Kayla says yes and informs the officer that Liz is Bella’s mom and they all live together.
“Unfortunately, everything in the home was destroyed from the fire. After assessing the situation, we’ve determined the cause of the fire was intentionally started from arsine. We were able to pull up the footage of the security cameras and we have a shot of a guy entering your apartment and leaving, and then entering again. The first time he enters he’s carrying a small can of gasoline. What’s odd, though, is that he’s also the man who saved your daughter.”
As he says this, he glances over at Liz, hoping she can help him figure out the confusion. He hands her a grainy-looking picture and she gasps loudly, dropping to her knees. She looks up at me with such confusion in her eyes and I already know who she’s looking at in that photo. I can feel it in my bones.
She puts her hand out and I take the photo, looking at it closely. I can tell right away it’s my father, and there’s no reason for him to be anywhere near where Liz lives.
“The man in this photo is Marc Cooper. This is my father.”
The police officer must know what Liz, Kayla, and Bentley don’t know yet, that my dad is dead, because he looks at me with a look of sympathy and simply nods his head.
Liz stands and I can see the fire in her eyes. Mama bear is pulling out her claws. The problem is the man she plans to go after for answers is in the morgue.
“Cooper,” she spits out. “Where is your dad at? I want to know what the hell happened. Why was he at my apartment? Why did he torch it and then save my daughter? I don’t even know what to think right now. I need to find him.”
She takes a deep breath before she continues. “If you don’t want to tell me, fine! You want to save the man who could’ve killed Kayla and our daughter? Fine! I’ll find him my damn self.”
As she goes to leave, I grab her arm and spin her around to face me.
“He’s dead, Liz. My dad is dead.”
Nineteen
Liz
Dead. His dad is dead. The man who torched my home, destroyed everything in it, and nearly killed my daughter and best friend, only to turn around and save my daughter, is dead.
I back up against the bed and sit on the edge in shock. I don’t even know what to think or how to feel at this point. This is just one big cluster-fuck. He looks at me with tears in his eyes and I don’t know whether they’re in mourning over his father or the fact that his father almost killed his daughter.
“Did your dad know about Bella?”
He shakes his head. “After I found out you came to see me, I confronted him and we got into a huge fight. I told him I was disowning him and quit the gym. He blamed you for me leaving the gym. The only thing I can think of is when you left to go to your interview, he went in to torch your place. He must not have known you lived with Kayla and have a daughter. Once he realized somebody was in there, he must have gone back to save her. Only he didn’t realize Kayla was in there or maybe he couldn’t make it back in. He died from a heart attack caused by smoke inhalation. I’m so sorry, Liz. This is exactly why I didn’t want to be in a relationship or create a family. My life is so fucked up. This is why I told you that you deserve more.”
Bentley walks over to Cooper and gives him a hug, telling him he’s sorry for his loss. “I know you two didn’t get along, but I never thought he was capable of this.”
Cooper doesn’t say anything. I can’t even imagine how he feels right now knowing his father is the one who put our daughter in danger and then saved her.
I walk over, wanting to comfort him. I place my hands on his forearms, but he flinches at my touch. “I’m sorry for your loss. Your father shouldn’t have done what he did, but I’m grateful he made the right choice in the end to save Bella.”
He takes a step back and looks at me with a resigned face. “It’s probably for the best we didn’t tell Bella I’m her father. Neither of you need this in your life. I’m not good for you. I’m sorry.”
As he walks out the door without looking back, I repeat the words he said in my head.
I’m not good for you. I’m sorry.
Those words hit me like a dagger to my heart. I’ve waited for five years for this man, hoping to one day find him, and without even discussing it with me, he makes the decision for both of us to walk out of my life once again. I clutch my hands to my heart in a pointless attempt to ease the pain as I close my eyes, trying to keep the tears that are threatening to release at bay.