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“Dave, that’s really kind of gross.”
He smiles. “I sort of agree, but it seems like it should be a rite of initiation for one of the original three Rake-a-teers.”
I feel a hook catch in my heart. “So you still consider yourself a Rake-a-teer, huh?”
He shrugs. “We’ll see. For the right woman, I’m willing to give all that up.” He smiles at me again.
Chapter Fifteen
Dave
I live in the guesthouse behind my parents’ main house. Brad has his own place, built on our land, and Angie and Sage, who are still in college, live at home.
They’ve been called home as well for this big family meeting.
My alarm goes off at nine a.m. I’m exhausted. We didn’t get home until well after one in the morning, but the meeting is at ten sharp at Uncle Joe and Aunt Melanie’s house.
The entire Steel family will be there, even Diana, who drove home from her architecture internship in Denver.
I don’t know what to expect, but I have my suspicions that it has something to do with our newfound cousin, Pat Lamone.
He seems to be the missing link.
The grandson of Wendy Madigan and my grandfather, Bradford Steel, and the son of my new aunt, Lauren Wingdam—he’s the product of her rape by three men.
So he’s a Steel.
But he’s also responsible for drugging Diana her freshman year of high school. And he drugged Callie and Rory Pike, stripped them, and took photos of them in compromising positions.
The photos have been destroyed as far as we know, but only Pat knows for sure.
Then there’s Brittany Sheraton, the daughter of Snow Creek’s veterinarian, who helped Pat drug and violate the Pike girls. Her father, Dr. Mark Sheraton, unknowingly helped run a human trafficking business on Steel land in Wyoming.
Uncle Joe and Brock got that shut down a couple of months ago, and Brittany is now in a mental health hospital under constant supervision.
But there are still unanswered questions about her involvement. And about Pat Lamone, who was her boyfriend for many years.
Still more answers to our questions died with Wendy Madigan.
I take a shower and dress in jeans and a white button-down with brown ostrich cowboy boots. I miss my dog, Gary. He’s still at Mom and Dad’s. They’re taking care of him along with their dogs. Now that I’m back, I want Gary with me. I’ll grab him later today.
I itch to call Maddie, see how she’s doing. It’s about a ten-minute walk from the guesthouse to Mom and Dad’s house. I’ll give her a call on the way.
It’s a brisk late January day, so I put on a quarter zip and a beanie hat before I head out. I dial Maddie.
“Hello?” She sounds sleepy.
“Hey, it’s me. Just wanted to check in on you. Did you sleep okay?”
“Tossed and turned a little. But I eventually got to sleep. Have you found out what the big deal is yet?”
“No, not yet. I’m on my way over to Mom and Dad’s house, and I’ll drive with them over to Uncle Joe’s.”
“Maybe your mom and dad will clue you in.”
“They’d better.”
“Just so you know, I don’t expect you to tell me anything.”
