The Lab Test

by Chris Taylor

  “Sabrina, how many times do I have to tell you? I don’t need a man in my life to feel fulfilled. I have a fantastic job, great friends, a sister who’s mostly on my side and last month, I settled on a house. I’m finally in control of my life and I’ve done it all without a man in tow.”

  Sabrina’s expression turned earnest. “Yes, you have, Dani, and I’m super proud of you! What you’ve managed to achieve is nothing short of amazing and you’ve done it all on your own. But that doesn’t mean you have to go forth without the support of someone special. We’re companion creatures. We’re not meant to go through life alone.”

  Dani saw the care and concern that shone in her sister’s eyes and a lump rose in her throat. Despite the horridness of her childhood, she’d never once blamed her sister, nor looked upon her with anything but love. Only two years separated them, but it could have been five times that amount. Her little sister had remained untouched, innocent—loved and adored by all. Even Sabrina’s husband, Franklin, was convinced she’d hung the stars. It was the way it should be.

  Dani wasn’t the slightest bit jealous. Well, maybe just the tiniest bit. No matter how much she denied it to her sister and even to herself, more and more she wanted what Sabrina had—a man who adored her, a gorgeous baby—a perfect family all of her own. The problem lay in convincing herself she deserved it, too.

  She’d paid for countless hours of therapy, but the truth was, she still had plenty of self-doubt. Her parents had done a real number on her. So many years of abuse and neglect were hard to erase. But she was getting there. Every day, was another step closer to the time when she’d finally be free of the pain and humiliation and the shame.

  “Where’s Franklin?” she asked instead, deliberately changing the subject.

  Instead of the soft smile and twinkling eyes Dani expected, Sabrina’s expression went blank. She averted her gaze and picked at a piece of lint that clung to her white linen shorts. Concern and confusion immediately flooded through Dani.

  “Sabrina? What is it? What’s happened to Franklin? Is he okay?”

  “Yes, yes of course,” Sabrina answered hurriedly, still not looking in Dani’s direction.

  Dani narrowed her eyes, far from convinced. “Sabrina Porter,” she said, making deliberate use of her sister’s maiden name. “What’s going on?”

  Sabrina bit her lip, her gaze still focused on the couch. “It’s nothing. We… We’re just going through a rough patch, okay? It happens to everyone.”

  Dani’s heart clenched. If there were ever two people more in love than her sister and Franklin Cook, she hadn’t met them. They’d been married nearly two years and had been together more than three years before Marnie’s birth. Dani had yet to see them have even the tiniest disagreement. It was a little nauseating how much they doted upon one another. It concerned her greatly to hear they weren’t getting along.

  “What happened?” she asked quietly. “Is it anything in particular?”

  Sabrina sighed. Lying back against the couch, she closed her eyes. “Franklin found some old love letters I’d received from Scott Wells. Do you remember him? We dated for a while in high school. I haven’t seen him for years, but he wrote me for a long time after we broke up. Some of the letters Franklin found were dated after he and I got together. He went berserk and accused me of being unfaithful.”

  Dani stared at her sister in shock and shook her head in disbelief. Sabrina was the epitome of purity and innocence. It was ludicrous to suggest she could have been capable of such deceit.

  “How on earth could he say such a thing? He was your first lover. He knows there was no one else.”

  Sabrina shook her head sadly. “Yes. The problem is, some of Scott’s later letters got rather personal. He told me how much he loved me, how much he wanted me back. He urged me to break things off with Franklin, that I belonged to him and even though, when we were together, we’d done nothing more than some heavy petting, Scott wrote about it like it had been so much more.”

  “Surely Franklin believed you when you told him it wasn’t true?” Dani exclaimed. “He’s your husband! He knows you better than that!”

  “I don’t know why I kept them, why I didn’t throw them away…”

  Tears glinted in Sabrina’s eyes. The sight of them filled Dani with sadness and pain. How dare Franklin treat her sister like this! She couldn’t wait to give him a piece of her mind. Sabrina had been upset over her break up with Scott, but it was knowing he was hurting that truly caused her pain.

