CHAPTER 4
Almost a week passed without incident, unless you count Rachel walking in on Asher and me making love in his shower. Asher brushed it off as no big deal, but I saw it as further evidence that she was trying to disrupt every aspect of our lives. And, holy shit, she thought it was okay to walk into the bathroom with him naked? Lesbian or not, that was weird.
I woke up every morning to find her and Asher making breakfast together. She rode with us to work and back and did her best to monopolize Asher’s attention when we were at home. I retreated to the sanctuary of Kennedy’s cluttered hotel room more than once, but I never stayed long. I couldn’t stand the thoughts of what Rachel might be trying to talk Asher into while I was away.
Parker got in touch with her contacts at the LAPD and made them aware of Asher’s situation. They alerted trustworthy cops in our area, who stopped by our office on Thursday to take Asher and Rachel’s statements. The officers promised to protect their identities and offered to arrange for increased patrols around Asher’s compound and Rachel’s condo.
Like Parker and Kennedy, they seemed certain we were dealing with someone other than the Chavez family. They even suggested that it might not be blackmail at all, since no further contact had been made. It was likely someone recognized Rachel and wanted to make her squirm a little to settle some sort of personal score.
Thursday night over dinner, I suggested that it was probably safe for Rachel to move home. Friday afternoon, chaos reigned again.
I was at my desk reviewing the staff’s ideas for new virtual games when Asher barged into my office.
“What are you doing?” he demanded, a scowl on his face. “We’ve got to get to Kennedy’s hotel right now.”
I looked up from my computer, irritated and confused by his impatience. “What are you talking about?”
He stopped pacing and put his hands on his hips. “Didn’t Rachel call you?”
I double checked that my ringer was turned on and shook my head. “My office phone has been silent all day and I didn’t miss a call on my cell.”
Asher started pacing again and I knew something bad had happened. I saved my files, shut down my computer, and tossed my phone into my purse.
“The envelope guy made contact. He sent Rachel an email over lunch and she went straight to Kennedy’s. I told her we’d be there as soon as possible.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” I said, more to myself than Asher. “Kennedy would have called me.”
“Maybe she’s busy,” he insisted, waving me out the door. “Rachel didn’t give me any details. We’ve got to get out of here.”
I locked my office door and followed Asher out of the building. I held my phone in my lap while he sped to Kennedy’s hotel. The ring I expected never came. We reached the hotel in a matter of minutes and Asher jerked the car to a stop at the valet station. He tossed his keys at the attendant and raced into the lobby, leaving me to wait for the claim slip. When I finally stepped inside, he was nowhere to be found.
I know he’s upset. But when things calm down, we’re going to have a serious talk about the way he instantly jumps when she calls. I mean, I get it. I’d do the same for Kennedy. But I’d like to think I wouldn’t have a one track mind about it and leave him in a parking lot.
I rode the elevator to Kennedy’s floor and made my way to her suite. The door was cracked open and Asher’s panicked voice boomed into the hallway.
“What do you mean she’s not here?” he demanded.
I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me. Kennedy was on the couch, surrounded by stacks of paperwork. Her laptop and printer sat on the coffee table, surrounded by empty diet soda cans. Kennedy’s strawberry blonde hair tumbled out of a loose bun and she looked more exhausted than I’d seen her in years.
“Would someone please tell me what’s going on?” I asked. I looked from Asher to Kennedy and back again with impatient, pleading eyes.
“Asher says Rachel’s supposed to be here. I don’t know what he’s talking about. That’s as far as we’ve gotten,” Kennedy explained. She unfolded her legs and reached for her phone.
“I haven’t missed any calls.”
“She called me twenty minutes ago,” Asher said, pulling his phone from his pocket. He tapped the screen and brought the phone to his face.
“She said she got an email from the person who left the envelope. She sounded terrified… damn it, it’s going to voicemail. Rach, I’m at the hotel. Call me as soon as you get this.”
He ended the call and turned back to Kennedy.
“When I talked to her, she told me about the email and asked me to meet her here. I begged her to stay on the phone. I—”
A series of rapid, panicked knocks filled the room and Asher jolted for the door. Rachel was behind it, her hair disheveled and her body shaking. Asher took her gently by the arm and led her into the room.
