You're Mine, Maggie Read Online Free Page A

glanced down at his hands on the desk. “You’re the first person to offer condolences.”
    “If more people knew about Shasta’s connection to you—”
    “No.”
    “Okaaay.” I didn’t get this guy. He obviously cared about his daughter, so why not claim her?
    “Do you have children?”
    “Not that I know of.”
    That managed to pull a half smile out of him. “I didn’t think I did either until about fifteen years ago.”
    By my quick calculations—math genius that I was—Shasta was about three when Stratford had found out he was a baby daddy. Sooo Shasta clearly hadn’t been a product of his twenty-eight-year marriage. No wonder he wasn’t so keen on making the news public.
    He noted my raised brows. “I’m not proud of myself. I did the best I could, providing for her, making sure she had everything she needed.”
    “Your wife doesn’t know.”
    “I didn’t want to hurt her. We couldn’t have children. If she found out about Shasta… Look, I love my wife.”
    I held up a hand. He didn’t owe me an explanation. “I get it.”
    “I did the best I could for Shasta. She got into drugs. I paid for rehab. She got arrested. I got her a job.”
    “Yeah, thanks for that.”
    He had the good sense to look embarrassed. “Sorry. She chose cosmetics. I thought maybe if she worked at something she enjoyed—” He let out a frustrated breath. “I kept tabs. I know how that went. I’m sorry you had to deal with her…behavior.”
    “The police don’t think it was an accident.”
    That seemed to surprise him. “What else could it be?” The realization slowly dawned for him. “No,” he breathed. “Why? Who would want to hurt her like that? She was just a troubled girl.”
    “It happened in your store…” Really, this man was a department store mogul, but he couldn’t put two and two together?
    “You think…aw, Jesus.” He scrubbed his hands over his face.
    “Who knew Shasta was your daughter?”
    “No one. Well, her mother, obviously. My attorneys…and now you. My name isn’t even on her birth certificate. We did everything privately and quietly. Her mother just wanted to secure Shasta’s financial future.”
    “Could Shasta have told someone?”
    “She didn’t know about me. It was a condition of my contract with her mother, Valerie. I always deal with Valerie directly. All Shasta knew was that she got the job here at the store through one of Valerie’s friends. We’ve never even met.”
    Wow. No wonder Shasta had been so screwed up.
    “Is there anyone who might have a grudge against you or the store?”
    He shook his head. “No. I can’t think of anyone who could or would do such a thing. God. I still can’t believe this. I guess I should call Valerie and break the news.”
    There was a knock at the door.
    “Yes?” Mr. Stratford answered.
    Callie opened the door and popped her head around it. “There’s a detective here to speak with you, Mr. Stratford.”
    “I’ll be there in a moment.” He waited until Callie had closed the door. “Please. Don’t tell anyone what I’ve told you. My wife…her health is very fragile.”
    I’d heard about Mrs. Stratford’s cancer battle. “I won’t, but don’t you think the police should know? You know, to help them find Shasta’s killer?”
    He flinched at the word killer , then battled back, morphing into the titan of department store industry. “That’s my decision to make. Not yours. I need your word you won’t talk about this with anyone.”
    I rolled my eyes at him. So dramatic. “I gave you my word.”
    “I suppose you think you’ve got me over a barrel now, that I’ll do anything to keep you from telling my secret.”
    “I’m not going to blackmail you, if that’s what you’re implying. Like you said, it’s your story to tell or not tell.”
    “Why don’t I believe you?”
    “You’re a cynical old bastard?”
    His laugh surprised me. “I object to being called old .”
    I rose and headed for the door. With