by Lyssa Layne
He was getting no further with the ledger, so he set it aside to help Cherie who was near the end of the box.
Her face lost all color as she double-checked the last file and found none of the names she was searching for.
He hated watching her struggle with defeat.
She smacked the side of the box, causing the files inside to slip down.
“What’s the matter?”
“This is the last box, and we’ve got nothing. Not a damn thing.” Cherie got on her knees trying to fix the mess of the file enclosed. As she proceeded to straighten them, so they were again upright, she pulled the last file up, and it slid back under the files. “Damn box is all messed up, and the folders won’t stay upright.
Jason moved closer to help.
Her hand shook uncontrollably as she reached into the back of the box. Her head whipped up, and she turned to face him with a shocked expression. “Oh my God.”
As the pulse in her neck sped up, Jason’s heart stopped.
She gripped the file and slowly pulled it out from under the other files. When she read the label, all she could do was jump up and shout. “Yes!”
When was sick to his stomach.
Cherie held a file clutched tightly to her chest.
“What is it?”
“I’m holding a file that has the Alexander name on it. Cross your fingers, because it’s the last folder in all these boxes and if it doesn’t pay off, I’m completely out of luck.”
Jason pulled himself up. Rubbing his backside, which had gone all but numb, he moved closer to her.Jasone waited patiently by her side, in case she had any questions. He figured she needed to do this on her own.
Cherie read page-by-page, reading every word, as if afraid of missing something important. When she was through, she handed the file to Jason.
Jason scanned the pages as meticulously as Cherie had. The difference is that one thing was perfectly clear to him now. Checking back on the other files, all those adoptions were legal, every last one of them. What he’d failed to notice on the other files, but stuck out like a neon sign on this one, was that each file had a number associated with it that was stamped by the courts. If the court’s stamp was on it, then it was a legal binding contract. The other thing he noticed was that the same judge signed each and every one of them. And that judge was none other than Judge Marshall Atkins.
When Jason finished looking this file over, he looked up and grinned at Cherie. “Bingo.”
Cherie’s brows drew together. The slump of her shoulders was enough for him to surmise she didn’t pick up on the same things he did.
“What?”
Jason handed her back the file and said, “Check out who signed theses adoption papers?”
Cherie located the name he wanted her to see. She looked back up at Jason and shrugged. “So?”
“Guess what judge has a signature on each and every one of these cases?
She checked file after file, and each time the same name kept popping up. Judge Atkins.
“Okay, I give? So, Judge Atkins signed all these adoptions. What does that mean to us? What am I missing?”
Jason continued to smile. “What it means is that he is one other person we can check with to find out what happened. If he is such a good friend of your grandparents, the chances are that he knows more than we do. And since your grandmother has already called him in to help release any information on your adoption, and that adoption was a private one, then we won’t have any roadblocks like we would have if this were by the state or an institution or agency.
Cherie still wasn’t smiling.
“What it also means is that my father wasn’t involved with illegal adoptions. It looks like all the money he received from these adoptions was then given to children’s hospitals or children’s charities.”
“I guess.” Finding something to be happy about, she leaned into his side.
Jason stole his arm around her, pulling her in close to him. This is what he has missed these past two days, the comfort of feeling at peace within himself. He missed the warmth that ran through him when they touched. He loathed that distance that had come between them. He wanted those two days back. Jason wanted her back in his life, for good.
Cherie looked up into his eyes.
He felt himself losing his heart to her all over again. In her eyes, he read nothing but love in them. How could he not have seen how much she loved him, how could he not have seen that he needed her as much as she needed him? Olivia was right when she said they were two people letting their stupid pride get in the way of love.
At the same time Cherie opened her mouth and said his name, Jason reached for Cherie, saying hers.
They chuckled, not knowing what else to say.
“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry I walked away the other night, I shouldn’t have left you when you were so upset. I apologize for not believing in us.
“Oh Jason,” she hugged him close. “I’m sorry for ever questioning how much you care. I guess we’re both a bit gun shy, but let’s not let anything else interfere, please, I couldn’t bear to lose you now.”
“No need to worry, I’m not going anywhere.” Jason pulled her close, almost wishing they didn’t have clothes separating them, but then again, that’s not how Jason wanted their first time together to be. No that had to be perfect. And perfect it would be. He already had a good idea of how it would be for them; a romantic hotel hideaway, the perfect room, the perfect location, the perfect weather, the perfect everything.
“I’m glad,” Cherie murmured into his chest, as she nestled into his arms.
“I can’t promise you won’t have to knock me upside the head occasionally, but I can promise not to give up on us again.”
“Even I realize we aren’t always going to agree on everything, and I don’t expect things between us to always be perfect, but you have to have faith in me, you have to trust me, and always remember how much you mean to me.”
“And how much is that?” Jason asked, smiling as he asked his question.
“Enough,” Cherie responded evading the question on purpose.
“And just how much is enough?” Jason teased, yet sincerely wanted to know.
