Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
Morgan
I woke up early the following morning and went to the police station to see if Detective Lambert was there.
“Morgan, what can I do for you?” he asked as I sat across from his desk.
“What would you think if I told you that I believe Gregory Williamson murdered his mother?”
“I’d say you’re crazy. He was a kid when she died. It was ruled a suicide.”
“Gregory was jealous of the relationship between his brother and mother. I also believe that Gregory couldn’t stand the thought of his father giving the V.P. position to Theo. What do you know about an underground sex club called Dirty Deeds?”
“Not much. Why?”
“Because Gregory has a lot of charges on his credit card from that club. He visits two nights a week.”
“A lot of people go to sex clubs. It doesn’t mean they’re murderers. ”
Suddenly, I froze when I heard a boisterous laugh from behind.
“I told you I’m not playing around,” the man said.
That voice. That laugh. My head started spinning as I slowly turned and stared at the older man standing beside an officer’s desk. Six feet three, heavier set, with a bald spot that grew in size over the years.
“Morgan, are you okay?”
“That man over there. Who is he?” I asked.
“FBI Agent Colin Weathers. Why?”
“Oh. I thought he was someone else. My bad.” I smiled. “Thank you for your time. I have to go.” I stood up and walked out of the police station.
My heart raced as I waited for my Uber to arrive. When I reached the hotel, I pulled out my phone and called my Uncle Louie.
“Morgan, darling. How are you?”
“I’m okay, Uncle Louie. I saw him.”
“Saw who?”
“The FBI agent that murdered my father.”
“What? How? Where?”
“I was at the police station talking to one of the detectives who worked the case I’m investigating. His laugh, his voice. It was him.”
“Did you get his name?”
“FBI Agent Colin Weathers.”
“I’ll do some digging. Until then, stay away from him, and whatever you do, don’t let him know who you are. He’s a dangerous man, Morgan.”
“And I’m more dangerous. Let me know what you find.” I ended the call.
I paced around the room, gripping my head, trying to stop his voice in my head. But all I heard was his laugh after my father begged for his life and the words, “I told you that I’m not playing around,” before he pulled the trigger.
The knock at the door startled me and brought me back to the present. Walking over, I opened it and saw Roman standing there with a smile, which quickly dissipated when he saw me.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, stepping inside.
“Nothing.” I turned and headed toward the bedroom.
“Bullshit, Morgan. You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What happened?”
“I went to the police station earlier to see Detective Lambert. That’s when I heard it.”
“Heard what?” His brows furrowed.
“A voice, a laugh. It was him, Roman. The man who murdered my father.”
“Are you one hundred percent sure?”
“Yes. That voice has been embedded into my memory for the last fourteen years.”
“That Tony guy you worked for back in Seattle never told you his partner’s name?”
“No. He referred to him as his ‘ex-partner.’ When I’d ask him his name, he’d tell me that it didn’t matter and that they lost touch when he moved to Seattle. But he was becoming suspicious of me, so I bounced.”
“I want you to listen to me. You are to stay away from that man. He’s dangerous, and the last thing I need is to defend you when you’re charged with first-degree murder.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Don’t roll your eyes at me. I mean it, Morgan.”
On the drive to his mother’s house, I stared out the window and considered my options. After this case was solved, I was going back to New York. But now, I would stay until I figured out what I would do with FBI Agent Colin Weathers.
“Are you okay?” Roman glanced at me.
“I’m fine.”
He pulled into the driveway of his mother’s home. Climbing out, we stepped onto the porch, and he opened the door.
“Mom?” he shouted.
“Roman, sweetheart.” She walked into the foyer and hugged him.
“Hi, Mom. I’d like you to meet Morgan Ashley. She’s a private investigator from New York who is helping me with a case. Morgan, this is my mother, Katherine Mallory.”
“It’s so nice to meet you, Morgan.” She hugged her.
“It’s nice to meet you too.”
“Come on in, you two, and make yourselves comfortable. Your brothers aren’t here yet. I need to check on the roast. I’ll be right back.”
I sat on the living room couch while Roman poured me a drink.
“Gin and tonic. Light on the tonic.” I smirked.
“Coming right up.” He winked.
The front door opened, and two women walked in.