“Oh my God, Rachel, I was a nervous wreck. What happened to you?” he asked.
She let him help her onto the couch and then tossed her phone to Kennedy.
“You can read the email. It’s right there on my phone. You were right, whoever this is knew me when I lived with my parents. But they also know about Miguel. They’ve threatened to contact Luis Chavez unless I fork over fifty-thousand dollars.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. If the blackmailer had known Asher was involved, his price would have been a lot higher than fifty grand. It was really the best news we could have hoped for and I didn’t understand why Rachel was so upset.
Kennedy sank down to the floor in front of her laptop. She hit a few buttons on Rachel’s phone and sat it on the coffee table. She pulled up the email on the computer screen and read it out loud.
“You didn’t recognize me, but I recognized you. You broke your parents’ hearts when you left. Unless you want to break them again, you’ll have fifty thousand dollars ready for me by four o’clock tomorrow. If you don’t cooperate, I will contact Luis Chavez, and Maude and David will lose you again. For good this time. I’ll alert you with further instruction.”
Kennedy finished reading and turned to Asher and Rachel with a frown.
“I’d hoped whoever was behind this wasn’t aware of the link between you and the Chavez family. But this could be a lot worse. They aren’t asking for much money. Which means…”
“That whoever this is doesn’t know I’m really Billy Murphy,” Asher finished.
Kennedy nodded. “That seems to be our one blessing in this situation.”
Rachel was still shaking and didn’t seem to be paying attention to anything that was being said. She sat on the couch, her eyes fixed on the bare hotel wall. I perched on the arm of a chair and cleared my throat.
“Rachel, Asher and I thought for sure you’d beat us here. Did something else happen after you got the email?” I pressed, careful to keep my voice soft and unassuming.
She bit her lower lip and nodded. “I think… I think someone was following me. I was at lunch when I got the email. When I left the restaurant, a white van pulled out of a lot across the street. At first, I told myself I was just being paranoid. But after it followed me through four left turns, I knew I was right to worry. I drove around aimlessly for a few minutes, trying to figure out what to do. I got lucky and a Bentley cut the van off right as I sped through a yellow light. I drove around a little longer before I came here, to make sure the van hadn’t caught up.”
Asher seemed horrified by her story, but I wasn’t so convinced. Kennedy gave me a look that let me know she agreed with me, then dropped her eyes to the floor. I crossed my arms over my chest and stared back at Rachel.
“Where was your guard?” I asked.
As he’d promised, Asher had amped up security measures after the envelope drop at Rachel’s house. Rachel insisted that a guard be with her anytime Asher wasn’t, so the absence of one was more than a little suspicious.
Rachel’s face flushed red and her tone became hostile. “I didn’t think I needed him anymore. Last night, you said yourself that it was probably safe for me to go home. I called the gate house this morning and told them I wouldn’t need an escort.”
Of course you did. And of course it’s my fault.
Kennedy finally looked up from the carpet. “Did you get a look at the van’s tag or driver?”
Rachel shook her head. “No, the driver kept a car between us. And I was busy trying to get away from him, I didn’t slow down long enough to focus on the details.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Asher said. He put one arm around her shoulders and rested the other hand on her knee. “Your instincts took over and they told you to run. Most people would have done the exact same thing,” he assured her.
“I didn’t mean to imply you didn’t,” Kennedy insisted. “I was just trying to gather all of the information. We need to contact Detective Austin and file a report.”
Detective Austin was in charge of the investigation in San Juan and had reiterated several times that we were to call him if we received a blackmail demand.
Rachel’s body finally stilled and she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before turning to Kennedy. “I’m sorry. If I’d been thinking, I would have tried to get a better look at the van. I think Ash is right, my instincts took over. All I can tell you is that it was a full sized white Ford. It was a big, boxy work van, like plumbing and electrical companies use. Not like a soccer mom van.”
“Well, that’s a start,” Kennedy said with a smile that only I could tell was fake.
Rachel gave her a weak grin and turned back to Asher. “I know we have to talk to the police, but I don’t think I’m up for it right now.”
“Of course you’re not. I don’t see any reason this can’t wait a few hours. I’ll take you home. You’ll feel better after a nap.”
