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Chapter 359
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TRUST ME Chapter 360
Creighton sat at his desk in London, the contract for the buyout open in front of him. His solicitors had contacted him earlier that morning and told him the owner wanted to negotiate a higher price. Despite his poor management of the company, he was insisting it was worth far more than Creighton was willing to pay. The way it looked, he may just back out of the deal and wait until it landed in the lap of the bankruptcy courts. At least he knew there were no other offers on the table.A soft knock sounded at the door and Creighton looked up as Michelle walked in. He smiled at the pregnant woman, feeling sympathy for her condition. It had been an agreement with her lover that she would carry the second child, and since the birth of their son, George, nearly six years ago, Michelle had found one excuse after another to avoid keeping her promise. She was afraid of having to have a cesarean section like her lover had. Rachel, however, was much firmer than even Creighton had assumed. She
TRUST ME Chapter 361
Sandra drew a deep breath and sat up on the large bed she shared with her husband. The sun shone warm through the open drapes, though the air was cool with the approaching autumn. The sounds of farm life echoed into the stillness of the room. It was a content feeling, despite the twisting sensations in her stomach.Grace napped contentedly next to her mother while Brandon’s laughter drifted up from the side yard, mixed with the excited barking of Max. This would have been the perfect lazy summer day if it were not for the lingering nausea of her third pregnancy.Sandra had to admit, this had been her hardest so far. Creighton wanted a large family – four children at least – which she had agreed with, until this pregnancy took over her entire life. The occasional day of peace was coming more frequently now that she was entering into her second trimester, but it was days like today that made her rethink her agreement for a full house. So far today, she had taken two naps by lunch, thre
TRUST ME Chapter 362
The grandparents’ house was the usual mixture of noise and laughter. Emma and William’s home was one of four where the families would gather on a regular basis. Sandra and Creighton’s was the second, more because it was the largest out of the properties. Kristin and Derek’s was the next in line because of the close proximity and the yard swing they had purchased last summer, with Nana and Papa’s falling in line behind them. Their growing families kept the community alive and their close properties were always active with noise and excitement.Sandra stood at the counter tearing up the garden lettuce for a salad. This was the kind of life she had always dreamt of having when she was growing up, but every year she got older, the further away that dream seemed to slip through her fingers. Cathy did not want children – despite Andrew’s insistence they were trying to have one – and Sandra never found the right man to settle down with until she won Creighton’s made-up trip to France. The i
TRUST ME Chapter 363
“I think that went both ways,” Nana added. “I’ve never seen them so happy.”“Now, we just need to get them to the alter,” Kristin said, her attention drawn to the conversation.“Irena first,” Sandra told them, watching the pink steal into her sister-in-law’s cheeks. She knew Sabrina was anxious and wanted to start her own fairytale, but she was determined enough to allow her sister to reign supreme for a little while longer.“The way Irena’s going, I think we’ll all be old maids by the time she sets a date.”“Give her time,” Emma insisted. “She’s been through a lot.”“I understand that, but the best way to get past all of that is to start moving forward. A wedding will take weeks to plan. She’ll be in her third trimester by the time we get everything arranged.”“Provided she wants the big wedding,” Cathy commented.“I’m so grateful Creighton took care of everything for us,” Sandra said, her attention once again moving to her husband as he walked toward the house. “He’s always said mon
TRUST ME Chapter 364
“With any luck, things will go back to normal now that Irena’s home,” Derek added.“I’m not sure about that,” Peter’s voice lowered slightly as Andrew stepped out of the house, his little sister in his embrace while Emma held the wheelchair steady at the foot of the front porch. “She wants to stay here, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. She needs to be active and forced to do for herself, but our flat is too small and cramped for a wheelchair. If she stays here, she’ll have the excuse of the stairs to keep her in her room.”Sandra glanced to Creighton and smiled at the quizzical expression on his sweat-moistened face.“Creighton may have a solution for you where that’s concerned,” she told the younger man, watching him raise his eyes toward her. “Cathy and Andrew are moving out of the flat in Chelsea next week, which leaves it vacant. We don’t use it often and there’s an elevator and loads of room for easy maneuvering.”“Are you serious?” Peter asked, his motions of filling his pla
TRUST ME Chapter 365
“Do you think Irena was serious about not wanting to get married?” Sandra asked as she and Creighton straightened up the living room of their Victorian-style home.“I think Irena is frustrated and scared,” he told her, tossing the toys Grace and Brandon left out into the wooden trunk by the entry to the room. “I know what she’s going through and it’s going to take time to heal. Physical injuries are one thing, but the brain is something much more complex.”“Unfortunately, time isn’t a luxury she can afford. She is going to have a baby in a few months, and she needs to consider what’s going to happen once it’s born. I know there are nurses who can help with the care of a newborn, and thousands of paralyzed women have babies every day, successfully, but she is not paralyzed. She could walk if she really wanted to.”“Are you saying you don’t think she wants to?” Creighton asked with a frown as Sandra folded Grace’s blanket and tossed it across the arm of the chair.“I’m saying I don’t th
