Mark looked incredulous. “You are divorcing me?”
“Mark, you’re going to be in here for the rest of your life.”
“That’s not true. They haven’t sentenced me yet. I could get less.”
Holly shook her head. “Think about it. In twenty years, I’ll be an old woman and you’ll be an old man.”
“Not that old. All you have to do is wait until I get out, and then we’ll be happy again.”
“Don’t make this hard on me.”
“Hard on you? I’m the one in prison!”
Holly stared into her husband’s eyes for a long moment. “Twenty years is a long time. If you want a TV and a radio, you’ll sign the papers.” At length, he looked away and she knew she’d won. “I have to go now. Goodbye, Mark.”
He watched her get up, walk to the door and leave as soon as the guard opened it for her. She didn’t even look back. A moment later, a different guard tapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s go, Barrett. Your visit is over.”
IN THE HALLWAY, DETECTIVE Heffran was waiting. “Did you get all that?” Holly asked.
“I’ll listen to the tape later. What did he say?”
“He says it was a woman and a man. Someone put the phone on his desk and it rang about ten minutes after he got to work. It was the day Alfred heard it ring.”
“What time did Mark usually go to work?”
“Eight o’clock.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Barrett. It’s a place to start.”
OUTSIDE THE JAIL, JACKIE sat in the rented limo and watched Holly come out. Michael opened the door for her, and then sat in front with Carl.
“That was fast. Did you get him to sign?”
“He’ll sign. I promised to send him a TV and a radio if he did.”
“And will you?” Jackie asked.
“In twenty years or so.” When the rest of them laughed, so did Holly.
“You’re going to be all right now, aren’t you?”
“I am. Jackie, if ever there is anything I can do for you, I hope you will call.”
“I will call. Meanwhile, you start a new life and try never to think of this one again.”
“Just like it never happened? That’s kind of hard to do with his children, but I plan to find a real husband if I can and be happy.”
“Good for you.”
“It won’t be easy, I know that.”
“Why not? You’re young and attractive?”
“Very attractive,” Carl muttered.
Holly smiled. “Thank you, driver.”
Jackie giggled. “Driver, drop me off at the next corner and take Holly to the airport.”
He grinned at Jackie in the rearview mirror. “Yes, Mrs. Harlan.”
IT WASN’T EASY GETTING an appointment with such a busy man, but Jackie managed. She found her way to the outer office and gave her card to the receptionist. “I have an appointment with Judge Blackwell.”
“Oh, yes, Mrs. Harlan. He hasn’t much time, but he will see you. Wait here for a moment.”
Jackie didn’t bother to take a seat, and instead walked to a window that faced northwest. Over the tops of the building, she could see Mt. Hood in the distance.
It wasn’t long before the receptionist came back. “He will see you now.”
“Thank you.” She entered the door the receptionist held open for her and walked to the man standing behind his desk. “Your Honor, thank you for seeing me.”
“Please be seated. I remember seeing you at the trial. You are a private detective?”
“I am. We specialize in finding missing people.”
“I see,” he said as he also sat. “You want more information on Mrs. Lockhart’s children?”
“No, I am here on a more personal matter.”
He studied the seriousness in her expression for a moment. “Continue.”
“Gordon Jeffery Xavier went missing on August 3rd, 1976 at the age of four. We believe he was taken by a woman and is still alive.”
Again, he studied Jackie’s eyes for a long moment. “Mrs. Harlan, does this have anything to do with someone named Pauley?”
“Bingo?” said Michael.
“It does. Gordon’s older sister is named Paulette. She was sixteen when her brother disappeared and he called her Pauley.”
The judge rested his head against the back of his chair and closed his eyes. “All these years, I thought it was just a dream.”
Jackie finally smiled. “We cannot be certain until you allow us to do a DNA test, but yes, we think you are...”
“Where is she?”
“Paulette?”
“Yes.”
“We pride ourselves on complete secrecy and discretion. If you would confirm it with a DNA...”
“Of course.” He got up, walked to a window and chuckled. “You do realize this sort of thing only happens in the movies.”
“You might be surprised to know how often it happens.”
“Not to me it doesn’t.”
“How soon can you take the test?” Jackie asked.
“My DNA is already on file. Do you have hers?”
“I do.” She reached in her purse and pulled out an envelope.
“I’ll go to the lab this afternoon as soon as court is out. With any luck, these attorneys will ask for a continuance and I can go even sooner.” He turned back to face her. “You have no idea how happy I am.”
“Your Honor, we are not always right. Please do not get your hopes up until after it is confirmed. It takes time to... well, I don’t have to tell you how busy the labs are, especially in a big city.”
“Leave it to me, Mrs. Harlan. Judges have more power than you think.”
“Call me Jackie. You can reach me at the number on the card. Ask the lad to contact me and then I’ll call you. If it is a match, I’ll let my client know immediately.”
“I can’t stand waiting.”
Jackie stood up and offered her hand. “I have heard that about you.”
“I bet you know a lot more about me than I know about myself.”
