THE CHRONICLES OF ASTRUS II:

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;">    adler.txtBen Blumenberg<br /> </div> <div style="text-align: center;">                                              Reality Software<br />                                             P.O. Box 105<br />                                             Waldoboro, ME 04572<br />                                             June 26, 1992<br /><br />                 <span style="font-size: x-large;">THE CHRONICLES OF ASTRUS II:</span><br /><br />                  <span style="font-size: large;">FATHER ADLER</span><br /><br />     Father Adler sat at the bar, his right hand around a mug of<br />Dunubian beer.  His eyes were unfocused and stared into<br />nothingness.  He was of medium height; muscular, deeply tanned,<br />with a scraggly grey moustache and beard.  Father Adler was<br />dressed in the black shirt, black pants and silver boots of a<br />rhubidium miner.  Tied around his neck was a small leather pouch<br />of a type that would have held gunpowder on an Earth of untold<br />eons in the past.  This pouch, however, was reputed to hold earth<br />from Earth.  No one knew for certain, of course.<br /><br />      Two attributes of Father Adler were most striking, and they<br />were qualities one sensed, rather than observed directly.  One<br />was was his age, which in spite of his physical appearance, was<br />believed to be very old, perhaps measured in centuries.  Most of<br />us who have talked with Father Adler agree on this, although it<br />is an intuitive perception shared by many.  No one dares to ask<br />him how old he really is.  Father Adler's temper is legendary as<br />is his skill with a carbonium long knife.  Several murders in bar<br />fights are part of his story, although such events are hardly<br />uncommon in the lawless, frontier, mining towns of the resource<br />planets in the twelfth quadrant.<br /><br />     The other characteristic of Father Adler that one senses<br />intuitively is his wounded soul.  Great sadness, melancholy and<br />torment radiate outward from his being.  It is strange to<br />recognize that such feelings dominate a man whose reputation for<br />feats of great courage, physical stamina and violence is well<br />attested.  Nonetheless, there it is and all agree it is very<br />real.  This terrifying, awesome legend seems to be slowly dying<br />inside from great sadness, pain and unknown demons. <br /><br />     Needless to say, the speculation in the bars, dives and<br />brothels of the twelfth quadrant never ceases.  Who is Father<br />Adler?  If the legend is true, he appeared one day several<br />centuries ago in the mining town of Belit-sheri on Prisca looking<br />for work as a rhubidium chopper, a dangerous, suicidal occupation<br />if there ever was one.  If those stories are true, Father Adler<br />looked exactly as he does today.  If those tales are true, he is<br />as old as a Dacian.  Yet he travels between the stars as we all<br />do.  In any case, who has ever heard of a male Dacian?<br /><br />     What could torment this man of awesome physical and<br />intellectual powers?  He seems to carry no guilt over those he<br />has killed.  He is treated with great respect and deference by<br />all.  Women are hardly a problem.  All ages, races and varieties<br />flock to his side and many share his bed.  Most seem to actually<br />like him.  What torments him, then?  An unspeakable,<br />unmentionable, foul crime?  A lost love?  Had Father Adler, once<br />upon a time, loved deeply, commitedly and then lost the object of<br />such passions?  The very idea seems preposterous!<br /><br /><br /><br />- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />     The bar where Fadler Adler was drinking and daydreaming was<br />the Bragi in the mining town of Celine on the resource planet<br />Vasa.  The Bragi was legendary both for the potency of its drinks<br />and the quality of its fights.  The walls were panelled in<br />factory reject rhubidium as befitted the best watering hole in<br />the richest mining town in the galaxy.  The floors, tables and<br />bar top were highly polished cratagus wood.  The bartender was an<br />old friend of Father Adler's, a Tygor by the name of Sam XI.<br />Seven feet tall with flowing black hair, green skin and both nose<br />and gills, Sam presented a terryifying appearance.  However,<br />within the usual realm of daily life, Sam was the gentlest of<br />souls.  He has been happily married to the same woman for forty<br />years and was the father of three gorgeous, if somewhat tall,<br />daughters.  The bar girls of the Bragi were in a class by<br />themselves.  Their beauty was unsurpassed and the pleasures they<br />offered were hardly confined to the drinks they served.<br /><br />     On this particular Saturday evening, the Bragi was in its<br />usual state of alcoholic and sexual bedlam.  Father Adler sat in<br />the middle of it all, oblivious to the maelstrom swirling around<br />him.  It was stiffling hot this late summer night and the ceiling<br />fans provided little relief.<br /><br />     Aroudn 10 P.M., the doors to the Bragi burst open and a<br />blast of steaming hot air blew across the saloon.  In strode<br />Oriana, the Dacian companion of the fabled oracular unicorn of<br />Kushanah.  She was clad tightly in gold, but it was a dull gold<br />that neither gleamed nor shone.  Shirt, pants and boots had<br />neither sheen nor sparkle.  Her golden hair which fell to her<br />waist in straight lines did shine in the semi-gloom of the Bragi<br />and her purple eyes caught and reflected what little light was<br />available.  The darkness hid her disfigured face and the scars<br />that criss-crossed across her right eye and down her throat.<br /><br />     Everyone, bar maids, hookers, waiters, miners, off duty<br />military personnel and assorted nameless riff-faff, fell silent<br />and stared.  All had heard of Oriana for she was a living,<br />immortal myth.  They knew every detail of her appearance but only<br />two had every seen her in the flesh; Sam and Father Adler.  Sam<br />studiously wiped the spotlessly clean counter and refused to look<br />up at the Dacian as she strode in.  Father Adler, sipping his<br />beer at the bar with his back to the door, did not even turn<br />around.<br /><br />     Oriana strode up to Father Adler, stopped a few feet from<br />his back, and spoke softly with great warmth.  "Jared, great evil<br />is loose in the galaxy.  We need you, once again."<br /><br />     No answer, no movement.<br /><br />     "Jared, we need you.  All sentient beings need you.  Come."<br /><br />     Father Adler took another sip of his beer but still did not<br />turn around. <br /><br />     "Jared, please!  Think of others, your own concerns are<br />nothing now.  They need you!"<br /><br />     Jared/Father Adler swivelled slowly on his bar stool and<br />faced the Dacian, an incredible expression upon his face of hate<br />and love, anguish and torment.  The Bragi was so quiet you could<br />have heard a Varangian fly cough.<br /><br />     "Get lost, Oriana", hissed Jared.<br /><br />     "Jared, please. I...I need you."  Oriana's voice could<br />barely be heard.  She attempted to lay her right hand on Jared's<br />but he quickly withdrew his arm. <br /><br />     "Another beer, Sam."<br /><br />     The Tygor was now staring at the Dacian directly, hard and<br />without fear.  He refilled Jared's mug.<br /><br />     "Jared, I love you."  A tear flowed from Oriana's disfigured<br />eye down her cheek.  "I love you."<br /><br />     "You bitch!" Jared nearly bellowed.  "You love me, do you?<br />If that isn't the most perverse joke in the quadrant!"<br /><br />     "Jared, I do. I ..."<br /><br />     "Oh, shut up! I've taken a lot from you over the centuries ,<br />but this tops it all.  You love me! I'm kinder to those I kill<br />than you've been to me.  Do you call your response to me on<br />Kushanah, love?"<br /><br /><br />     Jared was standing now, his nose an inch from Oriana's face.<br />Tears streamed down her face.  Sam stared at the two of them in<br />his odd, intense, detached way.  Everyone else in the Bragi was<br />transfixed.  Was the mystery of Father Adler about to be<br />unravelled?<br /><br />     "You don't love anyone but yourself and that damned unicorn!<br />You use people like pawns, like furniture and to what ends the<br />gods only know.  You use them icily and then fling them away like<br />flies or matchsticks.  You my dear, are the ultimate power<br />hungry, vicious manipulator of souls.  Beautiful beyond words,<br />sensual and erotic beyond any man's wildest fantasies, brilliant<br />and immortal - all of that is you, my Dacian.  Love me?  How<br />could you?  I'm a killer, a tormented assassin, a man with fear<br />eating his soul."<br /><br />     Jared reached for his carbonium knife and put it to Oriana's<br />throat.  The crowd gasped.<br /><br />     "Jared, don't!" hissed Sam.<br /><br />     "Stay out of this, old friend," said Jared softly.<br /><br />     Oriana closed her eyes.  "Kill me then, Jared," she<br />whispered.  "Kill me if you can."<br /><br />     Jared put the point of his knife on her Adam's apple and<br />pushed slightly.  A trickle of the Dacian's purple blood ran down<br />her throat.  No one dared move or speak.<br /><br />     The knife clattered to the floor as Jared slumped back on<br />the bar stool.  He covered his face with his hands and cried<br />softly.  Oriana moved to him and put her arms around his waist<br />and buried her face against his shoulder. <br /><br />     "My dearest love, my only love, I do still love you.  Yes, I<br />have done horrible things to you, treated your love at times with<br />coldness and contempt, wanting to break you or drive you insane.<br />I have done all those things and truly deserve your complete<br />hate, even death if that were possible."<br /><br />     "But I do love you and the nature of my love is true and<br />real.  The quality and torment of my love is partially your<br />fault, my dear, and you know it.  You taught me what it is to<br />love, what such feelings and emotions are.  No Dacian has every<br />loved, has ever felt love, and you know that.  It is believed we<br />are incapable of such emotions.  They are held to be literally<br />genetically beyond our grasp and potential.  Can you ever imagine<br />the fear you instilled my heart?"<br /><br />     Oriana's voice was barely audible and she still wept slowly.<br />Jared now hugged her and rocked her gently as one would a child,<br />his eyes closed.  Oriana sniffled and wiped her nose on Jared's<br />sleeve.  "You see my love, you showed me how to be love, but you<br />also gave me the gift of fear.  Can you ever understand what it<br />is like to know fear and be immortal?"<br /><br />     "No, I cannot do that," sighed Jared.  "No one could.  It<br />seems I also gave you the gift of loneliness."<br /><br />     Oriana sniffled into his shirt again.  "It were best we had<br />never met.  I wish I was dead for what I've done to you."<br /><br />     "Now, none of that!  I wouldn't trade my love for you for<br />anything in the universe.  I absolutely would not.            <br />But, er... could we try for a little less pain and abuse over the<br />next century perhaps?"<br /><br />     "I love you," said Oriana softly and she kissed Jared over<br />and over and over again with such gentle passion that his head<br />spun and there was not a dry eye anywhere in the Bragi.<br /><br />     An eternal minute of silence and grace filled the room.<br /><br />     Sam blew his nose loudly in an enormous hankerchief.<br /><br />     "Jared, you haven't said that you would come!"  Oriana<br />stepped back from him, hands on her hips and a mischievous grin<br />on her face.<br /><br />     "Of course, I'll come.  I swore an oath when I became a<br />Guardian."<br /><br />     For the first time that any of the regulars in the Bragi<br />could remember, Father Adler/Jared Colfax smiled.  He extended<br />his arms to the Dacian.  She ducked under them and begain to toy<br />with the buttons on his shirt.  She kissed him lightly, then<br />turned around to face the awestruck, staring crowd and did a most<br />un-Dacian thing.  Oriana pressed her palms together and bowed<br />slightly towards those facing her.<br /><br />     "Thank you.  Thank you for bearing witness.  Thank you for<br />being patient with two over-age children."<br /><br />     Jared was so surprised at hearing this that fly flew in his<br />open mouth and made him cough.  Every man, woman and child in the<br />Bragi would now have followed Oriana into the pits of Hell<br />itself.<br /><br />     "And you, old friend?"  Oriana now turned towards the Tygor.<br />Can we get you away from that lovely wife and three beautiful<br />daughters?  We should be in for one hell of a fight!"  Oriana<br />flashed her most captivating smile at Sam and he grinned back.<br /><br />     "Orry, I've been a true blue family man for any years.  It<br />has been good and warm, if a bit dull.  Amanda will understand."<br /><br /><br />     "Jared bent over to retrieve his carbonium knife.  He looked<br />hard at Sam.<br /><br />     "Be at Orvar Spaceport one week from today with the usual<br />equipment."<br /><br />     "I'll be there."<br /><br />     Oriana took Jared's hand and walked slowly towards the door,<br />a broad grin upon her beautiful, yet devastated, face.  Jared<br />glanced around at the Bragi as if taking it all in for the last<br />time and winked at a few friends in the crowd.  Sam smiled<br />paternally.  When they reached the door, someone in the back<br />yelled out "Good luck, you bastard!" and everyone laughed.<br /></div> </div>

Adventure THE CHRONICLES OF ASTRUS II:

   adler.txtBen Blumenberg                                                Reality Software                                              ...