TRUST ME Chapter 366
Peter drew a deep breath then wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had spent the better part of two weeks sorting through their stuff before starting the chore of packing. Creighton kept his helicopter on standby for him and he would go to Yorkshire every evening for supper. Irena was finding it frustrating getting any sympathy from her family, though her mother was just as aggravated with the nurse her son had hired.Sister Carmella Catherine was a registered nurse and devote catholic nun. She came with a wealth of knowledge and thirty years’ experience in the field of orthopedics, followed by fifteen years as a physical therapist. As promised, she was gruff, seasoned and a tough-nut, just as Creighton promised. Despite Irena’s constant complaining of pain, the woman turned a deaf ear to her and all but pulled her out of bed. She denied her the use of the wheelchair and forced the walker on her. She refused to allow Irena to eat in her room and made her go downstairs where she would
TRUST ME Chapter 367
Derek sat behind his desk in his office in Northallerton, a stack of papers in front of him. He had reviewed them three times and still could not believe everything he had read. Gwyn Marez was a desperate woman. She was insisting that Andre was coerced into signing over his inheritance to Sabrina, but his solicitor said the girl was not even with him when he did it. She wanted her son’s money; despite the fact she was in jail and was not going to be able to use it. Her trial was scheduled to start in a few weeks, having been arraigned and ordered to remain in jail without bond. She was facing one charge of first-degree premeditated murder of her husband, Stephan Marez, charges of being an accomplice to the attempted murder and kidnapping of Sabrina, as well as the murder of Siva, the French police officer Andre killed. It didn’t look like she would ever see the light of day beyond a jail cell again.A soft knock sounded at the door, bringing Derek out of his solemn mood. He looked u
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Sandra hung up the phone with a slam, then glanced to her grandparents who were sitting at the kitchen table. She was starting to get angry with all the rejections and dead-end avenues. She called Davies and told him she wanted him to get the plane ready to go to France, only to be told the police had restricted his flying. They were concerned that whomever it was that had killed her husband would try and sabotage the jet.She was getting frustrated and felt like she was being held back. If she didn’t know better, she would think she was being placed under lockdown. She could understand the police’s concern, but she had more men around her then they had at Fort Knox, and she would be willing to take all of them with her if she needed to.“I can’t leave the house, I can’t go to France, I can’t even gather eggs,” she grumbled as she joined the older couple. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t sit here and wait until doomsday to find out what happened to my husband.”“Honey, you’re going
TRUST ME Chapter 419
The room was warm as the setting sun shone through the blinds. Two detectives sat on the sofa, watching as the man continued to pace the floor. Trying to keep him calm was growing increasingly harder with each hour.Creighton could only assume the horror his family was going through, not to mention Sandra. They had been having difficulties, but this made all of that seem trivial. He had to call her, he had to contact her somehow and let her know he was alive, but the police were refusing to allow him the chance. They had to keep him concealed for the time being, though it was steadily becoming impossible. The man was acting like a caged animal, anxiously trying to find a means of escape.“How much longer do we have to sit here?” he growled, looking to those gathered around.“We need you to remain patient for a little longer,” a bald-headed man told him. “Monsieur Ashford, we understand what you’re going through…”“Like hell you do,” Creighton snapped. “I have a pregnant wife at home w
TRUST ME Chapter 418
“I know she’ll be happy when it’s over,” Emma said, returning to the room, her eyes red from the tears she’d been wiping away. “She can’t let Brandon go to school, and she has to keep the children inside instead of letting them go out to play.”“I’m sure they are going stir crazy,” Cathy said with a frown. “Especially Grace. That little girl is used to having the freedom of the farm to run and play.”“The only good thing is the weather,” William told them. “It’s been really wet, and she doesn’t like getting her dresses dirty.”“Sounds like her aunt,” Andrew said with a soft chuckle.“Maybe we should take this meeting over to my sister’s,” Cathy suggested with a sideways grin.“Let me call Derek and Kristin,” William said, standing and walking to the phone on the wall. “They wanted to know what you found out.”“Just have them meet us at Sandra’s,” Andrew told him. “We can discuss this all there.”“I thought Sabrina and Irena would be here,” Cathy said, looking at Emma who was wrapping
TRUST ME Chapter 417
Parker and Harvey held off the reporters for as long as they could alone, then eventually had to call NHT’s security. Within a few short hours, there were enough burly looking men to scare off anyone trying to get near the house. Sandra kept her children inside, though it really wasn’t difficult. The rain had eased by supper, but just like the past several days, it picked up again this morning.Max growled as he laid of the entry. The noise of cameras clicking, and the soft hum of voices mingled among the breezes of the day. She had tried to watch television, but every station was reporting on the accident. Eventually, she had no choice but to surrender and put on Grace’s favorite princess movie. At least it kept them from listening to those who insisted that there was no hope in finding any answers this soon.Sandra drew a deep breath as she wiped the moisture from her forehead. She had decided to keep herself busy and baked two apple pies, along with nearly a hundred sugar cookies.
