A Secret in Salem

by Sheri Anderson

  “Sorry I can’t help you with this, bruv,” Chance said.

  “You’ve got the legal eagles to deal with,” Jackson answered. “I’d rather do this.”

  Chance sat on the edge of the Biedermeier desk. “What do we do about Charley?”

  As if on cue, Chance’s phone rang.

  “Private caller,” he said, checking the caller ID. “Do I answer?”

  “Your call.”

  He decided, What the heck? “Chance Gaines here.”

  “Chance, it’s John Black. There’s something we need to discuss about your sister.”

  Chance listened, fascinated as John told him what he and Marlena knew about Charley’s belief that she was adopted and her need to have answers. When he hung up, he sat silently for a moment.

  “Well?” Jackson asked, especially curious from Chance’s expression.

  “John Black thinks he may be able to track Charley’s DNA,” Chance offered.

  “Okay,” Jackson said skeptically. “And?”

  “He doesn’t want to get up her hopes, so he wants us to get a DNA sample, and he’ll have it tested,” Chance said.

  “Against whose?” Jackson asked.

  “Apparently, this ISA has recently compiled a main database from 40 percent of the hospitals and police stations in the world.”

  “So if her DNA matches a sicky or a sicko, she’ll have some answers?” Jackson sighed. “Sounds fab,” he said, tossing a pencil across the desk.

  “If he doesn’t find any matches, no harm no foul,” Chance countered. “Look, it’s something.”

  Charley was out on the terrace having fresh summer fruit and eggs, when Chance and Jackson came out to join her.

  “Gorgeous day,” Chance said, sitting on the wrought-iron chair across from her.

  “So now we’re discussing the weather?” Charley remarked.

  Jackson sat between them and joked, “Okay, what about them fireworks? Think Spain’ll win this year?”

  Charley had to appreciate her brothers, whether they were by blood or not.

  “You don’t have to worry about me, I’ll be fine,” she said, popping a ripe piece of cantaloupe in her mouth.

  “We know you will,” Chance said. “Just know we love you.”

  “I do.” She smiled.

  “Would you like some more juice?” Jackson said, picking up her juice glass and not waiting for an answer. “Sophia’s squeezed more fresh.”

  Before she could protest, Jackson disappeared into the house.

  “What are you doing today?” Chance asked.

  “I should go to the boutique,” she said. “Since…Dad…was co-owner, it’s bye-bye to OMG.”

  Chance held her hand tightly. Fashion wasn’t Charley’s love, but the thought of losing Olivia’s legacy was painful.

  Jackson returned with two full glasses of orange juice and set one in front of Charley.

  “I’m full, Jackson, really,” she said. “But you have it, Chance.” She pulled away from the table. “I’d better get dressed.”

  Chance watched her cross into the house, then turned back to the glass. “Well, that worked,” he said sarcastically.

  Jackson pulled out a small juice glass wrapped in a linen napkin.

  “I switched hers with a new one.” He smiled.

  “Well, well, my good man.” Chance smiled. “Guess it’s time to go see John Black.”

  JOHN WAS CHECKING THE TIME ON HIS PHONE WHEN THE SILVER Maserati pulled up curbside. He was at the Nice airport, and his flight was leaving in less than an hour.

  “Perfect timing, guys,” he said to Jackson as he leaned in the car’s window. “What’ve you got?”

  Jackson produced the juice glass with Charley’s lip-gloss print clearly visible. “From breakfast this morning.”

  “Great,” John replied, impressed. “What does she know?”

  “Nothing,” Chance said across his brother. “We thought it best.”

  “Good call,” John answered as he put the evidence in his jacket pocket. “With any luck, we could have answers tonight.”

  Jackson and Chance were stunned.

  “So soon?”

  “Yep. The technology’s been in place for decades,” he added. “The databases are just catching up now.” John heard the boarding call for his flight to London.

  “Keep us posted,” Jackson said.

  The brothers watched as John sprinted into the airport.

