Behind the Secrets (Behind the Lives #4) (20 page)

He glanced around the station, hoping no
one else was paying attention to him. They weren’t, the other officers too busy
with work. He refocused on Sarah. “I’m fine. Once Liam’s taken Kara’s
statement, make sure she gets released.”

Sarah’s eyebrows rose. “Why are you
helping that bitch?”

He leaned forward, whispering into
Sarah’s ear. “She has something on me. It’s to do with my undercover case.”

“Will you tell me what it is?”

He pulled back. “What I did undercover,
stays undercover.”

She nodded, her own experience allowing
her to empathise.

“Tell Joseph I’m taking the rest of the
day off,” he added.

“Yeah, sleep it off, you’ll feel better
tomorrow.”

“It’s got nothing to do with my
hangover, I want to visit Mariella,” he said, mentioning his wife.

Her face turned sad. “Don’t, Saul, you always
get upset after you do that.”

“I’m already upset.” He turned and
walked out of the police station, wishing he wasn’t a cop for the first time in
his life.

16

Beth

Beth
drove down her parents’ road, feeling exhausted and sick from the pregnancy, not
to mention she’d hardly slept due to Dante’s accident. But her father had
insisted she come over. She’d gotten a short phone message from him, saying
that her mother had told him about her pregnancy, and that she needed to meet
him at the family home for dinner—
no
excuses.

She went to pull into the driveway, slamming
a foot on the brake as a car sped past her, almost taking her out. Remembering
it from the other day, she whipped her head around, trying to catch the license
plate, but the car was already gone.

Shaking her head, she turned into the
driveway and parked behind her father’s remodelled bronze and black Mark V
Cortina. She got out and walked slowly to the front door, for the first time
not looking forward to seeing her father. Nervous as hell, she knocked on the
door, not sure if she should let herself in after the argument with her mother.
Corey yelled out for someone to get the door. A few seconds later, it flung
open, her father appearing in front of her, dressed in a black singlet and
oil-stained jeans. He looked like her oldest brother—short and pudgy, but with
even more of a potbelly, her father liking her mother’s cooking far too much.
He also had reddish-brown hair and was fair-skinned, his looks coming from his
Irish father.

His eyes went to her stomach, then moved
back up to her face, his expression tense. He stepped aside. “Come in,” he
said, his accent Maori. Although he was Irish, he’d grown up in a Maori
household from a young age. His Maori stepmother had raised him after his
father had run off with another woman. Beth had only met her grandfather once.
He’d turned up at her auntie’s wedding, drunk and with a woman not much older
than her. It hadn’t ended well, her father getting into a vicious brawl with
him.

Beth entered the house, fear gripping
her chest, her father’s disapproval hard to ignore. Her eyes went to the couch,
where Sledge and Corey were playing an Xbox game. They stopped and looked up at
her.

Corey sneered at her. “What are
you
doin’
’ere? Mum told ja to go away.”

Their father stepped around Beth, his
eyes locking onto Corey. “Why would she say that, Corey?”

Corey shrank into the couch, probably
realising he shouldn’t have brought it up, especially since Sledge wouldn’t be sitting
next to him if her father knew he was Corey’s boyfriend. “Nuthin’,” Corey mumbled,
not looking at him.

“Don’t lie to me, Corey,” their father
said. “Why would your mother say Beth isn’t welcome ’ere?”

“They had an argument.”

“Over her pregnancy?”

Corey’s worried gaze moved to Beth. He
nodded, his eyes pleading with her not to say a word. Beth grimaced back,
knowing her father would forget about her pregnancy in a second if he knew what
Corey and Sledge had been up to. But she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to
stoop that low.

Her father continued, “It’s not exactly
nice to hear that your own daughter has gotten pregnant out of wedlock to the
local lothario.”

“What’s
lothario
mean?” Sledge
asked.

“A ladies’ man.”

Sledge smiled. “Yeah, my bro’s a ladies’
man.” He turned back to his game and continued playing. A second later, he let
out a loud whoop. “I killed your soldier, dude!” he said, nudging Corey, who
wasn’t paying attention to the game, his worried gaze going between Beth and their
father.

