Chapter 9

I didn’t see much of Jeanie, but I heard that she spent most of her time either studying - or in therapy. Therefore I was surprised when one Monday afternoon there was a knock on my office door. As soon as I had opened it, a whirlwind that reminded me of a girl named Jeanie rushed into my room, pushed me into my chair, and landed all the way onto my lap.

“You’ve been avoiding me, Will!”

She gave me a sulky look which she tried to make look false, but I could tell that she didn’t really need to fake it. I kissed her nose.

“True, but I did that for a reason. You needed time to heal, and get better.”

That was the true even if it wasn’t the whole truth. But it was something I could say to her while looking back into those blue eyes. That sulky look melted away, and suddenly there was a smile that would make a careless man weak.

“Look, I want to show you something!”

Just as quickly as she sat on my lap she was out of it. But not until she had made sure that her bottom (which was covered by tight denim shorts) had made a good contact with my front. Then she was standing in front of me and opening the front of her shorts and lifting her shirt at the same time revealing her flat stomach. While doing that, she also made it very clear that she wasn’t wearing any bra and her panties were quite transparent.

“Can you see it?”

Then I understood. The ugly scar on her stomach was now almost gone. You could still find it if knew that it had been there but otherwise it was almost invisible. I took one last look at her stomach - just her stomach - and smiled at her.

“Not really, not anymore. I told you that things would work out.”

As soon as those words were out of my mouth she launched herself onto my lap again, and was kissing me, without pulling her shirt down or fastening her shorts. Only then did I notice Laura standing by the open door. She didn’t look happy.

“Young woman, I don’t think you should be attacking men with your tits exposed.”

“But, Mom, he’s already seen them. I don’t care.”

I gently lifted Jeanie off my lap, and and pulled her shirt down, hiding her nice, perky breasts again.

“Jeanie, you should really listen to your mother. And you shouldn’t be behaving like that.”

Yes, I had noticed that Jeanie had referred Laura as mother - and yes, I had noticed the nasty look Laura gave me.

“Jeanie, dear, why don’t you see if your father and brother are ready?” Laura said.

Jeanie probably didn’t notice a thing but I had been around Laura long enough to see the signs. She was either angry or pissed off - or both. I sighed internally, and turned to face Laura when she entered the room and closed the door after herself.

“Will, do you have any idea what that poor girl has been through?”

“In fact, I think I do, Laura. Remember that I spent some time there myself, and I think that what you have done with Jeanie is a miracle.”

My honest praise seemed to take some wind out of her sails, so I decided to push on.

“Look, I understand your need to protect her, and she deserves all the protection and love she can get. But she also is vulnerable and unsure, and she probably still finds herself ruined and filthy. I have no intention of hurting her or abusing her; but she needs to know that she’s still pretty and attractive, despite of all the things that happened to her. Believe me, I shed no tears when Matthew was killed.”

“And what do you know about those things?”

I took a deep breath.

“By the time Emilie disappeared, I had no illusions as to what probably had happened to her. So I tried to prepare myself as best I could to face the situation, so that I could support Jeanie afterwards. And, Laura, I was sure that you’d be a good mother, but I never guessed what kind of ‘momma bear’ you would become.”

I managed to smile at Laura, even though thinking about Emilie still hurt. Now it was her turn to sigh.

“I’m sorry, Will. Of course I trust you. It’s just suddenly so much. All that responsibility...”

“Hey, you’re doing fine. Besides, she’s a good kid - or a good young woman.”

“I know, I know.”

She turned like she was leaving but instead she turned back and looked at me.

“Will, do you know that Jennifer is totally devastated? She knows that she made a terrible mistake she cannot take back, but don’t we all make mistakes? After all, she was young and inexperienced...”

“Laura, you didn’t see the videos. I did. It wasn’t a mistake.”

“And you haven’t done any mistakes, ever, right?”

Her voice was thick of sarcasm which I decided to ignore. I was about to snap at her but then I started to think my own actions during the last few years.

“Laura, we both know that I’ve made more than my fair share of mistakes, but I’ve also paid for them.”

“Do you think that Jennifer hasn’t, yet?”

With those final words she turned and was out of my door, and I could breathe again. What a way to start a week! But still, I could not see myself forgiving Jennifer for what she did and how she more or less deliberately tried to cuckold me.

Wednesday morning I was informed that there were two guests waiting for me. I didn’t quite know what to expect, since I had nothing on my calendar. Once downstairs, the girl at the reception guided me to the meeting room where my guests were waiting. I put on my professional face before I entered the room.

“Good morning, Mr. Hart. You are a difficult person to track down, but your wife and child need you.”

I considered myself a professional. During the last six months, I had been in a few situations in which I had to be able to fully control my appearance. Without that experience, I wouldn’t been able to stay calm and controlled when I looked at a professionally dressed woman in her forties - who probably was an attorney - and Amy. Now an obviously pregnant Amy.

