A Marriage of Convenience (7 page)

“Austin…” Martha Bellaford looked at her son, nervous now.

“Just answer the questions, Mother,” he said. “I’m sure everything will be OK.”

“Rosario called,” Austin’s mother said.

“I’d like to talk to her,” the officer replied.

“No!” Martha Bellaford was suddenly agitated. “No, we’re getting a lawyer.”

“Ma’am,” you can get one if you want. “But I will speak to this Rosario.”

“I’ll get her,” Martha said, but Austin stepped in front of her.

“No,” he said. “I’ll get her.”

“ROSARIO!” He called for the maid and a few moments later she appeared. She looked nervous.

The police began to question her about the call and about the visit. He pressed her about placing the drugs. At first she denied it.

“You do know that it’s a serious matter to lie to the police…” the sergeant said.

“Don’t tell him anything!” Martha Bellaford said.

Austin stepped over and held up his cell phone. He pushed the playback button on the voice recorder, allowing Rosario to hear his mother’s voice confessing to having her plant the drugs. She’d not known that he’d taped her. From across the room his mother cried out in shock and indignation. Rosario began to cry and tearfully confessed everything.

“I didn’t know!” she sobbed. “Mrs. Bellaford - she say do this and I do it! I need the work!”

Upstairs the baby began to cry. Austin took the steps two at a time and got his daughter. When he came back down, his mother was being arrested. Her face was livid when she looked up at him.

“You helped them!” she cried. “You helped them and now you are out of your inheritance. Do you understand them? You are OUT!”

“Not so fast.” Arthur Chester had let himself in. “I think your son may have grounds here to contest your hold on his inheritance. I’ve seen the documents, Martha. Your son has more than complied with the requirements to inherit all your late husband promised him. Stop using it as a weapon, Martha. Can’t you see what it’s done to you? If I were you, I’d be thinking of ways to beg your daughter-in-law not to sue you. As it is, you’re facing some pretty serious charges yourself.”

“That’s right,” the officer said. “Filing a false police report is the tip of this iceberg. And I’m no lawyer but civilly the young woman you had arrested could sue you for what your son doesn’t inherit.”

“Austin!” Martha Bellaford was frantic as she was led away. “Austin, help me! You come down and help me! Do you understand?”

“Sorry, mom,” he said. “I have to take my daughter home to her mother. I’m afraid you’re on your own. For the rest of your life.”

“What?” His mother was crying now, looking back at him as she called for him. Austin felt a tug of sadness. This was his last remaining parent. Could he really end things like this? He felt he had no choice; she’d done this, after all. Now he had to patch things up with his wife.

He knew Jillian would be home when he arrived and she was. She was on the couch, crying and hugging Sabrina’s teddy bear to her chest. When Austin walked in with Sabrina, he dared to feel like a hero. With a cry, his wife leapt from the couch and ran to take the baby. Her face was covered with tears as she sat down on the sofa, cradling Sabrina to her chest and rocking her. Austin didn’t intrude, but let Jillian sit there for long minutes checking her baby over. It was all he could do not to rush over and embrace them both.

Finally she looked up at him.

“My mother’s been arrested,” he said.

She stared at him without speaking.

“She wasn’t very careful in her setup. I knew just how to expose her when you told me what time you left. I think had the cops called on you before you were even out of the driveway.” He paused and walked over. “I’m sorry, Jillian. I should have stood up to her long ago. And you’re right. I should have stopped talking to her as soon as she told me what she wanted to do. But the truth is, I’m not as good a man as I’d like to think I am. I was afraid of losing my inheritance. I thought I could bring my mother around, but I knew if I told you what she’d wanted to do you guys would never have a relationship. At the time I thought I was caught between two women who loved me. But I realize now that only one woman loves me. You.”

Jillian began to cry. “Oh, Austin…”

He walked over to her and sat down. “Forgive me? Can you forgive me? I’ll spend a lifetime making it up to you. I’ll do anything you want.”

She looked up at him. “All I want is for you to continue being as strong as you are right now,” she said. “I don’t just want any man. I want a leader. I want a man I can look to for guidance and protection and love. I want you…”

He leaned down and kissed her. Between them, the baby cooed.

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This book is intended for adults only.  Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults.  Nothing in this book should be interpreted as advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.