cold sweat broke out under my jacket and shirt. The world spun in slow motion when I glanced over at my dad. “Mom hired a hitman to kill me.”