Asher took Rachel’s hand and stood without waiting for Kennedy or me to express an opinion. Fury rose in my chest, but Kennedy spoke before I could.
“That will be fine. I’ll go to the station now and let Austin know what’s happening. I’ll tell him to expect you in a few hours,” she offered. “Lauren can come with me.”
“Thank you, Kennedy. You’ve been a lifesaver this week,” Asher replied. He didn’t take his arm from Rachel’s shoulders when he stopped to kiss me; every part of me wanted to scream at the top of my lungs.
“We’ll see you in a little while,” he called over his shoulder as they stepped into the hallway.
I let the door shut without replying and Kennedy turned to me, her eyebrows raised. “Are you sure that woman’s a lesbian?” she asked, her voice dripping with doubt.
“These days, I’m not sure of anything,” I confessed.
Kennedy’s mouth turned up in a grin and she pulled me to the couch. “That’s all about to change,” she promised, typing at her keyboard.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, curiosity rising in my voice.
She pointed at the screen. “I don’t know anything about this sort of stuff, but even I can tell that there’s nothing special about this email. If there had been any malware attached to it, my firewall would have detected it. The address it was sent from is probably bogus, but I doubt it will be hard to trace. I bet Austin’s guys have this wrapped up before Rachel graces the precinct with her presence. I’ve already forwarded it to his tech department.”
I relaxed into the sofa cushions and kicked off my shoes. “Does this mean we aren’t going to see Austin?”
“There’s really no need. I just said that to give you an excuse to get away from Rachel. Now, you and I can spend the day talking about what I’ve dug up on her.”
My heart raced at Kennedy’s words. The last time we’d had a moment alone, her search into Rachel’s past hadn’t uncovered anything.
“Tell me everything,” I insisted.
“I still have no idea what she did while Asher was at college,” she warned. “But I did find some interesting stuff on her family. Her parents, Maude and David, have been married for forty-seven years. Rachel has two brothers and one sister, all significantly older and all very successful. One’s a neurosurgeon, another is a law professor at Old Miss, you get the idea.”
“Asher has mentioned Rachel’s parents, but never any brothers or sisters.”
She shrugged. “He might not know. Anyway, Maude Goins is a stay at home mom, and David is the founding partner of a huge international accounting firm based in Las Angeles. They aren’t exactly Jackson and Asher wealthy, but Rachel didn’t grow up wanting for anything.”
“To hear Asher tell it, all she ever wanted was acceptance,” I replied. It killed me to play devil’s advocate when it came to Rachel. But as much as I was growing to loathe her, I couldn’t side with the family that had rejected her.
“That’s where things get interesting,” Kennedy explained. “Maude and David are both very involved with their church, just like Asher told you. But they’re not radical conservatives. In fact, they’re almost as liberal as my mother. Maude’s been a feminist activist since the seventies and the entire family has campaigned for civil rights. David’s brother’s husband is CFO of his firm.”
She paused, letting that newsflash sink in before continuing, “These aren’t the kind of people who’d reject their child for being a lesbian. And while Rachel’s foster records say that was the reason she gave for running away, the family’s statements all said she’d become disrespectful and, at times, violent. David claimed she ran away from home the day before she was supposed to be checked into a psychiatric center. But the hospital he listed didn’t have her in their system. Rachel refused to go home with them and they didn’t push it.”
I leaned back against the sofa, dumbstruck by Kennedy’s news.
She lied about why she left her family. But she still could have had a good reason to run away.
Half of me felt compelled to contact Rachel’s parents and ask for their side of the story. But the other half was afraid of what I’d learn if I went digging for the truth. If someone in Rachel’s family had hurt or abused her, contacting them would only open new wounds. And we all had quite enough to deal with already. I cleared my throat and turned to Kennedy.
“Rachel grew up with money. I doubt she’d have chosen the foster system over her upper class LA home unless she had very good reason. Do you think…?” I let my voice trail off, unable to speak the words.
“I don’t know,” Kennedy whispered. “I’ve run background searches on the whole family. None of them have ever been accused of being a sex offender. That doesn’t mean none of them are, though. I stopped digging. I wanted to talk to you before we decide what to do next.”