“I’m sorry, Miss, but you put me at a disadvantage; since I don’t know you, but you seem to know me. Besides, the reference to my wife and child is a quite cruel one, since I witnessed the accident that took their lives.”

Okay, adding the last part was unnecessary, but I needed time to think and had to use every opportunity to get them off balance. I kept a close look the older woman who had just spoken, and I could tell that I was at least partly successful. I made sure not to look at Amy, but I couldn’t miss her gasp. However, her representative was a professional, and it didn’t take her long to shake it away.

“Barbara warned me about this case as soon as she heard your name. However, my client and I think that we have a case, here. On the other hand, according to what I heard from Barbara I probably expected more from you.”

“I’m sorry, Ma’am, but I’m not sure if I know any Barbara.”

“Sorry, you probably know her as Ms. Staples. We sometimes do some pro bono work together.”

“I see. With all due respect, I can’t really see Ms. Staples doing pro bono work.”

“It seems that we all are full of surprises, Mr. Hart.”

The spike in her last comment was unmistakable, but I had absolutely no interest in giving her anything for free. With my contacts, I had done my best to make sure that Amy and Ruth would get some good legal support, while I had also made sure that none of the money used could be tracked back to me. I had followed their case a bit, so I knew that Ruth would have to serve some time in a low security institution. She would also be well compensated because the system had failed and her probation officer had been a nasty crook. Amy was considered a victim, as were the other girls, and she should get enough money for a fresh start. So, I felt that my conscience was clear, and I just waited silently, looking at that supposed attorney.

Finally she sighed.

“Mr. William Hart, my name is Christine Connor and I represent Ms. Amy Blevins who is expecting your child, and whom you married in the beginning of this year during a private ceremony. We do admit that the legality of the marriage may fall under suspicion, but the state in which the marriage was carried out also supports common-law-marriage.”

I looked at her, and then I moved my gaze to Amy. I have to admit that she looked a whole lot better than she had looked on the ranch, six months pregnant or not. Dressing nicely and getting her hair styled did wonders to any woman. When she licked her lips I could also see that she was now wearing braces. At least some of the money she received seemed to have been put to good use. I have to admit that it almost hurt to see her eyes. She must have held some hope that once she found me, something good would happen. Shit. I couldn’t help that I felt like shit, even if I didn’t let it show.

“Ms. Connor, Ms. Blevins - I think that you are making some assumptions, here. I’m quite certain that there is no evidence that connects me to Ms. Blevins.”

“Please cut that crap! We have a pregnant girl here who doesn’t want to have a child without a father. I expected to find some backbone, here!”

Amy was openly weeping now and Ms. Connor was fuming in front of me. I guessed she would have slapped me if she hadn’t been a professional. I sighed, turned, and used one of my keys to open a cabinet. I picked up a device and turned it on. All the time Ms. Connor had been following me. I looked at the screen and then back to her.

“Ms. Connor, and Amy. Would you please put your mobile phones on the table and turn them off? I assume that there is one more voice activated device you are carrying, and I’d appreciate if you’d turn that off, too.”

Amy calmed down and put her mobile phone on the table, while Ms. Connor did the same. After that, Ms. Connor also picked up a small recorder from her bag and put it on the table. I took a box from the cabinet and put both of the phones, together with the recorder, into the box and closed it.

“Ms. Connor, would you please sit down?”

She sat down next to Amy after a short hesitation, but the looks she gave to me told me that to her I was nothing better than scum. Whatever. Maybe I wasn’t, but this had to end, here! I took a deep breath before starting.

“First of all, what I told you is technically true. A person called William Hart has never been anywhere where he could have met Ms. Blevins, before today.”

I could see that Ms. Connor was about to protest, but I rose my hand and she remained silent.

“Please, be patient. Another important thing to consider, is that you both probably know what happened inside a courtroom some five months ago?”

“Yes, but...”

“Please, Ms. Connor.”

It was clear that she was used to being in charge. I noticed a ring on her finger, and for a brief moment I wondered about the dynamics inside her family.

“Ms. Connor, and Amy; I think you should consider the possibility that his death might have been planned, organized and agreed upon.”

“Ridiculous! That kind of things just aren’t possible...”

“Quite a few things are are possible, if you have enough money to confirm the secrecy.”

I could see Ms. Connor nod the slightest bit.

“Finally, there is absolutely no possibility that I could be the father of the child Ms. Blevins - Amy - is carrying, since I’d had vasectomy years ago, and my sperm count was zero, until I reversed the operation a couple of months back.”

Once I finished my sentence Amy’s face first became ashen, and then she started weeping. For once, Ms. Connors didn’t say a thing. She just looked at me and then at her client, who had now hidden her face in her hands.

“Ms. Connor, please be patient with your client. I’m really sorry for Amy, but I’m NOT the father of the child she is carrying. However, I might understand why she doesn’t really want to be in touch with the real father. When it comes to that marriage or common-law-marriage, I seriously doubt your success in court.”