She pounced on his words. So you think they didnt pursue it as they should have.
I didnt say that. Frustration edged his voice. Dont put your own spin on my words. If Id been in that position, I might have done the same. It cant be easy to make that sort of decision when you know the people involved.
Obviously arguing the point wouldnt get her anywhere. Sorry. What did the police chief say when you talked to him?
He wanted to know why I was asking, of course. He rested his spoon on the side of his empty bowl. Somehow hed managed to scoop up a whole bowlful of potpie while they were talking. As I predicted, he wasnt exactly eager to talk about a local scandal just to satisfy your curiosity, so I had to tell him why youre interested. Carmichaels wont gossip, at least.
She must have made an impatient movement, because he frowned before he went on.
He didnt have much to say beyond what Id already found in the records. He did confirm that the family agreed they hadnt heard anything from Melanie and didnt know shed come back.
That was strange, wasnt it? I mean, why would she return if not to be reconciled to her family? If shed had the baby, she might have realized how difficult it was and wanted to have their help.
I agree, that seems logical, but if they all said that she didnt approach them, I dont see how you can prove otherwise after all this time. Its a dead end. He made a gesture of finality.
She was beginning to think it delighted him to present obstacles. Maybe I cant prove anything, but I have the right to ask questions. This is my life were talking about and youhow do I know youre not trying to protect the Winthrops?
Treys face hardened. You dont. Youll have to take me on trust. Or not. Look, what are you really after? To find your birth mother? If it was Melanie, you may never be able to prove it.
Its not that simple. She couldnt keep the annoyance she felt from showing in her voice. This isnt just a sentimental journey. I have to find proof, if it exists, that Juliet actually adopted me. Otherwise...
Otherwise I suppose you might stand to lose your inheritance from her. He was quick, shed say that for him. You must want that inheritance pretty badly to go to these lengths.
Is that your considered objective opinion? She put some frost in her voice, which wasnt all that easy when anger was like a fire on her nerves. She stood, grabbing her bag.
Where are you going? He got up, glancing around and lowering his voice. Dont make a scene.
That infuriated her for a reason he couldnt understand and probably wouldnt appreciate if he did. Im going to see the police chief for myself. Her bag strap hooked over the chair, and she yanked it free.
Trey tossed some money on the table and grabbed her arm. Not without me, youre not. He already knows youre my client, so dont even think about it.
She glared at him for a moment and then jerked a short nod. Like it or not, she seemed to be stuck with him.
* * *
THEYD GOTTEN HALFWAY to the police station before Trey realized how ridiculous they must look, striding along without speaking or even glancing at each other.
Sorry, he said. I shouldnt have said that about your inheritance. Didnt her will make her wishes clear?
Her expression tightened, if anything. It says that she left everything to me, by name, but then it says, my daughter. Roberts afraid...
Right, I see. That could conceivably leave it up to the interpretation of the judge if someone brought suit. Would anyone?
Robert says that Juliets brother, George, has been asking questions. He must have some doubts.
Tricky. What might seem clear to a layperson could become anything but if it went to court. Okay. Naturally you want to prove that you were Juliet Curtisss daughter.
I suppose... She still didnt look at him, but she shook her head. If youre asking me why this search is so important to me, I dont know how to answer. At first, my only goal was to find the proof of my adoption. Now that I have an idea of who my mother might have been... She pressed her lips together as if in need of control. I do know you cant imagine what its like to have everything youve believed about yourself suddenly in question. Not until you experience it.
For an instant she looked lost, and Trey winced. He didnt want to be the one who caused that feeling.
Sorry, he said again. He tried to think objectively about her situation. Was there ever a time that you suspected the truth? Or questioned your mother?
Not really. Amanda seemed to look into the past. Juliet always made me feel so secure. Even when someone kidded me about not inheriting her looks or her artistic talent, she laughed it off. I looked like my father, she said, and everyone had unique talents. She slanted a sideways look at him. But I suppose you always wanted to be an attorney, like your dad.
