Truth (90 page)

Claire’s hand rubbed her very large
midsection. Now in her thirty-fifth week, she smiled knowing no
harm had come to her unborn child. She honestly didn’t believe that
would be the case if she’d remained at Catherine’s disposal. She
continued reading:

Ms. Nichols was last seen September 4, 2013.
Mr. Anthony Rawlings disappeared after his private plane made an
emergency landing in the Appalachian Mountains, September 21, 2013.
The FBI will not confirm or deny the survival of Mr. Rawlings
following this incident. The FBI refused additional comments
claiming an ongoing investigation. Currently, no charges have been
filed.

Rawlings Industries is currently operating
with a temporary CEO and the same Board of Directors. It has been
speculated that the pending charges will force the SEC to
investigate Rawlings Industries. Since September the share price
has dropped from $142.37 to $86.84 at last call.

Despite her reading material, when Claire
realized she’d eaten all of Madeline’s food, a smile appeared on
her face.

Madeline’s voice came above the sound of
surf. “Madame el, may I get you more tea or perhaps some
water?”

“
Madeline, I would love
some water. It’s getting hotter by the minute.”

“
Then perhaps you should
be in the water?” The rich, husky voice came from behind. She
couldn’t see the handsome source. Yet, instantaneously her neck
tensed and goose bumps appeared on her arms and legs. It amazed
Claire how something as benign as a voice could continue to incite
such a visceral response.

Madeline saw Claire’s reaction and laughed.
Francis and Madeline wanted Claire to be happy. It didn’t take them
long to realize this man was exactly what their employer needed.
Madeline’s laugh made Claire giggle.

Claire loved Madeline’s
laugh, so deep and rich, just like her voice, “Madame el, I will
bring you some water, and
Monsieur?”

“
I would like some coffee
please, Madeline?” He bowed toward the woman.

She laughed at his
gesture, “Why, of course. I will bring it out soon.” With that, she
disappeared, leaving the lady and gentleman of the house
alone.

Her husband reached for
Claire’s shoulder and gently massaged. While the sound of his voice
instigated chills, the touch of his hand sent her body into mayhem.
It hadn’t changed; she hoped it never would.

*****

Catherine sat at Tony’s grand desk. It
wasn’t like he’d be sitting there anytime soon. Thanks to his kind
provisions in his absence, Catherine Marie London was listed as
executor of Anthony Rawlings’ estate and anything related to it.
The title came with a nice trust fund. That money plus the large
sum she’d accumulated over the years left her more than financially
solvent.

It took almost twenty-five years, but Marie
had finally fulfilled Nathaniel’s desire. She was finally the lady
of the manor. Maybe her name wasn’t Rawls, but that didn’t matter.
Nathaniel told her many times how he wanted her to live, and it
wasn’t as Anton’s housekeeper. Catherine Marie leaned back against
the plush leather and scanned the grand office. There was no doubt;
the room was much more regal from this perspective.

Catherine opened the drawer on the lower
right, to inspect Anton’s private files. She fingered the tabs...
in this paperless world it surprised her he’d kept these printed
documents. Thankfully, the ICPD hadn’t felt the need to confiscate
them as evidence.

She eyed the scribed names. There were so
many. How could she figure out which one was her daughter?
Catherine saw her own name. Maybe there was a clue in there. When
she opened the file, she feared her heart would stop pumping. The
writing wasn’t Anton’s. Catherine knew his writing well enough to
duplicate it easily. This writing was Nathaniel’s.

Scribbled in the margin of
a contract was the name
Sophia
Rossi
. Catherine went through the drawer
again. The only Sophia was
Sophia
Burke
. Suddenly she no longer remembered
her husband’s love, she remembered his vendetta. Burke?
Burke?
There was no
way
her
daughter
could be connected to Jonathon Burke.

Catherine removed
the
Sophia Burke
file and opened the folder. Above the typed name Sophia
Rossi, was the scribbled name
Sophia Rossi
Burke
... Catherine searched the pages.
There was a plethora of outdated information. Nonetheless, written
above the text on the second page was a telephone number. Catherine
couldn’t resist. She used the blocked house phone.

Derek answered his wife’s cellphone. The
past few weeks were too much. She wasn’t up for solicitors or
blocked numbers. “Hello?”

Catherine hesitated, questioning the
correctness of the number. She expected a woman’s voice. “I’m
sorry, I’m looking for the beautiful baby girl I was forced to give
away thirty-three years ago.”

Derek listened. Sophia had said she didn’t
want to know her birth parents. Nevertheless, this may be their
only chance to learn the truth. “I’m sorry; my wife is indisposed
right now. She’s had a difficult few weeks.”

“
Yes, that’s the reason
I’m calling. I never wanted to interfere with her and her adoptive
parents. But now....” Catherine wasn’t sure how to finish that
sentence. Now she was lonely and wanted to at least meet her
daughter? Now she thought her daughter might be more open to
learning about her birth mother? Now she had nothing better to
do...

Thankfully she didn’t need to finish the
sentence. Derek interjected. “Tell me the date you gave birth.”

Catherine sat taller. Who was this man
demanding information? She sure as hell wasn’t intimidated. She’d
loved Nathaniel Rawls and outlasted Anton Rawls... this man was
nothing in comparison. However, she answered, “July 19, 1980.”

Catherine heard muffled voices. Then a
woman’s voice, “Please, don’t call again. My parents are dead. I
don’t know you.”

Marie sat straighter. Of course she deserved
this response. Nonetheless, part of reasoned maybe she could fill a
void left by the death of her daughter’s adoptive parents. If
nothing else, she could look out for the young woman from afar, as
Anton and Nathaniel had done. “I’m sorry, I won’t call you
again.”

Resolutely, the young woman swallowed her
emotions. “Wait, if you could give me your number, I’ll think about
it. Then when I’m ready I can call you.”

Catherine breathed a sigh of relief... this
was more than she’d expected. “Yes, of course.”

Derek’s voice came back
through the receiver, “You may give me the number. When my wife is
ready,
if
she is
ready, she will call you. Please do not call her phone
again.”

Catherine heard her daughter’s sobs in the
background and gave the number of a disposable phone to her
son-in-law. After he repeated the number, he disconnected the
line.

Catherine grinned. She’d
found her daughter. Her daughter was married – to a man
named
Burke
. She
needed more information. That was all right, as before, she had the
time. And without a doubt, Catherine was up for a new
challenge.

#####

CONVICTED

(#3 in the CONSEQUENCES Series)

You must stick to your conviction,
but be ready to abandon your assumptions.

-Denis Waitley

Coming: Late 2013 – Early 2014

Aleatha
Romig

Aleatha Romig voted #1 "New Author to Read"
on Goodreads!  She has lived most of her life in Indiana,
growing-up in Mishawaka, graduating from Indiana University, and
currently living south of Indianapolis. Together with her husband
of twenty six years, they've raised three children. She works days
as a dental hygienist but enjoys spending her nights writing. She
also likes to spend time with her family, friends, and patients.
Her pastimes include: exercising, reading, and writing. 

Aleatha also enjoys traveling, especially
when there is a beach involved! In 2011 she had the opportunity to
visit Sydney, Australia, to visit her daughter studying at the
University of Wollongong. Her dream is to travel to places in her
novels and around the world. CONSEQUENCES and TRUTH have been all
consuming! She is anxiously working on CONVICTED so everyone will
learn the final verdict! CONVICTED is coming!

Contact
Aleatha
:

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