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A Family Affair Chapter 26 to End

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Family Affair</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;">Marilyn McPherson</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsL4sB29Oe_eEDFtHJd356sRbEDDArPkMjY43eEyJEqzbdwRU1b94YCWNEChx6UeeFpUtcO9PRTQ8Y66tFU7Nhi5rgPN1gHL8plLEvHoVgxKvNHYXfV53pc7RQ4QK4-DLSU6h7SQPH9E/s1600/family+affaire.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Family Affair Chapter 1 to 3" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsL4sB29Oe_eEDFtHJd356sRbEDDArPkMjY43eEyJEqzbdwRU1b94YCWNEChx6UeeFpUtcO9PRTQ8Y66tFU7Nhi5rgPN1gHL8plLEvHoVgxKvNHYXfV53pc7RQ4QK4-DLSU6h7SQPH9E/s320/family+affaire.JPG" title="A Family Affair Chapter 1 to 3" width="212" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #444444;">Smashwords Edition<br />Copyright © 2011 by Marilyn McPherson</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;">Smashwords Edition License Notes<br />Thank you for downloading this free ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.</span><br /><br /><br />Books by this author:<br />A Family Affair<br />A Family Affair - First Born<br />A Family Affair - Next of Kin<br />The Faithful Watcher<br />Lottie’s Patch<br />Stray<br /><br /><br />Note to Reader<br />Please note that this book is written in Australian English.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /><br />“I’ve got time to listen.”<br />Ellen briefly explained her whereabouts over the last week, and noticed a deep anger building in Hayden's eyes, when she talked about the masked man. “I was on my way to the police station, but Chloe and I had a terrible fight, and then she jumped to her death. Everything is just so crazy. I don't know what is going on in the world.”<br />“The important thing is that you are safe now, and that you and Tom can work everything out together.”<br />Ellen shook her head again, and started crying harder. This time her tears were for Tom; for the love she could never feel again.<br />“Tom is my father, Hayden. I just found this out from Chloe. We did a DNA test but Chloe now says that she switched the samples. He apparently admitted that he fathered a child with Colleen Watson, who is my biological mother.” Hayden tightened his grip around her shoulder, and she stared into his eyes. <br />“He is not your father, Ellen,” Hayden said.<br />Ellen squinted at him, through her tears. His eyes seemed so familiar, up close. She wiped her face dry, ready to listen. Hayden obviously knew something about the matter.<br />“I am.”<br />The words were shocking. How could that be? Neither of them spoke for a moment. Somehow this new information made sense to Ellen, although she couldn't fathom how at this point.<br />“Listen,” he continued. “You've had a rough week. Why don't we leave all the details til you've had a chance to recover a little.”<br />“No,” Ellen said firmly. “I need to know everything now. I can handle it.”<br />Hayden’s eyes assessed her carefully before continuing, “Well then, okay. But where to start?” Hayden rubbed his chin before continuing, “Tom and Colleen were a couple back at school. But he went away for a month. Colleen had too much to drink one night, and I took advantage of the situation. It's not something that I'm proud of. Colleen obviously didn't remember it the next morning because she never mentioned it to me. The next thing I know, Tom says he has gotten her pregnant. Well, I knew the child could be mine or his.”<br />“And? What happened next?”<br />“When you were five, Tom asked me to visit you, and see if your adoptive parents needed anything, financially speaking. Well, I knew you were mine right away. I mean we have the same skin and eyes for starters. My goodness, you look exactly like my younger sister did when she was your age. There is no way you are Tom's kid.”<br />Ellen looked at Hayden with fresh eyes. A number of her features were indeed present in his face. It could be true. “Why did you hate me when I turned up at Satinol that day?”<br />“I was just surprised, that's all. Modelling is not the career path I would have led you towards, if I'd had the chance to raise you.”<br />“Oh.”<br />“Now, listen to me. I don't want Tom to know the fine details here - about my sleeping with Colleen, I mean.” <br />“I'm sorry, Hayden, but no. There can't be any more secrets in my life.”<br />“It's just going to upset him unnecessarily.”<br />“I was about to tell him about Colleen being my mother, so he is going to think he is the dad as a result.”<br />“Fine, but go and get a DNA test. Go together. It will be negative, and Tom will realise that Colleen tricked him all those years ago.” <br />“He is going to ask a lot of questions if the test is negative.”<br />“Of course it will be negative. Let him ask questions, but there is no need to tell him about my being your father.”<br />Ellen thought it through. “I suppose not.”<br />“Good girl.”<br />“There is something else that Chloe told me something before she jumped. She said that Tom and her made love.”<br />Hayden made a face as though the thought sickened him. “I find that hard to believe. Listen, go and talk to him. All I can tell you is that when he thought it was over with you, he was devastated. I’ve never seen him so low.”<br />“Well, before I can think through any of this, I need to be sure that he isn’t my father. I love him you know. I want him to be my husband one day, more than I've ever wanted anything before.”<br />Hayden stared into Ellen eyes. “I guarantee the test will be negative. I guarantee you that I am your father. But the thing is, I really don't want to be. I never wanted to be a father. I'd like us to pretend that nothing has changed. You have parents that love you back home. I want that to be enough for you.”<br />“Oh, it is.” Although Ellen was glad to know who her biological father was, she had felt a coldness coming from Hayden since he sat down, and was happy to hear that he didn't want to develop some sort of later life father / daughter relationship.<br />Everything was starting to fall into place. Police were arriving and a team of men dressed head to foot in white. The police ushered them from the area, as they set up a visual barricade around Chloe's body.<br />“Well, I really should be off to the police station now, Hayden,” said Ellen.<br />Hayden nodded in agreement, and then left her without another word. It was as if he was cementing his decision not to be a father to her in any manner.<br />Ellen's phone rang from her pocket. It was Tom. Ellen happily answered the phone, content in the knowledge of who she was, and what she wanted for her future. There were a number of matters to discuss in due course, but Ellen felt Tom's love as she spoke to him. They agreed to meet in ten minutes, and Ellen hurried to make it in time.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Chapter Twenty-Six</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />Ellen saw Tom waiting for her outside the rendered grey facade of the city’s main police station. It was obvious that he had taken precautions against being recognised - he was wearing one of his baseball caps pulled low and dark sunglasses. The disguise looked out of place with his business attire and was also unsuitable for this overcast, grey weather. However, it was working, and Ellen realised that nobody but her would recognise the man as Tom Bradley. It was his frenzied pacing which gave him away. He was obviously feeling the same desperate urgency that she was, having been separated for so long. Ellen quickened her steps towards him.<br />Relief washed over Tom’s face when he saw Ellen, and his arms swept her up into a tight embrace. “Elle, I missed you so much. I’ve been going crazy without you.” He covered her face and lips in small kisses.<br />“I missed you too. You’re all I thought about.”<br />“If I’d known you were being held against your will, I would have done anything to find you. I would have been searching for you myself. I thought... I thought you didn’t want to see me.”<br />“I would never want that.”<br />They kissed with more passion than Ellen could remember feeling before. It was so easy to push all the doubt and negativity away. Tom loved her, and no one else. She felt his longing and need for her. Chloe had been confused and mistaken.<br />Suddenly, a voice of reason pushed its way into Ellen’s consciousness. There were a number of issues to be addressed, and this was not the time for enjoying the overwhelming feelings that kissing Tom was providing. The voice gave her strength, and she pulled herself out of Tom’s arms. There was also a DNA test to organise before they should kiss again. “I’m sorry, Tom. I just need to deal with a few issues first, before I can think about us.”<br />“No, I’m sorry. You’re right. We need to deal with this matter, before we celebrate being together again. Forgive me.”<br />“We will celebrate when this is over. I promise.”<br />Tom held Ellen’s hand as they entered the police station, whereby Ellen identified herself. <br />A look of recognition clicked in the officer’s face, and he quickly led them into an interview room, away from the public entrance. After a few minutes, another officer entered the room, introduced himself, and informed Tom and Ellen that a recording device was now active. Ellen nodded, and recapped the details of her ordeal. <br />Suddenly, the officer asked a question which caught Ellen off guard. “Do you think this man targeted you for any particular reason?”<br />Ellen realised, too late, that she should have spoken to Tom before making a statement. The last thing she wanted was to implicate him in this matter, or to shock him with details he was unprepared for.<br />Tom seemed to understand. “It’s okay, Ellen,” he said. “Just answer the question honestly.”<br />Ellen nodded. “The man never told me his name, but he said he was a friend of my biological mother, Colleen Watson. I wrote down some of his number plate.”<br />Both sets of eyes facing Ellen suddenly widened in shock and surprise. Ellen could tell what Tom was thinking, and wanted to tell him that everything would be okay.<br />The officer spoke first. “You don’t mean... are you talking about the victim killed in the recent bank robbery?”<br />“Yes.”<br />“Let me get this straight,” he continued. “Your mother was murdered recently, and a friend of your mothers decides to kidnap you afterwards.”<br />“Yes.”<br />“For what purpose would he do that? Why would he want to target you because of your connection to Colleen?”<br />“He wanted to hurt Tom.” Ellen saw Tom’s eyes widen. “He tried to convince me to break up with Tom while I was held captive. He blames Tom for Colleen’s death.”<br />“Why is that?” The officer looked suspiciously at Tom.<br />“Apparently Colleen was at the bank collecting money that Tom had agreed to give her, when it happened.”<br />“You mean the murder.”<br />“Yes.”<br />The officer looked towards Tom again, whose colour had drained out of his face. Tom suddenly came to, and shook his head a little. “I contacted the police when I heard about the shooting,” he said. “My statement should be on the file.” Tom turned towards Ellen. “I don’t understand. You told me that your parents live in Mansfield.”<br />“I recently found out that I was adopted.”<br />“This can’t be.” Tom shook his head, and touched his lips.<br />Ellen knew he was thinking about their kiss.<br />“What’s going on?” asked the officer, confused by their conversation.<br />Ellen ignored the officer’s question, and focussed on Tom’s obvious horror. “Tom, I’m not your daughter, if that’s what you are thinking.” <br />“Did Colleen have another child?”<br />“No. I believe she was mistaken about my paternity.” Ellen turned to the police officer to try and explain. “The man who took me believed that Tom was my biological father because this is what Colleen had told him. They were both concerned about the nature of our relationship,” Ellen said, indicating towards Tom and herself.<br />“I see.” The officer looked between the two of them, confused and worried about where the conversation had gone. “And that’s because the two of you are together, I presume.”<br />Tom remained silent.<br />“Yes,” Ellen answered.<br />“Go on.”<br />“Wait,” Tom said. “If I’m not your father, then who is?”<br />This was the question Ellen didn’t want to be asked. There should be no more lies between them, but Hayden wanted his role in her life to remain unspoken. “I... I don’t know,” she mumbled.<br />“How do you know that I’m not your father then?”