“I think we should leave the family alone for now. Let’s focus on figuring out the lost years after they left LA.”
“That’s going to be a lot more difficult,” she warned. “But I’ll keep up the investigation. If I have to, I’ll fly to Vermont and poke around for a few days.”
“Thank you, Kennedy. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Kennedy’s laptop chimed as a new email popped up on the screen.
“You’re about to have to settle for having me at a distance,” she announced, reading the message. “Austin’s guys traced the email to an apartment just outside of San Francisco. The internet account is owned by a woman named Tanya Shroud. She was in Rachel’s first group home. Austin is on his way there now to make the arrest, which means my work here is done.”
***
Tanya Stroud was arrested for trespassing, stalking, and blackmail, all of which she denied. She admitted to knowing Cynthia Goins, but denied having any knowledge of her new name or current whereabouts. The evidence spoke for itself and Tanya was released on bail to await trial. The hearing was closed, and the judge made it clear that if Rachel’s identity was exposed, bail would be revoked and more charges would be added.
After Tanya’s arrest, Rachel became a completely different person. She thanked me for not pitching a fit about her monopolizing Asher’s attention and apologized for accusing me of spilling their secret. I didn’t trust her sincerity, but I kept my doubts to myself.
Kennedy flew home to Boston Monday afternoon after the hearing. Rachel moved back to her condo and by Wednesday, I felt like I was settling back into my life. Asher and I had time alone again and I was even able to spend some time painting in Deacon’s studio. Just when I thought things couldn’t get better, Asher walked into my office with unexpected news.
“Baby, you won’t believe who I just got off the phone with,” he announced, smiling from ear to ear. It felt so good to see him relaxed and happy again, and I grinned back at him instinctively.
“Well whoever it is, you’re obviously excited. Who called?”
“John Livingston, the editor in chief of Arts, International.”
“The magazine?” I asked, my heart skipping a beat.
Arts, International employed some of the most well respected critics in the industry. Their editorials were known to make or break an artist’s career and I couldn’t fathom why the man in charge had called Asher.
“Yes, the magazine. Their annual honors banquet is next week, and they’d like to add you to the list of honorees.”
What? I must be hearing things. There’s no way he just said what I think he said.
I stared back at Asher, unable to speak. His eyes crinkled in amusement and he let out a soft laugh.
“I expected this reaction,” he teased. “John’s exact words were that you’ve created an entirely new way to experience art, and he expects it to revolutionize both the art and gaming industries. I went ahead and accepted the invitation on your behalf. We leave for London Sunday night.”
My body went from numb to electrified. I practically flew over my desk into Asher’s arms. He kissed me hard on the lips and then dropped his mouth to my ear.
“I’m so proud of you, baby,” he whispered.
“This wouldn’t be happening if it wasn’t for you,” I insisted, burrowing my face into his neck. I felt his cock rise against my hip and went wet between my legs. I rocked against it, suddenly desperate to break our no sex at work rule.
“All I did was offer you the job,” he replied, seemingly oblivious to my intentions. “The rest was all you.”
I pushed my hips into him and arched my back, meeting his eyes. I shook my head and gave him my best lustful grin.
“I’m trying to give you credit so I have a reason to thank you.”
Realization flashed across his face and his eyes lit up with his broad, devilish smile. He kissed me again and then pulled away.
“I thought we made a rule that we were going to keep our professional and personal lives separate,” he teased, already unfastening his belt.
“Well, aren’t rules made to be broken?” I replied with a daring grin.
“Yes, Miss Matthews. I believe they are.”
Asher kicked off his shoes and stepped out of his pants before moving to my office door. He made sure it was locked and then moved back to me, planting his hands firmly on my shoulders. He walked me behind the desk and pushed me gently into my chair. Then, he dropped to his knees and slid his hands beneath the hem of my skirt. He teased me through my cotton panties before slipping them down my legs and stuffing them into his shirt pocket.
“We have to be quiet,” he reminded me, circling my clit with his fingers.
“I know,” I gasped, my words barely audible. I leaned back in the chair and pushed my hips to the edge of the seat. Asher pressed on my pubic bone with shockingly thrilling pressure as his finger circled inside me.
