certainly and as you said, he won’t stop.”
To my great relief, my father nodded. “I understand that all
too well, my dear. We have to act carefully. But we don’t have much time.”
He reached over and patted my hand. His own felt chilled and
a little clammy.
“I’m counting on you to be my good, clever girl. My star.
Just as you’ve always been.”
The bile was back in my throat. I swallowed it down. In a
strange sort of way, I felt that I had to protect not only myself but the child
I had been. The little girl who was still there, deep inside me, bewildered and
frightened by what was happening.
The older, wiser me felt no such confusion. As much as I
might wish otherwise, I couldn’t believe for a moment that my father had taken
the risk of returning to New York for my sake. But what else could have drawn
him?
The answer crashed through my mind.
The authorities had claimed all along that there was still
money missing, enough to make a difference in the lives of many of those who
John Whittaker had defrauded. It had been hidden so well that they never came
close to finding it but I knew full well that they hadn’t given up. I had the
impression that they never would.
If my father had come for the money, I could understand why
he wouldn’t want to leave any loose ends, including a daughter who had become
involved with a man he had every reason to hate and fear. How much smarter to
play on her sympathies while bribing her with the promise of a new life.
My heart clenched painfully. Assuming that I made it out of
the SUV, I could go to the authorities. It would be hard but I had no doubt
that it was the right thing to do.
But what would be the result? My father wouldn’t have so
many armed guards around him--those I could see and perhaps more that I
couldn’t--if he had any intention of allowing himself to be taken into custody.
Imagining the confrontation that would result if such an
attempt was made horrified me. Federal agents and local police could be injured
or worse. So could innocent bystanders. And in the end, any chance of
recovering the money would likely be gone forever.
Even more stomach churning was the certainty that if Lucas
got wind of what was happening, he would never agree to remain on the sidelines.
I’d heard enough to understand that my father wouldn’t hesitate to harm him. On
the contrary, he’d welcome the chance. He might even be trying to bring that
about.
A deep, dark chasm seemed to open suddenly at my feet. Staring
into it, I knew in an instant of overwhelming clarity what I had to do. As
difficult and painful as it was, I couldn’t allow Lucas to be harmed simply
because he had come into my life and allowed me into his.
But the only way to keep him safe was to deceive the
deceiver, the very man who had proven himself to be one of greatest liars and
dissemblers of the century. I had no confidence in my ability to do so but I
had to try all the same.
Softly, I said, “A new life is exactly what I want.”
My words rang with conviction because they were true. I did
want a new life, just not the one that my father was offering. My hopes and
dreams, my greatest yearnings all lay with the very man he wanted to take me
from. And who I was determined to protect from him no matter what the cost.
John Whittaker took a deep breath, released it slowly, and
gave me his best, most charming smile. The one that had told me that all was
right in the world and that it always would be.
“I knew that I could count on you,” he said.
A flick of his finger drew the attention of one of the
guards. The door on my side of the vehicle was opened.
My father reached into his pocket, took out a cell phone,
and handed it to me. “You’ll hear from me tomorrow,” he said as I got out. “Early.
I’ll let you know then what arrangements I’ve made.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him to tell me now but
I didn’t dare do anything to rouse his suspicions. Instead, I looked
To my great relief, my father nodded. “I understand that all
too well, my dear. We have to act carefully. But we don’t have much time.”
He reached over and patted my hand. His own felt chilled and
a little clammy.
“I’m counting on you to be my good, clever girl. My star.
Just as you’ve always been.”
The bile was back in my throat. I swallowed it down. In a
strange sort of way, I felt that I had to protect not only myself but the child
I had been. The little girl who was still there, deep inside me, bewildered and
frightened by what was happening.
The older, wiser me felt no such confusion. As much as I
might wish otherwise, I couldn’t believe for a moment that my father had taken
the risk of returning to New York for my sake. But what else could have drawn
him?
The answer crashed through my mind.
The authorities had claimed all along that there was still
money missing, enough to make a difference in the lives of many of those who
John Whittaker had defrauded. It had been hidden so well that they never came
close to finding it but I knew full well that they hadn’t given up. I had the
impression that they never would.
If my father had come for the money, I could understand why
he wouldn’t want to leave any loose ends, including a daughter who had become
involved with a man he had every reason to hate and fear. How much smarter to
play on her sympathies while bribing her with the promise of a new life.
My heart clenched painfully. Assuming that I made it out of
the SUV, I could go to the authorities. It would be hard but I had no doubt
that it was the right thing to do.
But what would be the result? My father wouldn’t have so
many armed guards around him--those I could see and perhaps more that I
couldn’t--if he had any intention of allowing himself to be taken into custody.
Imagining the confrontation that would result if such an
attempt was made horrified me. Federal agents and local police could be injured
or worse. So could innocent bystanders. And in the end, any chance of
recovering the money would likely be gone forever.
Even more stomach churning was the certainty that if Lucas
got wind of what was happening, he would never agree to remain on the sidelines.
I’d heard enough to understand that my father wouldn’t hesitate to harm him. On
the contrary, he’d welcome the chance. He might even be trying to bring that
about.
A deep, dark chasm seemed to open suddenly at my feet. Staring
into it, I knew in an instant of overwhelming clarity what I had to do. As
difficult and painful as it was, I couldn’t allow Lucas to be harmed simply
because he had come into my life and allowed me into his.
But the only way to keep him safe was to deceive the
deceiver, the very man who had proven himself to be one of greatest liars and
dissemblers of the century. I had no confidence in my ability to do so but I
had to try all the same.
Softly, I said, “A new life is exactly what I want.”
My words rang with conviction because they were true. I did
want a new life, just not the one that my father was offering. My hopes and
dreams, my greatest yearnings all lay with the very man he wanted to take me
from. And who I was determined to protect from him no matter what the cost.
John Whittaker took a deep breath, released it slowly, and
gave me his best, most charming smile. The one that had told me that all was
right in the world and that it always would be.
“I knew that I could count on you,” he said.
A flick of his finger drew the attention of one of the
guards. The door on my side of the vehicle was opened.
My father reached into his pocket, took out a cell phone,
and handed it to me. “You’ll hear from me tomorrow,” he said as I got out. “Early.
I’ll let you know then what arrangements I’ve made.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him to tell me now but
I didn’t dare do anything to rouse his suspicions. Instead, I looked
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