<br />The officer made a weird face, before stating, “Listen. Let’s just finish dealing with the matter of the kidnapping, if you don’t mind.”<br />“Of course. I’m sorry, officer,” Tom said, apologetically.<br />“Is there anything else you can tell us about the man in question?” the officer asked.<br />“No,” said Ellen. “But I saw his face without a mask for a couple of seconds, so I could work with someone to come up with a sketch.”<br />“Yes, that might be handy. Well, I think we have enough for the moment. Why don’t the two of you stay here for a few more minutes and talk?”<br />Ellen nodded. There was so much to talk though. “Thank you.”<br />“I’m going to turn the recording device off as well,” the officer said, turning a switch on the wall, as he walked out, shutting the door behind him.<br />“Elle, it seems that we have both kept some secrets from each other.”<br />Ellen looked at him – her eyes pleading to be forgiven.<br />Instead, he apologised. “I should have told you about the daughter Colleen and I gave up all those years ago. I was only a teenager, you see. It seems like a lifetime ago.”<br />“And she came to visit you recently?”<br />“Yes.” Tom looked up with sadness in his eyes. “I should have told you about that too. How did you know?”<br />“He told me.”<br />“Of course.”<br />“He told me that you paid her to stay quiet about your past.”<br />“It wasn’t like that. I offered Colleen some money to help her out of the desperate situation she was in. She had become someone quite different to the girl I remembered. When I heard about the shooting, I was devastated. Please believe that, Elle. The only reason she was at the bank was to pick up the money I was giving her, but I didn’t have anything to do with her death. You have to believe that.”<br />“I do. Of course, I do.”<br />“Why are you so sure that I’m not your father?”<br />“The kidnapper, the friend of Colleen, wrote me a letter, in which he claimed that I was the daughter of Colleen. He named you as my biological father too. When my parents confirmed that I was adopted, Chloe and I did a DNA test... we used the toothbrush you left at our apartment...”<br />“I see.”<br />“And it showed that the two of us aren’t related.”<br />“You should have told me this.’<br />“I know. I’m sorry about that.”<br />“Well, that’s good news, about the result. It means Colleen lied to me though. All these years I thought I had a daughter, and I’ve felt so guilty for not knowing her.”<br />“But...”<br />“What?”<br />“Well, Chloe told me this morning that she interfered with it.”<br />“With what?”<br />“With the DNA test.”<br />“What does that mean? Why would she do that?”<br />Ellen shook her head. Chloe’s actions still didn’t make any sense to her. “I don’t understand why, but she switched one of the samples.”<br />Tom sat up straight. “Wait. If she switched one of the samples, doesn’t that mean that we could still be related? I just can’t believe that I’m your father. I refuse to even think about it.”<br />“I don’t think we are related.”<br />“You seem so sure.”<br />“Well, the world wouldn’t make sense if we were. I don’t love you as a father.”<br />“I know.”<br />“And we don’t look anything alike.”<br />“That’s true. You know, I never noticed before, but you do have some of Colleen’s features.”<br />Ellen sighed. Part of her felt desperately sad that she didn’t get to meet her mother before the shooting.<br />“What does all this mean for us, Elle?”<br />“It means that we should go and have a new DNA test performed together, and with a physician that you trust.”<br />“I still don’t understand why Chloe would have interfered with the test.”<br />“She seemed to have some sort of feelings towards you.”<br />Tom lowered his eyes in shame. “There is something else I need to tell you. There was a time when you were away, on the day I received the text messages... I had too much to drink, and I thought it was you.”<br />Relief rushed through Ellen’s body. He didn’t love Chloe at all. Chloe had been there, and taken advantage of his state.<br />Tom continued, “I need to tell you what happened, Elle, and ask your forgiveness.”<br />“I already know what happened between the two of you.”<br />“You do?”<br />“Yes.”<br />“How?”<br />“After I spoke to you this morning in the cab, I went home, and had a shower, you know. Chloe came home and...”<br />“She told you.”<br />“Yes. She said she was pregnant with your baby!”<br />“Oh my God! She says she’s pregnant.”<br />“After she told me about her missed period, I ran out. I was upset. Maybe, I should have stayed with her. I don’t know.”<br />“What do you mean?”<br />“After I left, she jumped off the balcony, Tom. She must have felt so guilty, or something. I don’t know what she was feeling. She seemed to be gloating at the time. I must have read her wrong. I don’t know.”<br />“I don’t understand.”<br />“She’s dead. She killed herself.”<br />“What?”<br />Ellen could tell how fast Tom’s head was spinning. She looked towards the door. “I’ll probably need to talk to the police about Chloe too, come to think of it.”<br />“It might be my fault, Elle. Ever since the incident at my place, I have refused to talk to her. She had been phoning every night, and I just ignored her messages. I even moved her to another office so she wasn’t near me during the day.”<br />“I don’t understand at all. She seemed kind of confident that you two would be together.”<br />“That’s ridiculous. Even if she was pregnant, it wouldn’t have happened. Even if you never forgave me, it wouldn’t have happened.”<br />“I know.”<br />“I’ll never be able to make it up to you. What I’ve done is unforgivable.”<br />“We will forgive each other. We’ll find a way.”<br />“I could only ever love you, Elle. Please know that.”<br />“I do. Everything will work out.”<br />There was a rap on the door, and the officer returned, with another policeman in toe.<br />“Ms Jackson, Mr Bradley, this is Sergeant Barry Jones. He is familiar with the Watson case, and thought he might be able to assist with this matter.<br />The policeman looked at Ellen for a good moment, before opening his laptop. “I also knew Ms Watson, prior to the events of July 14.”<br />“Oh.”<br />“I’m sorry for staring, but you remind me of her so much.”<br />Ellen nodded, and wondered how her mother had known a police sergeant.<br />“I have a photo database of Colleen’s known associates.”<br />“Was she some sort of criminal?”<br />He paused for a moment. “You might say that.”<br />“Oh,” said Tom, looking just as surprised.<br />The sergeant brought up six mug shots, and Ellen made an unusual sound of anguish, recognising the man straight away. “That’s him. Top right.” She pointed to the man’s photo.<br />“Are you sure, Ellen?” the sergeant asked.<br />“Yes.”<br />“Thank you, Ms Jackson. That’s all we need for now.”<br />“Wait. Who is he?”<br />“His name is Ted Blake. He recently served time for armed robbery, but was let out for good behaviour. This charge ought to keep him off the streets a little longer.”<br />“Do you think you will find him, sergeant?”<br />“Yes. I guarantee you that.”<br />With the sergeant’s assurance, Ellen felt relief sweep through her body. The saga was nearly over. <br />Tom and her left soon after, driving directly to the office of his personal physician.<br /><br /><br />Epilogue<br />Three days later, Tom was thinking about the DNA test results. They were due today. His physician had promised to call Tom’s mobile as soon as the results were known.<br />As if his thoughts had prompted the phone to ring, it suddenly chirped. Tom answered it immediately. “Tom Bradley.”<br />“Tom, this is Dr Walsh. I have the results of the DNA test.”<br />“I’m ready, doctor.”<br />“Actually, I’d rather you came in and discussed the results in person.”<br />“Please, doc. Please tell me over the phone. I need to know now.”<br />Dr Walsh breathed in and out while thinking. “Alright. Just promise me that you won’t do anything rash for at least ten minutes.”<br />“Agreed.”<br />“It’s bad news, I’m sorry.”<br />Tom’s heart sank. Of course Ellen would be in his life going forward, one way or another. But he didn’t want her as a daughter. They had done things which could not be undone. He wanted her as a wife.<br />Dr Walsh continued. “There is a ninety-seven per cent probability that Ms Jackson is not your biological daughter. I’m sorry, Tom.”<br />Tom’s heart leapt high into the air. The doctor had assumed he was trying to confirm his paternity to Ellen. “Is there any chance that the result is wrong, doc?”<br />“I know you are disappointed, but there is no other way to interpret the results.  Ninety-seven per cent is very high. She is not your daughter, and not related to you in any way, I would say.” <br />“Thank you, Dr Walsh. I appreciate you rushing through the lab work and phoning me with the result. “<br />“I’ll see you soon, Tom. Take care.”<br />“Goodbye.”<br />Tom smiled as he ended the phone call. It was time for Ellen and him to get away – somewhere far from this city. They would spend quality time together, with no work holding them apart. Their love and commitment was going to be formalised, and one day soon, Ellen would become his wife.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The end</span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><i>Note from the Author<br />If you enjoyed my book, please support my writing by leaving a review or purchasing the sequel. Thank you. <br /><br /><br />How to Contact Me:<br />Email: marilyngmcpherson@gmail.com<br />Facebook: Marilyn-McPherson-Author</i></span><br /><i><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />Books by Marilyn McPherson</span></span></i><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />A Family Affair by Marilyn McPherson</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />From the moment they first met, life would never be the same again. Despite their age difference, Ellen Jackson allows herself to be swept into the rich and powerful life of Tom Bradley, the CEO and owner of Satinol Cosmetics. They believed nothing could come between them, but they were wrong.<br /><br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Family Affair - First Born by Marilyn McPherson</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Although plagued by the tragic events of the previous year, Ellen Jackson continues her whirlwind romance with Tom Bradley, the fabulously successful CEO of Satinol Cosmetics. Tom’s devotion is unmistakable as he plans an opulent wedding for Ellen, but a small misunderstanding may cost them everything. Will Ellen’s unplanned pregnancy strengthen their love or tear them apart?<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />A Family Affair - Next of Kin by Marilyn McPherson</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Whilst the foundation of Tom Bradley’s life is the love he has for his wife and son, he is compelled to understand the mystery force which has been manipulating those relationships. In the final chilling conclusion to A Family Affair, the Bradley closet will be prised open, and the family’s dark secrets revealed.<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />Stray by Marilyn McPherson</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Ever since Jane Thompson lost her husband, her long days at the office and solitary nights at home have been filled with a sad emptiness. But just as she is giving up on life, a new employee starts work in her office. Cameron is successful, charming and handsome, his presence alone able to light a beacon of happiness inside her. But is he everything Jane imagines him to be? <br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />The Faithful Watcher by Marilyn McPherson</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Lucy Shaw is a young girl with an extraordinary gift. Kept isolated by her aunt in a small rural town in Australia, she senses that one man has been in her life all along, watching her from the shadows. When Lucy turns 18 and her Aunt dies, she moves to the city to attend university. The man in the shadows follows her there. Will Lucy work out who the watcher is, and what he wants with her?<br /><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><br />Lottie’s Patch by Marilyn McPherson</span></i></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Like the companion plants in their vegetable patch, Lottie and Walter Brown’s long marriage had been enriched by their mutual care. Their daily lives revolved around the rich bounty harvested from the patch given freely to the neighbours who shared their small cul-de-sac. Theirs was a simple quiet existence until a new season brought change, and Lottie’s patch would never be the same again.</div> </div>

