A Family Affair: Winter: Truth in Lies, Book 1 Read Online Free

their 401Ks... their life. They weren’t giving up their life, and yet, none of them realized they’d already done just that.
    It was pretty sad that he could see this when none of the others could. His women were the same way, all thinking they’d change him, love him so much that he’d want a wife, a family, a child... an SUV. And then came the mothering. That’s when they had to go.
    And now, Christine was staring at him, not wanting to believe what her gut must be telling her. He reached for another scotch, swallowed, let the burn fill his throat, consume his lungs.
    “You know, this is really hard, Chrissie, especially for me.”
    “That’s why I’m asking you, Uncle Harry. You’re the only one who’ll tell me the truth.”
    She was relying on him for the truth. Now that was just damn sad. “If I were a betting man, and I’ve been known to be that in my lifetime,” he said, covering her hands with his own, “I’d say your father was...involved with this Lily Desantro.”
    “You mean an affair?”
    Christ.  “Looks that way. Charlie loved you, Chrissie. This has nothing to do with you.”
    “And my mother?” Her voice wobbled. “Did he love her?”
    “I’m not the one to ask about love, you know that.”
    “Is that where he was going every month? To see her?”
    Jesus.  “I don’t know.”
    “Well, I’m going to find out.”
    “Chrissie, let it go. It’s over. Charlie’s dead. Finding out isn’t going to bring him back.”
    “I need to know.”
    “Sometimes it’s better not to know. Nothing can change what is or what happened and digging around in the past is only going to make you miserable.”
    Her eyes were bright, shiny. “I don’t care. I have to know.”
    Harry shook his head and reached for his drink. “Remember Pandora’s Box? This is the same thing. Don’t open it.”
    “How can you expect me to forget what you just told me?”
    “I said she  probably  was.”
    She threw him a disgusted look. “Uncle Harry, I’m not twelve years old. She was his mistress.”
    Harry shrugged and took another drink.
    “And knowing that changes everything.”
    “It doesn’t change the fact that he loved you.”
    “But everything he told me, about honor and integrity, was it all a lie?”
    “Of course not.”
    “And this woman, who was she? What kind of woman could make him leave his family to be with her?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “I can’t live my life with this lie. I have to find out.”
    “So what do you plan to do, just pack up and take off on an excursion? Close up shop? Charlie wouldn’t like that.”
    “Phil’s a perfectly capable CEO. He’ll be fine with me leaving for a week or two. Besides, no one expects me back in the office so soon after the funeral.”
    “And your mother?” This would send Gloria over the edge. She’d be popping that Vicodin like Sweet Tarts.
    “This would kill her.”
    “She doesn’t have to find out.”
    “She can’t find out.” She rubbed her temples. “She just can’t.”
    “Relax. She won’t.”
    “Uncle Harry, you have to help me. We’ll say I went to clean out Dad’s place in the Catskills, which is part true, and I’m taking care of a business deal he started up there, which is also part true.”
    “What business deal?”
    “A few months ago, he told me he put up the collateral for some machine shop. I guess the guy was having a tough time making his payments and Dad was going to help him out, set up some alternative financing or something, and he wanted me to get involved. I could check that out while I’m up there.”
    “Chrissie, we don’t even know if this Desantro woman is still alive. She could have been killed with your father.” Why couldn’t she just let it go? The most she could hope to gain was a piece of the truth that would end up haunting her for the rest of her life. He should know—thirty-two years ago he’d begged for the truth and it had almost destroyed him.
    “I have to