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      “Serene, what do you know about Lawson?”

      She looked at him warily. “I know he was a criminal lawyer and I know he was once married, but she died.”

      “That’s right.”

      “Do you know why he wears the mask?”

      This was one of the moments Mike knew for certain he would have to choose his words carefully. “He has his reasons.”

      “Ted came to the house one night and I heard them arguing. When it was over, I could see Lawson putting the mask back on, but he wouldn’t explain to me why I could never see him without it.”

      Mike tried to make his face neutral instead of blank. He had no idea what she was talking about. “Well, Serene, maybe it was because he knew the two of you wouldn’t be in the arrangement forever and wanted to remain partially…”

      “Anonymous.” She finished for him with a weary voice. “Of all the words in the English language, I believe I hate that one the most.”

      Mike gave her a real smile. It was rare for him, and even he recognized the difference in his face. She was something else. Why would Lawson want to throw her away? The thought hit him like a ton of bricks.
He doesn’t think he deserves her, and he’s attempted to hide from her why he thinks this.

      “Let’s go down to the bank. Rothschild Trust. They’re familiar with Lawson, so it will be easy to open an account and get your check taken care of.”

      “Will there be taxes on that too?”

      Mike slid his arms into his overcoat. “There’s always taxes, sweetheart.”

* * * *

      The bank was old and only had two other branches. Serene thought it was a grand building with its massive ceilings and marble floors. It was one of those places that made a person immediately think of wealth. Not just money, but true blue blood old money.

      It was rumored that Rothschild Trust was owned by the mob, and because of that reason, money was safer there than in any other bank. Serene secretly hoped that it was true. How fitting for her situation.

      Serene and Mike were ushered into the bank president’s office and he handled their request personally. Something of this magnitude always went to him; or so he had said.

      “Now, Miss Mitchell, would you like information about investments of any sort?”

      “No, thank you. I want to open a checking with two hundred grand, a savings with the same, and I would like the rest in cash; whatever is left after the IRS takes their cut, that is.”

      The man laughed nervously and looked to Mike for help. Mike shrugged and smiled back. “Give her what she wants.”

      “Miss, I would caution you about having that much cash on you. Perhaps you would like to deposit more?”

      “No, I want it exactly like I said.” Serene would definitely be unrecognizable to anyone that knew her prior to Lawson. Her new assuredness was still surprising to her, especially when it manifested as words leaving her lips.

      “If I may be so bold…”

      “No, you may not.” Serene heard Mike make a noise similar to a snicker, but she didn’t look to find out. “If you want to know what I plan to do with the money, it’s going to be used to search for the man I love.”

      Mike watched a delighted smile cross the man’s features and it occurred to him that this balding, middle-aged man might be looking for a man to love himself. He had to cover his outright laughter with a phony cough as the bank manager literally batted his eyelashes and said, “How romantic!”

      “Yes, well, shouldn’t we get right down to business?”

      “Oh, yes, of course.” He said and practically shook himself out of his daydream.

      Mike watched Serene and was impressed with her. He didn’t know how she was before Lawson, but it couldn’t have been the commandeering yet enchanting creature sitting beside him. He couldn’t believe this woman was the same one he saw sick in bed a month ago. By the time they were finished, not only had Serene gotten everything she wanted, but she had also convinced the man to count out her money personally so no one else had to know what she was walking out with.

* * * *

      “You are quite the little fighter.” Mike said as he helped her into his car. Serene waited for him to cross and get in the driver’s side before responding.

      “I have to be tough now. I’m on my own.”

      Mike watched her for a moment and started the car. “Let me buy you an early dinner.”

      “It’s only two o’clock.”

      “Ok, let me buy you lunch.”

      Serene chewed on her bottom lip and quickly stopped. That was a nervous habit of the old Serene, not the strong new one. She turned her head and tried to smile as graciously as she could. “Thanks, Mike, but I need to go back and get my car. I really need to get out to the house and check everything out.”

      “Come on, it’s just lunch. I bet you haven’t eaten all day.”

      The slight rumble in Serene’s stomach confirmed it. She really hadn’t eaten anything in more than a day. “Ok, just for a little while.”

      “I know just the place, little lady.”

      Serene was shocked that a man as slick as Mike was would take anyone to a pizza parlor for lunch. He ordered them a large house special that had just about every topping imaginable except for the anchovies. The place was small, loud, and completely Greek. Even the music playing was Mediterranean. The pizza was phenomenal. Serene was helping herself to a second slice when Mike asked her how she had met Lawson in the first place.

      “I was living with this guy named Ted Roberts. He pimped me out sometimes. Lawson just showed up one night and bought me.”