Romance A Family Affair Chapter 26 to End

A Family Affair Marilyn McPherson Smashwords Edition Copyright © 2011 by Marilyn McPherson Smashwords Edition License Notes Thank you for...

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A Family Affair Chapter 21 to 25

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Family Affair</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;">Marilyn McPherson</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsL4sB29Oe_eEDFtHJd356sRbEDDArPkMjY43eEyJEqzbdwRU1b94YCWNEChx6UeeFpUtcO9PRTQ8Y66tFU7Nhi5rgPN1gHL8plLEvHoVgxKvNHYXfV53pc7RQ4QK4-DLSU6h7SQPH9E/s1600/family+affaire.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Family Affair Chapter 1 to 3" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsL4sB29Oe_eEDFtHJd356sRbEDDArPkMjY43eEyJEqzbdwRU1b94YCWNEChx6UeeFpUtcO9PRTQ8Y66tFU7Nhi5rgPN1gHL8plLEvHoVgxKvNHYXfV53pc7RQ4QK4-DLSU6h7SQPH9E/s320/family+affaire.JPG" title="A Family Affair Chapter 1 to 3" width="212" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #444444;">Smashwords Edition<br />Copyright © 2011 by Marilyn McPherson</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;">Smashwords Edition License Notes<br />Thank you for downloading this free ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.</span><br /><br /><br />Books by this author:<br />A Family Affair<br />A Family Affair - First Born<br />A Family Affair - Next of Kin<br />The Faithful Watcher<br />Lottie’s Patch<br />Stray<br /><br /><br />Note to Reader<br />Please note that this book is written in Australian English.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #45818e;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Chapter Twenty-one</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Tom was in the office when he received Ellen's angry text <br />messages ending their relationship. She had somehow found out about his daughter with Colleen, and now didn't want anything to do with him. <br />Things with Ellen had seemed a little strained after she’d first returned from visiting her parents. But Tom had given her some space, and their relationship had returned to normal soon after. <br />He should have been honest from the start. That was obvious now. Ellen was taking the news harder than he had imagined she would. He felt so stupid for deceiving her this way.<br />Ellen had sent three messages and then nothing. She must have turned her phone off after that, because his calls went straight to voicemail. Tom left five voice messages, begging her to forgive him.<br />Elizabeth came into his office to collect him for a meeting. She was looking a little concerned, “Tom, you are five minutes late for the teleconference.”<br />He shook his head. “I'm heading home, Liz. Please cancel my day.”<br />“Is everything okay? Anything I can do?”<br />“That will be all, thank you.”<br />Elizabeth left quickly, and Tom started to feel a dreadful weight in the pit of his stomach. He had lost Ellen's trust. It hurt like a forceful blow. On the way out, he stopped by Chloe's desk, and saw that she was busy typing an email. <br />“Chloe, how did she find out?”<br />She looked surprised and confused. “Sorry, Tom. Who? Find out what? Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?”<br />She didn’t seem to know anything. “Never mind. I'm going to go home early, so don’t...” He didn’t finish the sentence, and just walked off quickly and erratically.<br />“Maybe I should walk you out, Tom.” Without a word to Elizabeth, Chloe grabbed her bag and raced after Tom, catching him in the lift. “What's wrong, Tom? You can tell me anything, you know.”<br />“It's Elle. She broke up with me.” The lift closed. The two of them were alone.<br />“She did?” asked Chloe, in a surprised tone.<br />Tom wondered why Ellen hadn’t told Chloe anything, her supposed best friend.<br />“You said something about Elle finding something out. What did you mean by that?” Chloe asked.<br />“It’s a long story.”<br />They arrived at the basement level. Tom was moving fast but was visibly shaking and breathing erratically. He could hardly see because of his tears, which were quickly forming, despite his best efforts to hold them at bay.<br />Chloe must have noticed. “Tom, how about I drive? You don't look like you should be behind the wheel right now.”<br />Tom stopped and turned to Chloe. He looked a little uncertain.<br />“I don’t mind,” Chloe reassured him.<br /> “Um, yeah. Okay. Thank you, Chloe. I appreciate it.”<br />Chloe drove Tom's black sports car carefully and slowly out of the basement, taking particular care around corners. She listened to his directions and before long, she pulled into his driveway, and parked at the front entrance.<br />Tom noticed that Chloe’s eyes were wide and her mouth open as she surveyed the house and grounds. “Um, thanks for driving, Chloe. You can leave the car here. There is Robert coming towards us now.” Tom pointed towards the sandy haired man approaching them from the garden. “He will drive you back to work and put the car away. Thank you again.”<br />“What are you going to do, Tom?”<br />“Me? I am going to find some scotch.”<br />Tom headed inside quickly without looking back. He ran up the stairs and into his office. He had a well-stocked bar in the corner, and quickly poured a double shot of scotch into a tumbler, without adding any ice, as was his normal habit. Tom drank quickly and put his head down on the bar, hoping that the pain would pass quickly. Of course he was too old for Ellen. He knew it. And now she knew it too. Why had Ellen called him ‘gramps’? He had never seen any kind of mean spirit in her before today. But of course, she was just upset at him for keeping such a huge secret. It was all his fault. He knew he should have been truthful about his daughter with Colleen. He poured a second glass and drank that quickly too. <br />Once the third glass was poured, he noticed Chloe sitting on the couch. “What are you doing in here?” he growled at her. “Please leave, Chloe.”<br />“I don't think Ellen would like me to leave you alone right now.”<br />“I don't think Ellen particularly cares if I am alone at the moment, Chloe.” Tom quickly sculled the third drink and poured a fourth without thinking. <br />The alcohol was already starting to numb the ache. He took the fourth glass and sat on the couch with Chloe. Maybe she could make sense of what was happening. “I don't understand, Chloe. She told me she loves me. She found out something. I don't know how. And suddenly, that's it. She doesn't love me anymore. Bam! Just like that.”<br />“What did she find out, Tom?” Chloe asked slowly.<br />“I mean, how can someone love you one moment, and not love you the next?” Tom started crying a little and leant on Chloe’s shoulder. “I will always love her no matter what mistakes she makes.”<br />“Tom, please tell me what Ellen found out.” Chloe asked again.<br />“It’s only a small thing. But I wasn't completely honest about it with her.”<br />“Keep going.”<br />“When I was younger, I did something stupid, and got my teenage girlfriend pregnant.”<br />“You did?” Chloe seemed surprised and maybe a little shocked. <br />Tom noted that Ellen had obviously not said anything about it. “My girlfriend gave the baby up for adoption. It was a girl but I never even got to see her.” <br />“What was your girlfriend’s name Tom?”<br />“I don't understand how Elle could have found out. You must know, Chloe. How did she find out?”<br />“Tom, this is important, what was your girlfriend’s name?”<br />“Colleen.”<br />Chloe sank back into her seat.<br />Tom kept trying to explain, “Col threatened to tell Elle, but Hayden said she died at the bank, so she couldn’t have told anyone. But how did Ellen find out then?” The alcohol was really kicking in now. Tom's vision blurred and he sank back into the couch too, sipping his drink now. The pain and the light were both starting to fade. Tom’s eyes were closing, and at last the drink provided its numbing comfort.<br />“I would never break up with you, if you were my boyfriend,” Chloe said quietly, watching him.<br />Tom didn't register her words properly. “How could she do this? How could she leave me?” he whispered back.<br />Chloe slid closer to him on the couch and Tom felt her warm arms around his middle. She smelled nice, and it felt good to have someone there. He rested his hands on her shoulder, and felt the glass being slowly extracted from his hands.<br />Suddenly, Tom felt lips pressed against his. Young sweet lips. It must be Ellen. She'd returned. Ellen kissed him vigorously, parting his lips with her tongue.<br />“I want you, Tom,” she whispered. “I've wanted you for so long.”<br />Tom had dreamed about this moment, and here she was, finally ready at last. Tom felt his shirt being unbuttoned and his belt being removed. He picked her up, and groggily carried her to his bedroom. She kissed him the whole time.<br />He laid her down, noting that she was removing her own clothing quicker than he. His vision was still blurry, and his body very heavy. Ellen, who was now naked and soft, was removing his pants and kissing his chest. She pulled him down on top of her and wriggled underneath him, directing him with her hips and her fingers until he was finally within her.<br />“Oh Ellen, I love you,” Tom murmured in between her passionate and blinding kisses. “I love you so much.”<br />Ellen didn't respond verbally but kissed him harder until it was finished. Tom rolled off her and onto the other side of the bed. His mind was so heavy. It felt so good to just lay there with his eyes closed, exhausted but happy.<br />At some point later that afternoon, Tom started to stir. Light from the fading afternoon sun started to penetrate his eyelids, and he opened one eye to look around. The light burned and he quickly shut it again. Was Ellen gone? He searched his memory, trying to remember what had happened. His head was throbbing loudly and his throat was dry.<br />With all the force he could muster, Tom pulled himself into an upright position in bed. He opened his eyes. The room was spinning and he felt groggy, but was finally able to see. Chloe was here. What the hell? He looked down, and realised he was naked. He pulled the sheet over his nakedness. “Chloe, what the hell are you doing in my bedroom? Where did Ellen go?”<br />She looked over, with a disappointed but knowing sort of look. “You knew it was me, Tom. Let's not pretend any different.”<br />Tom lay back down in bed, and remembered. “Oh, fuck.”<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter Twenty-two</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />It was one week to the day when the man announced that it was finally time to leave.<br />Ellen looked up and gasped to see his face uncovered for the first time. He was unshaven and scruffy with wispy hair sticking in all directions. There were dark rings under both eyes and a large contusion on his forehead. The man must have gotten into a fight recently.<br />He swore, realising that Ellen had seen him and quickly returned with the balaclava on. “If you go to the coppers, I’ll come and find ya again. You got that.”<br />“I won’t talk,” promised Ellen, knowingly telling a lie. She intended to go straight home and then to the police station soon after. Luckily the man seemed to trust her. <br />It had been the longest week of her life. She hadn't showered the whole time; the bucket and a bottle of water had been her only bathroom. The man had emptied it once a day, but the smell had built up anyway. She knew that he would be as glad to see her gone as she was to leave.<br />“So,” he said. “We're going to give your idea a go.”<br />“Which idea was that?”<br />“The blindfold thing, remember.” He was trying to make things seem like her idea. “You keep the blindfold on until the car stops and then you get out. You can count to one hundred and then take it off. Got it?”<br />Ellen nodded. “Got it.” It wasn't worth angering him at this final stage of the process.<br />“Here,” he said, passing her phone back to her. “Don't use it until I'm gone. I wouldn't want you to be stuck in the middle of nowhere without a phone.”<br />“Thanks,” Ellen said, trying to sound grateful and sincere. <br />He blindfolded her and led her to the back seat of his car, instructing her to lie face down. “Any trouble out of ya, and I bring the car back for another week.”<br />“I understand,” confirmed Ellen, although she knew he was unlikely to want that either. From her dark cold place on the back seat, she tried to provide him with assurance, “There won't be any trouble.”<br />The car took off, sending excited shivers down her body. She would soon be free, and able to get something decent to eat. He had fed her mostly pizza, and other food that could be home delivered. She would soon be able to see Tom again, and even Chloe would be a sight for sore eyes. They must have been so worried about her.<br />She felt tension building in the front seat, and Ellen guessed that the man was annoyed about something. “So, I suppose you are going to see Tom again, even though you know everything about him,” he said grumpily.<br />Ellen thought about the DNA test again. She knew that she and Tom were not related, but didn’t want to upset the kidnapper unnecessarily. She tried to sound convincing, “Of course I’m not. That would be disgusting.”<br />He made a relieved grunt, and didn't say anything further. The car sped up, which caused Ellen to slide forward a little in the back seat. She adjusted her position quickly, so he wouldn’t notice and stop the car. Finally, the car pulled over a few minutes later.<br />“This will do. There’s nobody around. Keep the blindfold on and get out slowly.”<br />Ellen obliged. Feeling her way around the backseat, she found the door, then the handle. The door opened easily and sweet fresh air hit her face. She stood up and closed the door behind her. She thought he would feel more comfortable seeing her back, so she turned her back on the car and took a couple of hesitant steps in the opposite direction.<br />He obligingly drove away as quickly as he could. Ellen listened to the tyres skidding and slowly counted to five, before ripping off the blindfold. The car was still close enough to note some of the characters of his number plate – JQT 4 something. If he had noticed her staring after the car, he didn't stop or turn around.<br />Ellen ran as fast as she could up a nearby bank for safety. She crossed the bank onto a quiet suburban street and walked until she was standing at the intersection of two roads. Ellen was surprised and relieved to see a taxi passing, and hailed it quickly. Once inside, she explained that her wallet was at home and that she would pay him a bonus for getting her there safely. He appeared to have some sympathy towards her dishevelled appearance, and thankfully agreed to drive her.<br />Once the taxi was moving, Ellen pulled her phone out. There were twenty-five messages showing. She dialled Tom's mobile.<br />He answered almost immediately. “Elle. You're calling me. Does that mean you’ve forgiven me?”<br />“Tom, please listen. I've been kidnapped for the past week. I know we have a lot of talking to do. But I'm free, and on the way home. I think I'm in the west somewhere. The driver in the cab has agreed to take me home, even though I don't have any money on me.”<br />“What?” Tom bellowed. “What do you mean you were kidnapped? By whom? What about all those messages you sent me?”<br />“They weren't from me. They were from him. The guy who took me.”<br />“What guy?”<br />“I don't know who he was. But I saw his face this morning, and I’ll be able to describe him to the police.”<br />“Did he hurt you?”<br />“I’m just hungry and tired, and sore from the handcuffs. I’ll be okay though.”<br />“He kept you handcuffed? Elle...” Tom sounded horrified.<br />“Tom, I’m pretty tough, and I’m free now. Don’t be upset.”<br />He took a moment to breathe before asking another question. “I’m confused. Why did he send those text messages to me, from your phone?”<br />“Listen, it is all a bit hard to understand. I haven’t had a chance to read any of the messages yet. But he told me that you killed someone he knows.”<br />“What? I haven't killed anyone. That’s crazy!”<br />“I know. He doesn’t even know you. I know you wouldn't kill anyone.”<br />“I don't understand, Elle. Whom did he think I killed?”<br />“Her name was Colleen Watson.”<br />“Oh.”<br />“He sent those messages to punish you I guess. He wrote to me before he took me. I should have showed you the letter.” Ellen suddenly realised that Tom said ‘oh’ in a knowing sort of way. “What did you mean then, when you said ‘oh’?”<br />“I heard that Colleen was killed recently.”<br />“Did you know her?”<br />“Yes, but it’s a long story.”<br />“It’s okay, Tom. There is a lot to talk about. There is something I haven't told you too. Something I found out when I went home recently. It's connected to the letter from this man. But I love you. That is what is important.”<br />Tom breathed a sigh of relief. “There are a couple of things I need to tell you today, if possible. One of them involves Chloe, and one of them is related to the text messages that the man sent me. Promise me that you won’t read them, until we can talk in person. Can we meet somewhere now? Not at your place though.”<br />“Um, sure. But I really need to have a shower and get something to eat. Then I should go to the police station and report what has happened. Maybe we could catch up after that?”<br />“I'd like to be there at the police station with you, for support.”<br />“Thank you. That would be good. Listen, the cab is nearly home. I'll call you back soon. Let me clean up first. I don’t want you to see me like this.”<br />“Okay, I'll head home and be ready for your call.”<br />“Talk to you soon.”