“Roman, darling.” One of the women smiled and hugged him.
“Hi, Mom.”
Instantly, my brows furrowed.
“Roman, you’re never the first to arrive.” The other woman hugged him.
“I guess there’s a first for everything, Mom.”
Again, my brows furrowed. Why was he calling these women “Mom”?
The door opened again, and Julian and Parker stepped in .
“Hey, Mom,” they both said, hugging each woman.
“What is going on?” I whispered to Roman as he handed me my drink.
“Roman, who is this?” one of the women asked.
“Morgan, I’d like you to meet our other two mothers. This is Calista Turner, Julian’s birth mother. And this is Pippa Parsons, Parker’s birth mother.”
“You are so beautiful.” Calista smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She extended her hand.
“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, too.” I smiled, even though I didn’t know what was happening.
“I can’t believe our son brought a girl to dinner.” Pippa smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Morgan.”
“Believe it, Mom. It happened,” Parker said.
“Excuse us. We’re going to help Katherine with dinner,” Calista spoke.
“What the hell is happening here?” I cocked my head at Roman.
“First dinner with our father and Love last night, and now this. I wouldn’t blame you if you ran for the hills.” Julian laughed.
“Knock it off, douchebag,” Roman said. “Katherine is my birth mother, Calista is Julian’s, and Pippa is Parker’s.”
“Our father was seeing all three of them and knocked them up at the same time,” Parker said.
“Our birthdays are May, July, and September. Welcome to our dysfunctional family,” Julian said.
“After our mothers found out about each other, they dumped our father and forged a powerful friendship. They bought houses next door to each other so the three of us could grow up together and be close.”
“They each had a hand in raising us,” Parker spoke. “All three of us are their sons, not just the one they gave birth to. ”
“Wow.” My brows raised in disbelief. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” I stared at the three of them.
“Yep,” Roman said.
“Dinner’s ready.” Pippa smiled, walking into the living room. “Let’s eat.”
We went into the dining room and sat around the table. That explained why they all looked the same age—they were.
“Had dinner at Dad’s last night,” Julian said. “Do you three know about Love?”
“Of course, we know about love, darling. What a silly question.” Calista smiled.
“I’m not talking about that love. I’m talking about the woman Dad moved into his house. Her name is Love.”
“For fuck’s sake. Is she a stripper?” Katherine asked.
“Wouldn’t surprise me.” Pippa glanced at her.
“Sounds like she lacks brain cells if she moved in with him,” Calista said.
“Him and his pencil dick.” Katherine laughed, holding up her pinky finger.
“Mom, that’s enough,” I said. “Have you forgotten we have a guest here?”
“Right?” Parker said. “We don’t need to hear about Dad’s, you know what.”
“Dick?” Pippa popped her lips.
“Ma, stop it!” Julian frowned, and I laughed.
“We’re so sorry, Morgan,” Katherine said.
“For what?” I asked.
“That you had to endure their father and his whore’s company last night.”
“Oh. It wasn’t so bad.”
“I’ve asked Morgan to run a check on Love,” Roman said. “So, we’ll know her story soon enough.”
“Which I will do later.” I smiled .
“By the way. Love is thirty-five,” Julian said.
“Of course she is. Every year that passes, they get younger and younger,” Calista spoke.
“Okay. We’re not going down the rabbit hole of Dad,” Roman said.
After we ate, I helped clean up while the boys went into the living room.
“You’re a guest, Morgan. This isn’t necessary,” Katherine, Roman’s mother, said.
“I want to help.” I smiled. “What do all three of you do?” I asked them.
“I’m a jewelry designer and run my own company, Katherine Mallory Designs.”
“I write children’s books,” Calista said.
“You’re too modest.” Katherine smiled. “She’s a number one New York Times bestselling author of children’s books.”
“I’m a life coach,” Pippa said.
“You’re probably thinking this situation with our boys is weird,” Calista said.
“I wouldn’t say weird.” A smirk crossed my lips. “I’d say different. But I will say that I admire and highly respect all three of you for what you did for your sons.”
“Even though Harrison is a lying, cheating bastard, we can’t hate him too much. He did give us our beautiful sons and a sisterhood.” Katherine smiled.