A Spirited Gift

I was relieved when it was over. I sat down in the matching old-fashioned white chair and waited for him to say something.

“I’m not surprised,” he said. “You found out you have a father. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t wonder about him. I’m not sure about letting him stay at the shop—”

I got up and started pacing again. “I didn’t know what else to do. You have all this damage and Duck doesn’t have a homeless shelter. I couldn’t take him home and introduce him to Gramps—”

“That was my next question.”

“No. I haven’t told him.” I explained what Danny had said about why he and my mother broke up. “I confronted Gramps with it. I think he lied to me again.”

Kevin sat forward and took my hands, his gray-blue eyes worried. “You’ve only known your father for a short time, Dae. You’ve known Horace all your life. I’m sure whatever he did all those years ago felt justified at the time. What action do you take when you find out your daughter is pregnant and the father has been in and out of trouble his whole life? Multiply that answer times one hundred—that’s for being sheriff.”

“That’s about what he said.”

“So you let your father stay at Missing Pieces. Did he steal something?”

“No.” I lied looking right into his eyes. “He got arrested.”

I explained about Tim finding him in Missing Pieces and taking him to Manteo. “I have to get him out. He wasn’t doing anything wrong. Tim misunderstood. But I couldn’t get in the garage.”

“You need a ride.” He nodded. “I was wondering why you’d decided to come clean now. I should’ve known you needed something.”

“It’s not like that, Kevin. I didn’t want to explain what I was doing to anyone. I needed to understand it myself.”

“Do you understand it now?”

“Not really,” I admitted with a smile. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have told you yet if I didn’t need you. I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better, no one else knows either.”

“It doesn’t make me feel any better that you’ve been hanging out at a sleazy bar alone, trying to decide if you should introduce yourself to your father. You could’ve gotten in trouble.”

It suddenly occurred to me that he knew too much. “I never said it was a bar! You knew. Did you follow me or something? Is that once an FBI agent always an FBI agent? Did you say anything to Gramps?”

“I didn’t tell your grandfather. I was worried about you, that’s all. I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist checking up on your father. I just wanted to be there if you needed help.”

We stared at each other for a few seconds. I supposed I couldn’t be too upset with him. Neither of us had actually lied to the other—it was more a sin of omission. Next time I’d have to remember to ask if he was following me.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I should’ve told you. Then you could’ve told me you were following me and we could’ve gone to the sleazy bar together.”

“I’m sorry too. I should’ve told you sooner that I knew what you were up to.” He smiled. “So? What’s he like? Is Danny Evans every girl’s dream father?”

“Hardly. He’s not like anyone’s father I’ve ever known. But he’s probably never been anyone’s real father either.”

“You haven’t told him, have you? He doesn’t know he’s your father.”

“Not yet. But I plan to. He recognized my name, of course. And he remembers my mom. He said I look just like her. He knows I’m her daughter—but not his. I’m not ready to tell him yet.”

“But you trusted him enough to let him stay at Missing Pieces. You know he’s done everything from con games to breaking and entering. You may be letting the fact that he’s your father overshadow who he really is.”

“I know.”

“For someone who seems so upfront about everything—you have a lot of layers.”

“Yeah,” I joked. “They used to call me Onion Head when I was a kid.”

The remark didn’t get the laugh I was hoping for. “Nothing happened, Kevin. It’s not like he’s a criminal or something—”

“You mean at least not right now?”

“I just need some time before I spring it on him that he has a daughter.”

“What about your grandfather?”

“I need some time for him too. I don’t know how he’s going to take it when he finds out.” I told him about Gramps giving my father money and threatening him to get him to leave.

“Okay. I can see it’s a delicate matter. Let me change my clothes and we’ll go.”

“Thanks.” I hugged him. “I knew I could count on you.”

“Really? That’s why you didn’t tell me about it sooner?”

I sighed. It was going to be a long drive to Manteo.

Chapter 26

As we drove to the county jail, I was amazed all over again at all the damage the storm had done. No matter how many times I saw the aftermath, I was still struck by the awesome power of the wind and sea. A real hurricane would’ve been much worse—but the damage to homes and business property, not to mention house-size piles of rubble and garbage, was bad enough. I was just glad no one had been reported seriously injured or dead—besides Sandi, of course.