+18 - eps 28-32 - On the sixth installment of the Blackbird series, Cassidy sends Gillian and her team with Brock and Russel to Tampa, Florida, to look into the death of a girl while winter storm Jonas beats the East Coast. But this seemingly ordina...
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Brock didn't expect Russell's call, but Gillian's. And he certainly didn't expect the invitation to have dinner with them at her place. He was far from done with his paperwork, but he was in no hurry. The weather was a perfect excuse to delay his scheduled visit to Vermont, because he wasn't about to leave town while Gillian worked on Graff's dirty secrets. He meant to keep an eye on her, but not like Cassidy wanted him to. He wanted to be around in case she needed any help.
He picked up his things and left his office, ignoring the mocks of his sarcasm at such a lame excuse to stay in Boston. The sun set behind clouds across the river, as he drove down the frozen streets in a light snowfall. Gillian's driveway was already full of cars, so he parked by the curb and walked up the steps to the porch and the warm light coming out the windows.
Gillian invited him in with a bright smile. She would've liked to wear something nicer than her leggings and a loose sweater for him, but she wasn't willing to bear the others' teases. So she tried to make it up for her shabby looks with a friendly welcome. And her smile widened when Brock handed her a bottle of wine and a six-pack.
"I wasn't sure what I should bring," he said.
Yourself is more than enough. "Oh, there was no need, sir. Thanks. Come in, please."
He could only smile back. She wouldn't drop the 'sir'. He already knew it was her way to remind herself not to give in and let him closer. Yet, he was glad she seemed okay about him joining her inner circle at her own home, at least for the evening.
She led him to the family room, where Tanya welcomed him with a bright grin, as Aldana tried to clear an end of the table.
Gillian headed to the kitchen. "Make yourself at home, sir." Permanently, if you want. "I'll be right back."
Russell showed up behind the breakfast bar. "Hey, man, you made it. Thought it'd take you longer."
"I was almost done when you called," Brock replied, circling the table to take a closer look at the board. "How's it going?"
Aldana sighed. "Slow and muddy. We can only be sure Irene was nothing of a junkie or a party girl. She was a good student, had only a couple of close friends-girls her age-and she hardly went out. Maybe some birthday get-together at a friend's place, or they'd meet to study together. Nothing more. And there's no trace of boys in her life. I've been going through her social networks all day and there's not a single mention about any boy."
Gillian met his eyes for a heartbeat from behind Aldana. He didn't even blink, but she knew he'd understood when he asked, "No clue about the father of her child?"
Aldana shook her head. "Nope. I'm getting to think Irene met'im at school and they had a one-night stand she wasn't proud of. That'd be why she never talks about him." He narrowed his eyes. She shrugged. "There are no mentions whatsoever about any men, actually, other than her father and brother. There isn't a single picture of her with one, either."
Gillian joined them with a glass of wine for Brock. She frowned at Aldana's grimace. "What is it, Al?"
"There's something on Irene's alternate accounts, though," she replied. "A man she always refers to only as 'he'."
"Yeah, I read some posts about'im," Gillian muttered.
Aldana looked up at Brock again. "Judging by what Irene says about him, this 'he' was above her. I'm thinking a grownup from her family circle, because he seems to have enough authority over her to decide about her life. 'He' ruled out the baby's name, for example. And if I didn't get it all wrong, this man is who decided that the child should be given for adoption, even when Irene wanted to keep it."
"You sure it wasn't her dad?" asked Russell from the kitchen. "Hey, Brock, come lend me a hand, please. And you, girls, clean the table."
"Yes, hun," grunted Gillian.
Aldana replied Russell's question as Gillian and her picked up papers and tablets. "I'm pretty sure it's not her father. She loved her dad, but hated this other man."
"So another grownup with authority over Irene..." repeated Gillian.
"Couldn't it be Senator Graff?" asked Tanya, still working on her computer while the others buzzed around her. "After all, he didn't want us-nor anybody-to find out about Irene's baby."
"Maybe he's planning to run for a higher office?" said Russell. "And a young single mom in the family didn't look good for his far-right preach?"
"That'd explain why Irene's mother took her away from DC when she got pregnant," said Aldana.
"Tea party, guys," said Gillian. "All of them pro-life. An abortion would've stained Graff's reputation if it ever came up. But there was none."
"We should look into his activity anyway," said Tanya.
"We can do it after dinner," replied Brock.
"T, move your computer," said Aldana, bringing dishes and glasses.
"And we should also take a closer look at the family's circle, to see if there's any other grownup man that could match that 'he'," said Russell, carrying a steamy platter to the table.
