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Something in her tone pisses me off, so I decide I’m not going to prolong the suffering. “I don’t mean to be rude, but is there a particularreason you’re calling me? When my parents lost everything, I understand you said you didn’t want to talk to any of us.”
“Yes, I was very angry.”
“With me? Forgive my bluntness, but it was your son who tried to kill me and my family. So if anyone should be mad, it would be me.”
“Yes, I know. I was depressed. The police notified me sometime after the fire at your parents’ house that my Mike had died in a car accident.”
“If you’re expecting me to apologize for not calling to offer my condolences, that’s not going to happen. I have some faults, but falsehood is not one of them.”
“I didn’t expect to hear you were sorry, and I didn’t call to cause a fight, just to have an honest chat. I went back to church, and the priest advised me to try to make amends with the past. Fix my mistakes.”
“I don’t get it.”
“When Mike married you, I knew he was already married. That’s why I didn’t show up at the registry office that day. I didn’t want to be a part of that scam.”
“What? Are you telling me that you knew your son was committing a crime, knew he was deceiving me and my family, and you kept quiet?”
“Yes. I know what I did wasn’t right.”
“Wasn’t right? You let your son drag me into an illegal relationship!”
“I’m not asking you to understand my reasons. I just wanted to apologize. When you become a mother, you’ll see that there are no limits to what you would do for your child.”
“I will never become that kind of mother. Loving a child means raising them with good principles, and that includes teaching them right from wrong. When you failed to tell me the truth, Mrs. Howard, you gave Mike your blessing. I wish you luck in asking God for forgiveness, but you won’t get it from me. Have a good afternoon.”
I hang up the phone, feeling my chest lighten. Maybe that’s what Christos meant about externalizing when I’m angry. I could have offered her my forgiveness, but it wouldn’t have been truthful. I don’t intend to harbor resentment, but I don’t want anything to do with Mike, and that includes his mother.
Christos
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Weeks Later
NEW YORK
“I have a gift for you.I think I’ll even give it to you in advance as a wedding gift.”
“Cleaning day, Beau?*?” I ask hurriedly. I know he’s telling me he found Howard.
I never had any doubts that he would. I didn’t believe the car accident story for a second. It sounded very convenient to die that way when the police were after the damn bastard.
“Yep. You know how good I am at creating rodent traps—and, in fact, at exterminating as well.”
“That’s not what we agreed.”
“Shall we agree on something, then? The cleaning company is mine, buddy. I don’t need a partner. Besides, in the current scenario, it would be impossible to do it any other way. The cleanup was not done in the United States but inNicaragua.”
“What?”
“Enjoy your life, Christos. You have a beautiful woman at home. Your business is making money, not dealing with rodents. Let people like me handle the ugly side of life. I will always be vigilant.”
I disagree with what he’s said. I can kill without remorse for those I love; Zoe is my world.
I wish I had made Howard suffer.
What settles me is knowing that, whether his death was at the hands of Beau or his men, it would have taken hours and been painful.
To make things better, the phone rings, displaying Odin’s number.