“You’re sure you can do that?” he asked, adding another finger.
“Yes,” I begged with a whisper. I mimicked his motions and put my hands on his shoulders, pushing him away from me. I sat up in the chair and reached down, taking his cock in one hand. It throbbed between my fingers and I longed to have it inside me.
“The question is can you be quiet,” I teased, sliding onto the floor. I sat in front of him and took as much of his shaft into my mouth as possible.
Asher let out a series of rapid, heavy breaths but he didn’t cry out. Instead, he rose to his feet, pulling me up with him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, lifting me into the air. I folded my legs around him, trying to angle myself over his throbbing member.
“We have to be quick. Someone could knock on the door any second,” he warned.
Knowing we could get caught just made me want him more. I wiggled and turned, trying to take him inside me.
“If we have to be quick, we should probably get started,” I whispered, half teasing, half pleading.
Asher sat me on the desk and pushed up my skirt. I stroked his cock as he stood before me.
“You just went to the doctor last week. Are there any condoms in this office?” he groaned.
“Yes,” I replied with a sigh. Asher and I hadn’t taken any chances since that first time. I knew the rubber was necessary, but I was counting the days until we wouldn’t need them anymore.
I opened my desk drawer, retrieved a condom, and carefully tore open the package. I rolled it down Asher’s beautiful cock in one fluid motion and laid back on the desk, not caring what might fall to the floor. Asher pushed my legs open and plunged inside me. I had to bite my tongue to keep from crying out in passion.
“Oh, Asher,” I groaned softly as he moved in and out.
“You like that, baby?” he whispered, moving faster and harder.
“Yes,” I cried. I opened my eyes and watched Asher slipped the middle and index fingers of his right hand into his mouth. He moved his hand from his lips to the place where we connected, pinching my clit between his two slick fingers. I groaned louder, catching myself almost immediately and dropping my tone.
This was a horrible idea. Staying quiet is going to kill me.
I could hear talk and laughter coming from the workroom and knew there was a very good chance that our office tryst would be watercooler gossip by the end of the day. But I didn’t care. I could hardly even think about it. All I could concentrate on was the pleasure radiating through my body.
Asher rocked into me again and let out a growl; I knew he was close, but I wasn’t quite there yet. Slowly, I lifted my legs to his shoulders, clenching my pussy muscles at the same time.
“Holy shit, Lauren,” he gasped, slowing his pace.
“Don’t,” I growled back at him instinctively. “Don’t slow down. I’m so close.”
“Are you sure?” he asked through heavy breaths.
I clenched my muscles tighter in response and Asher let himself go. He thrust into me wildly, animalistic grunts escaping his throat. I felt my eyes roll back in my head as I gave myself over to release. With a final thrust, Asher let my legs fall and collapsed on top of me.
“Oh my God,” I sighed. “We should make love at work more often. That was amazing.”
Asher kissed my neck and smiled. “You know what, Miss Matthews? I like the way you think.”
***
“Well, the PI Kennedy recommended is good,” Claire announced. She dropped her purse onto the table and slid into the booth across from me. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was dressed in yoga pants and a baggy white t-shirt.
“I’m so sorry, Claire.”
She shrugged and her eyes glistened with tears. “Better I know now, right? Royce has been seeing a woman we met when we went to Lake Tahoe last year. She and her husband stayed at the same bed and breakfast as us.”
“He’s been seeing a married woman?” I asked with a cringe.
She nodded. “They’ve been meeting at one of those God awful pay by the hour places. I have videos of them going into the place and then leaving a few hours later. I’ve showered six times since I saw them.”
I reached across the table and took her hand. “Does Royce know that you know?”
“Not yet. I’m not sure I even want to say anything to him. I wish I could just disappear and let him wonder what happened to me for the rest of his stupid life,” she confessed.
“Well, I’m not sure I can help you disappear forever. But I can hide you for a while. Is he at home right now?”
Claire shook her head. “He’s at work, and he’s already warned me it would be a late night. Which I now assume means he’s meeting Gretchen when he leaves the office.”
“I don’t want to push you into making a decision. But if you want, we can go pack some of your stuff after we eat and you can stay with Asher and me for a few days. We’re going to London on Sunday, so you’d have the place to yourself. Even if Royce suspects you’re there, he’d never be able to get in. Once things calm down, you can move into the townhouse.”