<br />“Elle.”<br />“Yes.”<br />“I thought I’d lost you. I love you so much. I love you more than I can tell you. I thought it was over, and I was devastated. I can't live without you.”<br />“It will never be over between us. I love you too.”<br />“Once this police business is over, let's go away together for a while.”<br />“Anywhere you want.”<br />“Bye.”<br />“Bye.”<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter Twenty-three</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br />“Chloe,” Ellen called out, as she entered the apartment. What a wonderful apartment! It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. There was no response. Everything looked the same as she remembered. It was as if she hadn’t been gone for a week. <br />Ellen hurriedly found her wallet, and dashed back downstairs to pay the driver his fee plus a generous tip. Once she returned, Ellen locked the front door behind her, and kicked off her stinky, week-old running clothes and put them in the bin.<br />She looked in the fridge, and found Chinese takeaway. It looked fresh, perhaps from Chloe's dinner last night. It smelled amazing even though it was cold. Ellen's mouth started to water just looking at it. She grabbed a fork, and shovelled a large amount into her mouth, while still naked. She decided to take the food into the bathroom, and continued to eat while turning the hot water on. Food had never tasted so good.<br />The shower was incredible too, and before long she was clean again and no longer hungry. She brushed her teeth and got dressed, ready to head to the police station, when the front door opened.<br />“Ellen,” Chloe shrieked. “Is that you?”<br />Ellen came into her view.<br />“Where the hell have you been?” Chloe asked loudly. “I've been so worried. I, I was about to report you as missing at the police station.”<br />Ellen ran to Chloe and gave her a giant bear hug. “It's a long story. I'm just heading to the police station now. Will you come with me? Tom will meet us there too.”<br />“Um, listen. There is something I need to tell you first.”<br />“Can it wait?”<br />“Um, no. It’s important.”</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />“Well,” said Ellen, looking at her watch. “I guess I can give you five minutes, then I've really got to report what happened.”<br />“Let’s sit on the couch,” suggested Chloe. When they were both seated, she continued, “Elle, I'm pregnant.”<br />“What?” That was the last thing Ellen expected Chloe to say. “Since when?”<br />“Well, I think I'm only a week pregnant. Too early for the test to show of course. But I missed my period, and my nipples are already starting to hurt. And my cousin VJ says that is a sure sign.”<br />“Chloe, that's great news,” said Ellen, trying unsuccessfully to read Chloe's expression, which was a mixture of cautiousness and restrained joy. “Isn't it?”<br />“I'm very happy, yes.”<br />“Well, what's the problem then?”<br />“I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just going to come out and say it.”<br />“Okay.”</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />“It's Tom's baby.” <br />Ellen's world stopped still. Dead still. Chloe stood at the end of a long tunnel in Ellen's mind. The rest of the world was suddenly blocked from her focus. She shook it off. “Sorry, what?” Ellen asked. “What do you mean? You think my Tom is the father of your baby?”<br />“Yes,” confirmed Chloe, no longer smiling.<br />Ellen shook her head. Chloe really had lost all sense. “It's not possible. Tom is not the father of your baby.”<br />“Yes, he is.”<br />“How could that be?”<br />“We became close while you were away.”<br />“You became close?” Ellen yelled in disbelief. “Sorry, what? You’re telling me that while I was being kidnapped, you shacked up with my boyfriend? And now you’re pregnant, even though I was only gone for a week. Is that what you’re telling me?”<br />“You were kidnapped? Why didn’t you say?”<br />“Well, I was trying to, when you started all this nonsense about Tom and you.”<br />“I'm sorry, Elle, but it’s not nonsense. I know you like him too, but I love him. We are going to be very happy together, I just know.”<br />“Sorry, what?  </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />“I know it isn't easy to hear.”<br />“I was just talking to him. He told me that he loves me. That he wants us to go away together.”<br />“He doesn't know that I'm pregnant yet,” Chloe admitted. “I wanted to be sure before I told him.”<br />“But you are sure enough to tell me?” Ellen said.<br />“Yes. Tom will do the right thing by me when he finds out.”<br />“And that is?”<br />“He will marry me. And we will raise our child together.”<br />“Chloe, you are delusional.”<br />“Am I? Why did he make love to me, if you mean so much to him?”<br />Ellen looked down. There was no answer to that question obviously. Maybe that was what Tom was going to tell her. It couldn’t be. How could he do this to her?<br />Chloe continued, “There's more Elle. You need to let him go. I'm doing you a favour here.”<br />Ellen’s mind was spinning. How could there be any more? “How's that?”<br />“He is your father.”<br />The kidnapper and Chloe seemed to have developed the same mindset while she was away. “No, he’s not. We did a DNA test, remember?” How could Chloe have forgotten the test results, which she organised herself.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />“I, um, I need to tell you something about the test. I... did something to the DNA test before sending it in.”<br />“What?” asked Ellen slowly. She stood over Chloe, feeling the rage of betrayal flow through every vein in her body. “Tell me exactly what you did to the DNA test?”<br />“I sent them my tooth brush instead of yours.”</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Ellen was stunned. Her DNA was never tested against Tom’s. This means she was back to square one, and could be related to Tom. In a quiet, defeated voice, Ellen asked, “Why did you do that, Chloe?”<br />“I had my reasons. But it doesn't matter now. I know the truth in any case. He is your father.”<br />“No. It’s not a guaranteed thing,” Ellen said. But then she remembered her conversation with Tom from before. He had said ‘oh’ in a funny voice. He had known Colleen Watson, her mother.<br />“Tom told me that he fathered a child, with his teenage girlfriend Colleen. That’s the name of your biological mother. And think about it, the dates all line up. That baby was you, Elle.”</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Ellen's world was rocketing out of control, and she sank down onto the carpet.<br />Chloe continued harshly, “So, you can't love him that way. It's not right. And now that I'm pregnant, everything is falling into place. He won't be too upset because, he has me now, to look after him. And he is going to be so happy to hear about the baby.”<br />From her position on the floor, Ellen sobbed roughly and painfully. “I can't believe that he slept with you. That you slept with him. I can't believe you meddled with the DNA test, Chloe. You must really hate me to hurt me so much.”<br />“Try to look at the bright side. I mean, this is working out for both of us. I am going to become Tom’s wife but you are going to inherit a fortune, Elle, being Tom's daughter. Of course, you will need to split it with our future child,” Chloe said happily, patting her stomach. “I just realised. I am going to be your stepmother. How weird is that?”</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Ellen looked at Chloe with new eyes. How could they have ever been friends? “I hate you. I hate you completely and I never want to look at you again. You are a mental case, Chloe.”<br />“Elle, I'm sorry this is hard on you. But you've got to snap out of it. I fell in love with Tom. We fell in love with each other, that's all.”</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />“He doesn't love you.”<br />Chloe hesitated. “Maybe not now, but eventually he will when he hears about the baby.”<br />“It doesn't work that way.” Ellen was starting to pull herself together and didn’t want to listen to anymore. “Listen, screw this, Chloe. Screw you too. I need to go to the police station. I can't think about all this right now.” <br />Ellen couldn't think about Tom being her father instead of her future lover. She stood up, pushed past Chloe and ran out of the apartment to the lift, slamming the door behind her. She intended to run all the way to the police station which was about four blocks away, but collapsed crying in a seat in front of the building. She was exhausted from her long week and from the fight with Chloe. She had never been so confused and hurt in her entire life.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter Twenty-four</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Chloe watched the door slam, smiled a little, and went back to sit on the couch. She patted her stomach gently, and whispered, “Hello, little baby. I know you are in there.”<br />Suddenly there was a footstep in the hallway. A footstep where there should only be quiet. Chloe whipped her head around urgently. She recognised the man instantly. “Hayden,” she said, shocked. “What are you doing here?” Chloe tried to contain her panic. Why was he here? It didn't make any sense. How much had he heard? How did he get in? The questions were unending, and were being fired one after the other into her mind.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />He walked confidently into view, acting as if he owned the apartment.<br />Chloe's eyes raced downwards from his face to his hands. What the hell? Her eyes bulged. “Why are you wearing plastic gloves, Hayden?”<br />He smiled darkly. “So I don't leave finger prints, Chloe. I don't want anyone knowing that I was here now, do I?”<br />“Why are you here? And how did you get in?” Chloe's anger started to kick in. She breathed deeply and relaxed a little. After all, it was just Hayden from the office. “Does Tom know that you like to break into Ellen's apartment?”<br />“If you must know, Chloe, I came here looking for evidence of where Ellen could be, when she came in. Tom has been a mess all week and, well, someone has to do something. I didn't buy the break-up story like everyone else did. I didn't want to startle her when she came in, so I stayed in the back bedroom. And then you came home too, and you said all those nasty things to her. Even though she has spent the last week who-knows-where after being kidnapped. You didn’t care. You just sat her down and tried to break her heart by telling lies about you and Tom. She sounded pretty upset, wouldn't you say?”<br />“I didn’t tell her any lies. And come to think of it, it's actually none of your business, Hayden.”<br />“You'd be surprised.”<br />“What does that mean? You know what? Save the explanation. I'd like you to leave now. Right now!” Chloe raised her voice, hoping that her tone would cause him to leave quickly. She had never noticed this in the office, but Hayden was actually quite creepy.<br />“Unfortunately, Chloe. You and I have some business to sort out.” Hayden opened his jacket to reveal a gun. Chloe froze as he pointed the gun at her.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />“What do you think you are doing? Are you crazy?”<br />Hayden walked towards the balcony and opened the sliding door. “Actually no, Chloe. I’m quite a rational person and therefore will present you with two choices for how this can end.” His voice was cold and unemotional. Hayden removed another object from his jacket. It looked like a silencer, and he started to screw it onto the end of his gun. He did this without looking at the gun, like he had done it a hundred times before. He kept his dark eyes on her the entire time.<br />“And they are?” asked Chloe, starting to feel terrified by his every movement.<br />“You can jump off the balcony, or you can stay on the couch and I'll shoot you. It's completely up to you.”<br />“Hayden,” Chloe said, nervously laughing. “Don't be ridiculous. You've made your point. I'll be nicer to Ellen. I'll move out. Whatever you want.”<br />“I'm not laughing, Chloe. I hired someone to take care of Colleen for me of course. But seeing that I’m here and you are here, I must as well take care of you myself.”<br />“You killed Colleen?” Chloe asked, feeling shocked and stunned. She had assumed Ted’s letter to Ellen was mistaken in regard to the murder accusation. “Please. Why are you doing this?” Chloe was starting to feel more panicky every moment the gun remained pointed at her.<br />Hayden rolled his eyes, as if bored. “The thing about Tom is that he can generate money like nobody else on this planet. And if Tom is making money, then I am making money.”<br />“I can give you money,” Chloe offered, in a weaker voice.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Hayden continued talking, ignoring her offer. “He doesn’t know that I’m here of course. But being here and taking care of you is an important part of the job description. I remove the problems from his life. I keep him focussed on the task at hand. And right now, you are the biggest problem.”<br />Chloe shook her head, unable to think of anything to say.<br /> “So, enough talk, Chloe. Make your choice. Which one is it?” <br />“Please, Hayden. I don't want to die. I'm pregnant with Tom's baby.”<br />“I doubt that.”<br />“I really am. Okay, I admit that he thought it was Ellen at the time. But Tom is not going to want his unborn child to die. I really am pregnant.”<br />“You shouldn't be.”<br />“Why are you on her side? They are father and daughter. They shouldn't be together. It's wrong. He belongs with me.”<br />“Get up, Chloe. Move to the balcony. I'm going to count to ten.”<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter Twenty-five</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />Ellen's breathing was returning to normal. She needed to put Chloe and Tom out of her mind, and focus on getting to the police station. One step at a time, one problem at a time. Ellen stood up and started to walk when she heard a scream, and then an explosion. It was close by. The horror unfolded about twenty metres from where she was sitting. A body had fallen from one of the windows onto the footpath in front of her apartment building. </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Ellen rushed over, but was instantly repelled by the sight. The body was terribly mangled, but she was sure that it was Chloe. And she was sure that Chloe was dead.<br />A car on the street skidded to a halt, and a woman walking nearby started to scream uncontrollably. It was lucky the body didn't land on her as she was only about five metres away.<br />Ellen returned to the seat, and collapsed. She realised she was hyperventilating, and tried to slow down her breathing. What was going through Chloe's mind to make her jump to her death? She had seemed almost pleased with the pregnancy. Had Ellen read it all wrong? Perhaps Chloe had been ashamed and devastated with guilt? Perhaps Ellen should have stayed with Chloe, and said that everything would work out in the end.<br />Suddenly, Hayden from the office, Tom's best friend, was walking towards her. <br />“Ellen, you're alive!” he said. “Everyone has been so worried about you.”<br />Ellen stared at him with a blank confusion. What was Hayden doing here?<br />“Ellen, it's Hayden from work. Are you okay?”<br />Ellen nodded slowly.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />“I was passing by and heard the commotion. Are you okay?”<br />Ellen couldn't answer as her breathing was still quite erratic. She pointed towards the body on the footpath. He didn’t seem to have even noticed. Ellen put her head down and tried to focus on breathing normally.<br />“Does someone have a bag?” Hayden cried out, looking towards the small crowd of people gathering on the footpath. He took off quickly, but returned before long, with a small paper bag. “Breathe into the bag, Ellen. Try and slow your breathing. In and out.”<br />Ellen tried to do as he instructed and before long, the tingle in her hands and toes started to fade, and her breathing returned to normal.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />“Good girl. That’s good. Keep breathing slowly. You’ll be okay shortly.”<br />Ellen was finally able to speak. “Thanks, Hayden. It’s lucky you were here.”<br />“You were in shock I think. Why don't I get you out of here?”<br />Ellen let him put his arm around her, but she refused to move from the spot. “It's Chloe, Hayden. The jumper. It's Chloe, my flatmate.” Ellen pointed towards the body again, which could no longer be seen because of the crowd of onlookers. She could see someone on a phone, talking to the police, and giving directions.<br />“Oh dear,” said Hayden sympathetically. He finally seemed to notice the body.<br />“I can't believe she jumped,” Ellen said.<br />“She was a good friend of yours, wasn’t she? Well, I'm sorry for your pain. I'm sure Tom will be sorry to hear of this too.”  </div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Ellen sat silently, as new tears were welling up in her eyes.<br />Hayden continued, “Well, I'm happy to see that you're alive though. I know poor Tom has been suffering without you. Everyone at work has been worried too. Your sudden disappearance was very strange. I thought it was very, how should I say it... uncharacteristic, from what I know of you. I'm sure you have a good explanation for leaving, and for the text messages you sent Tom. You mean everything to him, and well, that makes you important to me too.”<br />“I'm not sure how much I mean to Tom actually, Hayden.”<br />Hayden turned to her with a bewildered expression on his face. “What makes you say that?”<br />Ellen shook her head. “It's a long story.” <br /></div> </div>

