Truth (86 page)

The “Person of Interest” story claimed John
and Emily Vandersol, Claire Nichols only family, made allegations
suggesting Anthony Rawlings look no farther than the mirror. They
allege the wealthy tycoon is responsible for the disappearance of
Claire Nichols, claiming he’s done it before (see story related to
memoirs). The office of Mr. Marcus Evergreen, Johnson County
Prosecutor, Iowa City, Iowa, stated formal charges against Mr.
Rawlings are under consideration.

Mr. Rawlings’ attorneys
are working overtime. While defending his innocence they are also
battling Parrott Press. The publishing company is seeking to
publish Ms. Nichols memoirs immediately. A written agreement
between the author, Ms. Nichols, and Mr. Rawlings states said
manuscript may only be published in the event of possible harm to
Ms. Nichols. Parrott Press believes her disappearance fits this
description. Advanced orders of:
My Life
as It Didn’t Appear - Unofficial biography of Claire Rawlings
Nichols
have exceeded one
million.

Isabelle
read in disbelief. If Tony were in Europe when
she left, how could anyone suspect him? She never meant to
implicate him. That’s why Catherine recommended Claire leave
immediately, so she would disappear while he was out of town. And,
what about Meredith’s book? Catherine said Tony’s lawyers would
stop it. What if they didn’t? Claire hated herself for going
through with those interviews. Lastly, John and Emily’s actions
infuriated Claire. If only she could call them... but she knew it
wasn’t an option.

For the last two
days
Isabelle
reviewed Catherine’s specific instructions regarding the
hidden fortune. She also practiced her Italian and used it whenever
possible. According to Catherine, Nathaniel’s money was hidden at
an institution in Geneva, Switzerland. She said Tony had accessed
the money for different things throughout the years. Nevertheless,
Catherine believed it had accrued nicely since Nathaniel’s death.
According to the documents, there was a safety deposit box within
the institution which could only be accessed by two people: Anton
or Marie Rawls. Catherine provided Claire with Marie’s information.
And Phil supplied her with identification under the same alias.
Sometime during their fateful late night talk, Claire asked
Catherine, “Were you still with the Rawls when Nathaniel
remarried.”

“
I was.”

So many questions came to Claire’s mind:
Nathaniel’s second wife was the woman Tony protected, the woman
Patrick Chester thought was Samuel’s sister. She was the woman who
killed Samuel and Amanda. But that was a long time ago, and Tony
said the woman was still alive. Claire asked, “Was she younger than
Nathaniel?”

“
Yes,” Catherine answered
and then asked, “You are younger than Anton. Do you think that’s
wrong?”

“
No, I’m just trying to
figure things out.” Claire wanted to ask more. However, she needed
to concentrate first and foremost on her escape. Besides, Claire
had the feeling her questions made Catherine
uncomfortable.

As Catherine described the financial
institution in Geneva, Claire remembered the place. Near the end of
her European journey, so long ago with Tony, she’d met him at the
same institution before they went for lunch. Claire remembered
being early and waiting patiently for him to emerge from behind the
gated area. This time she’d be the one behind the gates.

Catherine provided Claire with the number of
the safety deposit box, as well as a copy of the required key. Both
were necessary to access the safety deposit box. The moment Claire
saw the key Catherine placed in a small envelope, she recognized
it. It was the odd shaped key Tony used to roll from finger to
finger when agitated. Years ago, Claire hated that key. Its
presence meant her day had just taken a turn for the worse. Now,
its replica would unlock her and her baby’s future.

Things are not always what
they seem;
the first appearance deceives many. The intelligence of a
few,
perceives what has been carefully hidden.
-
Roman poet Phaedrus

Chapter
58

One week after Claire’s disappearance:

Derek held his wife’s hand admiring her
strength. Bravely, she faced mourner after mourner, as each offered
their condolences. No one mentioned Carlo’s recent mental state. It
wasn’t as if everyone didn’t know. The unsaid tragedy was that he’d
taken Silvia with him. They all pitied Sophia, losing both parents
at once.

When Derek arrived in New Jersey from
Taiwan, Sophia had already faced too many things alone. She’d
visited the morgue. Fortunately, the coroner hadn’t allowed her to
view her parents’ remains. After striking the tree their Camry
burst into flames. She did identify some of their possessions. Her
parent’s wedding rings, though charred, survived the inferno.
Sophia recognized them immediately.

Although she grieved their loss, Sophia
reasoned it was better for them to be together. She couldn’t
imagine consoling her mother if her father died alone. Derek
embraced his wife as she rationalized the tragedy. It was late one
night while holding her trembling body, she uttered the words he
never expected to hear. Though muffled by tears, her resolve was
steadfast, “I’ve lost my only parents... I never want to go through
this again.”

He understood what she was saying. She
didn’t want to find her birth parents. He whispered, “Anyone can
give birth... a parent is the person who loves you every day
without condition.”

Sophia nodded into his chest. “Mine were the
best. Please don’t let me forget that... if I ever change my
mind... please remind me.”

He hugged her tight and promised.

*****

Other than the meal she’d shared with Tony
at the French restaurant in Palo Alto, Claire hadn’t had the
opportunity to practice her newly acquired languages. Nonetheless,
as she traveled through Italy and Switzerland, her Italian came
back with a little more than a hint of an American accent. That
didn’t seem to matter. She spoke well enough to gain access to the
locked vault in Geneva.

Appearing with short-dark
hair and gray eyes to match the ID with the name
C. Marie Rawls
,
Marie
entered the vault
with a bank official. Her hands trembled as they approached the
safety deposit box once opened by Nathaniel. According to the
ledgers, it was regularly accessed by Anton Rawls, usually twice a
year. Claire signed the same ledger:
Marie
Rawls
and presented her identification.
The officer never flinched. He asked, “
Seniora Rawls, la sua chiave
?” (Ms.
Rawls, do you have the key?)

