“When the DNA results came back, we knew why your mother couldn’t allow you and Perry to wed. Your father, Quincy Abbott, isn’t your biological father, Brundage Black is.”
Perry said, “We’re second-degree relatives, Day. That means you and I have to be half-brother and -sister.”
Day stood there, shaking his head back and forth, so white Savich thought he might fall over. His mother turned to stone.
“Mom, tell them it’s a mistake! Tell them! My dad—he’s my dad! Tell them, Mom!”
“I’m very sorry, Day,” Natalie said. “So very sorry. I didn’t know.”
Savich said, “It took me only a few minutes, Mrs. Abbott, to map your ex-husband’s recent itineraries to and from Washington, D.C. We found him staying openly at the Rutherford Hotel, not doing much to hide his identity. He has a bullet wound in his upper arm, and I’m quite sure his DNA will match the blood we found at Perry’s condo. We also found a Smith and Wesson we’re checking for ballistics. We have him in custody, and if he’s smart, he’ll cooperate.”
Savich hated the pain he was causing, but he had to get it done. “Day, Mr. Abbott, I am sorry, but your mother and father never wanted you to know the truth about your parentage. I doubt your father knew until recently, and he lost control. He was willing to do anything not to lose his son, or see you marry your own sister. He didn’t want you to have to deal with the knowledge of any of it.
“Mrs. Black had no idea about this, either. She and Brundage had separated for a couple of months before they graduated, then made up and got married. Brundage Black never told her he’d slept with your mother.”
He turned back to Arliss. “Of course, the president didn’t know Brundage was Day’s father, Mrs. Abbott. But he did know you loved Brundage Black back in your days at Yale. He said everyone knew it except Natalie and Brundage, because they were so involved with each other. He did remember that Brundage got drunk one night and admitted he’d slept with you during his breakup with Natalie. He didn’t think Brundage ever told Natalie because he didn’t want to hurt her or to hurt the friendship between the two of you. Brundage thought your time together was a mistake, and he was profoundly sorry.”
Savich didn’t think he’d ever seen a person stand so very silent. She’d retreated into herself, trying somehow to shield herself. He didn’t want to say the rest, but he had to. “You got pregnant, Mrs. Abbott, but you couldn’t tell Brundage because he and Natalie were already married. You didn’t tell anyone, not even Quincy Abbott, the man you married two weeks later. You kept it from everyone for more than thirty years until you had no choice. From the moment Day told you he intended to marry Perry, and you couldn’t talk him out of it, you realized you needed help, and you turned to your ex-husband, Quincy Abbott.”
Day Abbott suddenly looked like a boy, afraid of what had just happened, not wanting to accept it. “Mom, tell me this isn’t true. Please tell me this is all a mistake.”
Arliss opened her mouth, closed it again. She reached out to her son, but he flinched away from her. He looked at Perry, whispered, “You’re really my sister, Perry? I wanted to marry my sister? How can that be? No, that can’t be right. My dad is the best; he’s always been there for me. Even after he and mom divorced and he moved to Colorado and remarried, even after he had two kids, I was still the one closest to him. He’s always helped me, even in college, he—” His voice broke off, as if he’d run out of words.
Natalie said to Arliss, “I never realized you were in love with Brundage. I suppose I should have seen it, but what Thorn said is true. Brundage and I were so involved with each other we sometimes didn’t see other people clearly.” She fell silent for a moment, and Perry knew she was looking into the past. “It was always like that between us until he died. Arliss, I’m very sorry we both let you down.”
Arliss finally spoke again, her quiet words sounding loudly in the silent room. “Brundage did see me, Natalie, even if you didn’t. After we slept together, I knew he loved me. He went back to you because he felt guilty.”
Natalie said, “No, Arliss. It’s what you’d like to believe, but it isn’t true. We had a wonderful life together. You know his death nearly broke me, it was so sudden, and he was so very young.”
“You thought you were alone? Dammit, Natalie, his dying broke me, too! I couldn’t believe Brundage died, he always seemed so invincible. I hated him when he died.” She looked away from all of them. “Do you know he never even thought to ask me if I’d gotten pregnant, even though he had to wonder about my sudden marriage to Quincy?”