Chapter 12

 

Helen slammed the phone into its cradle. That damn girl was still alive. When she left the hospital, she was certain that was the last of Kristen she’d see. Now, her contact at the hospital had told her that the doctors saved her.

“You’re a tough one, Kristen,” she muttered. “Let’s see you get out of this.”

Smoothing her hair, she took a deep breath and picked up the receiver once more. After placing at her ear, she dialed and waited.

“Lawyer Brown at your service,” a man said after five rings.

“What took you so long to answer your phone?” she scolded.

“I do have other clients you know, Helen.”

Ignoring his pithiness, she continued, “I need you to have the next hearing date moved up.”

“Isn’t that a little inconsiderate, seeing that the young lady…” Mr. Brown began but was rudely cut short by Helen’s terse tone.

“That young lady you speak of is in a vegetative state in the hospital and won’t be of use to anyone!”

“In a vegetative state?” his voice reflected his confusion.

“She met with an accident a couple of days ago and is in a coma. Now, do as I tell you. Have the date moved up and do it now.”

There was a few seconds silence on the other end of the line before Mr. Brown replied. “She may wake up…”

“What am I paying you for? Do it without question. When did you start growing a conscience? I’ve seen you do some terrible things to people…” she snapped.

“But never a comatose patient. This is not right.”

“I’ll triple your fee. I just need you to do as I ask.”

Mr. Brown seemed uncertain. “Well…”

“I’ll throw in a gift valued at twenty-five thousand.”

“What gift?”

“A Hermes Dressage Limited Edition.”

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”

With that, the conversation ended. Helen paced her suite, trying to think of another way to win this case with Kristen. She also worried about her son. What if Kristen woke up and married Ethan? She could not afford for this woman to marry another of her sons.

Andrew was the most important thing to her and Kristen took him away. Now she has sunk her clutches into Ethan and the stupid fool is so smitten he can’t see her for what she really is.

If Harold would just grow a backbone and help her stand up to Kristen, they could make a formidable team. It was time to speak with him about the matter once more. She exited her room and went in search of her husband. He was not in the living room, so she ventured to his study.

Helen paused just outside the door as her husband spoke with someone on the phone. “I told you to stay in New York. Why have you returned?” his voice was stern. “Now listen. You return to New York at once. What do you mean you’re not going back? Do you know how much trouble this is going to cause?”

Helen retreated, muttering under her breath, “He doesn’t even know when to set aside business.”

She went back to the living room to wait until Harold finished his conversation. However, as the words from his telephone talk floated through the door to her, something bothered her. She didn’t know what it was, but the tone of his voice wasn’t businesslike. It was as though he was talking to someone much more familiar than a business associate. Why would he be reprimanding someone for leaving New York and what kind of trouble would they cause? Something wasn’t right.

As she mulled over those things, Harold appeared, looking quite frazzled.

“What’s the matter? You look upset,” she remarked.

After walking to the house bar, he poured himself a scotch and took a gulp. “Nothing, just business as usual.”

“Who was that on the phone?” she queried.

“Just a business acquaintance.”

“Are you in some sort of legal trouble?”

His eyes shot to hers. “No, why?”

“Nothing. I just thought you might be in some kind of trouble.”

Harold finished his scotch and poured another. Helen observed how his hand shook as he brought the glass to his mouth. She’d never seen him this disturbed over business. He was always in control. He set the glass down on the surface of the bar and strode to his chair. His jaw remained tight and his lips drawn in a tight line. Something was definitely wrong, but Helen had an immediate need.

Pushing aside her suspicions about her husband, she again broached the subject of Kristen. “Harold, will you come to the hearing with me the next time? I need your support.”

“I told you I will have nothing to do with this,” he replied in a curt manner.

“Are you also taken with this hussy?”

Harold blinked a few times. “Helen, are you out of your mind?”

“Then you come with me to the courthouse when I ask you to. I’m not taking no for an answer. Believe, me Harold, you don’t want to say no to me again.”

Harold pursed his, remaining silent. Her message was clear. He knew what she was capable of, therefore he would comply with her wishes.

With threatening her husband settled, Helen spent the next few days coming up with a plan ‘B’ in the event that her current plan failed. If by some miracle Kristen regained consciousness, she and Ethan would be married and take Hailey. Helen could not let that happen.

Waiting for a response from Lawyer Brown was driving her up the wall. Therefore, she began to prepare in case the date could not be changed or if Kristen awoke.

Gripping the phone receiver, Helen hesitated before making the next call. Doubt that she was doing the right thing gnawed at her, but the thought of Kristen and Ethan together brought such anger that her doubts quickly disappeared. She dialed.

Someone picked up after two rings. “Hello.”

“John, it’s Helen. How have you been?”

“Miss Helen, what can I do for you?”

“I need you to look into someone for me,” she replied softly into the phone.

“Your husband?”

“No, my son Ethan.”

“Isn’t that the Navy Seal?’ John asked.

She swallowed. “Yes.”

“I can’t touch him,” John informed her. “His records would be sealed.”

“Then unseal them. Find something… anything.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Helen…”

Her voice rose to a high pitch, “I don’t need your apology. Do something. Follow him if you have to.”

“Miss Helen, he’s your son.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” she lowered her tone, slumping her shoulders. “I need something that will make the judge prevent him from marrying that woman.”

“What woman?” John asked.

“The one I had you investigate a while back,” she said. “She’s clean so there’s nothing on her I can use.”

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Miss Helen? I have to go now.”

“No,” was her clipped reply before she hung up.

Useless… all of them. Everyone around her was useless, including her husband and lawyer. Now even her trusted PI proved unreliable.