CHAPTER TWENTY
The Richardson family were gathered together in the great room and silence was the main attraction. Mamie and Hershel sat on the sofa. Davey was leaned against the wall staring at his family. Ricki was seated in a chair. They were all still coming down from the shock of what had happened.
They could see Vince out on the porch on his phone, walking back and forth as if he was handling some business, and it all seemed so strange to Ricki.
She never in a million years thought her parents even liked Erica.
They never showed her any affection whatsoever.
Not even their mother. She was the problem child.
She was the bad seed. They had all kinds of names for Erica.
But they were as devastated as Ricki was.
Maybe even more so. It was startling to Ricki.
Hershel looked at her daughter. “We need to discuss how we can mend this family,” he said. Another shocker to Ricki. “I’m going to ask your white man to leave.”
Her white man? What kind of way was that to speak of somebody? But Ricki didn’t argue. Her father was grieving his daughter’s death. There was no doubt about that. But her father was still her father. “I’ll tell him,” she said, as she got up and went outside.
Mamie looked at Hershel. Hershel hesitated, and then he looked at her too.
But outside, Vince was leaned against the porch rail deep into a conversation. When he saw Ricki come outside and close the front door, he allowed the person on the other end of the phone to finish speaking, and then he ended the call.
He looked at Ricki. “Your car is at the Ford dealership here in Milton and it’s being repaired. You should be able to pick it up tomorrow. That is, if you plan to still be around these parts.”
“I’m staying in town until after her funeral,” Ricki said.
“Is that what you want?”
Ricki hunched her small shoulders. “I don’t know what I want right now. But I don’t see myself leaving and coming back in another week. I want to know what happened to her, and who wanted her dead.”
Vince nodded. He understood. “About your sister, Rasheda, I am so sorry this happened. Perhaps if I would have bailed her out--”
But Ricki was shaking her head. “No, Vince, no. This is not your fault. If somebody wanted her dead, they would have gotten to her no matter where she was. Don’t blame yourself.”
Vince exhaled. “You’re probably right.”
“I know I’m right,” said Ricki. Then she folded her arms. “Was your attorney able to find out anything?”
“Nothing yet. The cops are convinced it was a suicide.”
“It wasn’t, Vince.”
“I agree. But nobody’s willing to own it yet. But once my investigators get in town, if there’s something to find they’ll find it.”
Ricki was reassured by that. “Thanks.”
“Are you ready to leave?”
“No. That’s why I’m out here. I’m going to stay here tonight.”
Vince was surprised to hear it. “Here?”
“Daddy says we need to discuss our family relationship going forward. He wants to try to make things right. Erica’s death has really affected him. My mother too.”
“But do you want to try to make things right?”
Ricki wasn’t quick to say yes, which Vince respected. Then she nodded. “If it’s possible,” she said, “maybe so.”
“But you don’t think it’s possible?”
“Daddy can be so exacting. He can be so hard. But we’ll see.”
Vince nodded. “Okay.”
“This has really shaken him.”
“Yes, I saw that.”
“But thanks for everything, Vince.”
Vince didn’t want to leave her. He was certain she’d be better off with him. “Are you sure you want to stay here overnight?”
“I’m positive. If we’re going to make changes, I’ll have to be here to make them.
And I need my family. When I broke down at that café and I only had nine dollars to my name and not one friend I could really depend on, I realized how alone in this world I was.
I mean, I already knew it, but that kind of brought it all home for me.
So I need my family. And who knows? Maybe Erica’s death can bring us closer together. ”
“You think that’s what will happen?”
“Probably not, no. But I have to try.”
Vince looked doubtful too. And strained, as if he didn’t want to leave her. “If that’s what you want to do.”
“Are you going back to Washington, or are you going to stay at your house here in Connecticut?” She was hoping he would at least stay in Connecticut.
There was no way Vince was going back to D.C. with their situation so unsettled. “I’ll be at my house outside of New Haven,” he said. “That’s only an hour away. So call me if you need me. And that hotel room is yours for as long as you need it. You have options now.”
Ricki smiled. It was great to know that. “Thanks to you.”
Vince exhaled. He wanted to hug her, and to tell her something that he couldn’t even bring himself to say out loud. But he wanted to tell her anyway.
But that was when the door of the house opened and her father stepped out as if Vince’s presence was holding up their progress. So Vince didn’t say another word, and didn’t touch Ricki. He made his way down the steps, got into his Bentley, and took off.
Ricki hated to see him go. She just hated it.
But her father was waiting, and there was no way they were going to be able to have difficult conversations with an outsider in the house.
She seriously doubted if they were going to truly have a real conversation with just the family in the house. But she was willing to give it her all.
She stood on that porch until Vince was clean out of sight. She had hoped that he would wave goodbye. But he didn’t. Which was totally understandable to Ricki. She’d been nothing but drama since the moment he met her. She was certain he was done with her.
Her father opened the door, and she, and then he, went back inside. She could only hope it wasn’t a big fat waste of time.