Heartless Read Online Free Page B

to bed. You need a few hours sleep before you
deal with the press. Scoot!" Larkin commanded gently as Ray
looked at his brother. "Raif will be just fine right where he is.
I'll get the kids up in a little bit for school. You rest."
Ray dragged himself up the stairs and fell into bed.
♥♥♥
    The next morning, Deanna LaFontaine broke the news of
Robert's murder as gently as possible to her ten-year-old twins,
Kyle and Kimberly. Kimberly dissolved in tears, but Kyle
nodded without emotion.
    Deanna decided not to send the kids to school until after
Robert's funeral. She did take Kyle to the side because he
seemed almost relieved. She asked with a mother's heart,
"Kyle, honey, are you all right? Would you like to talk about
it?"
    Kyle responded, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Mom.
I'm sure he probably deserved it. Mom, he was a heartless
bastard, and you know it."
    "Kyle! He's your father."
"No! He was my sperm donor." Kyle snorted and laughed
sarcastically. "That's surprising, too. Mom, the bad news is that
I've never had a father. Maybe you should marry Mr.
Blackwell. He might make a decent father."
"What do you mean, Kyle?" She placed a hand over her
heart. Oh, my God! He knows. How?
"I mean you deserve to be loved, too. I'm not really ten,
Mom. I know way too much. But don't worry about me. I'll be
fine. How are you?"
Deanna hugged Kyle. "We'll be fine. I love you, Kyle. Stay
my little boy for a while longer, please."
Deanna could feel Kyle's silent tears on her chest. It
crushed her that her son refused to admit his heart was
breaking at the news he had received. Rather, after a moment
of release, he wiped his eyes and took his mother's hand.
"Come on, Mom. The press is waiting. We'll get past this and
move on. We have to."
Deanna LaFontaine stepped outside with both her children
and the long-time family attorney, Saul Blackwell, dark curlyhaired, dark-eyed, tall and lanky. She made a brief statement to
the press in which she informed the reporters that they would
need to get further information from the Eau Boueuse Police
Department and any statement the LaFontaine family might
make in the future would be handled by Mr. Saul Blackwell.
She turned her back to the shouted questions and marched Kyle
and Kimberly inside.
♥♥♥
    Though sluggish after only three hours' sleep, at seven
o'clock before the children left for school, Ray joined his whole
family for an interment near their gazebo for their beloved pet.
Then, Larkin took their kids to school, while Raif took his, and
Chris went to the police station.
    At nine o'clock, while Deanna LaFontaine confronted the
media in Baton Rouge, Chief Reynolds held a short press
conference in Eau Boueuse. He stepped behind the podium and
multiple microphones.
    "I have a brief statement for you, but I will not be taking
questions at this time. Late last night, Senator Robert
LaFontaine and his clerk Dinah Horn were found shot to death.
At this time we have no leads as to the perpetrator. Detectives
Brian Baker and Christine Gautier are heading the
investigation, and an FBI team will be here this afternoon. The
entire Eau Boueuse Police Department wishes to extend our
sympathy and support to the Senator's family. Rest assured we
will do everything in our power to find and bring to justice this
heartless, cold-blooded killer. Thank you."
    A young reporter dogged Ray as he left. "Chief Reynolds,
what of your past relationship with the Senator?"
Ray wheeled on the woman. "Did you not understand me? I
said, 'No questions.'"
He turned to leave again, and the woman stayed on his
heels.
Ray turned and pointed a finger at the young woman.
Noting her name tag, he commanded, "Miss Cockerill, don't
follow me. News flash—the last reporter who followed me
ended up dead." Slowly and with deliberate, clear articulation,
Ray said, "Don't. Tempt. Fate."
Ray returned to his office, and the reporter stayed put
where she stood.
3
Brother
    When Ray stepped into his office, he