“I could tell from the first moment they met, they were meant to be together,” Anne told them with a wistful sigh.
“Yeah,” Ashley agreed, putting her arm around Anne in a silent show of support. “They certainly are.”
Toward the end of the evening Anne could see Emma was about to throw the bouquet and decided to take refuge in the ladies room. Ashley intercepted her. “Come on, Anne. Emma would be disappointed if we weren’t there. It’s a tradition.”
Anne agreed to stay, though it was the last thing on earth she wanted to do. She stood there with her hands planted firmly at her side, not wishing to participate in any way, but the darn thing hit her on the head. She reacted instinctively and caught it.
Ashley covered her mouth and started laughing.
“Don’t go there,” Anne warned, smiling for the first time all evening.
Emma and Pete left soon afterward for an unknown location in the city. Their honeymoon would have to wait. Both had classes on Monday morning.
Ashley was up early the next morning, bright-eyed and full of energy. “Tom wants to go to out to breakfast before his flight leaves.”
Anne tilted her head to the side, giving her a knowing look. “Oh?”
“Yes! I think he missed me.”
Although they were living two thousand miles apart at the moment, Anne wondered if they, too, might have a happy ending. “I told you those beach babes wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”
“And now I’m beginning to believe you. See you later.” She gave Anne a quick hug and flew out the door.
Within a few days Emma and Pete found a two bedroom apartment near campus. With the help of their parents and gifts from the wedding, they bought furniture and settled in to begin their new life together.
The four of them still met at Giovanni’s every Friday. The familiar routine comforted Anne, but she missed the days when Emma would bounce over from across the hall at any given moment to visit.
After dinner she paid her bill ahead of the rest and walked outside. As she waited at the stoplight for the others, a black limousine slowed to a crawl in front of her. Pete, Emma and Ashley followed soon after and joined Anne. The car sped off.
The hairs stood up on Anne’s neck as she watched it disappear from sight.
“Well, that sure was strange,” Ashley commented. “It was like they were checking you out.”
“Totally strange,” Pete agreed. “But those were no college kids. Maybe from now on you should take a cab back to the dorm or let us walk you there.”
Anne tried to dismiss the whole incident as meaningless but couldn’t shake the feeling she was being watched. When nothing came of it, she decided she was overreacting. There had to be any number of logical reasons why the limousine slowed in front of her, even though the light was green.
On Tuesday evening she let down her guard and went to practice in the music building. It was almost nine by the time she packed up her flute and put away her music.
A thick cloak of misty fog had settled over the campus. The streets turned eerily quiet in the damp chill, prompting Anne to pick up her pace. Before she knew what was happening, the black limousine pulled up beside her. Two men jumped out and took her by the arm, forcing her to get in the car. Their faces seemed vaguely familiar.
“Our uncle wants to see you.”
“No!” she cried, “You can’t do this! You have no right!”
“No harm will come to you,” one of them assured.
Anne’s eyes gradually adjusted to the dim light inside the car. She gasped, recognizing Mitch’s father.
“Good evening, Miss Clark.”
Chapter 10
Anne slumped back in the seat, the color draining from her face. “Why?” she choked.
“You’ll find out soon enough. In the meantime, don’t worry. These boys would catch hell if anything happened to you.”
Anne assumed a poker face, hoping to hide her thoughts. She searched frantically for a way to reach the door handle and jump out but the nephews sat on either side of her, hemming her in. Anne decided to bide her time and see if there would be any chance of breaking free later on.
Mr. Randolph cleared his throat, looking a little embarrassed. “I wanted to thank you for saving my ‘sorry ass,’ as you put it.”
“Oh?” Anne didn’t know what to make of his sudden gratitude. She never expected to hear that from him. Not in a million years.
“My daughter had a long talk with us after I got back from the hospital. She told me what happened.”
“I guess your wife was too busy blaming me to notice,” Anne said, glaring back at him. “I learned CPR after my foster father died of a heart attack.”
“And my doctor tells me you did the right thing. Britt gave us a real tongue-lashing about our treatment of you. She can be pretty feisty. Then I began to realize everything she said was true.”
Anne stared at him blankly, not knowing what to think.
By the time they reached the door of Tony Romero’s mansion, Anne knew it was too late to escape. Questions flew through her mind as she tried to figure out why he wanted to see her. He couldn’t possibly know her identity. Or could he? Worst of all, would he demand she give his money back to him? Anne couldn’t recall how many times fate brought something nice one minute, only to rip it away from her the next.
Mitch’s father remained downstairs while they led Anne upstairs. She expected Romero’s nephews to take her to some kind of office, but they led her to a bedroom door.
“Wait here,” one commanded while the other man brought a chair.
Anne fell on the seat in complete surrender, her heart thumping wildly. She wove her fingers tightly around the music case and her flute as the man stood guard over her.
The door opened and she was escorted inside. Anne reeled forward at the putrid smell of sickness permeating the room. Someone grabbed her arm and held her upright. She stopped short when she caught sight of Romero. He was a skeleton of the man she saw at the engagement party, his gaunt face grayish in color. A nurse plumped up the pillows he was leaning against.