  “I don’t care what he finds out,” Chance said. “She’s always going to be my sister.”

  Chance revved the 4,691-cc Maserati engine whose roar was known to ignite the pheromones of men and women alike, and headed back to the villa.

  Back to Richie. And grief.

  “Hey, if we’re lucky, bruv,” Jackson said over the noise, “maybe we could find out we’re not his either.”

  John was in club class on the British Airways flight to London and took the time on the flight to email Shane and also the house in Lausanne. Desiree was in shock at the news of John’s recovery but asked—no, begged,—to keep her on to ensure he didn’t relapse.

  The flight was smooth and short, less than two hours, and Shane was waiting outside customs when John arrived.

  The customs official sent John through immediately, and he embraced his old pal.

  “Helps to have friends in high places.” John smiled.

  “This could be a long shot, you know?” Shane reminded his former ISA partner.

  “That much hasn’t changed,” John admitted. “Technology gives us a lot, but only if it has the right input.”

  “You want to join me for a lunch while we wait?” Shane said as John handed him the bagged evidence.

  “If you can email me the results, I’d like to get back to my girl,” John said. “No insult intended.”

  “None taken,” Shane said with that mellifluous British accent that made women swoon. He then paused and looked at his friend.“Why are you doing this, John?”

  “Doc wants to help this girl, Shane,” he said. “Charley feels that she doesn’t know who she is right now.”

  “Ah, for Marlena,” Shane said, not totally buying it.

  “And for me too, I guess. If anyone knows what it’s like to not have an identity, Shane, it’s me.”

  Shane got it in spades. John had been through so many incarnations it made his head spin.

  “When you know your biology, it doesn’t change who you are, but it sure changes your understanding of yourself.”

  “I’ll get back to you as soon as we have news or no news,” Shane said. Then he embraced the man he felt as close to as a brother.

  John headed for the departure gates. Back to his future.

  SINCE THE ACCIDENT, NO ONE HAD BEEN IN WHAT HAD ONCE been the hottest boutique in Casino Square. Before she opened the door, Charley picked up the freshly placed flowers and candles that fans had brought.

  The shop was exactly as she’d left it before rushing home to change for Dalita’s party. Stocked with the most expensive items from Olivia’s line, it was a celebutante’s dream.

  She picked up a pair of white sunglasses encrusted with the logo in pavé diamonds and put them on. She looked in the mirror and posed with them for a moment, chuckling at the superficial girl she saw in her reflection.

  On the counter by the register were proofs of the preliminary shots she’d taken for the upcoming collection.

  “Guess we won’t need these anymore,” she muttered.

  The bell at the front rang as the door opened.

  “I’m sorry. We’re not open,” she said before she realized it was Shawn, Belle, and Claire.

  “Those are silly!” Claire said, pointing to the oversize glasses Charley was still wearing. “Can I have them?”

  “Claire, that’s not nice, and no, you can’t have them,” Belle scolded. “Sorry,” she said to Charley.

  “No, they are silly, and yes, you can have them if your mommy and daddy say it’s okay.” Charley smiled. She
liked Claire. In fact, she liked all of them.

  “We were just headed down to the boat and saw you here,” Shawn said. “Wanted to say hi.”

  “Hi. And I’m, well, worse than I’d like to be, but better than I could be,” Charley said, answering the question they hadn’t wanted to ask.

  “We’re all headed out in the next day or so, depending on Belle’s folks,” Shawn said. “We’re headed up to their house in Switzerland.”

  “We’ll see you before, I hope,” Belle offered. “If you’re not doing anything tonight…”

  “Not making any plans at the moment, but I’ll see,” she said. “Thanks. Belle, do you mind if I kiss your husband?”

  Belle laughed.

  Claire’s eyes widened. “I mind!”

  “It’s just to say thank you one more time for his saving my life, twice,” Charley said. “I’ve got his blood in me now, so maybe I’m like your auntie, you think?”

  “I like that,” Claire said succinctly. “Did you know I’m almost four?”

