Читаем 18f44de3c41a3c8943c05e9ff1c1336f полностью

ôThe investigation is ongoing,ö said Chase. ôRight now weÆre trying to paint a picture of your fatherÆs life.ö

Dawn laughed at this, going so far as to throw her head back.ôJust round up a couple of dozen models and there you have CottonÆs life!ö she cried. ôIn that sense Cotton is exactly like Hugh Hefner. Only Hugh had the decency to stay loyal to whoever he was married to at the time, which is more than can be said about Cotton.ö

ôMom, please,ö said Inari, looking embarrassed at her motherÆs outburst.

ôItÆs true, isnÆt it? The man is in a clinic for sex addicts, darling. That tells you all you need to know about him.ö

ôYeah, but heÆs not actually being treated for a sex addiction, is he? ThatÆs just a ruse to get him out of the way for a while. Until all this hubbub dies down.ö

ôIs it true that they told the Pilay woman to pack her bags and buzz off?ö asked Dawn.

ôNot in those terms,ö said Chase reluctantly.

ôWell, good riddance. Parasites, every last one of them. All trying to bleed him dry.ö

ôHe never should have left us,ö said Inari. ôIf heÆd stayed here he wouldnÆt be in this mess.ö

ôYour father could never resist a pretty face,ö said Dawn as she studied her own nails. She frowned when she caught her daughter nibbling a cuticle and slapped her hand away. ôBad habit,ö she muttered. ôHer exams are coming up,ö she said apologetically. ôShe always gets nervous. For no reason, because sheÆs a brilliant student.ö

ôItÆs only midterms,ö Inari murmured.

ôSo Ebony Pilay told us that you sent her some threatening messages,ö said Odelia, trying to get the interview back on track.

ôOh, that,ö said Dawn with a throwaway gesture that made her gold bangles jangle. ôI was just trying to make sure she didnÆt expect too much from CottonÆs latest infatuation.ö

ôYouÆve been divorced how long now?ö asked Chase.

Dawn pursed her lips.ôFour years.ö

ôæStay away from my husband,Æö Chase read from his phone. He looked up at the woman. ôYouÆve been divorced four years and you still send threatening messages to your ex-husbandÆs girlfriends?ö

ôYou carry a torch for a person, detective, and even though that person no longer wants to stay married, you donÆt simply turn off that affection.ö

ôYou still love Cotton?ö

ôLetÆs just say I care deeply for him. And I donÆt like it when people take advantage.ö

ôSo you thought Miss Pilay was taking advantage of him?ö

ôOf course. They all do. If Cotton wasnÆt a Karat, do you really think these girls would be all over him? TheyÆre after his money, and his standing in society. All of them imagine themselves becoming the next Mrs. Cotton Karat. Well, there is only one Mrs. Cotton Karat and thatÆs me.ö SheÆd tilted her chin and was throwing down the gauntlet, as if daring anyone to contradict her. As it was, both Odelia and Chase kept schtum, letting the silence drag on. Finally Dawn said, ôOkay, so IÆm a caring person. In fact I probably care too much, and much too deeply. But what can I do? ThatÆs the way IÆm built. IsnÆt that right, petal?ö

ôOh, Mom,ö said Inari, and gave her mother a stroke on the arm.

ôAnd what about you, Miss Karat?ö asked Odelia. ôDo you still care about your dad?ö

ôWhat kind of a question is that!ö Dawn burst out, but Inari smiled.

ôOf course I do. HeÆs my dad, isnÆt he? And frankly I donÆt care about the girlfriends or the glitzy parties or the fancy cars he likes to drive. When itÆs just the two of us that all falls away. HeÆs just my dad, you know, and I know he loves me and I love him.ö

ôHeÆs not a bad person,ö said Dawn. ôHeÆs justà immature, I guess. And I blame Deirdre and Diedrich. They spoiled him and they spoiled Jared. Spoiled them both rotten.ö

ôUncle Jared is different, though,ö said Inari. ôHeÆs got an artistÆs soul.ö

Dawn scoffed at this, but when her daughter gave her a critical look, she masked it by coughing into her fist.ôHeÆs different, all right,ö she said. ôAnd also the same, of course.ö

Chapter 20

That afternoon, emotions were running high in anticipation of the press conference Cotton was holding after the murder of the man who was hired to replace him. Rumors and innuendo were flying around the room of the press center, and reporters were clamoring for a good seat so they could launch a barrage of questions at the beleaguered business tycoon.

When Cotton finally walked on stage, half an hour late, he looked fine, and so did Tobias Pushman, who took a seat next to his CEO. Diedrich didnÆt put in an appearance, though I saw him hover at the edge of the stage. He didnÆt look so hot, but then high-pressure situations were probably a big no-no for the manÆs high blood pressure.

And then, much to everyoneÆs surprise, Inari Karat also joined her dad on stage.

ôShe didnÆt mention she was going to participate,ö Odelia told Chase.

ôShe probably didnÆt think it was important,ö Chase reciprocated.

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