And my grandfather, he added, relieved that the ice had melted between them. I dont know that I ever considered any other option. I was born to go into the family firm.
And it had nearly faltered on his watch. He could never forget how close theyd come. And how close they still were, for that matter.
No siblings to take your place? she asked.
One sister. Shelley flirted with the idea of law school, but then a guy came along, and she decided she didnt want to spend that many more years in school.
Married?
Yes, shes married and lives about an hours drive from here. Three kids, so at least my mothers stopped expecting me to produce grandchildren for her.
That must be a relief. Her lips curved, showing her dimple.
It is, he said with emphasis. There was also the matter of his fathers health to keep Mom occupied, so shed stopped worrying about Treys single status. Not that that would stop her from putting in her two cents worth if he so much as went to a movie with a female.
Here we are. He nodded at the mellowed brick building that had been the police station for a hundred years. Its classic lines were a bit distorted by the one-story, three-bay garage with its metal roof, providing space for emergency vehicles.
He considered asking her to exercise a little discretion with Chief Carmichaels, but feared doing so would have the opposite effect. At least she was in a better mood than when theyd left the café.
Chief Mike Carmichaels was in and willing, albeit reluctantly, to see them. Once they were seated in the chiefs minuscule office, Carmichaels leaned back in his creaking desk chair and surveyed Amanda with a speculative look on his square, honest face.
So you claim you might be the Winthrop girls child, I hear from Trey.
Amanda perched on the edge of her chair, looking wired enough to dart from it at any instant. Im not making any claims, Chief Carmichaels. I just want to know the truth. It came as such a shock to learn that I wasnt who I thought. There must have been some relationship between my motherbetween Juliet Curtissand Melanie Winthrop. Id have been two months old when Melanie died. You can see why I might wonder if thats the answer to who I am.
Mikes expression softened, and Trey saw hed been moved by Amandas words. So maybe it hadnt been a mistake for her to talk to him.
Mikes expression softened, and Trey saw hed been moved by Amandas words. So maybe it hadnt been a mistake for her to talk to him.
Carmichaels cleared his throat. I get that. Trouble is, I dont see any way of proving it one way or anothernot unless someone from the family agreed to DNA testing.
Amanda slid back on the chair, sending Trey a look that might have contained a little triumph. That would be the only definitive answer to my parentage, but Id want to feel more sure of the facts myself before Id even ask them to do that. So I hoped you might help me.
How? The chiefs gray eyes became guarded. He might be sympathetic to Amanda, but he wouldnt be eager to alienate Elizabeth Winthrop.
She hadnt mentioned the need to find out whether or not shed been legally adopted, but Carmichaels didnt need to know the importance of determining that. He couldnt know anything.
Just tell me anything you remember about what happened when Melanie died. For instance, were you able to find out when Melanie had arrived back in town?
He seemed to look at that question from every angle before deciding to answer it. No, we werent. That was odd. We couldnt even find out how. She hadnt come on the bus, and there was no abandoned car that might have belonged to her.
So the police had been more thorough than Trey had thought. Mike would have been a patrolman then, and Clifford Barnes the chief. Too bad Clifford wasnt around any longer to answer any questions.
Strange, Trey said while Amanda seemed to digest the chiefs words, sifting them for anything useful. It almost sounds as if someone drove her to town and dropped her off. But if so, youd expect them to come forward when she died.
Carmichaels moved as if hed suddenly found his chair uncomfortable. Unless shed been hitchhiking and was dropped off by a stranger. That was what Chief Barnes decided must have happened.
You didnt agree? Amanda was onto the doubt in his voice in an instant.
But he stiffened. It wasnt my business to disagree with the chief. He shrugged. Besides, I wasnt in on any of the decision-making. Too high up for me at that stage.
To forestall Amanda making another remark about toadying to the powerful, Trey broke in with a question. What about the person who found her? I never did hear who that was.
An Amish kid from one of the nearby farms, it was. Course there werent any cell phones then, even if hed been allowed to have one. Way he told it, she was partly in the water at the base of the falls. He pulled her out.
