Edge Of Time

Thirteen

Thirteen

"I should kill you right now, you—you lecherous rake," Mike Jamison growled. "You know damn well why I'm here."

"I can assure you I do not." Craig's eyes darted from the various muzzles to the fingers lingering at the triggers. None of them looked overly steady.

"My daughter!"

"What about your daughter?"

"You son of a bitch, she's pregnant!"

"Christ almighty." Craig felt the black hole of his life began to collapse in around him, and for a fleeting moment he wished for them to shoot him and be done with it.

"Her mother and I heard her retching and sobbing this morning. She told me it's yours. I found you in her bed, so don't even try to deny it."

"I told you before that I never touched her! It's a goddamn lie."

"I should castrate you here and now!" Mike's voice rose impossibly high as spittle flew from his mouth. "You don't really expect anyone to believe that now do you?"

Craig looked the man dead in the eye. "Yes, I do, and so should you, considering the trick your daughter pulled the night before my wedding."

Jamison hesitated for the barest instant, and Craig saw confusion and doubt warring with certitude in the man's eyes. "But I found you in her bed, you bastard. In her bed! That was no trick! You got drunk and you ruined her. What will you do to take care of her, Langston? You're already married, but I expect you will give the child your name and support my daughter and the child you sired on her."

"Never!" Craig growled like a caged lion. "I didn't father her bastard. How can you be sure if she even is pregnant?"

"The midwife confirms it."

"Really? Then I suggest you look elsewhere because I am not, and will not be responsible for her!" Taking a definitive step back Craig put a hand upon the heavy door as though to close it. "If you'll excuse me, my wife is waiting."

Slamming the door closed, he slid the bolt securely home and leaned his back heavily against it, sliding his own weapon back to his side as he waited for the sound of the men treading back down the walk.

Sinking to the floor, he leaned his head against the wall. Numb. What was he going to do? As if this situation with Marissa wasn't enough to deal with, Kirsten had to go and throw her dirty ace on top of the pile.

Turning, he saw Marissa standing statue still and ashen before the winding staircase. "It's not true," he said.

Catatonically she slid onto the bottom step.