Chapter 8 - A Father Ruby Never Asked For
Ruby slept between Claire and three pillows that night.
Nathaniel sat outside the bedroom door.
He told himself it was for security.
Claire knew better.
He was afraid Ruby might disappear again.
Harper Court had been secured.
Daniel placed trusted guards outside the building.
Victor disappeared after Samuel's revelation, supposedly to investigate Dominic's claim.
Samuel remained under watch.
Nathaniel refused to leave.
At 2:14 a.m., the apartment door opened slightly.
Ruby looked out.
Nathaniel sat on the floor in his black suit, back against the wall.
“You're still here.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Couldn't sleep.”
Ruby stepped into the hallway.
“Mom says people who say that are usually worried.”
Nathaniel smiled faintly.
“Your mother says a lot.”
Ruby sat beside him.
For a while neither spoke.
Nathaniel didn't know how to talk to children.
Ruby solved that.
“Did you kill that man's brother?”
Nathaniel looked at her.
“You heard?”
“Everybody keeps forgetting apartments have thin walls.”
Nathaniel sighed.
“I don't know.”
“How can you not know?”
“Because something happened a long time ago, and I'm discovering I wasn't told the truth.”
Ruby thought about this.
“Like me.”
Nathaniel swallowed.
“Yes.”
She looked toward him.
“Does that make you mad?”
“What?”
“That Mom lied.”
“Yes.”
“Are you mad at her?”
“Yes.”
Ruby frowned.
Nathaniel added, “And I understand why she did it.”
“Can you be both?”
“Apparently.”
Ruby leaned against the wall.
“I'm mad too.”
“At her?”
“And you.”
Nathaniel nodded.
“Fair.”
“You weren't there.”
“I didn't know.”
“I know.”
“But you're still mad.”
“Yes.”
Nathaniel almost smiled.
“That is also fair.”
Ruby picked at the sleeve of her hoodie.
“Do I have to call you Dad?”
“No.”
“Ever?”
“Only if you want to.”
“What should I call you?”
“Nathaniel is fine.”
“You look more like a Nate.”
He stared.
“Nobody calls me Nate.”
“I might.”
A laugh escaped him.
Ruby smiled for the first time.
It lasted three seconds.
Then she asked, “Are we rich now?”
Nathaniel coughed.
“What?”
“Because you're my father.”
He considered the question.
“You are not required to become anything because of me.”
“That doesn't answer it.”
Nathaniel looked toward the bedroom.
Claire was definitely awake.
He could feel her listening.
“Yes.”
Ruby's eyes widened.
“Like... pizza whenever we want?”
“Considerably more than pizza.”
“How much more?”
“Your mother should answer that.”
Claire spoke from the bedroom.
“Coward.”
Ruby giggled.
Nathaniel smiled.
The sound did something to him.
Something dangerous.
Hope.
He had built his life around not needing it.
Ruby's expression became serious.
“I don't want Mom to be sad.”
“Neither do I.”
“She works a lot.”
“I know.”
“She says we're okay.”
Nathaniel looked toward the rent jar.
Ruby followed his gaze.
“We weren't.”
Nathaniel said nothing.
Ruby leaned closer.
“The nine hundred dollars would have paid the notice.”
“I know.”
“I thought about keeping it.”
Nathaniel looked at her.
“Why didn't you?”
“Mom said honesty is something people can't take away unless you give it to them.”
Nathaniel stared at the child.
Eight years old.
His daughter.
She had more integrity than most adults in his boardroom.
“You should listen to her.”
Ruby looked at him strangely.
“Do you?”
Nathaniel glanced toward Claire's room.
“Not often enough.”
Claire came into the hallway.
She wore an old T-shirt and had clearly been crying.
“Bed.”
Ruby sighed.
“I'm not tired.”
“Bed.”
Ruby hugged Claire.
Then, unexpectedly, she looked at Nathaniel.
“Good night, Nate.”
Nathaniel stared.
Claire covered a smile.
“Good night, Ruby.”
After Ruby returned to bed, Claire sat across from Nathaniel.
“You let her call you Nate.”
“I didn't exactly have a vote.”
“You always have a vote.”
“Apparently not with her.”
Claire's smile disappeared.
“You're getting attached.”
Nathaniel looked at her.
“She's my daughter.”
“Biology doesn't automatically create a relationship.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Nathaniel's face tightened.
Claire continued softly.
“She may want you today and hate you tomorrow.”