She was dead already? Trey asked.
Carmichaels nodded, his face grave. As I recall, he realized pretty quick it was too late, but he ran all the way to the nearest place with a phone. You can imagine how long it was until we actually got on scene. The chief fell silent, staring down at the green blotter on his desk as if he saw again that tragic image. The chief and I got there first, but the rescue crew wasnt far behind. I could hear them crashing through the woods with their gear while we were standing there looking down at her, all broken...
He stopped abruptly, probably realizing he might be talking to Melanies daughter.
Amanda drew a shaky breath. She was probably trying to think what else to ask. Do you know his name? The boy who found her, I mean.
Let me think a minute. It was one of the Miller kids, I believe, but I dont remember which one. He shook his head. Itll come to me. Ill let you know when I think of it.
Why wasnt there a postmortem? Obviously that was still bothering Amanda.
Like I say, that wasnt my decision. Besides, it was obvious what caused her death. His face tightened. If youd seen her...well, I wouldnt wish that on anyone. Thats a long way down, and nothing but rocks and water at the bottom.
That shook Amanda visibly. He suspected she was finding it impossible to hold on to the detachment shed had initially. It was probably coming home to her just what kind of Pandoras box she was opening with her search.
The silence that fell was his cue to get her out before she had a chance to push too hard with Chief Carmichaels. He stood, holding out his hand.
Thanks, Chief. It was good of you to answer my clients questions.
He shrugged it off. No problem. After all these years, Id think its impossible to find out much of anything, but I can understand why Ms. Curtiss wants to know.
Amanda stood, managing a smile. Thank you. If I have any other questions, I hope I can come to you.
Carmichaelss expression stiffened, but he nodded. He went to the door and opened it, obviously just as glad to see them out.
A wave of sympathy swept over Trey as he walked beside Amanda out of the office. Amanda was still grieving the loss of the woman who had always been her mother. Now she had the challenge of mourning a birth mother, as well. How did anyone cope with that load of trouble?
CHAPTER FIVE
DARKNESS SEEMED TO fall earlier here than in the city. Especially when she was alone in the cottage with just Barney for company. Amanda knew that was an illusion, caused by the lack of ambient light in the surroundings, but it was isolating.
She crumpled the paper in front of her and tossed it in the direction of the trash can. And then got up to throw it into the can when it landed on the floor.
Barney, whod been lying on the rug hed appropriated as his own, raised his head and looked at her.
I know, I know. Id better give it up for a bad job.
Shed been trying to compose a letter to Elizabeth Winthrop, explaining the situation and asking for an interview, but she couldnt find the right words. One draft had sounded pleading, another vaguely threatening. Neither was the impression she wanted to make on the woman who might be her great-grandmother.
There had been a photo of Elizabeth accompanying one of the newspaper articlesobviously a staged head shot. Even in that, the lined face had portrayed both grimness and determination. A woman with a face like that wasnt likely to be guided by emotion.
At least Amandas research had given her a clearer picture of the Winthrop family. Melanie had been the daughter of Elizabeths only son. He and his wife had been killed in a plane crash when Melanie was only a few months old, leaving Elizabeth to raise their child.
Elizabeth had a daughter as well, Betty Ann, who was much younger than her brother. An afterthought? An accident? Who could say?
Betty Ann was married to Donald Shay. From what Amanda had been able to glean, Shay ran the mill and managed the various properties owned by the family.
Aunt Betty. Uncle Donald. No, she didnt imagine shed ever be on those terms with them. Especially when she couldnt compose a simple letter stating her case. All of this searching and interviewing was frustrating, when a DNA test could give the answer.
And it still wouldnt tell her whether Juliet had legally adopted her. If Roberts investigators werent able to find anything one way or the other, what then? Did she have any rights at all? She and Robert hadnt discussed the worst-case scenario, and maybe they should have. Juliet had referred to Amanda as her daughter in her will. Shed think that would count for something with a judge, assuming it went that far.