Deadman's Blood Read Free Page A

should sit over by the fireplace. No matter how old I am I’m always a bit intimidated at talking to you behind that huge desk.”
    “Oh! Sure! I never knew that, Anton. Yes. I suppose I can see that. Josh? Would you join us over there?” Dominic suggested.
    “Sure,” Josh said, feeling a little better and less like a little kid being sent to the principal’s office.
    When they were all seated, it took a few fumbled starts on Dominic’s part to get things moving.
    “I asked to talk to you because I’ve found out some information on your biological parents...Well, maybe I should go back a little farther...Do you remember our conversation the night of the engagement party? When I asked about your parents?” Dominic asked.
    Looking confused, Josh first looked at Anton, then at Dominic and replied, “Yes.”
    “You told me that evening about your biological mother, Katarina Jannson,” Dominic said.
    “Yes. And you said that you had met her,” Josh said.
    “Yes. I did. The thing is that I knew her quite well. Intimately, you might say.” Dominic looked at Anton for support. Anton nodded in encouragement.
    “Oh,” answered Josh, but as if a light went on, he replied, “Well, that was well before my time. Are you worried I might not have approved or something? Is that why you are telling me this? I mean, Dominic, I think you are a great guy. It’s kind of nice to think that someone as nice as you looked out for her once...”
    “Josh. It’s a bit more complicated than that.”
    “Oh? How? It’s not like you’re my father or anything, I mean, that was almost two years before I was born,” Josh said.
    With a heavy sigh, Dominic looked down at his hands and thought for a moment, and while he did this, Josh looked to Anton for answers. Anton, however, didn’t feel it was his place to step in just yet; after all, the bucket of beans had only been half-spilled. When Anton didn’t reply, Josh looked back to Dominic who was now wringing his hands trying to find the words to say.
    “I’m not sure how to say this without it being a shock, so I suppose I should just say it and then explain afterwards,” Dominic admitted.
    “Oookaaay!” Josh said, rather worried. “Did you find my mother? Is she okay?
    “Your mother is fine; in fact, I am looking after her and trying to get her released to a facility here in Connecticut, where I can be closer to her and hopefully watch her recovery more personally,” Dominic explained.
    “Oh! Okay,” Josh said.
    “I mean if that is okay with you, Josh. You have a say in this too.”
    “I...I...don’t know. I’m not sure I really care one way or another. I’ve never known her,” he admitted.
    “I know, Josh...and I think that is my fault. It’s also my fault that she has been in the psych ward all these years,” Dominic said.
    “You? How could that be your fault?” Josh asked.
    “Dad...you are getting off the point,” Anton interrupted.
    “Right. I’m sorry. I suppose I’m making this more confusing than it really needs to be. I....Josh....I am your father,” Dominic said.
    Josh went white and confusion washed over his face as his eyes glazed over. There was nothing but silence in the room for several uncomfortable moments before Dominic continued.
    “I know this must come as a shock to you; believe me, it was a shock to me too – however, probably more of a pleasant one for me than for you, I suppose. I do have one regret and that is going behind your back to obtain a hair sample from your brush to have a DNA test done, but I simply had to know if my suspicions were correct and well, I may have overstepped my boundaries.” Dominic watched for a reaction from Josh, but when he got nothing he could read, he looked at Anton.
    Anton watched Josh for a moment, even tried to read him, but Josh had recently become very good at shielding himself, so there was nothing to read. Anton said, “Josh? Are you okay?”
    As if Anton’s voice had somehow lifted the fog