Jamie Quinn Cozy Mysteries Collection

Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

I spent the afternoon at my desk returning calls and drafting pleadings, but my mind was elsewhere, preoccupied with the riddle of my father. Duke offered to keep digging around, but I asked him to hold off for a while. After my embarrassing meltdown at lunch, maybe I wasn't ready to hear it. Or maybe the best thing to do was to plow through and resolve this nagging problem for good. I couldn't think straight anymore. I spent so much time giving advice to my clients and helping them make decisions that I was too burnt out to deal with my own stuff. What I needed was some perspective, some distance, and possibly some psychoanalysis, but, most of all, I needed a good laugh. What I needed was my friend, Grace. The best way to chat with Grace during the day was by text. She worked in Fort Lauderdale for a big securities firm that kept her busy, but she could usually answer a text.

Hola Amiga! Guess what I found out today? BTW, I just gave you a clue…

Hmmm…you like to eat at Chipotle? You're dying for a Frozen Margarita?

Not even close, Grace…

Give me another clue.

I'm thinking of taking salsa & merengue lessons because it's in my "blood."

You're auditioning for "Dancing with the Stars?" I got it--you're a Cuban vampire!

You're half-right…

You're a vampire?? Wow, Jamie!!

This isn't 'Twilight', Grace. No, I found out my dad is Cuban.

You're kidding! A Cuban named Bill Frank?

A/K/A Guillermo Franco

Awesome! What else did you find out?

Nada. Not sure if I want to know more.

Don't be a chicken! Of course you do! Isn't there someone your mom was close to back then?

How do I know? I wasn't born yet. Lol

Think, James! Even I can think of someone...

I'm totally clueless.

What about her sister?? You know, your Aunt Peg?

Peg's never mentioned my father.

I bet you never asked.

Nope, never have.

Do it! Then we can go out for Cuban food and celebrate your heritage.

Alright, I guess…

Hasta la vista baby

Yeah yeah

It couldn't hurt to talk to Peg; I owed her a phone call anyway. After my mom died a year ago, we didn't see much of each other because we were both grieving in our own way. But when her son, Adam, was accused of murder, that brought us back together pretty quick. Now, I tried to have dinner with them at least once a month so we could catch up.

I decided to pack it up early and go home. It had been a tough day and I could feel a headache blooming behind my eyes. I popped two aspirin and speed-dialed my aunt on my cell. I could walk and talk without tripping most of the time. After we chatted about how Adam was doing at Broward College and how much Aunt Peg loved her new class of second-graders, she asked what was new with me. It made me catch my breath, how much she sounded like my mom. I was afraid I might start crying again, but I choked it down.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, no worries. Can I ask you something, Aunt Peg?"

"Of course, Jamie."

"Well, um, I was wondering…do you know anything about my father?"

There was a long moment of silence, so long that I thought we'd been disconnected.

"Yes," she finally answered, "And I have something for you that I've been holding for quite a while."

"Now I'm curious, what is it?"

"If you come over, I'll show you."