“This is a private matter,” he told her. The woman nodded and quietly left the room.
“Come closer,” he invited in a hoarse voice.
Anne sat down on a chair near his bed. “Why are you doing this?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
“I brought you here because I want to see my only grandchild before I die.”
Fear jolted through her, causing Anne’s heart to race again. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, determined not to admit to anything. “There must be some mistake. I have no family.”
“No mistake.” After a spasm of coughing, he continued. “I have proof.”
“How?” Her voice trailed off, as the conversation between Mitch and his father in Lake Geneva echoed in her memory. ‘A favor to an old family friend.’
“I have the results of a DNA test. You’ll receive a copy before you leave.”
Anne swallowed hard, realizing all her dreams for the future might be taken away at this moment but she was determined not to show weakness in front of this man. “I suppose you want me to give back the money my grandmother took from you. Some of it went to Lakeshore but there’s a lot left.”
“No, I don’t want it,” he insisted. “It’s going to a good cause. I brought you here because I wanted my nephews to witness what I’m about to say in this room. They are to follow my instructions to the letter.” Tony fixed a laser sharp gaze on them despite his frail condition. “From now on, you and your family are to be left in peace. If Eve is still alive, no harm must ever come to her.”
“I don’t think she is,” Anne admitted, her eyes misting. “She never tried to contact us.”
“I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do about that now. I want you to know since you�
�re my only direct heir, I’m leaving a portion of my estate to you,” he continued.
“You should give it to your wife,” Anne pointed out.
“She will be well provided for.” He went into another coughing spasm, which eased slowly. “I do want you to know I loved your grandmother but she deserved better than me. I can’t undo the harm I’ve caused. I can only make life a little easier for you from now on.” He gave her a weary smile. “I need to rest.”
They led Anne downstairs where she signed paperwork in regard to the inheritance and received a folder with the results of the DNA test. Afterward she and Mitch’s father rode back to the city.
“My firm will be handling your affairs,” he explained. “If you have questions, feel free to contact us.”
Anne met the news in grim silence. This meant she would be forever tied to a family who despised her and their son who betrayed her.
The driver dropped her off at Stanton Hall. She numbly walked to the door carrying the manila folder, along with her flute and music case.
By the time she arrived back at her room, Ashley was frantic. “Where have you been? I was worried sick!”
“You’re not going to believe this. I was taken to see Tony Romero. His nephews picked me up by the music building. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“They kidnapped you? Oh my God! You have to call the police!”
“No!” Anne insisted, shaking her head slowly. “He’s dying. What’s the use?”
“Wait a minute. Why did he want to see you in the first place? Does he know about you?”
Anne tossed the folder on the bed. “He knows. The DNA test proves it. A sample was provided, courtesy of Mitch.”
“Mitch? Really? I can’t believe he would do that! Every time I saw him, he acted like he was crazy about you.”
“Guess not.”
Ashley hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?”
“No. I’m exhausted. It’s late and we both have early classes tomorrow. We should probably turn in.”
Anne didn’t undress. She curled up on the bed with her arms wrapped tightly around her, shivering for several minutes. It finally subsided but every time she drifted off to sleep, she would soon jolt awake again. Sometimes Tony Romero’s gaunt face haunted her dreams. Other times she entered the nightmarish world of her childhood, reliving the moment she was caught stealing food in the grocery store. She’d tried so hard to explain that her mother wouldn’t wake up and she was hungry. Then they brought her to a foster home where she was expected to live by rules she couldn’t begin to understand. She cried and pleaded with complete strangers to take her home to her mother. They scolded harshly and warned her she’d better stop crying if she knew what was good for her. “Crying won’t help you now,” they said. “Your mother is dead. You don’t have a home.”
Worst of all were the times Anne remembered nothing, except the sudden shock wave that cut through her like a knife, making her flinch at horrors lying in the darkness of more hidden memories. It went on and on all night.
The next morning Anne crawled out of bed and went to her first class. It was all she could do to stay awake.
As days passed, the shock and anxiety wore off. New worries began to set in. What if somebody else found out who she is? The last thing on earth she needed was to be hounded by the press. Anne was struggling just to get through the semester.
News of her grandfather’s death came a few days later. Despite invitations from Ashley and her parents, Anne chose to hide in the dorm for Thanksgiving vacation. Her grandmother’s picture with Tony Romero at the Lakeshore Lounge was showing up on the news lately. Anne’s resemblance to Eve DuMont was obvious and she didn’t want anyone to figure out she was related to Romero and the Montgomery family. “I’m really behind on my projects and I need to practice more for juries. Maybe next year.”
“After all you’ve been through, you shouldn’t be alone here,” Ashley argued.
“Don’t worry. It’s all good. I’ve seen a lot worse.” Anne was far from good but figured she could somehow survive, just as she always had.
“Please call if you need anything.”
“I will,” she promised.