Romance A Family Affair Chapter 21 to 25

A Family Affair Marilyn McPherson Smashwords Edition Copyright © 2011 by Marilyn McPherson Smashwords Edition License Notes Thank you for...

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A Family Affair Chapter 18 to 20

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Family Affair</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: purple;">Marilyn McPherson</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsL4sB29Oe_eEDFtHJd356sRbEDDArPkMjY43eEyJEqzbdwRU1b94YCWNEChx6UeeFpUtcO9PRTQ8Y66tFU7Nhi5rgPN1gHL8plLEvHoVgxKvNHYXfV53pc7RQ4QK4-DLSU6h7SQPH9E/s1600/family+affaire.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A Family Affair Chapter 1 to 3" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsL4sB29Oe_eEDFtHJd356sRbEDDArPkMjY43eEyJEqzbdwRU1b94YCWNEChx6UeeFpUtcO9PRTQ8Y66tFU7Nhi5rgPN1gHL8plLEvHoVgxKvNHYXfV53pc7RQ4QK4-DLSU6h7SQPH9E/s320/family+affaire.JPG" title="A Family Affair Chapter 1 to 3" width="212" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #444444;">Smashwords Edition<br />Copyright © 2011 by Marilyn McPherson</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #0b5394;">Smashwords Edition License Notes<br />Thank you for downloading this free ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to Smashwords.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.</span><br /><br /><br />Books by this author:<br />A Family Affair<br />A Family Affair - First Born<br />A Family Affair - Next of Kin<br />The Faithful Watcher<br />Lottie’s Patch<br />Stray<br /><br /><br />Note to Reader<br />Please note that this book is written in Australian English.</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: center;">  matter would that be now?” asked Hayden evasively.<br />“The Colleen Watson matter, of course.”<br />“Oh yes,” said Hayden, looking a little uncomfortable. “Tom, I have to tell you, I was surprised that you agreed to give her a sum of money of that size, of any size, frankly.”<br />Tom tried to explain, “When I knew Colleen all those years ago, she was just a girl. She was bright, happy, funny and sweet. This woman that came to visit me was nothing like that girl I once knew. I had to do something, Hayden. She needed help from someone.”<br />“But why did it have to be you?”<br /> Tom scratched his chin thoughtfully. “It was just the right thing to do. I mean, I have plenty of money to spare, let’s be honest. I don’t want to argue about this one. What’s done is done. I assume the transfer of funds was successful?”<br />Hayden seemed surprised by the question, and looked at Tom oddly. “Um, well I just assumed that you saw the news or read it in the newspaper, Tom.”<br />Tom furrowed his brow in confusion. “I don't follow you,” he said.<br />Hayden was obviously hesitant to continue because he stood up and began to pace the room. He was also careful to avoid eye contact with Tom. “I don't know how to tell you this,” murmured Hayden. “There was a robbery at the bank, and Colleen was shot.”<br />“My God! No!” Tom leapt to his feet, irritated that he had not been informed of this matter earlier. The prospect of leaving work that instant to go to the hospital left him feeling flustered. He walked in circles for a few moments, grabbing a jacket off the coat rack in the corner.<br />“Tom, what are you doing?”<br />“Which hospital is she at?” Tom demanded. “Have you sent flowers? Where are my car keys?” He rapidly felt through each of his pockets, trying to remember where his keys were.<br />“Tom, Tom, hold on a second,” implored Hayden. “She didn't make it.”<br />“What?”<br />“She's dead, Tom.”<br />Tom dropped his pen onto the carpet. “Hayden, please.” He was shaken up by the words themselves. “What are you saying? Tell me that isn't true.”<br />“I'm sorry, my friend. It is true. We got the money back though. So that's one good thing.”<br />“The money? This is what concerns you? The money doesn't matter, Hayden.” Tom felt his insides collapse. He felt completely unable to deal with the news of Colleen’s apparent murder. <br />Hayden moved towards the coffee table, intending to pour Tom a glass of water, rather than comfort his friend directly. “I really didn't think that you would react this way. I would have mentioned it otherwise. I mean, the bitch got what was coming to her.”<br />Tom was surprised by Hayden's matter of fact tone, and he rose slowly to his feet. It was obvious to Tom that Hayden was not saddened by Colleen's murder, and perhaps he was even happy about it. “What do you mean, Hayden?” asked Tom.<br />“Like you said, coming here, trying to blackmail you! Trying to destroy your relationship with Ellen!” said Hayden in anger. “Someone did us a favour,” he said, while watching Tom carefully.<br />“Hayden, this is terrible news. I admit that Colleen had changed a lot since high school, but she wouldn't have told Ellen about the child.”<br /> “Well, in any case,” stated Hayden, in a manner Tom found to be a little cold and heartless. “It's kind of irrelevant now whether or not the bitch was going to go through with her threat, don't you think?” <br />“Do me a favour - please don’t call her that. Colleen was once very important to me, a long time ago.”<br />Hayden laughed to himself and shook his head. “I have a meeting now, Tom. I’ll send you the name of the investigating police officer this afternoon. You can give him a call if you want more information.” Hayden starting moving towards the door.<br />Tom looked at his friend, unable to comprehend this news. “Wait! Hayden. How could this happen? I mean, the two of us organised for Colleen to go to that bank. I don't understand.”<br />“It's just one of those things,” he replied. “A coincidence.”<br />“Hayden, ask one of the girls to come in, will you?” Tom called out as his friend left the room.<br />Hayden was gone for a short period before returning. “Tom! Chloe's not at her desk, but Elizabeth will be in when she's off the phone,” he called back.<br />Tom was left at his desk feeling a strange emptiness that he could not understand or explain. <br />It wasn't long before Elizabeth entered the room. “Did you need something, Tom?”<br />“Elizabeth, I am not feeling well, of a sudden. I think I might take the rest of the day off. I’ll go home and lie down.”<br />Elizabeth looked worried. “Tom, er... your diary is quite full today. Can I get you some aspirin instead.”<br />“No, I need to go home.”<br />“Would you like to dial into your meetings from home?”<br />“No. Please delegate everything that you can to the relevant directors, and send my apologies.”<br />Elizabeth realised that his mind was made up. “I will.”<br />“Do you know if Ellen is in the building today?”<br />“I think I saw her downstairs before. Would you like me to let her know?”<br />“Actually, send her up, will you?”<br />“Certainly. Anything else?”<br />“That's all. Thanks Liz.”<br />It wasn't long before Ellen arrived. She was as beautiful and radiant as always, although Tom noted that she was looking a little more flushed than usual.<br />“Hi Elle. How are you? Is everything okay?” he asked, trying to determine why she looked like that.<br />Ellen nodded. “I’m fine. It’s good to see you.” <br />Tom could tell there was something more going on, but he was feeling so overwhelmed with the news of Colleen’s death that he decided not to press her. “Listen Ellen. I've just found out that someone important to me has died.”<br />“Tom, I'm sorry. Is it someone I know?”<br />“Um, no. I’ll tell you about it another time.”<br />“Okay.”<br />He breathed deeply. “I'm going to go home and, well, take the day off. You don't mind if I have a little space tonight? I don't think I will be very good company, in any case.”<br />Ellen shook her head graciously. “Of course not. Let me know if you want to talk later on.”<br />“I'll make it up to you on the weekend,” Tom offered.<br />“Actually, Chloe and I were thinking of going back home this weekend. I wanted to check with you first, to make sure we didn’t have anything planned. But if you are upset, and would rather I stayed, then I will, of course.”<br />“No, it’s okay, you go.” Tom checked his BlackBerry quickly. “I don’t think we have anything planned, no.”<br />“And you don’t mind that I go home without you? I know we were intending to visit them together. There is something important I want to talk to my parents about.”<br />Tom felt a little relieved to hear that he might have the weekend to himself. He needed some time to process the news of Colleen’s death, and he wanted to speak to the investigating police officer too. “Of course I don’t mind. I would like to meet your parents soon, of course. But I’m probably not in the right frame of mind this weekend. Maybe another weekend soon?”<br />“Of course. There is no rush though.”<br />“This weekend will be a good opportunity for you and Chloe to spend some time together. I know I’ve been monopolising your time ever since I met you. She probably feels like she doesn’t see you anymore.”<br />Ellen smiled.<br />Tom deduced from her expression that Chloe had obviously been saying a similar thing. He continued, “This weekend will provide some time for me to digest the news I received today. I'm not sure why it's affecting me the way it is,” Tom said thoughtfully.<br />“Take as much time as you need,” offered Ellen.<br />Tom kissed Ellen on the forehead, before leaving the office. “Have fun with Chloe. I love you.”<br />“Love you too, Tom.”<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter Eighteen</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />Ellen and Chloe arrived at Mansfield at twelve o’clock that Saturday, just in time for lunch. The smells and sounds of Mrs Jackson's cooking wafted through the front door and into the garden, greeting the girls on arrival.<br />“Mum, Dad, we're here,” Ellen called out.<br />Mrs Jackson was highly-praised for her cooking skills. She was able to put together tasty three-course meals with little notice, as had been the case this weekend. The girls were greeted by the normal array of kisses and welcoming by both parents. Chloe did not escape any of the affection either.<br />Mrs Jackson had prepared arancini balls for starters and offered the girls one from a large silver serving plate. <br />Once everyone was seated at the dining table, Mrs Jackson served a pumpkin soup for entree, and a variety of dishes for the main course - including vegetable cous cous, roast chicken, homemade pesto and roast vegetables. Ellen's parents had numerous questions about Tom, her job and experiences at Satinol. They were amazed to hear of the girls’ free accommodation arrangement, as provided by the company. Chloe nudged Ellen a few times, but Ellen wanted to give her parents the opportunity to ask all of their questions first.<br />After the dishes from main course were taken away, Ellen passed around a selection of photos from her past photo-shoots, and both Mr and Mrs Jackson declared how beautiful their daughter was. Ellen felt proud and happy to receive their praise. It made the question she wanted to ask even harder though.<br />Just as the four of them were starting on dessert, Ellen finally found the courage to ask the question she came to ask. Part of her didn't want to know if it was true, but she took a deep breath and gave a knowing look to Chloe. It was time. “Have either of you ever noticed how I don't seem to look like anyone in our family?”<br />Both parents stopped chewing and stared blankly at her.<br />Mrs Jackson spoke first, “I wouldn't say that darling.”<br />Mr Jackson cleared his throat, “So Chloe, how are you liking your role at this cosmetics company? What is it exactly that you do there?”<br />The girls exchanged frustrated glances.<br />“Mum, Dad,” Ellen said, not to be distracted. “Was I adopted?” She paused briefly, and thought how crazy that question sounded out loud. Of course she wasn’t. It was ludicrous. “I know it's a strange question, and I’m sorry to ask, but I need to know the truth.”<br />“What makes you ask that?” Mrs Jackson enquired without any emotion in her tone.<br />Ellen noticed that she did not deny it.<br />“It's a yes or no question, Mrs Jackson,” Chloe stated blankly. Obviously she had noticed it too.