“I know enough to know that you won’t tell anyone about our agency. We cherish our anonymity.”
“You have my word.”
PAULETTE GOODWIN SAT in the living room of her twelve bedroom mansion in Granada Hills, California, and stared at the woman seated across from her. “You found him?”
“We did.”
“I can’t believe it. Where is he?”
“Paulette, he is a judge and I thought it might be better if we went to him instead of waiting until he could come to you.”
“A judge? How marvelous. One can never have too many attorneys in the family, especially in my business.”
“I agree. Are you between movies at the moment?”
“I am, but I wouldn’t be above making a few people wait if I had to. When can we leave?”
“Our Learjet is at the airport. Are you well enough? I mean...”
“I have never felt better. I’ll pack some things and be ready first thing in the morning. How long a flight is it?”
“Not that long.”
She grinned. “He is on the west coast somewhere, isn’t he? Can we go now?”
Jackie laughed. “You go pack enough for a couple of days and let me worry about getting you to him.”
IN THE WEE HOURS OF the next morning, Jackie brought actress Paulette Goodwin onboard the company Learjet. The actress wore her hair up, a hat to cover it, and sunglasses so she would not be recognized.
Indeed, it was a shorter flight than it might have been, and in only three hours, the jet landed in Portland. From there, the limo took them to the courthouse, where she and Jackie slipped into an empty row in the back.
Judge Blackwell recognized Jackie right away, and suspected the woman still wearing sunglasses was Paulette, but he had a job to do and tried to ignore them both. It wasn’t easy.
“He looks like father,” Paulette whispered.
“Did you bring any pictures?” Jackie asked.
“I brought more pictures than clothes.”
“Don’t worry. Portland has some very nice clothing stores.”
Paulette giggled.
The judge motioned for the bailiff to come closer, whispered something and then said. “Court is adjourned until Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m.”
Instead of saying, “all rise,” the bailiff said, “Clear the courtroom please.”
“Does he mean us?” Paulette asked.
“I don’t think so.” Jackie was right and as soon as the small gathering of people went out the door, the judge removed his black robe, walked down the side steps and came down the middle aisle to greet them.
“Your Honor, this is...”
“My long lost sister?” he asked.
Paulette slowly stood up and removed her sunglasses.
The judge took a step backward. “You’re Paulette Goodwin?”
“No, today I’m just the sister who has been searching for you for years,” she answered.
He looked at Jackie. “The DNA is a match?”
“Dead on,” Jackie said. “There is no doubt.”
Paulette got the first of many tears in her eyes, “These arms have longed to hold you again for over thirty years.”
At last, the judge took his big sister in his arms. A tear rolled down his cheek too and he didn’t care. “I have missed you too.”
“Gordie, where have you been?” Paulette managed to ask. “Father paid the ransom, but they didn’t bring you back.”
“Ransom? Aunt Mary said my parents died.”
Paulette gasped. “Aunt Mary took you?”
He started to laugh. “Boy, have I got a lot to tell you. How long can you stay...where are you staying? Wait, will you stay with us? Please say yes.” He hugged her again when she nodded.
“Jackie, can you have my luggage delivered?” Paulette asked. She released her brother and hugged the woman who had answered her prayers. “How can I ever thank you?”
Jackie smiled. “Well, you just never know when I might need the advice of an actress or a judge.”
“Any time,” both of them answered at once. The judge quickly turned back to his sister. “I used to call you Pauley, right?”
“Right, that’s why I called you Gordie. Look at you, you’re a judge? To tell the truth, I imagined all sorts of bad things. For a long time, I...”
Jackie watched the happy reunion for a moment longer before she slipped out of the courtroom.
“WHERE TO NEXT?” MICHAEL asked as she walked down the courthouse steps and got back in the limo.
“Anywhere but a courtroom. They have the hardest seats in the world in there.”
“I thought you wanted to go to a flower shop,” said Carl.
“I do.”
“There’s one on the next block and Michael will be happy to get them for you.”
Michael glared at his friend. “Of course I will. What kind do you want?”
“A large assortment will do,” she answered.
IT WAS TIME TO LEAVE Portland, but Jackie wanted to make one more stop. With Carl and Michael right behind her, she walked into the cemetery, found Amelia’s grave, and laid the bouquet of flowers near the headstone.
“You knew her?” Michael asked.
“Yes, we were friends and I am going to miss her.”
“Is she the one you talk to late at night sometimes?” Carl asked.
“She’s the one.”
“So that’s why you wanted to wait until the trial was over to approach the judge? I get it now,” said Michael.
Carl watched her wipe a tear off her cheek. “You okay?”
“I am fine,” Jackie answered.
“How long have you known her?” Michael asked.
“Since she hired me to find her sister. That was before my husband died. It didn’t take very long to find Barbara. She already had a police record.”
“Let me guess, the sister was a prostitute here in Portland.”
“Right. She was on drugs and Amelia tried, but she couldn’t do anything to help her. Amelia couldn’t have any children, and her sister didn’t believe in abortion, so she let Amelia adopt them. Jack loved the kids and so did Amelia. Unfortunately, they spoiled them too.”
