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While the model-like receptionist announced him, Rick waited in the elegantly furnished lobby of Heron and Partners twentieth floor offices, admiring the view of downtown Miami.
“Good morning, Mr. Lambert. I’m Brian Alder, one of Mr. Heron’s partners.” The young lawyer in his early thirties ushered him into a plush office, where a gray-haired man in his late fifties-early sixties sat behind an imposing desk, his laptop open in front of him.
“George Heron.” The man stood and shook hands. “Have a seat and give us a detailed account of your story. Brian will be working with me on this case. From what you’ve said on the phone, it may cause a lot of noise, which is great.” The big lawyer chuckled, quite pleased. “We love high profile cases. If you forget details, go back and add them. I want to hear your impressions of what happened, your state of mind at the time, and your friends’ reactions, too. Everything that happened that night.”
Rick related the story engraved in his memory. Strange how much it still hurt after so many years. It seemed as if he talked forever, and the lawyers listened without interruption, Brian typing on his tablet on and off.
Then Heron asked his questions. “Any possibility that the child is yours?”
“None. Chloe was only eighteen and a virgin. We’d decided to wait until we were married, something we’d hoped would happen soon.”
“Brian,” Heron said. “We’ll need a paternity test from Ben and his son as soon as possible.”
Rick gasped. “How do you plan to do that?”
“Leave it to Brian.” He snorted. “He knows his job and has an efficient team at his disposal.” The older lawyer played with a pen. “My guess is that Ben was drunk and acted on the spur of the moment. He may not have expected to find blood on the sheets, and the girl crying and screaming. Terrified by what he’d done, he threw it on you. And her parents lost their cool when they arrived and discovered their daughter had been assaulted and traumatized.”
Brian nodded. “Since everyone was shouting your name and pointing at you, the girl’s father must have assumed you were the offender, especially if the girl didn’t deny it. Once we have the DNA results, we’ll have a more solid base on which to proceed. After I gather more information, I’ll give you a call.”
They stood, signifying the end of the meeting.
***
The children had lunch and were playing in the sand while Nanny Maria lay on a lounge chair close by. At least they were having fun. Madison seethed at the stubborn attitude of her father.
“You can’t deny the past, simply because you’re in love with the man. He’s handsome, smart, and successful, a very presentable man. He must have learned from his mistakes and probably changed for the best. Still, I would warn you against rushing into marriage. His real character may emerge under stress, and you’ll suffer like Chloe.”
“For heaven’s sake, Dad. Don’t compare Rick to his worst enemy. Chloe has never been happy with Ben. All he cares about is his political career.”
“He’s a good congressman. Maybe she should support him more,” her father grumbled.
“And you be careful, Maddy,” her mother warned.
“You’re upsetting me,” Madison exploded. Trying to get herparents to use commonsense hadn’t worked. “If Rick were guilty of raping her, Chloe wouldn’t have jumped at him last night and kissed him under my nose, claiming he was her first love. This whole story is disgusting and doesn’t make sense. I don’t want to hear about it anymore.”
Frustrated to no end, she peeled off her wrap, rubbed herself with sun blocker, and lay down on a lounge chair.
At two p.m., her parents left to go up to their condo, and she pondered the events of last night, and the story she’d learn recently. What good had taking the skeletons out of the closet done?
When Rick phoned her, she, the children, and their nanny waited for him in front of the building, eager to get home, away from nasty rumors and destructive gossip.
Sitting in the family room, watching the children play, Madison snuggled against him. “Rick, please drop the whole thing. Let’s go back to our easy-going life, without complications and heartache.”
“That’s what I’ve done for years. After last night, I can’t ignore the past any longer. Rumors are circulating. I have to think about my sons and our reputation. I have to clear the Lambert name.”
“What if you get hurt in the process? What if others like Chloe get hurt more than before?”
He opened his arms. “What can I do? The ball is out of my hands now. We’ll get to the truth once and for all. Now, let’s not ruin our holiday.”
They had a cozy dinner with the boys, played monopoly with them, and then put them to bed. Afterward, they shared a drink on the patio and spent the rest of the night making love in his room.
Rick was her fiancé, the boys called her Mommy, and Nanny Maria had accepted her as the lady of the house. Madisonpromised herself she would fight tooth and nail to protect their happy future.
In the early morning, she woke from a restless sleep and stroked Rick’s chest. “Rick, are you awake?”
“Huh ... What’s up?” He didn’t open his eyes and his husky voice proved he was still half-asleep.
She rubbed his shoulder hard. “Today, we have things to do.”
