The Secret Sister by M. DeLuca (leveled readers txt) 📗

when I saw him; a golden-skinned, baby-faced guy with close-cropped red hair and cool, green eyes. Earl Rafferty. Record store owner, DJ, amateur filmmaker and God knows what else. The guy who’d promised to get Carla into modeling. A sweet-faced soft talker who offered vulnerable young girls free manicures, shoes, clothes, hairdos and food. But they paid a high price for his generosity.

This was the guy I’d seen at the nail salon.

I peered around the other side of the stack. All I could see was the back of a head of white, well-groomed hair that twisted sideways to reveal Peter Karrass’s profile complete with chiseled goatee. That guy turned up everywhere like a bad penny. But I couldn’t figure out how he was connected to Gord. And why he kept showing up in all these sleazy places from my past.

I watched from my hiding place trying to listen in on their conversation, but their voices were too low to make anything out. When my phone rang loud and clear into the silence, both of them turned to see where the noise was coming from. I ducked for cover behind a CD rack. It was Guy.

“We’re done,” he said. “Come over now. Mom’s making supper.”

“Okay,” I whispered, peering over the shelves to see the two guys disappearing into the back room. That was my cue to get out of there. I’d had enough of that hole in the wall and its creepy owner.

I needed fresh air. The goddamn store was suffocating me.

Nancy, looking fresh and tailored in a crisp white shirt and jeans, slid a plate of herbed chicken garnished with rosemary and wild mushrooms onto the table. Guy passed round bowls of endive salad and roasted cauliflower. I heaped my plate up, realizing I hadn’t eaten all day. Nancy kept a close eye out for any spatters and stains, wiping them up immediately with a clean cloth. Gord and Guy paid no attention, but I couldn’t help wondering if she ever served red meat or pasta in tomato sauce. Maybe the thought of blood or tomato spatters across her pristine kitchen counter was too much to bear.

“Looks great, Mom,” said Guy, squeezing my hand and smiling. His way of saying sorry. I smiled back. After seeing Earl Rafferty I needed to feel safe and get the balance of my life back to normal.

We ate in silence but I could tell that Gord was bursting to talk. He kept smiling to himself as if conducting a private inner conversation. Guy looked tense and apprehensive while Nancy’s gaze bounced from one to the other. Then, when Gord had chewed up the last piece of chicken, his face broke out into a broad, beaming smile.

“So, Anna,” he said, directing his hooded, blue eyes at me. “Guy tells me you’re looking for an opportunity to broaden your horizons, turn a new page in your life – maybe get your feet wet in an exciting new venture.”

I winced at the string of clichés, but decided to follow suit. “Yes, I’m definitely interested in branching out. Striking out towards pastures new.”

“Good, good,” he said, dabbing a napkin against his lips and leaning back in his chair. He really got off on those hackneyed phrases. Guy stared at me with raised eyebrows, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. “Well, as you may have realized, I’m a firm believer in family first. Family is the backbone of our society. More to the point, there’s solidarity in blood.”

My jaw ached. When was he actually going to get to the point?

“To that end, I’m happy to tell you that I’m the recipient of a very generous government grant, courtesy of my friends in high places who really came through for me yet again. It’s earmarked for an important assessment project and I thought you’d be the perfect person to assist Guy in getting it off the ground. I know it means mixing business with pleasure, but you can be sure our Guy is a consummate professional and won’t let personal matters interfere with the work. In other words, no shenanigans in the boss’s office. No kissing in the copy room.” He winked. Guy gave a half-hearted grin.

“I-I’m not sure what to say,” I stammered. I should have been gloating.

After all this was exactly what I’d wanted.

“If I was in your shoes I’d say yes,” said Gord. “You’ll be doubling your salary. Not that it matters. What’s ours is yours after all.”

“Say yes, Anna,” said Guy. “I can’t wait to work with you.”

“I should finish the semester,” I said, my voice a little wobbly at the thought of leaving all my students. “There’s only a month left.”

Gord leaned forward. “Of course. Then I take it that’s a yes.”

“Yes,” I whispered.

Gord pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. “Nancy, champagne’s chilling in the fridge. Bring out the glasses and let’s toast the newest member of our team.”

Nancy set out the glasses on the polished tabletop, watching anxiously as Guy clutched a white tea towel over the neck of the bottle. When he pulled out the cork with an explosive pop I felt suddenly light and disoriented – untethered, as if my body would somehow spin off into the air. The school and Robin and all those kids had been like family to me for years, a steadying force – an anchor that had kept me stable and grounded. Now I’d agreed to become part of this perfect family and their successful business. I grasped the arms of my chair. Had I made the right choice?

Or had I screwed up everything I’d worked so hard for?

21

May sunshine streamed in through the window, throwing the lines on Robin’s face into sharp relief and revealing the frayed collar of his shirt. I told him I was leaving at the end of the semester.

“I’m disappointed, Anna,” he said, fingering the shark’s tooth necklace. His nails looked yellowy, scored with deep ridges. His face had the caved-in beaten look of a