Read Online Heartless by Janet Taylor-Perry - Free Book Online

like Mia
except the eyes that looked back at Ray were reflections of his
own. Parker was not much bigger than Mia at around five-foot
eight or nine and around a hundred forty pounds according to
Ray's estimate. His dark brown hair hung limply like his
mother's to his shoulders and was parted on the left side. He
needed to shave since the sparse facial hair looked scruffy. He
was clean, but the clothes he wore were cheap and a bit shabby.
His gray sweat shirt was from a school in Metairie and had
obviously been laundered many times, and his jeans were
inexpensive, perhaps a Fred's Dollar Store purchase, with tears
in both knees. He wore boots which looked to be of a fairly
good quality although scuffed and worn. Wonder if he picked
those up at a Goodwill . Ray took all this in quickly, but he
could not get past the boy's eyes. Finally, Ray shook his hand.
"Mia's son?" Ray asked, still stunned.
"Yes, sir. Mia Godchaux is my mother."
    The words that came from Ray's mouth next sounded as if
someone else was speaking. "Am I your father?"
The answer Ray received was even more shocking. "I don't
know, sir. My mother never said for sure, but I would like to
know. That's why I've come. I have a few possibilities. I'd like
to ask you to do a paternity test."
Ray scowled. "Any chance that Robert LaFontaine is one
of your possibilities?"
"Yes, sir. I already asked the Senator if he would take a
paternity test, but he refused."
"Of course, he did. That would've been a mighty big
skeleton in his closet."
"What about you?"
Shocked by Parker's frankness, Ray gestured to a chair. "Sit
down."
Parker took the seat, but held his fists in a tight clasp.
Ray responded to his question. "You're definitely a
surprise." He sat back down. "I never even knew Mia had a
child. If you are my son, I didn't know. If I had…"
"Would you have married my mother?"
Ray was honest. "I don't know. I'm sure we would've ended
up divorced, but I would have been a father to my child."
"Thank you for that," Parker said with wisdom far beyond
his years. "Does that mean you'll take the test?"
Ray rubbed his head. Well, shit. It's not the boy's fault, no
matter what. He nodded. "Yes, Parker. Come with me. We can
get the criminology lab to do it right now. It'll take a couple of
days to get the results. I'm sorry, Parker. I swear I never knew
about you."
Ray stood and Parker followed his example.
"I know you didn't, sir. Nobody knew about me. Thank you
for admitting at least the possibility that you could be my
father."
Ray took Parker to the lab a few blocks away where both
had blood drawn. Then, both walked back to the police station.
Ray asked, "Where are you staying?"
"I've got a place."
"With friends here?"
"Not exactly."
"A homeless shelter?" Ray's eyebrows shot to his hair line.
"Yes, sir."
"No. That will never do. Get your things. You're coming
home with me."
Parker shook his head. "No, sir. At least not until we know
the truth. I'll come by your office in a couple of days, but thank
you for the offer." Back in front of the police station, Parker
got on a motorcycle and left.
Ray turned around in circles a few times, feeling his life
was spiraling out of control. He jogged inside the station and
spoke to his assistant.
Ray went home.
Larkin had not called him. Obviously, there was nothing
seriously wrong, and he needed a few moments in the arms of
his guardian angel at that point in time. Oh, my God! How do I
tell Larkin? Ray asked himself as he drove.
♥♥♥
    Ray walked into his house to the scent of his favorite meal.
He remembered the first time he had tasted Larkin's rotisserie
chicken and how beautiful she had been across the table from
him. She had changed very little in the thirteen years they had
been married. She was short and slight, and she might have
gained five pounds. Moreover, there was not a strand of gray in
her auburn hair. She was forty-one, but she didn't look a day
over thirty.
    Larkin came into the foyer where Ray