Make It Known

Bonus Chapter #5: Father

"Father"

early parenting years • Dylan's POV

***

Sandra Wilson

My eyebrows shoot upwards when I glance at the caller ID flashing across my cell phone screen.

Sandy... Bloody hell. When was the last time... Ah, yeah. I remember the last time.

"Hello," I answer, curious.

"Dylan? Hi." She sounds... different. It's been nearly four years, I guess there's nothing odd about that.

"Sandy? It's been a long time. How are you?"

For some reason, she falters before answering. "I'm... doing just fine. How about you?"

"Alright."

Shit, I don't even know what to say to her.

"I know you're probably wondering why I'm calling," she deadpans. Her voice is... dryer. She sounds tired.

"Definitely a surprise. What's it been, three, four years?"

I think I catch her let out a sigh. "Nearly four," she confirms. "Listen, Dylan, I..." She swallows. Seems like she's having some trouble saying what she wants to say. "Are you free some time this weekend to meet with me? I know this is pretty last minute but... it's important."

My forehead knits into a frown and my mind starts racing with the possibilities, but nothing that I come up with makes sense. "Okay. Is... everything alright, Sandy?"

When she answers I can tell her throat is raw. "I... I'll explain everything in person. I can text you my address. When works for you?"

Now I'm dying of curiosity. "It's a rather quiet Saturday. Does this afternoon work? 2 pm?"

"That's perfect." She hesitates before asking, "Are you... seeing anyone?"

"Yes. Yeah, I am." Back when I ran into her a few years ago, I'd have been the last person to be in a committed relationship, but there it is.

"Bring her with, will you?"

More mysterious by the second. I talk about leaving my work at the station, but in reality my mind doesn't bloody stop. Once a detective... "Sure. See you soon."

"See you."

I find Victoria in the kitchen with an apron tied around her slender waist and her silky chestnut hair pulled back from her flushed face, baking what I think is shortbread. This woman is going to make me very, very fat.

I explain the bizarre call to her. "Sandra and I saw each other for a bit in high school. Then we went our separate ways. Four years ago, we ran into each other in a bar. She was getting over a nasty break-up and I was in the middle of a bloody awful investigation. We... uh, spent the night together. Haven't seen or heard from her since."

She looks at me with that same bewitching sparkle in her dark eyes. Fuck, I've always been a sucker for dark eyes. "Was she any good?"