Page 76 of Keeping Kyler
“Hell, no.” She laughs, looking briefly over her shoulder before leaning in to the edge of the table. “I probably shouldn’t say this, but you’re looking for real life stories, right?”
I nod eagerly.
“In town, Wendy was known as a four-by-four for years,” she chuckles. “On account of her having four kids by four different dads,” she adds by way of explanation.
I allow my eyes to pop wide and prop my elbows up on the table, so I’m angled toward her. “That sounds interesting.”
“It was a big scandal in school when she got pregnant at fifteen.”
“Gosh, that was young,” I say, playing along, while I compute calculations in my head. There’s no way she could be talking about Addison because the dates don’t stack up.
“Yeah. Her mom made her give the baby up for adoption, and Wendy wouldn’t tell a soul who the father was because he would’ve been put away for knocking up a minor.”
I decide to take a risk. The diner is starting to fill up, and I’m sensing our time is drawing to a close. “Can I tell you a secret?” I whisper conspiratorially. Her head bobs. “I heard Peyton’s cousin is really her sister. Do you think that’s true?”
Keven sends me a warning look, but I pretend not to notice.
She casts another quick glance around. “Oh, it’s true all right. That was the other big scandal around town. Brittany, Wendy’s other daughter, was only three years old, and Peyton was barely out of the womb when she got pregnant with her sister’s husband’s child. Now, very few know that’s the truth. There was gossip to that effect all over town, but they neither confirmed nor denied it, and they managed to bury it. Nicole, that’s Addison’sofficial Mom”—she makes little air quotes with her fingers—“pretended to be pregnant at the same time so when she returned home with her daughter no one thought it was strange. Wendy said she couldn’t cope with another baby and she’d given it up for adoption. She just never mentioned that her sister and her husband adopted the baby. Nicole couldn’t have children, so I guess that’s why she was happy to take on her husband’s bastard as her own.”
“Wow. That’s quite a story. I can’t believe Wendy would do that to her own sister.”
Stacy rubs her hands, and her eyes glisten in delight. I bite back my distaste, retracting my earlier sympathy. Anyone that relishes spreading gossip so maliciously isn’t deserving of my pity. Not that I’m overly complaining. This is gold, and I’ve barely had to work to get it.
“Wendy was always jealous of Nicole, and she hated the fact that she’d married up when she was stuck in a trailer park as a single mom. She deliberately seduced her husband, and although she hasn’t admitted it, I’m convinced she got pregnant on purpose.”
“No way!” I gasp, giving an Oscar-worthy performance. Keven looks out the window, fighting a smile.
“Nicole and her husband paid Wendy handsomely for Addison and to keep her mouth shut, and it worked until Wendy wanted more cash. When Nicole wouldn’t cough up, she went to Addison and told her the truth. That’s actually when we fell out. I thought it was really mean to do that to the kid, but Wendy is a cold-hearted bitch these days.”
“Oh, so you aren’t really on speaking terms with her anymore. You won’t be able to set me up with an interview?” I continue playing my role although I’m delighted this isn’t going to get back.
“We talk if we bump into each other in town but that’s it. She’s given me the cold shoulder because I had the nerve to stick up for Nicole and Addison. And, honestly, honey”—she leans over, patting my hand—“you really don’t want to go here.” She shivers, as if something nasty just crawled over her skin.
“That’s too bad,” I lie. “But thanks so much. You’ve been great, and I’ve got lots to go on.” I slide an envelope with a hundred dollars across the table.
“Glad to help.” She pockets the envelope, giving Keven some side eye. “And thanks for bringing the eye candy, much appreciated.” She cackles again, squeezing his knee before she steps out. “I better get back to work before my ass is canned. Nice talking to you, hun.”
“I think I need a body scrub and a lobotomy after that experience,” Keven jokes once we step outside the diner. I have a ready-made retort lying idle on my tongue. One that involves the shady characters I found him hanging with before, but I say nothing. I can’t afford to fall out with Keven or piss him off right now. Ky needs me to sort all this out, and I’m not going to turn away my best chance of help.
I nudge him in the ribs. “Aw, she wasn’t that bad.” I slouch against the side of his truck. “That was interesting, huh?”
“Very. I thought our family was hiding some skeletons, but that makes us sound like freaking angels. No wonder Addison is such a conniving cow. It runs in her blood.”
“It still doesn’t explain why Addison is going all gung-ho for our family. What about this other baby Wendy gave up for adoption when she was young—could you dig around?”
Keven opens the truck door, as Rose drives into the car park. “You think it’s connected?”
“I don’t know, but we should check every lead, right?”
He chuckles. “We might make a detective of you yet. You played it perfectly back there, by the way. I didn’t have to say a word.”
“I barely had to either.” I snort. “Motor mouth didn’t need much encouragement.”
“Who needs enemies when you’ve got friends like that.”
“I know.”
“I feel ill at the thought of her hands and her eyes on me.” He shudders, and I laugh harder.
