“Yes, that’s right.”
“I see the family resemblance,” he said. “But I also recognized him from a newspaper photo Henry showed me. You and your brothers were at a dedication. Henry told me he was going to have the photo framed because it was rare for all of you to be together.”
She nodded. “That’s true. It seems the only time we get together is when there’s a funeral or a crisis.”
“A what?”
“A crisis.”
He leaned his elbows on the table and thought about what she’d just said.
Regan looked back at Spencer and said, “I should go say hello to my brother.”
“Two brothers are here,” he said.
She smiled. “Yes, but I’m only going to be nice to one of them.”
He smiled. “Spoken like a true sister.”
The knot in her wrap came undone, and when she pushed her chair back to stand, it fell to the floor.
He bolted to his feet. The dress showed off her attributes a little too well for his liking. No, that wasn’t exactly true. He liked looking at her. He just didn’t want anyone else to.
He was about to tell her to put the blanket back on when she turned to him. They stood just inches apart, her face upturned to his. If he moved so much as a couple of inches, his mouth would be on top of hers. He stopped himself in time. It wasn’t his place to tell her what she could or couldn’t wear, no matter how much it bothered him. If he tried that on one of his sisters, she’d laugh right in his face. Then she’d give him hell.
Regan wasn’t his sister, though. She’s a job, nothing more. Those words became a chant inside his head, and yet he was having trouble accepting it.
“Alec? You were saying?”
“Stay in the room,” he said gruffly. “I’ll be watching, but stay in the room.”
“Yes, of course.”
Cordie was bringing Spencer to Regan. She met them halfway across the ballroom, hugged her brother, and welcomed him home.
Alec watched the reunion as he pulled out his cell phone. He dialed Wincott’s cell number. The detective answered on the second ring.
Alec didn’t waste time on pleasantries. “Check out the brothers.”
“The ball that boring, huh?”
“I mean it. Check them out.”
“We already have,” he said. “And you’re not supposed to have any involvement in the investigation.”
It was almost impossible for Alec to back off. He didn’t want to jeopardize Wincott’s future with the department, and he knew that if Lewis found out he was doing anything more than guarding Regan, he would make Wincott’s life miserable.
“So what are you thinking?” Wincott asked.
“Maybe this guy is after the whole family, or maybe he’s using Regan to get all the brothers back in Chicago. I know you’ve checked them out, but go deeper. There might be something there.”
“Okay,” he said. “We’ll dig deeper.”
“Look, I know you’re overworked and understaffed. I’ll call Gil and ask him to check out a couple of things.”
“So you’re not involved, but you are?”
“I really want to follow up on a hunch.”
“That’s fine with me… if Gil doesn’t mind.”
“Did anything come up on Regan?”
“Since you asked this morning? No. The people she turned down for grants were the only ones who had a grudge. Although, there were a couple of nutcases-you know, people who wanted money for weird inventions-but they checked out okay. Weird, but okay,” he said. “I already told you we’re looking at Peter Morris,” he added. “Her friends checked out too. I guess by now you’ve figured out who Sophie Rose’s father is.”
“Thanks for telling me.”
Wincott laughed. “I almost fell off the chair when I found out. It doesn’t appear to make any difference to Regan or her brothers. They don’t blame the daughter for the sins of her father.”
“That’s the way it should be.”
“We’ve ruled Bobby Rose out. I’m getting another call.”
Alec flipped the phone closed and put it back in his pocket. He stood with his back to the wall, his arms folded across his chest, watching the crowd.
Aiden had joined his brother and sister. Cordie seemed to be the only one interested in what he had to say. No, interested wasn’t the right description, Alec thought. She looked enthralled. Regan, on the other hand, looked furious. Aiden was still talking when she shook her head, turned, and walked back to their table. Several men tried to engage her in conversation, but other than smiling at each one, she paid them no attention and continued on.
Alec pulled the chair out for her, but she didn’t sit. She stood next to him and stared at the entrance.
Cordie had followed Regan, and she smiled when Alec pulled her chair out for her. “Who are you looking for?” she asked Regan as she placed the napkin on her lap. She turned around to see who Regan was watching, and then said, “Oh, I see.”
“See what?” Alec asked.
“Mr. and Mrs. Sleazebag just walked in,” Cordie said.
Alec didn’t comment, but he did track the couple as they made their way around the tables to get to their seats. Emerson’s face was red, no doubt from alcohol, Alec thought. His wife was adjusting her bodice and fluffing her long platinum hair. An interesting couple, he decided, and he wondered what Wincott had found out about them.
Sophie and Jeff returned to the table, and Sophie craned her neck so she, too, could watch the couple. When they had taken their seats, she turned to Regan and said, “The whole family’s here. Isn’t that lovely?”
“Just super.”
“Walker isn’t here,” Cordie pointed out.
“I was being sarcastic,” Sophie said. She told Regan and Alec to sit down, for heaven’s sake, and then added, “Aiden had no right to invite Emerson. He knows how Regan feels about him. I think it was terribly disloyal of him, and I told him so.”
Cordie immediately rushed to Aiden’s defense. “You can’t know if he invited him or not.”
“Of course I can know,” Sophie countered. “Aiden told me he invited him,” she rushed to add when Cordie looked as if she was going to argue.
“What did he say when you called him disloyal?” Cordie asked.
“He said it was cheaper than a lawsuit and for me to behave myself tonight,” Sophie said. “He still treats me like I’m a ten-year-old.”
Waiters appeared with the first course. The conversation turned to lighter topics during dinner, and Regan was thankful for that. Jeff told several humorous stories about a tennis competition he’d entered, and Regan tried to look interested. She wasn’t hungry. Seeing Emerson had destroyed her appetite, but no one seemed to notice she was moving the food around her plate.
After dinner, but before the dancing began, Daniel O’Donnell stepped up to the podium and tapped on the microphone to get everyone’s attention.
“Please tell me there aren’t going to be a dozen or so boring speakers,” Cordie said.
“Just one boring speaker,” Regan replied.
“For a thousand dollars a plate, we shouldn’t have to listen to anyone,” Sophie said.
“Hush,” Cordie whispered. “People can hear you.”
A moment later, after the administrator had thanked everyone for attending, he introduced Regan. Cordie and Sophie both laughed.
“Keep it short and sweet,” Sophie said.
“As opposed to long and boring?” Regan teased.
Deciding to wing it, she left the note cards in her purse. Alec stood when she did, but he didn’t follow her. He watched the crowd and the doors. He did notice that every eye was on Regan as she made her way to the podium.
It took her all of thirty seconds to hook her audience and less than that to mesmerize them.
The hospital was located in the heart of the inner city, and Regan stressed the importance of keeping it open. There was a desperate need for money and for additional beds, which meant a drive to expand.