Finders Keepers by Edie Baylis (epub ebook reader txt) 📕

piece of Michael and she would not allow anyone to take that from her. She’d kept Robert close all these years; made sure he never got too involved with any women, which hadn’t been too difficult. Oh, there had been plenty of brief encounters, but Robert’s natural inability and inherent dislike of forming relationships with anyone made anything more lasting impossible.

But was that about to change? Was it possible that somehow after all this time the wiring in Robert’s brain had shifted?

Dulcie shook her head in annoyance. Before she could spend time thinking about that and its implications, she had to deal with this.

‘Darling, I didn’t want you to find out this way, genuinely I didn’t,’ Dulcie sobbed. ‘There was never a right time to tell you... I knew it would upset you.’

A nerve twitched in Robert’s temple. ‘I’m more upset because you didn’t tell me. You should have.’

Dulcie dabbed at her eyes again. ‘I know, I know.’ She had to keep Robert on side. Short of his father, he was the only thing that mattered, but she must play this carefully. ‘Your father was a wonderful man. I loved him deeply.’

Robert’s jaw clenched. ‘But you let me believe Dad, or rather, Peter, was my father? Why?’

Dulcie looked at her son pitifully. ‘It seemed the best thing to do after... after Michael disappeared...’

‘Who was he?’

‘Michael worked for the people who owned the Feathers. He was loyal and worked hard – not that that helped him in the end,’ she spat, her eyes narrowing. ‘Bastards, the lot of them. They killed him - they must have. He wouldn’t have just left me.’

Robert sighed. He’d listened to his mother for half an hour; listened to her sobbing about how she’d lost the love of her life, but there was still one question he needed the answer to. ‘This Michael Pointer – was he Helen’s father too?’

‘God no!’ Dulcie exclaimed. ‘She was definitely Peter Adams’ daughter. You though...’ She placed her hand on Robert’s, ‘are your father’s son and the last thing I wanted was to hurt you. I-I was only trying to protect you.’

‘Did Helen know?’

Dulcie put on her most hurt look and nodded sadly. ‘I didn’t realise, but yes she did. I don’t know how she found out, but she did. She told me the night... the night she was killed.’ She sniffed loudly. ‘I-I think she must have known for a while. Maybe that’s why she hated me so much. Maybe that was part of the reason she wanted to kill me? She believed I favoured you...’

Dulcie made a show of wringing her hands together. ‘I’ve always loved both of my children equally,’ she lied. Robert was and always had been her favourite. Helen was an unfortunate accident which ruined her life, but at least she was gone now. ‘Do you forgive me?’ she whispered. ‘I was going to tell you. I need you to believe that because it’s the truth.’ She looked at her most prized possession, her big blue eyes doleful and her bottom lip trembling.

Robert nodded brusquely. ‘I understand that you had my best interests at heart.’

‘Oh, I’m so relieved!’ Dulcie cried. ‘I’ve been carrying this burden around all your life, dreading the day I told you.’ She snivelled. ‘Terrified that you’d hate me...’

Robert smiled, although he felt less than happy. ‘I could never hate you, you’re my mother.’

Dulcie leaned against Robert’s chest, waiting as he wrapped his big arms around her. ‘You do remind me so much of your father,’ she said. ‘I wish Teagan hadn’t interfered. It was not her right. No wonder the girl scuttled off.’

‘I didn’t give her a lot of choice,’ Robert said. The less he thought about Teagan, what had happened and what he’d wanted to happen, the better.

‘Hmph!’ Dulcie muttered. ‘I’ll still be having words with her.’ If it were up to her, she’d tell the girl to get on her way, but right now her hands were tied. That little tart had the box and the contents of that were Robert’s. Furthermore, she hadn’t forgotten about Darren Harding and she needed Teagan for that side of things too.

Lifting her head from Robert’s chest, Dulcie looked up. ‘You will accompany me to Helen’s funeral, won’t you? Please say you will. You’re all I’ve got and things have been so difficult...’

Robert scowled. ‘If I must.’

‘Thank you, son,’ Dulcie smiled, patting his hand. He was a good boy, Robert and no one else was having him.

Robert sighed inwardly. He wanted to ask his mother about that box Teagan had mentioned, but didn’t think he could take anything else on board today. Tomorrow he’d continue cleaning up at Footlights. Alone. He couldn’t risk another lapse like today.

As much as it pained him to admit it, he’d become suddenly overcome with the unexpected urge to kiss Teagan. It had come from nowhere. He’d kissed plenty of women in the past, but he’d never felt such a need to. And today he’d felt that need.

Getting up, he stared at himself in the mirror, visualising the carbon copy of himself he’d seen in that newspaper cutting. Michael Pointer?

The urge to discover more about the man who fathered him was strong, but nowhere near as strong as the urge to have Teagan underneath him and neither of those things were viable.

He scraped the back of his hand across his forehead. Why was he beginning to feel things? He’d always wanted to experience what other people took for granted, but it unnerved him. He didn’t do feelings, everyone knew that, so why now?

Thirteen

‘BUT WHY FUCKING MARRY IT?’ Saul snapped. ‘I’ve got a few kids knocking around and they’re just the ones I know of! There’s probably a fair few more that I’ve yet to be made aware of, but I’m sure they’ll become known to me once their slag mothers realise I’m out of nick and think they can hit me for backpay of child support.’ He grinned. ‘They’ll