Influence

Chapter 41

Shay's roommate piled clothes into a suitcase.

"I'm sorry, Dierdre, really I am, but you're overreacting. You don't have to leave our apartment just because I'm in trouble with the law." Saying that sent an electric charge up her spine. It sounded dangerous and mysterious. She was a badass, and even though Paul DeAngelis had been arrested for Goldie's murder, Shay would always feel like she knew something the police didn't. Just because one person was guilty didn't mean another person was blameless. "The media won't bother you too much when this all blows up for me."

Dierdre hoisted her backpack onto her shoulder. "God you're stupid. I've seriously had enough of you for a lifetime."

"That's rude. I've been putting up with your moody shit for how long now? Why are you acting like this right when I need your support?"

"I've been supporting you all along and you've been failing to understand all along. Like seriously, from day one. Why do you think I even moved in here with you?"

"Because you needed a place to live."

"I had a place to live. What I needed was someone..."

"What?"

Dierdre scanned the room. "I cannot stand you, and that's why I'm going to tell you this. I hope it hurts. And when I'm done talking, I'm gone. You won't have the faintest clue where I am, which is exactly what you're going to tell the cops whenever they show up."

"Why would the cops care where you are? They care about me."

"They don't give a shit about you, Shay. No one does."

"Why are you being such a bitch? If you're going to tell me something, tell me. Otherwise, leave!"

"'You were at Bacall Tower last night. So was Tam Martin. Are you guilty? One of you is.'"

Shay blinked. "How did you...? Have you been reading my texts? Paul sent me that."

"Your source sent you it, not Paul."

Shay's breathing grew shallow. She backed away from Dierdre. "I don't understand."

"Look at me, Shay!" Dierdre pointed at her own face. "You said it to me so many times. I've got those eyes. Those piercing blue eyes. Maybe you caught a likeness, but people resemble a lot of other people and it doesn't mean they're related. Only in my case..."

"Paul, he... doesn't have any other children besides Jasper."

"Try again."

"You can't be."

"I didn't even know myself, not until two years ago when my mother admitted it to me. And even then, it was hard to believe. But of course, I was curious. I found out you, a self-described Goldie stan, needed a roommate, so I jumped on it. You always knew where Goldie was. Even found out where she lived. It was easy then, to watch you watching that family, to find a time when I could confront him somewhere where he couldn't cast me off but where I wouldn't be publicly humiliating him. So, that's what happened. We talked."

"You're seriously Paul DeAngelis' daughter? Jasper's sister?"

"I grew up without a father and when I finally had him standing right there, you know what he said? 'You can be in my life, but only if you tell no one.' He claimed I would destroy him if the news of my existence got out. Can you imagine? I'd destroy him."

"He was probably in shock."

"Shocked for the last whole year? No. He didn't want Jasper or Becca or Goldie to know. He was thirty-four when he got my mother pregnant. She was sixteen. Think about it, Shay. His perfect family—so rich, so successful, up and coming. Growing more and more famous each day. He couldn't have that ruined. Becca, she'd probably take everything in a divorce. So, I became his secret. Meanwhile, there was Goldie. Goldie who got to grow up with him, Goldie who he took care of and made a career for. And she wasn't even his real daughter!"