<br />“Remember whose house you are visiting, Chloe,” said Mr Jackson. He did not look happy with her determined attitude.<br />“Well, Ellen,” said Mrs Jackson.<br />“Beth, I’ll handle this,” interrupted Mr Jackson. “Ellen, you are our daughter. We love you. End of story. Enough of this nonsense,” he firmly declared. “Your mother has cooked a lovely family meal. We haven't seen you in a long time, and we should all be appreciating each other's company, and not asking ridiculous questions like this.”<br />The room fell silent as everyone took another mouthful of their dessert. <br />The lemon tart suddenly tasted a little sour to Ellen, and she wasn’t sure why her father had reacted the way that he had. She thought it through a little more. He probably reacted that way because it was such a silly question. Ellen decided to believe her father, and felt a wave of relief rush over her body. Of course they would have told her if she was adopted. “I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry, Mum,” she said. <br />Mrs Jackson looked over and smiled. “That’s okay, Ellie.”<br />“And I really appreciate the lunch you have cooked for us, Mum.” Ellen felt the need to explain a little further. “The only reason I asked such a silly question is because I got this weird letter during the week, and it got me thinking. I'm sorry. I should have just thrown it away.”<br />“What was in the letter, darling?” asked Mrs Jackson. <br />Her husband gave her a stern look.<br />Ellen noticed the looks exchanged between her parents with surprise, and tried to explain as quickly as possible. “Um, it said that I was adopted and that my biological mother’s name was Colleen Watson. It said that Colleen’s boyfriend was Tom when she got pregnant, and hence that I am probably dating my own biological father. Something along those lines.” Ellen was trying to laugh it off, but noticed how still the room had become.<br />Chloe obviously noticed too. “They're not laughing, Elle,” she stated, putting her spoon down.<br />“What?” asked Ellen. “Mum? Dad?”<br />Mr Jackson looked towards his wife. “Beth, I think I might go outside and get some fresh air. The dessert is lovely, but I think I have lost my appetite.”<br />“Of course, dear,” Mrs Jackson responded.<br />Once her father had left the room, Ellen turned to her mother, “Mum, what's going on? Did I say something wrong? Why did Dad just walk out like that? I was just trying to explain why I asked the silly question before.”<br />Mrs Jackson sat with her eyes down for some time, not answering. <br />Ellen continued, uncertain what to do next. “Should I go and apologise, Mum?”<br />Mrs Jackson finally looked up, tears starting to show in her eyes. “It's the name, darling. Colleen Watson. Your father and I decided not to tell you when you were just a baby. We didn't want you to feel anything other than one hundred per cent our daughter. You have to understand that our decision was made with the right intention behind it.”<br />“What are you saying? What decision? Am I not your daughter?”<br />“You are our daughter, in every way that counts.”<br />“But not biologically?” clarified Chloe, who did not seem affected by the emotion in the room.<br />Mrs Jackson shook her head. “No, not biologically.”<br />Ellen was shocked. How could it be true? How could they have lied to her all these years? Keeping the truth hidden was the same as lying. And if one part of the letter was true, then all of it could be true. “Is Tom Bradley my father?” asked Ellen, sickened by the thought.<br />Mrs Jackson shook her head in an uncertain way. “I don't know. Your birth certificate only listed the name of your mother - Colleen Watson.”<br />Ellen looked towards Chloe. “Tom could be my father. Shit.”<br />“Yes, and it could be anyone else as well,” said Chloe, trying to be reassuring but failing terribly.<br />“Why would the letter be right about Colleen being my mother and wrong about Tom being my father?”<br />Mrs Jackson was thoughtful before suggesting, “Perhaps we could try and find Colleen, and ask her who the father is.”<br />“The letter said that she, um, recently passed away,” Chloe informed Mrs Jackson.<br />“Oh, I see,” said Mrs Jackson.<br />Ellen thought through the repercussions of this. She would never have the opportunity to meet her real mother. But there was something more that just didn’t make sense. She and Tom couldn’t have secrets from each other. She knew him to be an open and honest person. “Tom would have told me if he had fathered a child that was given up for adoption. We don’t keep secrets from each other. I can't be his, I just can't.”<br />“Maybe he was getting around to telling you that one, Elle,” offered Chloe. “It is big, and he might have been worried about your reaction.”<br />Ellen thought that through silently. It was possible.<br />Mrs Jackson looked very distressed. As it appeared that everyone had finished eating, she started to clear the half-eaten tart slices from the table. Only Chloe had completely finished her plate. “I'm sorry, Ellie. We should have told you sooner,” she started saying, while sobbing over the dishes.<br />Ellen realised how upset her mother must be feeling, and went to comfort her. “Mum, I'm not upset with either of you. Maybe I should be, but I’m not. I think you should have told me when I was old enough to understand, but otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing about my upbringing. I still think you are the best mother in the world.”<br />The two women hugged, while Chloe looked on. When they stopped hugging, Mrs Jackson dried her tears with her apron, and said, “I'd better go and talk to your father. And perhaps you should consider breaking up with this Tom character, until the truth is clear and apparent.”<br />Ellen nodded. “I should have showed him the letter before I left.” She looked to Chloe. “We didn’t think there was any truth to it. And Tom was upset about something, so I didn't want to trouble him, but I will Mum, I will.”<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter Nineteen</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />Chloe drove the car home from Mansfield, while Ellen sobbed quietly beside her. It was incredible news, quite hard to digest. Tom and Ellen perhaps being related, perhaps not. What were the chances of that happening in a city the size of Melbourne? It would explain why the two of them were initially so drawn to each other, of course.<br />The afternoon had proven tedious to Chloe. Both of Ellen's parents had wallowed in their regret and sorrow for hours after lunch. Mr Jackson had seemed particularly heart-broken, or maybe he was ashamed to be discovered a liar after all these years. Chloe had never seen a grown man cry. She found it particularly distasteful really, and quite inappropriate to carry on so much in front of a guest.<br />Ellen had spent much of the afternoon crying too. The three of them had been at it for hours. Chloe had never smoked so many cigarettes, but being outside in the cold had been infinitely preferable to being inside with the wailing. Thank goodness she and Ellen had finally left the town, hopefully not to return for some time.<br />“Chloe,” Ellen said, looking up, her eyes red and puffy.<br />“Yeah, Elle.”<br />“Thanks for coming with me today.”<br />“No problem.” The afternoon had actually been a problem, a huge awkward situation, but Chloe couldn’t really speak her mind without offending Ellen.<br />“I need to know for sure about Tom and me. I need to find out before I show him the letter. I mean, if I tell him everything, and then find out it isn't true, well, it might ruin things anyway. He might never look at me the same way again.”<br />“That makes sense.”<br />“How can we find out, one way or another?”<br />Chloe thought for a moment, and then remembered something she had seen recently. “DNA test of course. We just need to get a sample of his DNA. Maybe some hairs from a brush or something.”<br />“How can we get a DNA test done?” Ellen sounded a little unconvinced.<br />“I saw a service advertised on late night TV the other night.”<br />“Really?”<br />“Yeah, there is a company that is called DaddyID or something like that. All you need to do is download the form, and send two samples in separate sealed bags. It's quick too I think. You get the results within forty-eight hours of it being received. You have to logon to some site. Probably costs a few hundred bucks though.”<br />“Money really isn't the problem here, Chloe.”<br />Chloe rolled her eyes. Ellen sounded particularly stuck up when she said that. “Right. Sorry, I forgot how much you are being paid just to get your picture taken.”<br />“There's a bit more to it than that, Chloe. What I mean is, that being related to my boyfriend is the problem. I’ll pay anything to know the truth.”<br />“Right.” Chloe didn't feel like debating how overpaid Ellen was, so kept quiet until she realised something much more interesting. “Shit,” she exclaimed.<br />“What?” asked Ellen, confused.<br />“I just realised something. If you are Tom's daughter, you are going to inherit a bloody fortune.”<br />“Chloe, if I'm Tom's daughter, I will never, ever be able to look at him again. I will have to move interstate and begin an intensive counselling program. I mean, I would have kissed my dad.”<br />Chloe laughed at that. “I guess, yeah gross. I wouldn't kiss my dad.”<br />“No kidding.”<br />“But you will still inherit a whole pile of money, and the controlling interest in a large cosmetics company.”<br />Ellen didn't respond, and instead stared out the window at the endless dry paddocks passing by. <br />Chloe realised that Ellen didn’t seem to care about money at all, which was impossible to understand. Ellen really was quite a dull friend at times. If she wasn't providing such great free accommodation and perks, Chloe would have moved out with more interesting people by now. Ellen was so strange at times too. She probably hadn’t even slept with Tom yet! Although Chloe had to concede, that under the circumstances, this probably was for the best.<br />Ellen suddenly perked up. “Tom opened one of our spare toothbrushes the other night and left it at our place. Do you think that it will be suitable for the test?”<br />“A toothbrush is perfect. Nice thinking. This means we can send it off tonight.”<br />Ellen looked somewhat relieved, and put some music on for the remainder of the trip home.<br />When the girls arrived home at their apartment, Chloe downloaded the form from the Internet and completed the required information. Meanwhile, Ellen sealed her toothbrush and Tom's toothbrush in separate sealed bags.<br />“I'm going to have a shower now, Chloe,” Ellen said. “Thanks for your help with this. Will you go and post it all tonight?”<br />“Will do, Elle. You've had a tough day. Why don't you take it easy tonight?”<br />Chloe was finished with the paperwork, and was just about to seal the envelope when she started thinking. A small idea had been growing in the back of her mind all afternoon. She thought about the pain that this knowledge would cause to Tom. It would be unbearable for him. Tom Bradley, the kindest, sweetest, richest, most amazing man that Chloe had ever met. She would do anything to protect him. Anything to ensure his happiness continued.<br />Chloe looked over her shoulder. The shower from Ellen's ensuite was already running. Without another thought, Chloe grabbed a fresh sealed bag and walked into her own bathroom. She put her own toothbrush into the bag and inserted it into the envelope. She took Ellen's toothbrush out and walked it back into the kitchen, and put it at the bottom of the kitchen bin. Perhaps the rubbish should go out tonight. Yes, an excellent idea, Chloe thought to herself. The DNA of these two samples would be unrelated. Tom would be kept in the dark. He wouldn't need to know about any of this. The chance of Tom and Ellen being related seemed very remote anyhow. He could continue to care about Ellen, continue to believe that there was something special about her. More importantly, he would remain happy and unaware. Wasn't the true nature of love sacrifice, after all? <br />Chloe realised then that she loved Tom. More than Ellen ever could. She would forsake her own possible relationship with him, to spare him the pain and shame of what this DNA test might show. <br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chapter Twenty</span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />Since getting out of jail, Ted had made much progress. A successful robbery had put enough money in his pocket to last a few months. He had found a new place to rent and was already working on the plan. Initially he had wanted to shoot the makeup man. Not to kill him - the prison term for killing someone was just too long. But he wanted to shoot him somewhere – maybe in the knees. If the makeup man had to limp for the rest of his life, he would be sorry for hurting Colleen.