“That’s something you’ll have to find out on your own because I have no intention of telling you. Then I’d have to watch your head swell.”
Jason lowered his head to kiss her. As his lips touched her, they heard a noise, near the door.
They turned in unison and headed toward the stairs. There on the top stair was a huge picnic basket. Underneath it was a fluffy beigeblanket.
Jason climbed the steps and came back down, basket and blanket in hand. He set the basket on a couple of the boxes they’d been going through.
Cherie stepped up beside him, opened the lid and found a note, along with enough food to feed a small army and enough wine to get that same army sloshed.
Opening the paper, Cherie read it aloud.
Cherie and Jason,
I’m sorry if I’ve upset you by locking you in the cellar but something drastic had to be done to make you two straighten out your differences before you ruin any chances of a happy future together. Here is some of your favorites and some wine to smooth over the mood. Enjoy the food, enjoy each other, and enjoy this time alone. I’ll open the door in the morning.
Love, Olivia
Cherie smiled, then chuckled. “Do you think we should tell her we’ve already made up?”
“Hell no, and miss the chance to have some time alone, guaranteeing us no interruptions. No way!”
Cherie shook the blanket then laid it out flat.
Jason moved the boxes out of the way then lowered the basket to the edge of the blanket.
Together they rummaged through the basket to see what Olivia and Martha had included.
Jason searched the entire room looking for chairs or anything else they might need for the night. He was relieved when he found the room had a small bathroom adjoining it. At least that was one worr
y less on his mind. Jason returned to the blanket with a small crate to use as table and informed Cherie that their immediate needs could be met during the night.
Cherie pulled the silver candlesticks out and put them on their mock table, then placed the long tapered candles in them. Taking the matches that were also enclosed, she lit the candles.
Jason removed the two bottles of champagne, and popped the cork on the first one, to let it breathe.
Dish by dish, Cherie remove the food, until there was almost no room for them on the blanket. “You know there’s enough food here to last us several days. What do you think our chances are that they’ll leave us down here indefinitely?”
“I don’t know, but how about we take the snacks out to nibble on for this evening and have the rest for breakfast tomorrow.”
They removed the crackers, cheese, wine, salami, Brie, and fruit, repacking the fried chicken, potato salad, pickles and Chinese chicken salad, then moved the basket to the coldest part of the cellar to keep the food fresh.
They settled themselves onto the blanket. Cherie sat with her legs tucked under her while Jason put his head on her lap.
Who needed a park, grass, and trees, this was infinitely better, cozier, no ants and no interruptions. He’d have to remember to thank Olivia in the morning.
They fed each other and sipped champagne while talking, to make the most of their time alone together.
Cherie spoke of her childhood wanting Jason to know why she was as independent as she was. She still didn’t plan on changing any part of her character, but if she could shed some light for Jason, the better their chances were.
In turn, Jason shared his childhood with her, explaining to Cherie why his nature was so full of misplaced trust.
“I hope in time, with the right person, moi’—” Cherie cheesed, “—you’ll see that anything was possible, even healing the past.
While searching the cellar for padding for the hard cold cement floor, Jason found a twin mattress hidden in the corner under the stairs clamped between a folding rollaway bed frame.
Jason managed to remove the mattress with little trouble, and placed it on the open floor where Cherie spread the blanket on top.
They lay down that night in each other’s arms, snuggling on the blanket.
Jason finally dropped off, after hearing Cherie sigh peacefully in her sleep. If this wasn’t heaven, then what was?
##
In the morning, Cherie woke up feeling something was wrong. Where was she? Why was she here?
“Good morning, Sweetheart, did you finally wake up?” Jason lowered himself on the mattress beside her, placing a kiss on the top of her head.
Cherie relaxed, Jason was beside her and that was all she wanted or needed. She kissed him back before asking, “What are you doing up so bright and early?”
“I heard the cellar door opening a few minutes ago and waited for it to close. I wasn’t ready to break up our enchanted evening just yet. Anyway, if you’ll come with me, you’ll find a nice warm breakfast is being served in our little hideaway.”
Sure enough, Jason had set the fresh food out that has just been delivered. The smell of hot coffee was more than she could bear. Adding cream and sugar to her coffee, she sighed aloud following her first sip. “Ahh, that’s wonderful. What else do we have?” Cherie expected more of a continental breakfast, but what she found didn’t disappoint.
As usual, Martha did nothing half way. Under the hot chafing dishes was not only Cherie’s favorite breakfast of Eggs Benedict but Jason’s as well.
“Wow, can I get the name of this bed-n-breakfast, I want to come back.” Jason tasted the hash browns. His eyes closed and let out a sigh for the sheer unadulterated sin of this food.
“What time is check-out? I want to make the most of this place.” Cherie chimed in.
“No kidding” Jason added, “Olivia sure knows how to make a guest comfortable.”
They finished eating in silence, but not without the stolen glances from one another.
