Claire pulls the keys out of the ignition. “No way, dude. We’re in this together. I’m coming with you.”
“Claire,” Fabian whines. “That’s foolish.”
“It’s no more foolish than you telling me to leave you to face your dad alone.”
“Claire, listen to me. You should go home and wait to see how this all pans out. I’ll call you.”
“Nathan is probably in there. What if he tries to stop you?”
“I’ll do whatever I need to do. It could get serious, maybe even violent. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”
Claire hops out of the camper. “You’re not going in there without me, Fabian Cooper,” she says with all the determination she can muster. “If you try to stop me from coming I’ll scream really loud and make a huge scene.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”
“Shoot. Why do you almost always get your way with me? You’ve got me pussy whipped.”
Claire laughs. “Yep. Better get used to it, buster.”
Claire knows she may be risking her freedom, but she doesn’t care. What she is absolutely sure about is that she loves him and she’s willing to put everything on the line. What has she really got to lose by going into Cooper Manor and standing by Fabian?
Her job?
Ha. That’s already toast.
Whatever happens in there she’s going to be right in the middle of it all. What happens to him happens to her too.
“Okay, Claire, if you’re tagging along do everything I say until we get safely inside, got it?”
“Got it.”
“We’ll walk to the house and go around the back way. There’s a servant’s entrance there. We can get inside without being seen from the street.”
“What about the security system?”
“I’ve got my key chain remote with me. I can temporarily shut off the alarm. We can easily climb over the back fence and get to the servant’s entrance.”
“Ready when you are.”
Fabian briefly kisses Claire on the lips. “That’s for good luck. Okay, let’s go.”
The couple stealthily makes their way to the back part of the estate. They go down a small pathway that leads to a fence surrounding the grounds. Fabian gives Claire a boost up the black chain link fence. Claire finds this kind of fun. She is up and over within 30-seconds. Fabian follows.
They run past numerous trees until they reach the garden. They continue past the rows of flowers and rose bushes, the gazebo and the bench where she remembers having their first serious discussion. Fabian leads her down an unfamiliar pathway that takes them around another side of the mansion. The pathway ends at an ordinary looking white door.
“We’re here. This is the servant’s entrance. Be quiet. We don’t want to wake any of the house staff.”
“Okay,” Claire whispers.
Fabian opens the door and they quietly walk inside. As she follows Fabian through the servant quarters, Claire secretly wonders what it’s like growing up in a home with servants to wait on you. Personally, she’d feel awkward having people constantly washing her dishes and cleaning up after her mess.
I’m not really cut out to be lady of the manor.
Fabian comes upon another door. There’s a security panel. He punches in a code that unlocks this door. Claire finds herself in a long hallway, which leads to yet another door. This door too is locked.
“Lucky I still have my house keys,” Fabian says as he unlocks this door.
They quietly walk through a sparsely furnished room that seems like it doesn’t serve any real purpose. It’s dark, so she’s not able to see much. Fabian goes into a smaller hallway. Now they are faced with the choice of two doors. The door on the right is a laundry room. The door on the left leads to yet another hallway. They go through this door.
This hallway they are in now is well lit with royal blue carpeting on the floor. Claire’s anticipation rises as she realizes they’re getting closer to the family’s living space. The next door they go through takes them into the main entryway. Even though most people have long since gone to bed, Fabian looks around tentatively.
“Everyone is probably asleep.”
“Should we go up to your quarters and hang out until morning?”
“No. I want to get this over with right now. Come on.”
Fabian leads Claire to a part of the house she’s never seen before. There’s another small entryway. They are both now looking at a large, decorative wooden door.
Fabian speaks to Claire in a hushed voice. “Gray had this addition built after his divorce from my mother. It’s his private living quarters. It’s where he spends most of his time when there aren’t any guests around.”
Claire keeps her voice to just above a whisper. “Do you think Sloane is in there with him?”