<br />However, watching Ellen had caused the plan to change unexpectedly. He had spent four days as a quiet observer, noting her daily movements and patterns. Watching her had quickly become his number one priority. After a while, he thought about how nice it would be to have her at home with him. She looked a little like Colleen, but was younger and fresher. She probably wouldn't nag him as much, either.<br />Her daily routine was pretty simple. She went jogging in the morning, went to the office at around nine o’clock, and went to the makeup man’s house for dinner, returning home by about ten o’clock most nights. There were plenty of opportunities to take her, but Ted had decided that during the jog would be the easiest.<br />He checked his watch. It was almost half past seven. Any moment, Ellen should leave her building and run straight past his car.<br />One of the boys from prison had provided some helpful advice about a chemical called halothane, a modern-day chloroform-like substance. Inhalation would result in Ellen passing out quickly, for a period of four to eight hours. Ted had a soaked rag ready in his hand, and his fingers tensed and flexed in anticipation. He had seen it done in the movies many times. It should be pretty easy, as long as nobody was watching.<br />The door opened. There she was, heading in his direction as expected. People were so predictable. Ted looked in the rear view mirror and around the street. No one was around.<br />He stepped out of the car into her path. “Excuse me, miss.” Ted held a map in one hand, pretending to be lost. “I'm looking for Hardware Lane. Do you have a moment to help?” She came towards him, so trusting, so soft.<br />The moment her eyes lowered to the map, Ted rolled his left hand into view and quickly covered her mouth with the rag. His right hand dropped the map to put pressure on her head from behind, ensuring she breathed in deeply. The chemical worked very quickly. The girl didn't have time to register what was happening. The whole process was very smooth, very quiet.<br />Her legs wobbled, after a few seconds, and Ted realised he had done it. He supported her body as it went limp and carefully placed her into the back seat face down. His eyes darted up and down the laneway. Still nobody in sight. He chuckled to himself. It had gone more easily than he'd thought possible.<br />He sped away to the suburban unit he had rented since getting out of jail. Luckily it had a garage connected to the back door, so none of the neighbours would notice him carrying an unconscious girl inside. He carefully lifted Ellen up and brought her inside onto his spare bed, cuffing her wrist firmly to the bed post. She was beautiful, even like that.<br />“There's no escape for you now, missy,” he told her. Ellen was breathing, but still very much unconscious. “I didn't get to say goodbye to Col because of your Tom, so I guess you're the closest thing I can find.”<br />Ted knelt down beside the bed and put his lips to Ellen's. He kissed her softly then more roughly. It felt a little different than he'd imagined. Actually, he didn't like it particularly, and stopped right there.<br />“Well, what shall I do with you, now that I have you?” Ted asked himself out loud. He decided to search her pockets for money. There was a set of keys in one pocket and a mobile phone in the other. No money. Perhaps the mobile was the best way to punish Tom. Ted checked the contact list. Only eight contacts were present in Ellen's phone, and one of them was Tom.<br />Ted starting creating his first message:<br /><br />Tom, it's me. I have found out who you are. You are a liar. I know you got Colleen pregnant. It's over between us. What other secrets are you keeping? You are also 2 old for me. I could be your daughter.<br /><br />Ted hit “send” and laughed. This would definitely ruin his day. Ellen's phone started ringing almost immediately. The caller ID said 'Tom'. He let it ring until her message service picked up. Ted listened to the message, which was just Tom asking Ellen to call him. Saying they should talk things through.<br />Ted starting creating a new text message:<br /><br />I've gone away for a while. Don't call me. 2 upset to talk to u. I hate u now old man.<br /><br />Ted laughed at his second 'old man' jibe, while hitting “send”. A text message came back quickly in reply.<br /><br />Elle, I love you. Please I'll do anything to make it up to you. Where r u? Please, please call me. I love u<br /><br />He was definitely starting to hurt now. Revenge was sweet indeed. Ted started creating a new message.<br /><br />You are not listening gramps. It's over between us. I quit the job. I hate u. Go to hell pedo. ITS OVER. STOP TEXTING AND CALLING.<br /><br />Ted turned off the phone and threw it into the corner of the room. He was bored playing with Tom already. He didn't know what to do with Ellen now, but knew he had to hold her for a little while, to ensure his messages had the desired effect. Maybe a sandwich would clear his mind.<br />A few hours and a few beers later, Ted heard some rumblings coming from the bedroom. He grabbed the black ski mask that he had bought for this moment. Best not to be too visible to Ellen, since the eventual plan was to let her go. Colleen would not be happy on the other side if Ellen was hurt, so the girl could not be too damaged.<br />Ellen looked groggy and confused, but was clearly awake. She looked quite afraid when Ted walked into the room, and started to scream.<br />He rushed over to her to cover her mouth. “You'll stop screaming now, or I'll gag you with masking tape, Ellen.”<br />She stopped screaming with that threat, but looked fearfully into his eyes.<br />He continued, “Now, I'm gunna take my hands off. You be good and I'll be good to you.”<br />She nodded.<br />Ted removed his hands from her mouth. “Good girl, Ellen. Right decision.”<br />She looked terrified, her eyes darting around the room, while she pulled unsuccessfully against her handcuffs.<br />“Now, there is no need to scream. I'm not going to hurt you.” Ted paused, watching her mood carefully. “I am going to keep you for a while though. There is nothing you can do about that. It will be you and me hanging out here for about a week, I reckon.”<br />“Why?” she tentatively asked. “Who are you? What do you want with me? How do you know my name?”<br />“We can get to know each other later. First, I want some answers from you, Ellen. You got that?”<br />Ellen nodded obediently.<br />“Well, first things first I guess. I told you who Tom is. Yet you are still with him. Why?”<br />“Are you the one who sent me that letter?”<br />Ted nodded.<br />“Your letter was part right, and part wrong. He's not my father. I did a DNA test. It came back negative.”<br />“Bullshit. Col said he was the father.”<br />“You mean my mother - Colleen said that?”<br />“Yeah, and she would know, wouldn't she?”<br />“There must have been another man, because the test was negative.”<br />The girl didn’t seem to listen. Ted was starting to feel angry towards her. “I said that’s bullshit,” Ted roared. “How many times do I have to say it? Tom is your father. Col would have said if there was another guy. And guess what? She didn’t say, so it’s settled. Tom is your daddy. And Col wasn't happy with you sleeping with your daddy, let me tell you.”<br />The two of them stared at each other a while. The girl stayed silent. <br />Ted was unsure how to argue the point any further. It seemed settled to him. “So you agree now or what?”<br />Ellen nodded. “I agree.”<br />“Good.” Maybe she wasn’t so stupid after all.<br />Ellen hesitated a little and then timidly said, “I guess I should say thanks for the letter. My parents never told me I was adopted. The truth came out when I confronted them.”<br />“Uh huh.” He looked at her awkwardly. “So do you want to kiss a little bit or what?”<br />A look of horror came over her face, and she shook her head quickly from side to side.<br />“Fine. Have it your way. Col probably wouldn’t like it anyhow. Don’t want to get haunted by some angry ghost. She was angry enough in real life.”<br />“Did you know my mother well?”<br />“You might say that.”<br />“What sort of woman was she?”<br />“A good woman. She could nag, don't get me wrong, but I miss her.”<br />“Your letter said that Tom killed her. What did you mean by that?”<br />“What do you think I mean, dummy?” Ted angrily snapped. “I mean, he KILLED her.”<br />“But why do you think that?”<br />“Listen, Tom pretended that he was going to give her some money. She was at the bank picking it up when it happened. I guess he changed his mind about giving her the cash after all.”<br />“What happened at the bank?”<br />Ted raised his voice again. “Your boyfriend killed your ma, that's what happened. I already told you this. You need to start listening. He made it look like a bank robbery, except the gunman shot Col but never tried to get into the bank’s safe. What kind of robber leaves without money?”<br />Ellen looked stunned by his tone and theories, and said quietly, “I don’t know.”<br />“A fake robber, that’s who.”<br />“Tom wouldn't have organised a shooting. He is the gentlest man I've ever met.”<br />“Bullshit! He had the means and the motive. Your mum wouldn't want you dating her killer, even if he's not your dad, which he is. We’ve already covered this shit.”<br />Ellen was silent, as she continued to look around the room. “So, you're not going to hurt me?” she asked.<br />“No,” replied Ted gruffly. “I suppose not.”<br />“Why don't you let me go now then? I don't know what you look like. You can blindfold me and let me go on a street somewhere and drive off. I won't be able to tell the cops anything.”<br />“No, sorry. I'm keeping ya for a week.”<br />“A week? Why?”<br />“Well, if you must know, Miss Nosy, I sent some messages to Tom on your phone, breaking up, you know. So we need some time to let them take effect.”<br />“What did you text?”</div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <br />“I got him up to speed on the situation, and I said you’ve gone away.”<br />“Please, please. Let me call him. He'll be so upset.”<br />“He killed your ma. Which part of that are you not understanding?”<br />“You don't have any proof that Tom was involved.”<br />“You don’t need proof when you just know something. I mean, maybe you don't know him as well as you think. Like, you didn't know that he had a kid. That he paid Col cash to keep her quiet. Well, did you?”<br />Ellen shook her head. “No, he didn't tell me.”<br />“So, end of story. You've broken up with him. You can leave in a week's time. There's a bucket there,” Ted said, pointing to a bucket next to the bed. “Obviously I have to keep you tied up, so you can use that if you need to go. I’ll feed and water you if you do your part. But if there's any screaming from ya, I'll gag you and stop the feeding. Got it?”<br />Ellen nodded.<br />“But if you're good, then I'll bring you something nice, maybe some pizza. Do you like pizza?”<br />Ellen didn't respond, and Ted noticed that she was still looking at the bucket.<br />“Do you want water or beer?”<br />“Water,” said Ellen weakly.<br />“You'll be right here. Maybe I will drag the TV in later so you can watch something.”<br />Ellen didn't respond to that offer, which Ted thought rather generous. Instead, her eyes wondered around the room again. Maybe he wouldn’t bring the TV in, if she was going to act like that.</div> </div>

Romance A Family Affair Chapter 18 to 20

A Family Affair Marilyn McPherson Smashwords Edition Copyright © 2011 by Marilyn McPherson Smashwords Edition License Notes Thank you for...

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