“Are you sure Asher won’t mind having me around?”
“I’m positive,” I assured her. “Asher’s no stranger to looking out for a friend.”
A middle aged waitress approached our table with a pot of coffee in hand.
“Sorry for your wait, we’ve been slammed. My name is Susan. Are you ready to place your orders?”
“I’ll have coffee and a BLT,” Claire replied.
“Same for me,” I added.
She filled the empty mugs on our table and promised to have our food out shortly. I took a long sip while Claire added three packages of Sweet’N Low to her mug.
“I need to think about something else for just five minutes.” She twisted the empty paper packages in her hands and stared at me, hoping for some sort of distraction.
“You said you’re going to London. That sounds exciting. Is it for work?” she pressed.
“Kind of,” I answered with a smile. “I’m being honored at the annual Arts, International banquet.”
“Oh my God, Lauren. Congratulations.”
The fact that Claire could muster a smile for my news with everything she was going through warmed my heart. I felt horrible for neglecting her while things were upside down with Rachel, and I vowed to never take her for granted again.
“Thanks. I’m still having trouble believing that it’s happening. This doesn’t feel like real life.”
“You deserve every bit of it,” she insisted. “I’m so proud of you. Have you told your parents?”
I shook my head and blushed. “I haven’t been keeping in touch with Mom and Dad like I should. I talked to them when I left the museum, but they don’t know that I’m with Asher.”
“You haven’t told them?” she gasped. “For God’s sake, Lauren, why? They’d be thrilled to know you’re happy.”
“I guess I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop.” It was the first time I’d admitted it, even to myself.
“What are you talking about?”
I warmed my suddenly cold hand around my coffee mug, staring down into the dark liquid. “Everything’s happened so fast. And the ups and downs have been somewhat extreme…”
“Did you two have a fight I don’t know about?” she interrupted, cocking one eyebrow.
“No, it wasn’t exactly a fight. I learned some things I hadn’t expected, and it took me a little time to decide if I could deal with them. I’m sorry to be so vague, but there are some things about Asher’s life that I just can’t talk about.”
“No need to apologize,” she assured me. “I know Asher values his privacy. That giant concrete wall kind of speaks for itself.”
“Yeah, I know,” I agreed with a laugh.
Susan returned to the table and sat our plates in front of us, along with two glasses of ice water. She left as quickly as she arrived and Claire and I dug into our sandwiches. I was relieved to see my friend had an appetite after getting such terrible news. It told me that she’d made peace with her situation long before the PI showed her the videos. I tried to imagine Asher betraying me, but I couldn’t.
Asher definitely comes with his own unique baggage. But he’d never hurt me the way Royce hurt Claire. He doesn’t have it in him to do be anything but loyal and good to the people he loves. We may have to live our lives looking over our shoulders. But at least I know we’ll always be by each other’s sides.
***
“Lauren Matthews, when in the hell were you planning to call and tell me that you’re being recognized by one of the most influential art magazines in the world?”
I rolled my eyes and held my phone to my ear. “Hello to you too, Kennedy. I take it you’ve heard the news. Who called, Asher or Claire?”
“Asher called and invited us to join you at the banquet. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me yourself. What are you going to wear?”
“Asher bought me a lovely Valentino gown. You’d approve, I promise. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner; I’ve been dealing with Claire. She went to her parents for dinner and I’m taking advantage of the alone time to get some painting done,” I explained.
I studied my canvas under rays of sunshine let in by the massive skylights in Deacon’s studio. I brushed a streak of red across a sea of turquoise and then studied the canvas again.
“Asher told me about Royce. I can’t imagine how Claire must be feeling. They were together twice as long as Jackson and I have known each other.”
“She’s holding up better than you’d expect. We’ve already moved most of her stuff to the townhouse and she’s telling her parents everything tonight. Royce tried to deny the affair, but as soon as she confronted him with the videos he backed off. And that Gretchen bitch actually had the nerve to send Claire an email begging her not to tell her husband. I think she’s still going back and forth on that one.”