Their father made a grunting sound.
“Yes, Dante’s a—”

“Where’s Mum?” Beth cut him off, knowing
he was going to insult Dante.

“She’s gone to get some pizza, cos
Sledge wouldn’t shut the hell up ’bout it.”

“That’s cos pizza’s the best food ever!”
Sledge hollered, not taking his eyes off the game.

“Keep your voice down, Sledge. You’re
bein’ too loud again.”

Sledge continued playing, not
acknowledging him.

Shaking his head, her father’s gaze
moved to Corey. “Keep the noise down or the game goes off. I wanna talk to Beth
in peace.”

“Sure.” Corey pushed up from the couch.

Sledge grabbed his arm and yanked him back
down. “Stay put, piker.”

“But, I want a drink.”

“I’ll get you one,” Beth’s dad said. He
disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a glass of juice.

“I want Coke,” Corey said.

“And I want a beer, which means we’re
both not gettin’ what we want. So, drink what I give you without complaining.”

“But—”

“No buts, Corey. You need to stop
drinking that rubbish.”

Grumbling, Corey took the drink.

Their father placed a hand on Beth’s
back, directing her through the kitchen doorway and into the dining room.

“Sit, Beth,” he said, pulling out a
chair for her.

Beth sat down, her nausea now forgotten,
only her father’s stern expression concerning her.

He sat down in front of her, his hazel-green
eyes fixed firmly on her face. “I must say, I’m very disappointed in you, Beth.
Of all my children, you were the one I thought would do things right.”

She dropped her gaze, the disappointment
in his voice too much to handle.

“Oh, sweetie, don’t cry.” He wiped her
cheeks. “I just don’t understand why you would allow this to happen. You
should’ve known better than to go with someone like Dante Rata. Ash wuz bad
enough, but Dante’s a hundred times worse.”

Her head shot up. “He is not!”

Her father jerked back, his expression
surprised, then his face hardened. “Don’t you raise your voice with me, young
lady, that boy’s nuthin’ but trouble. He’s constantly in and outta jail, always
gettin’ drunk, not to mention he can’t keep it in his pants. What were you
thinking?”

“He’s not like that now, and he loves
me—unlike Ash. He’s the horrible one, not Dante.”

“He’s pro’bly horrible to you cos you’re
with his brother.”

“He’s the one who left me.”

“Only cos you cheated on him with Dante.”

“Who told ja that?”

“Corey.”

Beth gritted her teeth, wanting to hit
the little dobber.

Her father continued, “That’s
unacceptable, Beth. I didn’t think I raised a child who would cheat.”

“He cheated on me emotionally. After he
broke up with me, he got back with his ex.”

“
After
he broke up with you, not
while
he wuz with you. You’re the one who’s in the wrong here, so stop makin’
excuses.”

Beth grimaced, angry her father was
taking Ash’s side, regardless of whether she was in the wrong or not.

He exhaled loudly. “Though, I must admit
those Rata boys are nuthin’ but trouble. I knew you wouldn’t last long with
Ash, and it’ll pro’bly be the same with Dante.”

“No it won’t, and Corey’s with a Rata, and
you’re not complaining ’bout him.”

“Sledge is Corey’s friend, not his
partner, plus that boy isn’t like his brothers. Minus his big mouth, he’s
mostly a good kid.”

Beth bit her tongue, angry with her
father’s ignorance, but knowing she couldn’t set him right, no matter how much she
wanted to.

Movement caught her attention. Her eyes
went to the doorway, where Corey was standing, staring at her fearfully,
probably thinking she was going to dob him in. She frowned, feeling conflicted
over what she felt about him. Her brother was so adorable-looking it was hard
to think of him doing anything wrong, but she knew there was a devil hidden
beneath his angelic exterior.

She pushed up. “I should go.”

Her father grabbed her hand and tugged
her back down. “No, you’re stayin’ for dinner. When your mother gets back,
we’ll sort out how we’re gonna support you and the child.”

“Dante will—”

“Do nuthin’, cos Hell will freeze over
before I allow my grandchild to be raised by drug money.”

“He doesn’t deal anymore, he gets paid
to sing.”

“You can’t raise a child on singing at
pubs.”

“He doesn’t sing at pubs, he’s got a
recording contract with a top music producer. He’s livin’ out in Herne Bay
now.”