“I doubt it. Sloane has her own living quarters upstairs on the second floor. She lives like a friggin queen bee. They have what is known as an arrangement.”
“What kind of arrangement?”
“Dad gets a little nookie every now and then from his trophy wife. In exchange, she has a lot of freedom to do as she pleases.”
“Does she bring other men up there?”
Fabian frowns. “That’s tacky, even for Sloane. But, I’m thinking she and Nathan have probably had some fun together up there. He’s considered family. So technically, Nathan isn’t another man in the traditional sense.”
“Wow. No wonder Sloane thinks she’s such hot stuff.”
Fabian tweaks Claire’s chin. “She’ll never be as hot as you, sweetie.”
Claire beams at her adorable guy.
Fabian stares at his father’s door and hesitates to take action.
Claire can see that he’s struggling to get his nerves under control. She sympathizes with him. She can’t imagine having to face a father who thinks you’re not only a screw up, but a criminal too. Then, having to do your best to try and convince him not to have you thrown in jail, she doesn’t envy him at this moment.”
Fabian presses the doorbell, which buzzes loudly. He lets out a heavy sigh.
Claire takes his hand and squeezes it tightly.
“Be prepared for anything,” Fabian says as he steels himself for the door to open.
The door opens and a shocked Gray, dressed in light blue silk pajamas, stands just inches away from his son.
“What the?”
“Hello Gray. I’m home.”
Gray steps back. He’s about to panic.
Fabian puts his hand up. “I’m not here to hurt you, dad. I came here because we need to have a serious talk.”
Gray is momentarily speechless. He looks from Fabian to Claire and back to Fabian. “Talk? It’s two o’clock in the morning.”
“I know.”
“Well, one thing I can say, your timing is impeccable. I woke up a little while ago and couldn’t get back to sleep. I was planning to head to the kitchen to fix myself a late night snack. The doorbell rings and who do I see? My fugitive son. You gave me a fright.”
“Sorry to scare you like that. I had to come here in person. Stand before you face-to-face and tell you the truth.”
“Truth? What truth? All you have to tell me are lies.”
Claire jumps into the conversation. “Mr. Cooper, you don’t know what’s really going on. We came here to straighten this whole mess out. Fabian is not how he’s being portrayed.”
Gray Cooper frowns. “What’s she doing here?”
“She’s my…”
Claire interjects again. “I’m his girlfriend and I care deeply about your son, Mr. Cooper,” she says confidently. “Please, just give us ten minutes of your time to tell his side of the story. You at least owe him that much.”
Gray wrinkles his brow while going into deep thought. He makes up his mind quickly. “Okay. You’ve got ten minutes. Then I’m calling the police.”
Fabian squeezes Claire’s hand tight. “Thanks, honey.”
Gray w
elcomes the couple inside of his private quarters. He closes the door and presses a silent alarm hidden nearby.
*****
Fabian stands near Claire who is sitting on the black leather loveseat, which matches the nearby couch. His father’s living quarters reflect his more conservative sense of style. Tan and cream colored walls, beige carpeting, black and brown furniture, wall paintings of placid outdoors scenes. To his view these digs lack vibrancy. The décor is all very tastefully boring.
Gray pours himself a glass of straight bourbon and plops down into a large black leather chair. “Clock’s ticking, Fabian.”
Fabian clears his throat. This is the biggest presentation of his life. “Gray, for many years now we’ve clashed over all sorts of stuff. We’ve had some intense disagreements, but mainly our differences are all about my lifestyle choices.”
Gray sips his drink. “I’ll give you that much.”
“Let’s face it, Gray. You and I are never going to be close. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love and respect you. I’ve always been proud that you’re my dad.”
Gray’s face shows a hint of warmth. “Well, that’ nice of you to say, Fabian. While I wont say I’m proud of you, cause that would be a lie, I will say that I love you to the best of my ability. I’ve always provided for you. That’s why I don’t understand why you’d want to destroy what little happiness I have in my life.”
