Chapter Four

Angel was self-conscious of her attire in the restaurant people were looking at her oddly. When they were led to the private dining room that really drew attention. Justin heard the whispers of ‘Who is she?’ “Wonder who she’s dating?” There was, of course the snide comments he overheard on her attire as well.He was glad Angel didn’t appear to have let any of it bother her. Angel wasn’t stupid or deaf she’d heard the comments, but she’d grown a thick skin over the years, what people thought or said didn’t bother her.  

When they entered the dining room she came to an abrupt halt. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why. She was staring openly at Isabelle McDaniel’s known better as Belle McDaniel’s by family and friends. He knew what Angel was seeing; she was finally seeing the connection to her father’s family. This woman minus the hair and eyes was Angel at the age of nineteen. Belle was known for being one of the most beautiful women in Houston at the time. Her granddaughter it appeared would follow in her footsteps. Hunter said simply “Now you see why I didn’t need a test.” Angel couldn’t believe her eyes; it was there in one glance, everything she’d ever been looking for, a confirmation that she fit somewhere. Angel sank into the nearest chair still staring and nodded absently.  

It was Belle who broke the spell by smiling warmly and saying “Both my daughters came out the spitting image of my Jamison, my son, bless his heart ended up as beautiful as his mother was. Not to say my girls aren’t beautiful they are truly, for my Jamison he is a handsome man. But my son passed on to you my looks Angel, this pleases me greatly.”  

To Angel everything felt so surreal, she’d never had anything tangible to look at or see and say see, that’s me. But now looking at her grandmother, her father, her mother’s family she could see so much of herself in each one of them. Little mannerisms, the way she sat, the way she moved. It was as if she’d been around them to learn from them and she had never seen them.

She listened absently as Michael introduced his two younger brothers to her. She’d heard and learned so much her brain was in overload. Which generally wasn’t an issue for her since she soaked up knowledge and having learned never forgot something or someone. She had just hit critical mass though. It was her father who said, “I think she’s learned enough for tonight. Why don’t we just enjoy dinner as a family together.”

When Marigold asked, “So Angel, are you looking forward to Christmas?” Angel felt blindsided by the question more or less; she’d never had a Christmas with Serena.  Justin could have smacked himself for not warning them. But Angel powered through it saying simply “I’ve never had a Christmas to look forward too.” Ellen Hunter’s eldest sister asked, “You’ve never looked forward to it or you’ve never had it.” Angel seemed to think about it a minute before blowing them all out of the water by saying “Both.” A one word, answer that seemed to floor both families and put another check in Justin’s payback column.

Everyone then changed the subject being able to tell it made her uncomfortable. Everyone could tell she was wearing down, so it was no surprise when she excused herself and said she needed to get some sleep. Justin caught the look Hunter threw him and knew once he had Angel home, he’d be meeting with him again.

The trip back to the Denae Headquarters didn’t take long at all. Once he was sure she was safe in the penthouse he left but he had a guard stationed in the foyer of the two penthouses just outside the elevators to be sure no one interrupted Angel.

When he made his way to the conference room once again, he was met there by Hunter, Jamison, and all, of the Denae men. The seriousness of their expressions hit him first. He listened as Jamison said “We spoke with a detective who informed us it was in fact illegal for a sixteen-year-old to sign their child over without parental consent or knowledge. It set a bunch of wheels in motion.

Have you heard back from Dash yet?” Justin nodded and replied “It’s pretty much as we feared.  Serena could never win mother of the year. The whole time he’s been watching her she’s spent getting high, being high, or getting drunk.

The problem here gentlemen is that there is no way that Stacia contained this situation on her own. There has, to be someone she trusted to keep her secret. Because this woman still continues to receive money to support her habits and Stacia’s been dead for two years.”

It was Nicolas the youngest Denae who said “Follow the money. It will lead back to something or someone.” Justin nodded and sighed as he said, “We already thought of that angle and looked into it, the problem is, the money led right back here.” At their stunned expressions, he continued “Someone in this building has a lot to hide; it’s why I posted a guard outside the penthouse and checked it out before leaving Angel alone up there. That’s a secret someone is going to want to keep hidden.”

Michael asked, “Can it be narrowed down to a specific department maybe we can narrow it down further from there by telling you the people Stacia might have been in contact with.” Justin replied, “We’re doing a, person by person search of the computer systems here; it will unfortunately take a while to finish.” They were all stunned when they heard Angel’s voice say from the door “Not if I help.” At their confused looks, Angel said “I’m really good with computer systems. I could cut your search time in half at least probably more.”

Justin glanced at Harrison his boss questioningly and Harrison said evenly “Every member of this family with the exception of Stacia has had a place in this company, my granddaughter will be no different, let her prove herself.” He saw Hunter nod out the corner of his eye and he pushed his laptop across the table toward Angel.

Angel moved to sit in front of the laptop checking the programs that were installed. She had to d******d a couple things quickly to be able to access the server mainframe and then she checked, cross referenced and checked again. She knew they were probably shocked but she’d been good with technology all her life. They all watched in mesmerized shock as she did things on the laptop which astounded them. She had so many things cross referenced or put into various categories at first, he didn’t understand it all. She’d been at it two hours when the laptop began to beep. She said evenly “I’m not sure what the code itself means, but this would be the one who helped Stacia.” It was Gabriel, who took a look swore and said, “it’s okay we know who helped.”

She looked at them all squarely and said, “I’d appreciate knowing anytime there might be potential danger to myself.” She paused while walking to the door then said over her shoulder as an afterthought. “Were you aware someone is in the other penthouse?” At the confusion on their faces, she continued “There is a man there.”  

It was Justin who left the room to go see who had checked into the penthouse. When he returned twenty minutes later it was with a smiling man who said, “The welcoming committee has gotten larger around here.” It was her grandfather Harrison who asked, “What brought you back to town so soon Todd, and who told you the penthouse was available?” Todd asked curiously “Since when do I have to ask permission Uncle, and I’ve never left an Itinerary before.” It was Nicolas who said coolly “Times change cousin, you’ll have to make other arrangements.” Angel didn’t have to be a mathematician to note that this man had to be the one who’d helped her mother.

When Todd had entered, everyone had blocked his view of her, now she deliberately stepped around them so he could see her. She saw the truth in the widening of his eyes and the way his pulse jumped in his neck. He was now officially scared. She said coolly “You never should have made that deal with Stacia, it always comes back to bite you in the ass.”

It was Michael who said coldly “The police are on their way.” Todd yelped “The police? What?  Why?  So, she gave her kid up, that isn’t a crime.” Harrison looked at his sister’s only son and said “It is a crime when a sixteen-year-old does it without consent or knowledge of an adult parent. She also never told Hunter here he had a daughter.” Todd squeaked out “Hunter?” Hunter gave him the look that froze men in their tracks and said, “I guess she forgot to mention that part, huh?” Todd stared frantically at his Uncle and said, “How are you going to explain to your sister you threw her only son in jail.”

Harrison glared at his nephew and said easily “I’ll tell her that her son took my only grandchild from me.” He glanced at Justin and said, “Get him out of here before I become sick.”