  The truth was, Sabrina had moved on from her high school boyfriend and that was nobody’s fault. It was just the way things went sometimes. Dani was sure Scott’s heart must have mended. He was probably happily married now, with Sabrina a fond, distant memory. The thought that her sister’s teenage relationship was causing problems for Sabrina and her husband made Dani sad.

  “I had no idea Franklin was so insecure,” she said.

  Sabrina sighed. “I don’t think it’s that. He’s been so stressed lately. He’s not thinking straight. He’s in the middle of a high profile case. I’m sure you heard about it on TV—the fifteen-year-old who’s been accused of plotting a terrorist act. Franklin’s law firm is representing the boy and Franklin’s heading the defense team.

  “He’s been coming home so late, tired and overworked and then poor little Marnie’s been miserable—waking several times during the night. Her daddy’s usually such an understanding man, with endless patience when it comes to his little girl, but I guess the stress of work’s been getting to him. He’s even been short with her.”

  It was Dani’s turn to sigh. Franklin was a junior partner in one of Sydney’s most prestigious law firms. The firm was renowned for taking on high-profile cases and this one wasn’t any different. She could understand how stress and fatigue might make him impatient and say things he didn’t necessarily mean.

  “You might need to give him a little space for a while,” she suggested, eyeing her sister solemnly. “He’s obviously not himself. I’ve never heard him say anything even halfway mean to you, let alone accuse you of infidelity.”

  Sabrina compressed her lips and nodded. Fat tears rolled slowly down her cheeks. “You’re right,” she whispered. “And I’m doing my best, but it’s so hard to ignore it. The other week, he…he demanded a paternity test.”

  Dani gasped and her jaw dropped open in shock. The feeling was quickly followed by a surge of outrage. She leaped out of her chair.

  “He what? How dare he? Has he gone completely insane! It’s one thing to feel jealous over a few old love letters, but to accuse you not only of sleeping with Scott while you were with Franklin, but getting pregnant and then passing the child off as his! It’s unbelievable! How could he think such a thing? Does he even know you at all? And how could you have kept this to yourself for a few weeks?”

  Dani burned with indignation. Her breath came fast and her face was hot. The bastard! How could he think so little of her perfect sister? Sabrina wouldn’t hurt a fly and she didn’t have an ounce of deceitfulness flowing in her veins. Dani made a sound at the back of her throat and shook her head, still outraged at the thought.

  “It’s okay, Dani. Don’t be mad.” Sabrina’s gentle words penetrated the fog of Dani’s anger. Gradually, she slowed her steps and got her breathing back under control. Unclenching her fists, she forced herself to calm down. She moved to the couch and perched beside her sister.

  “How can you be so calm, Sabrina? It’s an awful thing for him to say. He’s lucky he’s not here right now, or I’d… I’d punch him in the nose! Nobody treats my sister like that and gets away with it!”

  A tiny smile tilted up the corners of Sabrina’s perfect rosebud lips. Dani’s heart tightened at the sight of it. Despite everything, her sister could still summon a smile. Dani wished she had even an ounce of her little sister’s goodness and strength.

  “You always were my champion,” Sabrina murmured and leaned closer to give Dani a hug. “Thanks for caring,
big sis. It means a lot.”

  Dani’s chest tightened with emotion and she had to blink back sudden tears. She loved her sister more than anything and hated to see her hurt. But this was Sabrina’s battle. She was married now. Her loyalty was to her husband. Only the two of them could sort out this disagreement. Franklin had stuffed-up big time, but he was lucky in his choice of wife. Sabrina had the most forgiving heart imaginable. Dani was sure they’d work things out.

  “What did you tell him?” she mumbled against Sabrina’s shoulder.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Franklin. What did you tell him when he demanded a paternity test? I hope you told him to go to hell.”

  Sabrina pulled away and smiled sadly. “I wanted to, but it would have only made things worse. So, I… I agreed to it.”