“See? That’s the kind of misperception that is keeping us apart. I don’t want to destroy your happiness. I’m not the one that started all this mess. Maybe you’ll believe me after you hear this.”
Fabian pulls the digital recorder out of his pocket and presses the ON button. He’s trying to keep his eagerness at bay, because it’s best not to show his father how much he’s emotionally invested in exposing Sloane’s lies.
Gray leans towards Fabian. “What’s this?”
Fabian holds the recorder closer to his father so he can clearly hear the full conversation. “This, my dear father, is a recording of your loving wife, Sloane, telling Claire how much she truly cares about you.”
Gray listens intently. As the words coming out of Sloane’s mouth turn ugly, he looks surprised, then hurt.
Fabian shuts off the recorder and stares at Gray. Waiting for his father to say something—anything.
“When did this conversation happen?”
“When Claire and I were down in Mexico. Los Cabos to be exact. That’s where we bumped into Sloane after following a good lead. She was hiding out at Sun Paradise, pretending to be kidnapped.”
There is a long pause as Gray sighs deeply and drinks. Finally, he finds his voice. “She ah…always had a way with men. I suspected she was seeing someone else, but didn’t know who…until now. I wanted to believe it was you when I read her diary. I’m ashamed to say it, but it was easier to turn against you than…I can’t believe Nathan would…”
Gray’s head drops into his hands. Fabian can see his father is terribly upset by these revelations.
“Gray, I’m sorry you had to find out like this. You need to realize, though, that there’s no way in hell I would ever hurt a woman physically. That completely goes against the values that you and mom taught me.”
Gray looks over at Claire. “Claire, did you know Nathan was plotting with Sloane?”
Claire shakes her head. “No sir. I didn’t know about that part. But, I did catch them making out one time in his office. He told me not to tell anyone. I kept quiet because I wanted to keep my job.”
“That’s okay, young lady. Seems like I’ve been played for an old fool by the two people I cared about the most. What’s the point of going on now?”
Fabian is pained that his father is deeply hurting. He’s also disturbed by the fact that Gray pretty much admitted that he doesn’t hold him close in his heart like he does Nathan and Sloane. This realization brings up his own feelings of deep resentment and anger. He is unable to stop from lashing out.
“I don’t know, Gray. Why don’t you just end it all now, since you apparently have nothing more to live for anymore.”
“Fabian! Don’t say that to him,” Claire scolds. “Can’t you see he’s really hurt?”
“Yeah, Claire. That’s the problem. Nathan, the golden boy, sticks a dagger into his heart, yet he still can’t bring himself to fully accept me into his life. He’d rather die. That’s what kills me inside, Claire.”
Fabian goes over to the mini bar and pours his own stiff drink of bourbon. He gulps down a hearty portion. “It’s why I drink so much.”
Nathan suddenly bursts into the living room, wearing a black silk robe over silky gold pajama bottoms. “Gray! I heard the alarm. Are you okay?”
Gray gives Nathan a defeated look. “No, I’m not okay, Nathan. I’ll probably never be okay again.”
Nathan glares at Fabian. “Did Fabian hurt you?”
“My son did not hurt me. It’s you I have a problem with.”
Nathan makes a show of playing innocent. “What’s going on, Gray? What lies have they been filling your head with?”
Fabian puts his glass down and glares back at Nathan. “The only one that’s been lying to him is you, Nathan.”
“Fabian, I don’t know what you’re up to, but I’ve called the police. They’re on their way to arrest you for what you did to Sloane.”
Fabian scowls. “I didn’t do anything to that bitch.”
Sloane walks into the room wearing only a red silk robe over her naked body. “When the police get here I’m telling them everything, Fabian. You and miss gullible over there assaulted and kidnapped me. You held me captive in a camper all the way from Mexico to the States. Then you beat me and left me alone and penniless at some truck stop in the middle of god knows where. Thankfully, a kindhearted trucker took pity on me and gave me a lift to a hotel. Gray and Nathan were so happy I made it back here unharmed. No thanks to you.”