TRUST ME Chapter 416
“No, it’s about assuming you knew what I would want. You did this, claiming it was for us when it was for you. You can’t stand the idea that your little sister has something you never would. It was bad enough when I felt like I was competing with Creighton for your attention, but now I’m watching you compete with Sandra for the mother of the year award.”“Stop comparing me to Sandra!” Cathy screamed. “It’s not my fault she’s perfect. She’s always been everyone’s favorite. I can’t tell you how many boyfriends I’ve dumped after I found out they were using me to get close to her. I didn’t want Creighton, but after he chose her over me, it made me angry. I was competing with her again, and she was too stupid to realize it. He chose that simple, no makeup, no fuss girl over me. She shares his bed, when I’m a better lover then she would ever be. She has his money, his admiration, your parents’ admiration, even my grandparents enjoy spending time with her over me. She even has a perfect body
TRUST ME Chapter 415
“Maybe Michelle heard from him,” the boy said hopefully.“I haven’t spoken with her, but I want to call in the morning. She may know something more than the police do.”The two were silent for a long time as they considered their own thoughts, until Sandra realized the tea was gone. She looked to Brandon who looked like he was finally able to fall asleep, then stood and took the cups to the sink.“Come on, son,” she told him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. “Let’s see if we can get some sleep.”“Mum, can I come sleep with you?” Brandon asked once they reached the second floor of their house.Sandra smiled and hugged the boy, nodding as he looked up to her.“You can sleep on your daddy’s side,” she told him. “Just don’t tell him I let you in our bed. He may get jealous.”Brandon smiled as he walked with her into the bedroom. Sandra helped him between the covers and tucked him in, then left to check on Grace. The house was silent and soft snores of her little girl could be heard
TRUST ME Chapter 414
Sandra paced her bedroom trying to stop her mind from racing through the events of the day. Derek had come home after his mother called him, insisting on picking up Brandon from school. Sabrina called to say the reporters were going crazy with the news of the Tornado’s fire and that she and Giovanni would be home as soon as they could get there.Irena spoke with her parents and insisted on calling in a prescription for Sandra’s nerves, though she refused to use it. She needed to stay alert and concentrate in order to determine what was going on. The last thing she needed was to surrender to the effects of a drug.After speaking with Andrew, William informed the rest of the family about Cathy’s surgery, though he wouldn’t go into detail. He assured them he would check into the reports from his end and stay abreast of the investigation. Once Cathy felt like traveling, they would drive out to Yorkshire to be with the family.Nana tried to get Sandra to let her stay overnight, but she was
TRUST ME Chapter 413
Sandra opened her eyes and looked around. She was in her bedroom, yet she couldn’t remember laying down. The house was silent and the soft pattering of rain outside reminded her that the dog had made a muddy mess of the entry. Then she remembered her grandfather and William coming over, and slowly began to piece together the last thing she remembered.There had been an accident on the Tornado and three bodies were found. She knew in her heart it wasn’t Creighton. She couldn’t even begin to guess who would have been on their ship, or how it ended up at sea, but she knew her husband wasn’t the one killed. Now all she had to do, was convince the others into believing her.Sandra stepped down the stairs to hear Grace talking to her great-grandfather, the dog running from one room to another as he chased his rope and the smells of food drifting out of the kitchen. She stepped into the living room and saw Papa sitting beside Grace, one of her own books open in front of him as he listened to
TRUST ME Chapter 412
Sandra stared at the two men for a long moment as their words began to sink in. When she spoke with her husband earlier that morning, he was still at the hotel. He didn’t mention having plans of returning to the yacht. Why would he go back there when he told her he was packing to come home?Then she thought about the bodies found. One was female. Who was it? Did Creighton lie to her about not being involved with Garcon’s assistant? Had he gone there to meet with her, perhaps a final rendezvous before coming home to his family?“Did you hear what we said?” Papa asked her.“It’s impossible,” she began, her anger taking over her words. Sandra looked down at Grace who was trying to wipe the muddy water from her little dress. She hadn’t understood what her grandparents were saying. All she cared about was her soiled outfit.“Sweetheart, go upstairs and find a clean dress,” Sandra told the little girl. “Put that one in the hamper and warsh your hands. We’ll make lunch when you’ve finished.