  Dani stared at her, shocked for the second time. “You agreed to it? Why the hell would you do that? He had no right to even ask it of you! How could you—?”

  Sabrina reached out and silenced her with a finger pressed against her lips. “Shh, Dani. Please, don’t say anything more. I did what I thought was best. Franklin was spoiling for a fight. He wasn’t in the mood to be reasonable. By agreeing to the test, it brought the matter to an end.

  “The test will prove positive in Franklin’s favor and that will be the end of it. Besides, he didn’t need my permission. You know how these things work. The lab only requires a blood sample from him and Marnie. When he has time to properly reflect on his behavior, I’m sure he’ll be appalled. He’ll beg for my forgiveness and I’ll give it, because none of us are perfect. We’ve all made mistakes.”

  Dani stared at her, once again amazed at her sister’s capacity to love her fellow man. If Dani didn’t know her as well as she did, she’d wonder if it were all an act. But from the moment Sabrina could talk, she’d always been kind and generous to everyone around her. Dani should have hated her perfect little sister, but instead, she was humbled and honored to be related to such a sweet girl.

  “You’re a better woman than I, Sabrina Cook,” she murmured, slowly shaking her head.

  “Nonsense,” Sabrina replied. “You’re a good person, too, Dani, if you’d only accept it were true. You protected me and loved me like no other throughout childhood and I haven’t forgotten it. Mom and Dad could be so mean and nasty when they were drunk and that happened more often than not.”

  Sabrina’s eyes flashed in a sudden show of spirit. “You don’t think I know about all those times you shielded me from the worst they had to offer, but I do and I’ve never forgotten. If anyone’s responsible for my soft and forgiving heart, it’s you. You showed me what real love looked like, felt like, was like. If it were left up to our parents, I would have remained completely ignorant.”

  Fresh tears ran down Sabrina’s cheeks and she lifted a hand to swipe them away. Dani stared at her, swallowing hard.

  “I’m so proud of all that you’ve done with your life, Dani,” Sabrina whispered. “I used to look at you as a wild teenager, and my heart would fill with despair. You were so much better than that. I ached for you and longed to help you, but I didn’t know how, and then, somehow, you found the strength to bring an end to your reckless ways. You went to college and graduated. You found a job that you love. You’ve come so far and you have yourself to thank for it and I couldn’t be happier.”

  Dani sniffed and Sabrina made another attempt to wipe the tears from her eyes. “Don’t worry about me, Dani,” Sabrina whispered. “I’ll be all right. Franklin and I love each other. We’ll get through this and be stronger for the experience.”

  Dani clamped her lips together in an effort to contain her emotions. She nodded in acceptance. “When do you get the results?”

  “Franklin and Marnie had the blood test a week ago. We were told the results would take three to five days. They should be arriving in the mail any day now.”

  Easing her breath out, Dani reached for her sister’s hand and squeezed it. “Well, at least it will be sorted out quickly. Let’s hope Franklin doesn’t take too long to come around.”

  “He won’t. He loves me. In fact, I’m sure he’s upset about the whole sorry argument. He came home with a dozen red roses yesterday. Anyway, it will be over soon. The results will prove he’s Marnie’s father and that will be the end of it.”

  Dani nodded, relieved by her sister’s calm demeanor. She wished she could remain so unaffected in a time of crisis.

  “I’m going to suggest to Franklin that we take a holiday—even just a few days,” Sabrina continued. “He needs to get away from the office and remember what it’s like to relax. This case has him twisted into knots. He barely sleeps half the night. It’s not good for either of us, or for Marnie.”

  “A holiday sounds like a good idea,” Dani agreed. “It will give you both time to regroup and reconnect. Put work and life and everything else in perspective. We all need time-out once in a while.”

  Dani looked around the lavish condominium with its costly furnishings and spectacular view of Sydney Harbour. Sabrina was surrounded by beautiful things, but what good were they if the owners weren’t in the right frame of mind to appreciate them? She’d take her modest bedsit over Sabrina’s north shore mansion any day. Well, most days.

