Page 99 of The Hardest Hit

Why, why, why, why, why. Why would Evan do that?

There was a knock on the door and Olivia jumped in surprise. She checked the peephole and saw a dark-haired man in a suit.

Jehovah’s Witness?

She did enjoy arguing sometimes, but she didn’t have time to convert Jehovah’s Witnesses today.

She opened the door and found herself staring into the wary blue eyes of someone who did not look like a Jehovah’s Witness. He looked… Evan-ish. Why was that? Was his suit expensive? She could never tell. She checked his shoes. Those were expensive. Maybe that was it.

“Dr. West?”

“Yes.”

“I’m…” he glanced down the hall at Mrs. Roberson who was eyeing them from her door. “Jackson Deveraux.” He looked at Mrs. Roberson again, clearly uncomfortable.

“It’s my boyfriend’s cousin, Mrs. Roberson,” Olivia yelled. “You can go put that in your log.”

Mrs. Roberson sniffed and went into her apartment with an air of injured dignity. Olivia looked back at Jackson. “She thinks she’s the neighborhood watch. Would you like to come in?”

“Yes,” said Jackson. “Thank you.”

He entered the apartment and she was aware that he was scrutinizing everything. “I would like to discuss Evan,” he said, still eyeing the table full of baked goods.

“OK,” said Olivia. “Would you like to discuss what all ya’ll did to make him break up with me?”

He hesitated, looking startled. “Yes,” he said.

“OK,” said Olivia.

He stared at her.

“That was your cue to start talking,” she added.

“Did you and Evan ever discuss your grandfather?”

“Weird place to start. Um, sure.”

“So Evan knew?”

“Knew what?”

They stared at each other. Jackson itched his ear. “Did Evan know that your grandfather is Ralph Taggert?”

“Well, sure…” Olivia trailed off. She distinctly remembered turning off the TV the last time a clip of her grandfather had been playing. She hadn’t wanted Evan to know that she was related to Ralph Taggert. “No, he didn’t.”

“And did you ever mention Evan’s name to your grandfather?”

“I think… just his first name,” said Olivia.

Jackson nodded. “Did Evan ever mention our grandmother?”

“Sure.” Olivia kept waiting for this to go somewhere. Jackson looked as if he was waiting for her to get whatever coded message he was trying to send.

“Specifically that she is Eleanor Deveraux, the senator?”

Olivia closed her eyes, blinded by realization. “Oh, shit on a shingle. Your grandmother is Evil Eleanor?”

“That may be taking it a bit far,” said Jackson, looking a little offended as she did a frustration-based lap around the couch.