“
Si, signore,
grazie
.” (Yes, sir, thank you) She prayed
the financial executive couldn’t hear the pounding of her heart or
sense her wet palms. She placed the small replicated key in his
outstretched palm.
Marie
smiled when he gently closed his fingers around
her petite hand. The man was less concerned with her identity and
more interested in her proximity.
She responded boldly, “
Signore, ti ringrazio per il
vostro aiuto.
” (Sir, I appreciate your assistance here)

“
Forse più tardi
?” (Maybe later?)

“
Prima la mia missione
.”
(First, my
mission)

He released her hand with
a friendly, “
Si,
naturalmente
.” (Yes, naturally)

With his invitation
momentarily dismissed, the officer inserted a key from his large
ring. Next, he took
Marie
’s key. When he fumbled
momentarily, her breathing stopped and her heart forgot to beat.
Then, all at once the metal key breached the archaic lock. The
tumblers turned; he slid the long box from its home. Remembering to
exhale,
Marie
worked diligently to maintain her stoic expression as she
followed him to a private room.

Once alone, Claire opened the lid and
gasped. She’d come this far, she’d given up her life, listened to
Catherine’s advice... all for a virtually empty box. However,
virtually was not entirely. Slowly Claire removed the documents. In
the next forty-five minutes she read all the information.

Nathaniel planned
everything to a
T
. His original intention was for Marie or Anton to tend to
his fortune. He left specific instructions about maintaining an
overseas cache. The money was to be constantly rotated, moved, and
secured. All pertinent information regarding the accounts was to
stay locked in this box. Only the person in possession of these
documents could access the monies. Being as he didn’t know for sure
which heir would maintain his secret, everything was accessible
with a numeric code. No names were associated with the financial
accounts. This layer of security also aided in concealing the true
ownership. Tracing the money to a Rawls, or anyone in the United
States, was virtually impossible. The Switzerland financial system
specialized in maintaining hidden fortunes. Only in the case of
broken laws would they share information with the United States
government.

In nineteen seventy
something, when Nathaniel created his hidden treasure, it probably
seemed very
James Bond
. Claire wondered if Tony changed the rules or had gotten
more high tech? She would need to find-out. She’d gone too far to
turn back.

Currently there were seven different
accounts. The last time monies were transferred was six months ago.
It really was time for a transfer. She wondered why he hadn’t done
it while recently overseas.

Claire wished for Phil’s
assistance; he’d be joining her in another day. However, this was
something she needed to do on her own. Feigning confidence,
Marie Rawls
took the
documentation to the front of the institution and requested a
representative.

Over the next ninety
minutes
Marie
watched and scrutinized computer screens. Her months of
required attendance in Tony’s office paid off. She frowned at
unsuccessful investments and discussed better reserves for better
returns. If ever a time to wear a mask, this was it. As the
afternoon progressed, she systematically moved and invested over
200 million dollars. The monies were once again dispersed
throughout the world market with a portion liquid and accessible.
The only difference was that now
she
was the only one holding a means
to their access.

By the time she feigned reinserting the
documentation into the box, a presumed action based upon prior
transactions, she was ready to faint. Tony’s personal reserve was
now hers. It wasn’t stolen out of spite. Her desire for vengeance
was gone. Claire willingly admitted her feelings of hate were only
a close cousin to the love she now felt. And she knew Tony loved
her. But thankfully, Catherine helped her see the truth. No matter
how much he loved her and their child, his need to fulfill his
promise to Nathaniel would always prevail.

Claire couldn’t live with that. Besides,
didn’t their child deserve to live like a Rawls? With a heavy
heart, Claire justified she didn’t steal his money -- only
reappropriated it -- to his child.

With the papers in her
purse,
Marie Rawls
disappeared and
Isabelle
Alexander
stepped onto the bustling Geneva
sidewalk a mega millionaire. Faces didn’t register. While in the
heart of Geneva’s financial district,
Isabelle
didn’t notice the
magnificent blue waters ahead or the grand snow covered Alps
around. As she walked from the bank to her hotel, not even the
phenomenal shopping within the sleek cosmopolitan buildings
beckoned her.

While
the slender heels of her Luciano Padovan sling-back platform
pumps clicked along the sidewalk toward Lake Geneva, Claire’s
self-absorbed thoughts filled every fiber of her being. How many
times had she told Tony his money didn’t matter? How many times had
she shunned the idea of wealth? Nevertheless, she’d just done the
unthinkable. If it weren’t for the uncomfortable gray contacts,
she’d surrender to the tears threatening to flow. She fought the
impulse.
Isabelle Alexander
needed to be strong, just as
Marie Rawls
had been moments
earlier.

The documents inside her purse were the key
to over $200,000,000. More than anything, she longed to throw them
in the nearest gutter. The only thing stopping the growing
compulsion was the child moving inside of her. Never in Claire’s
entire life had she hated herself as much as she did at this
moment. Thankfully, her love for her baby overpowered her
self-loathing.

Claire’s common sense demanded she go
directly to her hotel and secure the documents inside a locked
safe. Nevertheless, she was tired of listening to her mind. She
needed to know what was happening in the USA, in Iowa, and at
Tony’s estate. She had so many questions. And over the past week
she’d formed many more: First and foremost... who was the real
Marie Rawls? Tony admitted to seeing her since she killed his
parents. Catherine admitted to being with the Rawls family when
Nathaniel married Marie. This woman existed. Why hadn’t she turned
up in any of their research?