Page 101 of The List

“Are there any conditions?”

“Chris has terminal prostate cancer. Make it consistent with that.”

De Florio nodded.

“Bozin will most likely be expecting you. Let’s not disappoint him. Proceed immediately. But not until tonight. That’ll give Mr. Hughes and myself time to get back to Atlanta. And after the discovery of his death, I want the body immediately cremated. It was his wish. Chris told me so many times.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

He loved how De Florio questioned little and merely performed.

“I knew you would.”

4:40P.M.

“I WANT TO KNOW,” BRENT ASKED AGAIN. “IS LORI ANNE MY DAUGHTER?”

His voice had risen with each of Ashley’s denials.

“No. And don’t flatter yourself.”

“I’m not. But I want to know the truth.”

“When she was conceived I had a husband.”

“She was born eight months after the two of you married.”

“I know you’re familiar with premarital sex.”

“Which you and I engaged in, about the same time.”

“Brent, Lori Anne is Manley’s daughter.”

“I believed you,” Brent said, recalling the conversation of ten years earlier.

“It’s the only time I ever lied to you,” Ashley said.

Her face was wound tight, eyes watery.

“I planned to tell you, but when you told me you were going to marry Paula, I thought it better to let it go. There seemed no need for you to ever know.”

“You should have told me.”

“And what would you have done? Dumped her and married me? She told you she was pregnant. Remember? It’s why you married her.”

“I would have married you.”

“So you would have chosen the daughter already born, over the child on the way? Get real, Brent. You don’t have a clue what you would have done.”

“How did it even happen? I thought you were careful.”

“The pill’s not one hundred percent.”

“Was there ever any question who was the father?”

She shook her head. “When Lori Anne was conceived, you were the only man I was with. Sure, Manley and I slept together. But not during the time she was conceived. And I want you to know, I didn’t then and haven’t since jumped from bed to bed. There have only been four men in my life. Three husbands, but God knows I wasn’t much of a wife in that department, and you. Nobody else.”

“Does Manley know?”