“I know.”
“She may never want the life you can give her.”
“Then she won't have it.”
Claire studied him.
“You mean that?”
“Yes.”
“What if she doesn't want you?”
The question hurt.
Nathaniel answered anyway.
“Then I'll make sure she's safe from a distance.”
Claire looked down.
Eight years ago, that answer would have been impossible for him.
Perhaps Samuel had been right.
Perhaps Nathaniel had changed.
Not enough.
But some.
At 7:00 a.m., Daniel arrived with documents.
Samuel sat at the kitchen table.
Nathaniel remained standing.
“What happened to Dominic's brother?”
Samuel looked older than he had the previous evening.
“His name was Adrian Rane.”
“I remember.”
“You were twenty-five.”
Nathaniel nodded.
Adrian had worked for Malcolm.
A driver.
A courier.
Eventually an informant.
Samuel continued.
“He discovered one of Malcolm's trafficking routes.”
Claire looked confused.
Nathaniel's face hardened.
“My father moved weapons through aid shipments.”
Samuel nodded.
“Adrian wanted out.”
“So did I.”
“You helped him.”
Nathaniel frowned.
“I gave him money.”
“And a location.”
Nathaniel stared.
“What location?”
“A safe house near Red Hook.”
Memory returned slowly.
Rain.
A frightened man.
An address.
Nathaniel had told Adrian to go there.
Two days later, a fire destroyed the building.
Samuel said, “Malcolm intercepted the location.”
“How?”
No answer.
Nathaniel slammed both hands onto the table.
“How?”
Samuel looked toward Daniel.
Nathaniel slowly turned.
Daniel's face became unreadable.
Claire noticed.
“What?”
Nathaniel whispered, “No.”
Daniel lowered his eyes.
Samuel continued.
“Daniel's father worked for Malcolm.”
Nathaniel stared at his oldest friend.
Daniel had been with him since they were teenagers.
“No.”
Daniel's voice was quiet.
“My father found the note.”
Nathaniel stepped backward.
“You knew?”
“Not then.”
“When?”
“Years later.”
“And you never told me?”
“I was ashamed.”
Nathaniel laughed bitterly.
“Of your father?”
“Of myself.”
Daniel looked up.
“I destroyed the file when I found it.”
Nathaniel's expression changed.
“You covered it up.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
“From what?”
“From believing Adrian died because you trusted the wrong person.”
Nathaniel walked away.
His entire life was built on people protecting him with lies.
Claire.
Evelyn.
Samuel.
Victor.
Daniel.
Every one convinced they were saving him.
Ruby appeared in the hallway.
Nobody had heard her wake.
She stared at Nathaniel.
“People lie a lot around you.”
No one spoke.
Ruby walked toward him.
“You know what Mom says?”
Nathaniel shook his head.
“Once you tell one lie, you need another one to hold it up.”
Samuel almost smiled sadly.
Ruby looked around the table.
“Maybe everybody should stop holding them up.”
The adults stared at her.
Nathaniel crouched.
“You're right.”
Ruby looked at him.
“Then tell the truth.”
“About what?”
“Everything.”
Nathaniel's stomach tightened.
“There are things—”
Ruby folded her arms.
“You promised honesty.”
He had.
Nathaniel nodded.
“Okay.”
Before he could begin, Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
His face changed.
“Victor's been found.”
Nathaniel stood.
“Where?”
“East docks.”
“Alive?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Yes.”
“But?”
“He was attacked.”
Claire covered her mouth.
Daniel continued.
“He kept repeating one sentence.”
“What?”
Daniel looked at Nathaniel.
“Samuel Pike is not the traitor.”
Nathaniel turned toward Samuel.
Daniel added:
“He said the traitor has been inside Graves Tower since before Malcolm died.”
Nathaniel's pulse quickened.
Ruby watched him.
“Who?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Victor lost consciousness before he could say the name.”
Then Samuel's phone rang.
Everyone looked at it.
Samuel answered cautiously.
A distorted voice spoke loudly enough for the table to hear.
“Mr. Pike. Tell Nathaniel to look at the person who has access to every locked door.”
The call ended.
Nathaniel slowly turned toward Daniel.
Daniel stared back.
Security chief.
Executive access.
Every door.
Every floor.
Every camera.
May you like
Ruby looked between them.
And for the first time since Nathaniel had known him, Daniel Mercer reached for his gun before Nathaniel gave an order.