  Charley grabbed a small white leather OMG hat from one of the racks. “Then this is for you.”

  Claire plunked the hat on her head and the glasses over her ears. One happy little girl.

  Charley moved to Shawn and kissed him lightly on the cheek, lingering a bit longer than she’d expected. “I mean it, Shawn. I owe you my life. We’ll always have a bond.”

  He gently kissed her back.

  Belle faked coughing. “Ahem.” She knew her relationship with Shawn was stronger than ever. But Charley was so naturally beautiful, so much more down-to-earth than someone with her upbringing had a right to be.

  “See you later?” Shawn asked.

  “Hope so,” Charley smiled.

  “Bye!” Claire said, grabbing both Belle and her da’s hands and pulling them out of the shop.

  Charley watched as the door closed behind them.

  Just my luck that he’s married. She smiled to herself. He’s exactly the type of man I’ve been saving myself for.

  “That was quick,” Marlena said as she saw John moving to join her on the terrace.

  “Less than three hours door-to-door,” John said. “Even though I was on the ‘screaming baby’ express, I couldn’t have cared less. Getting back to you was all that was important.”

  He settled in one of the chairs next to hers.

  “Shane said we might have results tonight,” he told her.

  “It’s all so confusing,” Marlena admitted.

  “I had time on the plane, so I used my ISA connection and contacted NewYork–Presbyterian—the guys had said that’s where Charley was born—and they do have birth records there. But—”

  “What?” Marlena asked.

  “An in vitro procedure on Olivia there. Olivia was carrying someone else’s baby.”

  John’s phone rang. It was Shane.

  “Talk about quick,” he echoed to Marlena as he answered the call. “He didn’t email. Not always good news.” Then into the phone, “Shane, hello, buddy…”

  “We’ve got a match,” Shane said evenly.

  “Mother or father?” John asked.

  “Both.”

  Excited, Marlena took the phone. “Shane, you found a match on both of her parents?”

  “Good news or bad?” John asked.

  “Are you two alone?” Shane questioned.

  “We are. Why?” Marlena was getting anxious.

  Shane took a deep breath. “Could you put me on speaker.” It was a request, not a question. Marlena complied.

  “We’re here, partner,” John said.

  “Her DNA matches John Black and Marlena Evans Black.”

  “What?” Marlena sputtered.

  “It’s impossible. No, seriously, Shane…” John added.

  “I double- and tripled-checked the results before making this call,” Shane insisted. “We all know that DNA does not lie. Neither do I. It matches the two of yours.”

  Marlena’s hands began to tremble, badly. The phone slipped from Marlena’s grasp and tumbled to the gardens below, neither of them even noticing. They just stared into each other’s eyes.

  “Charley’s our daughter,” John said with conviction.

  In that instant between them, they knew that somehow, some way, this incredible revelation was true.

  John and Marlena were still frozen in place on the terrace, when they heard a key in the door, and Belle entered, followed by Shawn and Claire. Shawn was now wearing the oversize white glasses, and Claire proudly wore the floppy soft leather hat.

  “Look at Da,” Claire squealed as she danced a jig in the room.

  “Bathroom, CB?” Shawn asked, recognizing the signs.

  “I’ll take her, honey,” Belle said as she guided the little one to the loo.

  “We just saw Charley,” Shawn said as he removed the signature frames. “Gifts for Claire.”

  Marlena and John were both quiet.

  “Did we interrupt something?” Shawn asked.

  “We have interesting, confusing—”

  “Yet exciting—”

  “News,” John completed. “I think we should wait for Belle to tell you.”

  “No need to wait. I’m here,” Belle said, drying her hands. “Did Shawn tell you we saw Charley?”

  “He did,” Marlena said carefully.

  “And?” Belle frowned. Marlena’s tone was strange.

  “If we didn’t know better ,we’d think we were back in Salem,” John started. “Belle, you have a younger sister.”