Said Carl, “She might still be alive if she had told them, but like Norma said, she loved them enough not to tell them where they came from.”
“That she did,” Jackie agreed. “I doubt Slone feels quite so self-important these days.”
“So which one of them, had her killed?”
Jackie smiled. “You know, Michael. I bet that case isn’t quite over yet.”
“You know something we don’t know?” Carl asked.
“She always knows something we don’t know,” said Michael.
“Spill it, Boss,” Carl insisted.
“Well, think about it. Someone was seen leaving going out of Amelia’s front door the Tuesday before and she wasn’t concerned about it. Why? Because she just assumed Melissa changed her mind about staying and went home.”
“But it wasn’t Melissa, it was Barrett.”
“Right,” said Jackie. “Holly said he came home very late that night too.”
Carl rubbed the back of his neck. “Melissa was the only one who could have arranged to have the door unlocked both nights.”
Jackie nodded. “Not only that, how could Melissa not know where her husband was? Didn’t he call and want her to bail him out of jail?”
Michael’s eyes lit up. “But she couldn’t because she’d already put the money she got from her mother in Barrett’s backyard. Furthermore, she couldn’t touch her ten thousand dollar inheritance because the others insisted they contest the will.”
“Right.”
“Yes,” said Carl, “but Melissa said he took all the money they made when they sold their house. He could have bailed himself out.”
“Unless it wasn’t enough or she lied about that too,” said Jackie. “Melissa doesn’t want her husband out. In fact, it worked out very well for her. Who’s going to believe a guy in jail when he claims his wife wasn’t home that night? I think, once the will is finally probated, she will take her inheritance, the money from the sale of their house, and disappear into the night.”
Michael said, “Unless they catch her.”
“You think she paid for Holly’s hotel room too?” Carl asked.
“We may never know the answer to that one, but it was probably Atticus. He’s the nicest of the four and probably felt sorry for Holly. I saw him look at her a time or two. By the way, I think Lexi Hamilton was in love with Atticus and not Slone.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Because Atticus got married just a week before she started her affair with Barrett.”
“That makes sense. You think Slone gave Lexi the car so she wouldn’t say it was Atticus she was with the night of the murder?” Michael asked.
“Brother protecting brother?” Jackie asked.
“Wait a minute,” said Carl. He stared at the woman he called boss. “The missing bank account is...”
“The one we use for our pro bono cases,” Jackie answered.
“You sly devil,” said Michael. “Norma’s right, the kids will never find that one. Way to go, Jackie.”
She looped one arm around Carl’s, one around Michael’s, and all three of them had smiles on their faces as they headed back to the limo.
“Now will you marry me?” Michael asked. “I promise to be the best...”
IT WAS TRUE, AMELIA didn’t hire Jackie to investigate what her children were up to; Jackie just did it as a favor between friends. Therefore, when she received news alerts for all four children, she knew it had to do with Amelia Lockhart’s last will and testament. Jackie got a cup of coffee, settled into an easy chair, in yet another hotel suite, and began to read the news articles.
Amelia won.
Slone’s business was to be sold with the proceeds split between all four children, and the museum could
finally enter, remove all the valuables, and sell the house. Of course, Melissa’s share would end up in the hands of her defense attorney. Melissa’s husband, on his way to prison anyway for vehicular homicide, cut a lesser sentence deal in exchange for testifying against her.
At the end of the article, it mentioned that Miss Childers planned to move to Salt Lake City, so she could help a friend raise two beautiful little girls.
That part made Jackie smile.
~ the end ~
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THE DEAD LETTERS
Book 1
Sample Chapter
(An M.T. Romance)
IN THE ATLANTA DEAD-letter office, a series of odd letters began to arrive from Seattle. The envelopes were addressed simply to “sister” with no address or return address and inside, the letters were signed by someone who called herself, Princess. Yet, the contents of the letters seemed to be a cry for help, and soon it became Natalie’s obsession to find her. For that she needed the help of a detective – a very handsome detective named Daniel.
CHAPTER 1
NATALIE POWELL CALMLY sat in the chair on the other side of her fiancé’s desk, handed him the signed pre-nup and waited for him to explode.
She didn’t have to wait long.
She watched his smirk grow as he flipped through the pages, and noted all the little boxes marked with an “x”. When he got to the last page and looked at the signature, his grin abruptly turned to a ferocious frown. He put both hands on his desk, slowly rose up out of his chair, and shouted, “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?”
Apparently, Stewart G. Warren didn’t care if everyone in the outer office of his accounting and tax consulting corporation heard him, which was okay because she didn’t care either. “Well sweetheart, now that we are about to be married I think it is time we be completely honest with each other.” She raised her left hand and reminded him of the large diamond ring he put on her finger. “I cannot tell you how happy you have made me.” The glare on his face was so hot she had to remind herself to keep calm. If she gave him the chance, he would have a thousand excuses and she didn’t want to hear them.
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