Sandra Timmons walked to the window, glanced out and stood there a moment before turning back around. Instead of answering Jules, she spoke directly to Shiloh. “He found out...when you were in that bad accident a few years ago and you needed a blood transfusion. The only person who could give you the blood to save your life was Vance.”
Jules watched as shock tore into Shiloh’s features, and she held on to a table for balance. “What are you saying, Mom?”
Regret shone in Sandra Timmons’s eyes when she said, “Vance Clayburn is your father.”
Shiloh crumbled to the sofa beside her, and Jules reached out and took her hand as Sandra added, “So now you know why Vance is marrying Nannette. He hates me and will do anything to hurt me. Mainly because he had a child I never told him about...until I needed him to save your life.”
Thirty-Nine
A few hours later, Jules stood in front of her investigation wall. Though she wished she had gone home after leaving Shady Pines, she hadn’t. She had come here. Knowing what she knew now she was determined more than ever to free Sheppard Granger.
She rubbed her hand down her face and remembered what had happened after Sandra Timmons’s announcement. Shiloh had gone into shock. Sandra Timmons had fled the room, and Jules had had to handle things from there.
Shiloh only wanted Caden at that point, so Jules had contacted him right away and asked him to get over to Shady Pines immediately.
Caden had arrived in what Jules knew was less than half the time it would normally have taken to get to Shady Pines from downtown Charlottesville. He had walked into the room and gone immediately to his wife, who was still sitting on the sofa in a daze.
Jules watched and felt a sharp tug at her heart as Caden, without asking any questions, kissed his wife on the lips before sweeping her into his arms. Moments later, just before leaving, he thanked Jules for calling him, and then they were gone. He hadn’t taken time to ask questions or seek answers. It was as if he knew what Shiloh needed, and the first thing was to get her away from Shady Pines.
Jules shook herself, trying to step away from the ugly scene she’d been a party to at the Timmons estate. If she lived to be a thousand she would never forget the admissions she’d heard from Sandra Timmons.
She came back to reality. She took a look at her own life, accepting that she had fallen in love with Dalton. There was no need to deny it, because it was true. But if nothing else, she knew from their time together on Sunday that Dalton would never see her as anything but a sexual object. One he was now trying to possess by wanting them to be exclusive. She couldn’t let him do that. She wanted the kind of love Shana had with Jace, the kind Shiloh had with Caden. Since there was no way Dalton could or would ever provide that kind of love to her or any woman, she might as well cut her losses and move on.
She needed to concentrate on this investigation and not become distracted. And Dalton was a distraction. A delicious one, but a distraction, nevertheless. Next time she saw him, she would let him know her decision—it would be best if they didn’t see each other again.
She checked her watch. It was late, and there was so much at stake right now. Manning had left for home hours ago, and she’d told him she wouldn’t be long in leaving the office herself. But she was still here. She had stayed back to finish up her notes on the meeting with Sandra Timmons and to review everything she knew about Vance Clayburn. Sandra Timmons claimed the two of them were together somewhere on the day Sylvia Granger was murdered. Was that true? Jules would certainly check that alibi. Where had they been? Was she telling the truth or was she protecting Clayburn again? It wouldn’t be the first time she’d gone out of her way to protect him. She’d even let her husband believe she was having an affair with Sheppard Granger to protect him. And, of all things, the man was Shiloh’s biological father. What a mess.
It was getting late, and she was tired. The first thing on her agenda tomorrow morning would be to go talk to Mr. Clayburn himself. And she would refuse to be put off. Grabbing the files off her desk and her coat from the rack, she drew in a deep breath and left her office, heading for home.