“Well, I think the poor bastard has the right to know,” Kennedy insisted. “But it’s none of my business. And Claire’s not why I’m calling. The magazine honor isn’t either, but I am exceptionally proud of you.”
“Thanks, Kennedy. To be honest, I’m still in shock. So what’s going on?”
“I found out some more information about Rachel’s past.”
My heart gave an extra pulse. “Did you go to Vermont?”
“No, I went to lunch with my mother. I had a hunch she might have known Maude back in her California days. And I was right.”
I couldn’t believe the stroke of luck. The connection seemed obvious once it was right in front of my face. Kennedy’s mother, Gloria Nightingale, was an icon of the feminist movement. She was the head of the department of women’s studies at Harvard and had spent most of her life studying the plight of women all across the world. She’d lived in California around the same time Maude Goins became active in the movement.
“Did your mom know the family well?”
“She still does. It’s hard to believe what a small world it can be sometimes. Apparently, we all met Maude and David at Mom and Jack’s engagement party.”
“Holy shit… I can’t believe it. So did you find out the family’s side of the story? Please tell me that you didn’t tell Gloria where Rachel is.”
“Of course I didn’t. The names Rachel and Cynthia never crossed my lips. I casually brought up a psychological study I read about so called bad sheep in families. I asked her opinion and whether or not she knew of any real life examples. She brought up the Goins family immediately. Like we suspected, Rachel was a change-of-life surprise baby. Mom said Maude and David were overjoyed to find out they were having one last child. She also said that there was always something strange about Rachel. She had some sort of trouble forming attachments, even to her family. They took her to all sorts of doctors, but the attachment problem was an issue there too. No one was able to get her to cooperate with treatment.”
“She certainly hasn’t had a problem attaching to Asher,” I observed. The more I learned about Rachel, the more confused I became.
“That’s the first thing I thought too. But who knows? Maybe she found a way to deal with her issues. I couldn’t ask many questions without letting on that I know more than I should. Mom did mention that at one point, the family thought they’d found their answer at a therapy camp. Guess where it was located?”
“Vermont.”
“Bingo. I pulled up the info and the place is still open. They run two week sessions all year long for kids with a wide range of illnesses. I’m willing to bet money Rachel went back there after Asher left for college. I’ve scheduled a visit. Officially, I’ll be there on behalf of the Montgomery Foundation. I’ll check the place out and go from there.”
“Kennedy, I don’t know how to thank you for all of this. I know you’ll have to write a sizable check when you visit the camp. I’ll find a way to pay you back for this.”
“Don’t worry about it, the money is going to a good cause. And there’s no way I’d sit back and do nothing knowing that Rachel could be a threat to you. I’m traveling to Vermont a week from today. I wish I could go sooner, but there’s no way I can leave the office during the week.”
“I completely understand. Maybe I can go with you, since you’re going on a Saturday. I could just tell Asher that I’m visiting you in Boston,” I suggested.
“If you’re up for it, I’d love the company. Bring Claire too, we’ll make a girls’ weekend of it. I’ll see if I can find a spa close to the camp.”
“I think that’s just what she needs,” I agreed. “We’ll just have to be extra careful to not let the truth about why we’re there slip out. And I feel horrible lying to her…”
“We don’t have to lie. Tell her I’m doing some investigating for a client, and I can’t talk about the details. That’s the complete truth.”
“You’re right… but we’d also have to get her onboard with lying to Asher. If I tell him we’re going to Vermont for a girls’ weekend, he’ll know we’re up to something.”
I paused for a moment and considered what I was about to get myself into. Asher had literally put his life on the line to tell me the truth about his past. He opened up and trusted me with the very information that could destroy him. And I was betraying that trust by going behind his back.
“I can’t do this,” I announced with a sigh. “I can’t lie to Asher, Kennedy. Failing to mention you’re looking into Rachel is bad enough. I can’t look him in the eyes and lie to him.”
“Do you want me to back off too? I really think Rachel is a threat, Lauren. I didn’t buy that apology she gave you after Tanya’s hearing. But you give me the word and I’ll drop this.”
“I want to know the truth, if you still want to find it,” I replied. “We know Rachel lied to Asher about her family. I need to know what else she lied about.”
“Consider it done.”