Her father’s eyebrows shot up. “You
can’t be serious?”

“It’s true. He’s livin’ in an expensive
mansion, with a view of the Waitemata Harbour.”

Her father ran a hand over his hair,
looking shocked. “Never in a million years would I have thought that boy could
do anything but crime. Why didn’t cha tell me sooner?”

“He’s been unwell, but he’s better now.”

“Well, I hope he understands he needs to
do right by you. You two needa get married before you start to show.”

She smiled. “We are gettin’ married. He
proposed to me.”

His eyes widened. “When did this
happen?”

“Earlier today.”

He stared at her, looking stunned.

“Say sumpthin’, Dad.”

“As long as he’s on the straight and
narrow, I give you my blessing, but if he steps outta line, I will come down on
him so hard—”

“
Dad
, please.”

He squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry. I just
wanna see you happy.”

“I am with Dante.”

“Good, cos I only want the best for you,
baby.” He leaned over and gave her a hug.

Beth hugged him back, surprised he’d
taken the news so well.

The front door closed. “Pizza!” Sledge
yelled from the lounge. “Gimme, gimme!”

“Sledge, calm down,” Beth’s mother said.
“And Corey, sit down. You shouldn’t be walking without your crutches.”

Beth looked at the doorway as Corey
disappeared through it, their mother appearing in his place. Her eyes went to
Beth, a frown forming across her brow. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes, I’ve had a good talk with Beth
about the pregnancy,” her dad said.

Beth’s mother breathed out, not looking
happy about it.

“Love, I know it’s a shock,” he said,
getting up. “But it’ll work out.” He walked over and gave her a hug. She hugged
him back, the two looking like an odd couple. Beth’s father was half a head
shorter than her mother and twice as wide. But they were great together, the
two loving each other unconditionally.

Beth’s mother pulled back and gave him a
soft smile. “I’m just glad you’re not mad anymore.”

“It wuz a shock at first, but I’m not
willing to lose another child.” Sadness fell over his features. “Maybe if Samuel
felt he wuz able to talk to me, he wouldn’t be missing.”

“Oh, Dad.” Beth pushed up and wrapped
her arms around him. “That’s not your fault, it’s his horrible ex’s, and like I
told Mum, I’m sure he’s just wanting to be on his own for a while. When he’s
ready, he’ll come home.”

Her father pulled out of her hug, his
face worried, but he still nodded. “I pray so.”

“I know so.”

He smiled at her. “You’re a good
daughter.”

Her mother made a grunting sound.

Her father turned to face her. “What
didja say?”

“We better get in the lounge,” Beth’s
mother replied, dodging the question. “I think Sledge is eating all the pizza.”

Beth’s father let out a bark of
laughter. “He is a big lad. I hope you got more than one.”

A smile pulled at her lips. “Yes, I know
what that boy’s like, but I can’t promise he won’t take another one, so we
better get in there quick.”

She grabbed his hand and pulled him into
the lounge, Beth following close behind. And true to her mother’s word, Sledge
was devouring a pizza and not being very polite about it.

Corey leaned back into the couch. “You
can have my pieces.”

“I already plan to,” Sledge said with a
full mouth.

“Corey!” their mother said. “You have to
eat.”

“I’m not hungry,” Corey replied.

“Oh, come on, love, you can’t keep going
without. You’re too skinny.”

Sledge looked over at Corey. “Nah, he
looks hot like that.”

Corey went still, Beth too, not
expecting Sledge to say that out loud. She looked at her father, who was no
longer smiling.

“What do you mean by Corey looks
hot
?”
her father said.

Sledge shrugged and kept chewing,
looking like he didn’t realise his slip up, his eyes on the TV.

“Sledge! What didja mean by my son looks
hot
?”

Sledge stopped mid-chew and looked over
at him, his face confused.

“He didn’t mean anything by it,” Corey
piped up. “He doesn’t understand half of what he says now.” He tapped Sledge’s
head. “He constantly uses the wrong words cos of his brain injury.”

“I understand enough, dipshit.” Sledge
smacked Corey’s hand off him and turned back to watch the TV, looking like he
couldn’t care less that he’d angered Beth’s father.