When they put all their dirty dishes back into the basket, they set it aside. Jason took that opportunity to run some ideas past Cherie. “You know, I’ve been thinking. And it seems to me that it was too much of a coincidence that the old hospital caught fire while you were in it. The thing is who could have known you were going there? Who did you talk to before you went?”
Cherie thought about for several minutes before she answered. “The only people that knew where we were going are Olivia, Mark, and myself, that is until we got to the judge’s office. We saw his secretary, but only for a minute before she let us in.”
“Were there any clients in his outer office when you got there? Could anyone have overheard the two of you talking?
“No, just the secretary, but she was on the phone most of the time, so I’m sure she didn’t hear a word we said.
“I think this morning we need to go back to the Judge’s chambers and have a little talk with him. Maybe he can tell us about all these adoptions that my father was responsible for. I’ll being a few of the files and see if he remembers anything.”
“It’s as good of a place to start as any.” Cherie willingly agreed.
Once they were release from the cellar, Olivia was ecstatic to learn they’d kissed and made up. At the same time, they filled her in on their other findings once everyone departed from the cellar the day before.
An hour later Cherie, Jason, and Mark entered the judge’s outer chamber unannounced. Jason looked around the office searching for clues as to who the judge really was. He stopped in front of the Diplomas hung on the wall. Jason scanned the photographs, anything that might offer an answer. He made his way back to Cherie’s side, then spying the judge’s date book on the secretary’s desk, Jason nudged Mark, pointing to the date book. Jason grabbed her hand and moved closer to the door, to block the judge’s view in case he came out while Mark was searching.
Cherie looked over her shoulder and saw Mark run his fingers down the calendar. He looked up and shrugged. “Nothing obvious—” He joined them saying, “I see our meeting but no others before or after. No notations by any meeting.
Jason knocked on the judge’s door then waited for a response.
When Judge Atkins opened the door allowing them to enter they waited until the judge was seated before they told him why they were there.
Cherie stayed silent while Jason filled the judge in on what happened after Mark and Cherie left his office the previous day.
Stunned beyond comprehension the judge could add nothing as to who might have overheard their conversation.
“I’m so sorry to hear this, young lady. You have my word not just as a Judge, but also as a close friend of your grandfather’s. I’d never allow anything to happen to you.”
“Judge,” Jason continued, “did you meet with anyone before or after your meeting with Mark and Cherie with anyone who might have a grudge against Lawrence Alexander?”
“That’s just it, son, after my meeting with Mark and Cherie, I left the office for a round of golf.”
“May I ask, who with?”
“Sure enough, it was with an old school chum from Stanford. Judge Joseph Branigan. We play once a month, at least. I’ll check with my secretary and see if anyone was lurking around yesterday.” The judge pushed the button on the intercom, but no one answered. The judge frowned when she didn’t reply.
“No one was at the desk when we came in.”
“I’ll ring your office after I talk to my secretary and with any luck, I’ll have more information.
Reluctantly they left the Judge’s chambers with no further information. Cherie asked Jason to drop her off at her Grandmother’s as she had some things to take care of. They promised to have nice dinner alone that evening.
Mark promised to stick around and speak to the Judges secretary and meet them back at Olivia’s later that afternoon.
Cherie departed for home feeling more than a bit down. Someone started that fire. Someone
had knowingly locked her in that office. Why would anyone want to kill her?
When Jason dropped her off, she kissed him good-bye and waved him on, then instead of going in the house, she jumped into her car and headed for the sanatorium.
Cherie felt as if she’d let her mother down, not finding anything to help her. Calling ahead to talk to her mother’s doctor, she received the go-ahead to have a visit with Destiny that afternoon. As much as she would have liked Jason or Olivia to come with her, this was something she needed to do on her own, for her mother’s sake.
She arrived and was immediately escorted to the Doctor’s office, where she proceeded to bring up a question from her previous visit.
“I think that maybe Destiny remembers something. When we were here last and I accidently called her Destiny, she made a face that I can only call ‘pained.’ As if she didn’t like hearing that name. I wonder if on some level she remembers that name as the nickname Jeff called her. So what I’m thinking is, if she’s only five or six in her mind that name would never have come up. I’d like you to come with me to see her. I want to see if she reacts the same way she did the last time. I think if she does then means she remembers something about that name. Would that be okay?”
“Normally I wouldn’t play with fire, but seeing that you’re only going to call her by that name, I’m anxious to see this reaction for myself.”
Together they walked to Destiny’s room. Seated in her rocking chair, Destiny sat rocking her doll.
The doctor took the lead in speaking to her mother.
“Good morning, Miss Alexander. I have someone here who came to visit you the other day. She’s back to see how you are.”
Destiny continued to rock, the same blank expression on her face as before. She began to hum the same lullaby to her doll.
“Destiny, it’s me Cherie. Remember I came with your mother to see you last week.”
The mere mention of that name stilled her rocking. She clutched her doll tighter, turning slightly, almost to the point of hiding or protecting herself and her doll from the people in front of her. The pained expression was definitely back.