Mrs. Albright appeared at her door late in the afternoon on Thanksgiving Day with containers of food. “I’m hoping you can help me out here.”
Anne laughed in spite of herself. “Because you don’t want to be eating leftovers until Christmas.”
“That’s right,” she agreed with a cheerful smile. “You’d be doing me quite a favor.”
“Wouldn’t want to let you down.” Anne hugged Mrs. Albright, knowing this was all a ruse to make Anne feel she was actually helping her. “Thank you so much.”
After Mrs. Albright left, Anne shook her head in wonder at all the food. She found thick slices of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, which she heated in the dorm microwave. Her plan for dinner had been a candy bar from the vending machine: a far cry from turkey dinner with all the trimmings. A few minutes later as she tasted the pumpkin pie, Anne marveled at all the trouble Mrs. Albright must have gone through to deliver this food. She realized there were still good people left in this world.
The media flew into a frenzy over the news of Tony Romero’s death. Local television stations reviewed the colorful life of Tony the Tiger and interviewed anyone remotely connected to the late mob boss. Journalists hunted for new angles and dug deeply into his past.
Anne worried constantly, wondering if their research would lead to her. Sooner or later somebody was bound to leak information about the inheritance.
She breathed a sigh of relief when nothing happened right away. Her secret was safe for now. She finished the semester in peace and looked forward to a quiet holiday.
Once again Anne begged off going with Ashley for the holidays. They planned to go to their home in Vail for Christmas. “I don’t ski,” she argued. “And I need to stay here. So far, nobody has found any connection to me and Tony Romero. But they will. I know they will, and I don’t want them ruining your vacation.”
Ashley shrugged it off with a knowing smile. “Hey, at least we can all get together for Christmas Eve at Giovanni’s before I leave. Tom is here and wants to go. And I know Pete and Emma wouldn’t miss it for the world. I think you’ll be surprised at how well things turn out.”
Ashley’s statement seemed odd but Anne figured she was just excited about seeing Tom. “Yeah, it’ll be awesome,” she agreed, making a feeble attempt at enthusiasm. Her smile faded as she remembered who wouldn’t be there. Despite everything Mitch had done, she couldn’t lock her feelings away in some box and run away from them as she did most of her life. There was simply no place left to run to.
“That’s right! It’ll be awesome!” Ashley insisted. “You’ll see.”
Snow began to fall on Christmas Eve morning. Anne sat alone gazing out the window, mesmerized by huge, wet snowflakes gently touching the ground. Ashley, now giddy with excitement, planned to spend the day with Tom. Everyone agreed to meet at Giovanni’s for dinner. Though Anne looked forward to being with her friends on Christmas Eve, she savored this quiet moment alone.
A few minutes after Ashley left, her cell phone went off and she answered with a subdued “hello.”
“Hello stranger. Merry Christmas!” John Dusek greeted. “Haven’t heard from you in awhile. Wondered how you’re doing.”
“Okay I guess. It’s been a tough semester, but my grades are okay.”
“Glad to hear that.”
Anne updated him on her classes and the latest news about her friends. “We’re having dinner at Giovanni’s tonight.”
John paused a few seconds before asking, “I’ve been wondering if you’ve met anyone special yet?”
“No...” She cleared her throat. “Not really.”
He hesit
ated again, seeming to pick up on the catch in Anne’s voice. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m just trying to deal with all the weird stuff going on here,” Anne admitted with a deep sigh. “I found out my grandparents were Tony Romero and Eve DuMont. My grandfather just died.”
“Wow!” There was a moment of silence on the other end as John tried to take it all in. “Tony Romero was your grandfather? What a shock that must have been!”
“Yeah, it sure was.” You have no idea, she added silently. “They’re going crazy over it on the news. Nobody knows it yet but I’ve been named in his will. I keep dreading the moment the press comes after me like a pack of wolves. I don’t want that kind of attention.”
“How in the world did he find out about you?”
“Long story,” she said. “I don’t feel like talking about it right now.”
“Anne, if you need help, just say the word. We’ll get someone to take care of the kids and be on a plane in a heartbeat.”
Tears began sliding down Anne’s face but her voice remained strong. “I’m good. Really, it’ll be fine. You were always there for me. I can’t thank you enough.”
John chuckled softly. “You know, it’s pretty ironic when you think about it. Your biggest problem two years ago was lack of money. Now you’re practically swimming in it.”
Anne smiled to herself at the thought. “You’re right. It is kind of funny. But at least the preacher won’t try to steal it from me this time.”
“That’s my girl!” he cheered. “Money aside, you’re amazing and nobody can ever take that away from you.”
Anne wanted to talk a little longer but couldn’t without breaking down. “Thanks,” she choked. “Talk to you soon.”
The buzzer went off in her room seconds later. Anne jumped at the sound, pressing the button on the intercom. “What?”
“Anne Clark, you have a visitor in the lobby.”
“Really?” she huffed. Anne couldn’t begin to think of anyone who would want to see her.
Prelude to Silence Page 11