      “Ted, huh?”

      Serene pulled cheese with her teeth and nodded her head. Lawson had never covered the proper etiquette for pizza eating, so she just ate it like she always had.

      “You won’t have to worry about him any longer.”

      “Why do you say that?”

      “His house burned down two nights ago, with him in it, apparently.”

      Serene remembered how late Lawson had come back to the hotel two nights ago. She knew he operated with two faces. One was the Lawson that was so kind, and the other was a hardened criminal. She had no doubt Lawson had something to do with it. Somehow, it made her love him more.

      Mike noticed the change in her expression. “Look, Lawson’s out of the game now. He won’t be employing people like Ted any longer.”

      Serene watched a little boy begging his mom for a quarter, so he could try and play the ancient arcade game in the back of the restaurant. He was cute with curly brown hair and pudgy features. She wondered if she would ever have a child. She hoped it would be a boy, if she did. Girls were too fragile. They could be hurt in sick ways.

      She crossed her arms over the table and turned her eyes back to Mike. “And why is that?”

      “I told you. He’s out of the game. I’m his personal attorney. You’re the reason he wants out.”

      “Why?”

      Mike wiped his mouth and tossed the paper napkin on the table. “He sees that type of lifestyle as the catalyst to what put you in the situation you were in.”

      “My father is the real reason I was in that situation.”

      “Did your father drink?”

      “Yes.”

      “Did he smoke dope?”

      “Yes.”

      “Did he use any harder drugs?”

      Serene lowered her eyes. “He was a heroin addict.”

      Mike had helped countless criminals beat the system and walk free when they should have gone to prison, and in a couple of instances, should have been put to death. Until that very moment he had never considered the collateral damage.

      “I’m sorry.”

      “Why?” she said lifting her eyes again. “You didn’t do any of it.”

      Mike wished that were true. Hell, he had probably defended Ted Roberts before. In fact, he was sure he had. He knew this moment of remorse wasn’t lasting, but right then, it was eating him up. If he didn’t love the insane amounts of money so much, he might give it all up for someone like Serene.

      “You really are beautiful.”

      Serene smiled lightly. “Thank you.” She knew there was an attraction happening, but it didn’t matter. Soon Mike would drop her off at her car in front of his office, and she would drive to her home and begin the efforts to find Lawson.

      “I would like to take you somewhere nice sometime for dinner; maybe a little dancing, too?”

      “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

      Mike hid the disappointment well. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

* * * *

      Serene dreaded the first moment she would open the door to the house. It would be the first time she opened it and Lawson wasn’t going to be there. He wasn’t coming on Friday night, and he wasn’t coming back for a quick dinner. The first thing that hit her was the smell of fresh paint. She looked around the living room and saw that the walls had gone back to the original color, but the couch and loveseat had been replaced with new ones.

      The coloring was a little off, but Serene liked it better anyway. She walked through the dining room and kitchen and realized that Lawson had left everything for her. He hadn’t taken anything. Mike had told her that the property tax would be handled through his office. She hadn’t asked, but she was pretty sure she would never see electric, water or car insurance bills, either. She was truly independently wealthy.

      Serene turned around in a circle and surveyed her surroundings. What to do? The other bedroom flashed through her mind. The one that Lawson kept locked. Well, it was
her
bedroom now, and she had a right to see it. She walked purposefully down the hall and stood in front of the door. She thought she could smell a whiff of Lawson’s cologne, but she knew it was a trick of the mind. He wasn’t here.

      She turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. There was nothing in the room except a stripped bed and the closed drapes. Black drapes. There was only a sliver of light coming in from around them, and Serene knew, without looking, that there would be black blinds under them as well. Lawson liked his darkness.
Was this where he brought the others?

      Serene turned on the closet light and opened the accordion style door. She didn’t see any clothes hanging inside, or anything sitting on the floor. She left the light on and closed the door. Slices of light touched the floor and gave the room an amber hue. Serene sat on the bed grabbing one of the pillows and pulling it to her nose. She
could
smell traces of his cologne. A sob tore from her throat and she lay on the bed until her spent tears sent her to sleep.

* * * *

      The next morning Serene awakened to a pounding on her front door, and the phone ringing at the same time. She heard the answering machine click on and Rita’s smooth voice told her that she was just checking on her, and asked if she wanted to get together for dinner. The front door was being pounded on again, and she barked out, “I’m coming!” so they would stop.

      She unlocked the dead bolt and swung the door open angrily. Mike Reid stood on the porch with a brown bag and a small bouquet of flowers. Serene knew she looked terrible. Her skin always blotched and became puffy when she cried like that, but she didn’t care. What did it matter what Mike Reid thought of her?