Into the Storm by Melanie Moreland

Author:Melanie Moreland [Moreland, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780993619809
Amazon: 0993619800
Publisher: Melanie Moreland
Published: 2013-11-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Joshua

Cecilia came bustling through the door, arms full. She’d gone into town to get some things while I was looking through the files she had brought. I got up and helped her with the bags and followed her to the kitchen. Silently, we put away the items she had bought and then sat down at the table. She looked over everything I had spread out. “Well?”

I shrugged. “It doesn’t add up, Cecilia. Everything a normal investigation would uncover points to an upstanding citizen.”

“But?”

I looked at her. “Frank’s digging found a pattern of aggression, and it seemed to escalate as he grew older. Then at some point it stopped. Or, at least, stopped being recorded. My gut tells me he never changed.”

Cecilia looked at me confused.

“I think his father paid dearly to have all traces of his behavior removed from his records.”

“But what about the other people involved?”

I looked at her steadily, my voice quiet. “Money talks, Cecilia. It also buys silence. We both know that.”

She nodded in silent agreement.

I opened another folder. “The financial pictures are interesting as well. James is well paid, generous benefits, the whole CEO-type package, yet …”

“What?” she prompted.

“His house, his cars, all his major possessions are owned by the company.” I looked up at her. “It’s like his father is still controlling him, and a large portion of his life, with money.”

I took in a deep breath. “I think he does control him. Maybe he uses the control to try and keep Brian in line. But I think it makes Brian angry …”

She regarded me fearfully. “And, you think he takes that anger out on Elizabeth.”

I closed my eyes as a shudder went through me. “Yes.”

“But there are no hospital records? Nothing showing a pattern of abuse?”

I shook my head. “Doctors can be bought off as well, Cecilia. They aren’t all like Daniel.”

“Oh, Joshua.” Her hand covered mine briefly. “You could be wrong; she could be fine,” her voice was kindly encouraging, but her eyes were troubled.

I looked away. I knew she wasn’t fine. I could feel it.

“What are those?” She indicated the three pictures I had of Rabbit in front of me.

“Look at the change, Cecilia.” I pushed the pictures towards her. “Look.”

She studied them quietly. “Quite the change, I agree.” She looked up, frowning. “You do realize the change could simply be her growing up, getting older, and that fact is being reflected in how she acts and appears, right? She is married to a very prominent person and I imagine she takes her role very seriously.”

I shook my head. “I’m not talking about the way she dresses. Look at her face. Her eyes. Look at her, Cecilia.”

Again, she studied the pictures. She nodded, looking at me with solemn eyes. “I see it,” she admitted quietly. “She looks … numb.”

I tapped my finger on the last picture. “That is not the woman I fell in love with. That person is a stranger.”

Cecilia smiled sadly. “What if the person you fell in love with is the stranger, Joshua? And the person in the photo is the real one?”

I shook my head.

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