  Belle sank to the sofa. John and Marlena explained what they’d learned and what they still needed to know. How? Why? When and where?

  Before it had a chance to sink in, there was a knock on the door.

  “Whoever it is, tell them to go away, Shawn,” John instructed his son-in-law.

  He couldn’t. When he opened the door, it was Charley with one of the bellmen.

  “Oh, hi. Didn’t think you’d see me again so soon, did you?” She smiled ruefully. “But I found this phone in the grass when I was leaving the shop, and I recognized the case. I think it’s John’s.”

  John and Marlena exchanged glances. This was neither the time nor the place, but there they were facing their daughter.

  “Is everything all right?” Charley asked cautiously. The tension in the room was thick.

  “That depends on you,” Marlena said as she moved to face the biological daughter she had never known.

  “You are my biological parents?” Charley squeaked in a voice she’d never used before. One of shock, surprise, and total disbelief. “The two of you? The most amazing two people on the planet are my parents?”

  She sank onto the arm of the sofa, in total shock.

  “And you never knew?” Charley added. “Of course you didn’t, or you would have told me, and—” She stopped herself. “You’re telling me this is true?”

  Marlena nodded.

  “We’re as shocked, but happy, I guess, as you,” John added.

  The details they had were still sketchy, but Marlena held Charley’s hand as John carefully explained all he knew.

  Charley had indeed been conceived by artificial insemination in New York, but that’s all Shane and John had been able to decipher. John and Marlena had no answers about how they had become involved, but there was no doubt it was real.

  Charley looked between the two of them. “You’re my parents,” she said again in disbelief.

  “Biological,” Marlena said, confirming.

  “Which means a lot,” Charley said as she laced her fingers with Marlena’s. “In France, there’s a theory, you know, that the touch of a mother’s hand is like no other,” she added. “I never felt this with Mummy; it’s true.”

  “She still was your mummy, you know, because she raised you,” Marlena said supportively.

  “Nature and nurture both count,” Charley said wisely. “I know that.” Then she smiled and started to cry. “Even if I never see you again, I am so happy that i
t’s the two of you.”

  The room was filled with emotion that couldn’t be put into words.

  “I have a new little sister.” Belle leaned in. “And you stay away from my husband,” she teased. “Our older sisters are the pros at that.”

  “Other sisters?” Charley said as she drank it all in.

  “Oh, it’s an extended family, all right.” John laughed. “And we’re all crazy about each other, warts and all.”

  “Do Chance and Jackson know?” Charley asked.

  “Not yet,” John told her. “But we did have a little of their help getting your DNA.”

  “They’re the best,” she said as she shook her head in amazement.

  “They love you,” Marlena said. “We all do.”

  “There’s just one person I need to see,” John said. “If I have your permission.”

  “Richie,” Charley said as the smile faded from her face.

  “If anyone has the answers, he will.”

  “DAD, THERE’S SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU,” JACKSON SHOUTED into the darkness of the screening room.

  “Not interested in company, Son,” Richie said quietly.

  “Maybe not, but this isn’t a social call, and you’re going to see him,” Jackson said as he lifted Richie from his four-thousand-dollar chair.

  Jackson guided him out of the room and down the long hallway to the curved staircase that led to the main floor.

  “Chance is my mouthpiece; he should talk to the authorities.” Richie chortled. “What does he think I pay him for? Oh, that’s right. Now I’m not paying him anything.”

  “This isn’t about the investigation, Dad,” Jackson said, guiding his broken father down the stairs.

  Charley was there, waiting.

  “Charley? I thought you said it was a him, Jackson?” Richie said as he shook his head.

  “It is. John Black has something to ask you,” Charley said evenly.

  “John Black?” Richie said as John moved into the room with Chance. “Have we met?”

  “Not personally, no,” John said evenly. “But you may have heard of me and my wife, Marlena Evans.”

  Richie was confused.

  “Dr. Evans? She’s been helping Charley,” John reminded him.

  “The shrink,” Richie realized. “That pretty blonde.”