Suddenly, Fabian feels like he’s the one that’s being played. “So, you were here the whole time, huh? Gray, why didn’t you say something?”
“I wanted to hear what lie you were going to tell. Now I wished I’d never let you in here. I could have kept believing that Nathan and my wife actually gave a damn about me.”
Sloane goes over to Gray and places a manicured hand on his shoulder, acting as if she’s truly concerned about his feelings. “Gray honey, what are you talking about?”
Nathan jumps in with an answer of his own. “They’ve been filling his head with a bunch of crap.”
Gray gestures to Fabian. “Play the recording for Nathan, Fabian.”
“Gladly.” Fabian quickly rewinds the recording and plays the conversation from the beginning. He keeps his eyes glued on Nathan and Sloane to see how they react. He sees their demeanor change from arrogantly confident to nervously worried. They know the truth is finally being exposed to Gray. He’s guessing that both of them are trying to figure out how they can save their own ass.
Nathan gives Sloane an angry look. “Sloane, why would you involve me in your weird fantasy? Gray, I would never do anything to hurt you. Please believe me when I tell you that I have no reason to do something like that. I already have a great life thanks to your support and guidance.”
Sloane goes into dramatic hysterics. “All that stuff I said wasn’t really what I felt. Fabian was holding a gun on me at the time. He said if I didn’t say those things he’d shoot me dead. I swear that’s the truth, Gray. What else could I do?”
Claire shoots up off the sofa. “She’s lying! It was just you and me sitting in that restaurant that night. You didn’t know I had a recorder.”
Sloane angrily counters. “Oh, stop the bullshit, Claire. Gray, this little hussy was sitting right there approving of Fabian’s thuggish behavior. You went along with everything. Both of you should be arrested!”
“You’re a conniving liar and a cheater, Sloane,” Claire shoots back.
Gray puts his hands on his head. “All of this is so confusing. Now I don’t know who to
believe.”
Fabian realizes that he and Claire’s honest account is no match for Nathan and Sloane’s stellar performances. He takes a seat next to Claire on the loveseat. He’s not going to engage in a shouting match with those two. He’ll just sit here calmly and wait for the police.
“If I were you, Gray,” Fabian says. “I wouldn’t know who to believe either. On one side you’ve got a biological son that you feel ambivalent about, and his girlfriend who you hardly know. On the other side are two spoiled kiss ups that you adore. I guess we’ll let the police sort through this mess.”
“We don’t need the police to figure out who is telling the truth,” Claire says confidently.
Fabian looks at her quizzically. “We don’t?”
“No. I’ve got something that will clear this all up.” Claire stands up and takes the floor. She pulls out her smartphone and pulls up a video she saved.
Sloane reacts to Claire’s sudden display of absolute confidence with her own bravado. “She’s bluffing. Claire is just a little mouse that is desperate for attention.”
Nathan appears to be nervous. “Let’s see what she’s got first before knocking it down.”
Claire holds up her cell for all to see. “What I’ve got is a video of Nathan and Sloane having sex at a local hotel.”
Fabian is intrigued. “You do?”
Gray is surprised. “You what?”
Nathan is none too pleased at this development. “Bullshit. Let me see that video.” Nathan attempts to grab Claire’s phone, but Fabian steps in and shields her.
“Bring it here, Claire,” Gray says.
Claire goes over to Gray. She, Gray, Fabian, Nathan and Sloane all watch the short video together.
“You two underestimated what a fabulous team Fabian and I make.”
Gray is crushed. “How can you look me in the eye everyday pretending…how could you do this to me after all I’ve done for both of you?”
Gray rises from his chair, walks over to an antique desk, opens the drawer and pulls out a handgun. He walks up to Nathan and tries to hand it to him. “Here, Nathan. You might as well finish me off. I’m hurting so bad right now I might as well be dead.”
Fugitive Millionaire Revenge (Fabian Cooper Book Two) Page 9
