Now, not only had he brought Mona, a college professor at the University of Virginia, home, but he was bringing her to family functions, too, like Shana’s wedding and Sunday dinners. Although Mona was legally blind, there was a fifty-fifty chance she could get her eyesight back, since her optic nerve hadn’t been damaged in the auto accident, just her peripheral nerves.
Jules had slept until almost noon that morning, and it had been the smell of the fish her father was frying in the kitchen downstairs that had awakened her. She loved all types of seafood, with fish and shrimp topping the list as her favorites. Luckily for her, her father enjoyed fishing. And no one fried fish and cooked hush puppies like Ben Bradford.
By the time she’d showered and dressed to go downstairs, he’d set the table for lunch. He hadn’t provided any explanation about where he’d spent the night, and she hadn’t asked. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to tell from the smile on his face that he had spent the night with Mona. She’d figured they had become sexually active during their trip to New York last month. But any time she thought about her father having sex when she wasn’t managed to grate on her last nerve. Now more than before, she intended to call Ray Ford the first chance she got.
“So what are you thinking about, Jules?”
She blinked, realizing her father had spoken and what he’d asked. It was not the time to be honest and tell him what she really had been thinking, so she said, “About Sheppard Granger and his situation.” That wasn’t a total lie, since everything that had happened last night was still on her mind when she woke up this morning, especially that kiss. No matter how tired she’d been last night, it hadn’t kept Dalton from invading her dreams. Last night had been worse, since she now knew how he tasted.
“And?”
She shrugged. “You tell me, Dad. You’ve met him.” A week before Shana’s wedding, Jace had invited her dad to accompany him and Shana to Delvers to meet his father. The only thing Ben had said afterward was that Sheppard Granger was a likable guy. That hadn’t told her much, since there were plenty of murderers who’d gone down in history as being likable.
“The meeting with him didn’t last long, Jules.”
“Doesn’t matter. The ex-cop and ex-detective in you would have sized him up pretty quickly. Tell me something other than he was a likable guy.”
Ben turned from the sink and met his daughter’s intense gaze while heaving a deep sigh. “Apparently, the word likable doesn’t do it for you.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
Ben moved across the room to take a chair. He knew Jules had questions for a reason, and he didn’t particularly like where this line of questioning might lead. “If I had to do a quick character analysis of Sheppard Granger, I would have to say if he wasn’t behind bars, he would be an affluent entrepreneur who, although born with a silver spoon in his mouth, is the type of man who doesn’t have a problem sharing his wealth and thinking about those less fortunate. He would be an awesome benefactor. Not just of his wealth but of his knowledge, which I believe is extensive. I could tell he’s kept himself up-to-date on modern technology, changing trends and world events. I believe that although he’s behind bars, he has a special leadership gift that few men possess, which is why he was able to not only form relationships with the three men you met last night, but also become a positive role model, counselor, adviser and confidant to them, as well as to others.”
Ben paused a moment to gather his thoughts, knowing that his daughter, the ex-cop, was latching on to his every word. “I was able to pick up on those things about him immediately, the minute I walked into the prison. He’s highly respected by more than just the warden. He’s earned the respect of the guards and his fellow inmates. They know he’s getting special favors, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone. In fact, it’s as if they know any favors given to him will eventually benefit them. They know that he will look out for them.”