  “Thanks for coming over,” Sabrina said and turned and hugged Dani again. “And thanks for listening. You’ve always been good at that.”

  Dani smiled at her sister and her heart filled with love. “Anytime, Sabrina. What are big sisters for?”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Detective Constable Jett Craigdon picked up the pile of closed police files off his desk and dumped them in a box. They’d be taken down to the secure storage facility by a couple of the administration staff at a later date. He always enjoyed the moment when an investigation came to a successful conclusion and the case was closed. It was what his job was all about: finding the bad guys and locking them up.

  Jett headed toward the tea room, intent on making himself a cup of coffee. He was already halfway through his morning shift, but Mondays tended to be slow. It was almost like the people with evil on their minds had worn themselves out over the weekend and needed time to regroup. Jett didn’t mind. The slower pace gave him a chance to catch up on his paperwork and there was always plenty of that.

  He passed by one of his colleagues who was sipping coffee at his desk. “Hey, Lane, what are you up to?”

  “This and that,” Detective Sergeant Lane Black replied. “You know how it is. Days like this can be a bitch. Let’s hope we don’t die of boredom.”

  Jett chuckled. He’d worked many a shift at the State Crime Command in Chatswood with Lane. The man was an excellent cop and he was also a terrific dad. His twin sons were eighteen months old and Lane doted on them. He reminded Jett of his own father and the special bond they had. He couldn’t wait to have kids of his own.

  Still, he had to find a girlfriend first, and not just any girl. She had to be the woman of his dreams, the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, before he’d let things get serious.

  He didn’t believe in casual dating and casual sex was beyond what he could comprehend. He’d been raised in a strong Catholic household where love and marriage were sacred and women were treated with respect.

  No doubt his colleagues would be surprised and amused to discover he was a virgin. At twenty-eight, it was assumed he’d had plenty of experience with women, including going all the way. The truth was, he was saving himself for his wedding night.

  It was old fashioned and almost unheard of in this modern day and age where sex was a casual commodity and marriage was treated with disdain. Complete strangers vowed to love each other until death did they part and all the time the TV cameras were rolling and the ratings shot through the roof.

  Fewer and fewer people were marrying, making that commitment for life. It saddened Jett that society had let something as special and sacred as love and marriage become such a quick and cheap thrill. He didn’t know how to
halt the movement toward frivolous relationships, but it certainly wasn’t for him. If that made him odd, then so be it. He was sure he’d find the girl of his dreams who appreciated his outlook and felt the same way and he was prepared to wait for her.

  “What did you do on the weekend?” Lane asked, idly scrolling through a training manual on the latest police issue handgun.

  Jett shrugged. “Cleaned my apartment. Hung out at the beach. Finished reading the latest James Patterson book.”

  Lane stared up at him, a smile lifting one corner of his lips. “Are you for real? You’re twenty-something, reasonably good looking, footloose and fancy free. Why aren’t you out hitting the nightclubs? Picking up women? Doing what other young blokes do?”

  Jett chuckled, not taking offense. “Is that what you used to do?”

  Lane grinned. “Too right! I could party all night, go home with a girl. Sleep in until noon. Those were the days.” He shook his head, reminiscing.

  Jett laughed. “You might not want to let your wife hear you say that.”

  “Zara and I have no secrets,” Lane replied with another grin. “She knows all my faults and failings. Besides, she was only complaining the other morning how nice it would be to stay out late and sleep the whole day away. The twins make sleeping in impossible and we’ve learned to be in bed by nine.” He sighed dramatically. “Late nights out are just not worth the headache. Literally.”

  Jett chuckled again. “You’re all talk, Lane. You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Lane’s grin faded and he nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. I wouldn’t. Still,” he added, holding Jett’s gaze, “I sure had fun back in the day. You ought to try it sometime.”

  Jett offered a noncommittal shrug of agreement. He didn’t need to be told how to have fun. It was just that his idea of fun wasn’t exactly the same as every other single, twenty-eight-year-old. There was nothing wrong with that.

  Detective Superintendent Michael Collins strode toward them, a grim expression on his face.