Glass Towers: Surrendered (16 page)

“Hmm. Maybe you should skip the massages and have dinner in tonight
, just to be on the safe side.”

“Harrison that is not fair to my mom and Simone. Besides, it
’s not like I am going running on a deserted path in Central Park.”

I can feel him scowling over the phone. “I don’t find your sarcasm amusing
, Danielle. This is serious. I had really hoped that we were not going to hear from her. When her father learned of her behavior, he laid into her. He actually sent my father and myself a formal apology on behalf of the whole Devereaux Operations. I need to contact my father. Did you save the card, and do you think it was her handwriting or the flower shop’s?”

I sniff, “How should I know whose writing it is? I do still have the card though.”

“Good. I want you to have Eleanor show you to my office, and I would like you to make a copy of it and fax it to me. I will have to forward that to the detective, and I think I may just have to send this to old Mister Devereaux himself. See if you can find out who delivered the flowers and from what florist.”

“Ok. Harrison?”

“Yes
cheri
?”

“Do you think we should be worried?”

“
Oui
Danielle, I think we should be concerned. If the threat of a lawsuit and possible jail time isn’t stopping her, then I am afraid this could get worse before it gets better. I wish I could tell you different. I really do.”

“Ok, I thought so.”

“I’m going to make my calls and I would like you to take care of those other things, if you could before you leave. Please remember to text me when you are coming and going, so I know you are okay. “

“What, don’t you have Albert checking in with you?”

“Well, yes of course I do, but I like hearing it from you better. I love you, Danielle. Bye.”

“Bye…love you too.”

I look around the room and notice that Clarke has taken the card with her. Out in the hallway, I can hear voices coming from the kitchen. I enter the room to find my mom, Clarke and Eleanor sitting around the island. The hush in the room when I entered was unbearable. “Really ladies, it’s not like I can’t figure out that you are talking about me. Could you be a little less obvious?”

“Oh
, honey, it was all good. We were telling Eleanor about your dress and the plans for the wedding.”

I spot the card sitting on the counter by Clarke’s elbow.
“Aha! That’s just what I was looking for. Eleanor, Harrison told me to ask you to let me in to his office, so I can send this to him by fax.”

She nods, “Certainly
, Mrs. Towers. Follow me.”

I walk with her down the long corridor to a door at the end. She opens the door and it seems a little stuffy. I imagine it
’s because it has not been utilized in quite some time.

“The machine is over there
, but don’t ask me how to use it. I only know how to run vacuum cleaners and ovens.” She chuckles.

I had to giggle. “That’s okay, sometimes technology gets the better of me too.”

“I will leave you to it. Let me know if you need anything else. Just lock the door behind you when you are finished.”

“Okay
, thank you. Oh, hold on Eleanor. Do you know who delivered the flowers today or who the florist is? Harrison asked me to find out.”

She shakes her head, “I don’t know that
, but I think that Mr. O’Shaughnessy, the doorman, might know. I will give him a buzz and let you know.” Before she leaves, “You know, the florist might have their logo or something on the envelope. Let me check that too.”

“Thank you
, Eleanor.”

I walk over to the fax machine and realize that I need to make a copy of the card first
, as it won’t go through the fax machine otherwise. I look around and spot a small copier in the corner. It is not powered up, so I hit the power button and stand waiting for the machine to come to life. While I wait, I wander around the room, looking at pictures and plaques on the walls. The accomplishments and awards that Harrison has achieved makes my heart warm and fuzzy. I hear a beep, beep, beep come from the machine, which I assume means it is ready for action.

Just as I am about to head over to the copier
, a photo album catches my eye. It is odd that I even noticed it, as it is on a dark bookshelf at the very far end. It is a dark, mahogany colored leather bound book. I pull it out and begin looking through. It begins as what I assume is Harrison graduating from college. He has his cap and gown on, and looks really young. He was attractive then, of course, but he has really grown into his looks. So much so that I find the man he is today blows this young man out of the water.

I turn several pages and my eyes fix on a face that I know. It is a picture of Harrison and Marion. They are surrounded by
many people and the sign above their heads says ‘congratulations!’ She too is wearing a gown of the same color and is holding up her left hand to show that there is a ring on it. I quickly turn to the next page, and sure enough, there are several more pictures from the same setting. The next several pictures tell a story of two lovers who just graduated and got engaged. The two lovers are Marion and Harrison. What the hell? He has never told me that they were engaged to be married. Well, aside from the recent fake engagement. Surely, the one in the pictures was real. If I do the math correctly, this would have been around twenty years ago. I wonder if Marion has been harboring resentment all of these years? My stomach is turning more to acid, as I continue to see more pictures of Marion and Harrison and their life together some twenty years ago. I notice something else, as I am about a third of the way to the end of the book. A lovely young woman with blonde hair has started appearing in the pictures, and there seems to be less of Marion. I take a piece of paper from the desk to mark my page and then I turn back several pages to one of the graduation-slash-engagement party pictures. Yes, there she is. The blonde girl was at the party wearing a gown too. It appears that she went to college with them.

I go back to the page I marked and examine
the picture more closely. It is of Harrison and Marion at what appears to be a function and they look older by at least three or four years. They have nametags on as well as the blonde girl, who now looks more like a woman. I squint to make out her name. It is too small to see. I turn the page and see a picture of just Marion and the blonde woman. The nametag is slightly more visible. The name starts with an ‘A’. My stomach flops. I feel faint, so I sit down on the floor with the album still in my hands. I skip ahead a few more pages. and sure enough, my suspicion is confirmed. The blonde in the picture is Adelaide. I know this because the image is of her holding what appears to be a certificate with her name on it in a frame. The picture is only of her, no Marion. The rest of the album is filled with pictures of only Harrison and Adelaide. The last picture is of Adelaide and Harrison kissing in an embrace, leaning against a car. I get up from the floor and walk back over to the bookshelf. There aren’t any other albums. That is puzzling. Why would Harrison have an album of this part of his life, but no others?

I am not sure how to feel about this new information. Part of me feels betrayed in some way. My assumption from what I can take from the story these pictures tell is that Harrison was engaged to Marion. Then, over time, he fell for Adelaide and left Marion behind. There appears to be about a five
-year gap in the pictures at least in two places. After he presumably graduated from college and then after he started up with Adelaide. I wonder why he hasn’t told me about this. I knew that they had a past, but this is more than just having a history together. At one time, he was planning a future with her.

I put the book back on the shelf and make the copy of the card. I then fax it to the Towers Holdings office. I hear my name being called from down the hallway. Shit! I totally lost track of time. We barely have enough time to get to the massage appointment. I grab the paper off the fax machine and leave the office
, locking the door behind me.

“Coming!” I yell
, as I hurry down the hallway. I run into my room, leave the card on the mantle, and grab my purse. I had intended to change into something comfy for the appointment, but I have run out of time. I join the ladies, and our body guard, Lance, in the foyer, and we leave for our massages.

On the town car ride back from the massage
, Clarke turns to me, ‘Okay, spill it! What is going on with you?” “What do you mean?” I play dumb.

“You have barely said two words
in the last couple hours. I know you…is it the flowers today? Say, that is really a theme with that bitch. At least she splurged on roses this time. Those carnations were nasty.”

I couldn’t help but to chuckle. Sometimes Clarke can be so funny. “It’s not the flowers, or well
, it is but it’s more than that. I am just so tired from all of this. My life has been in a whirlwind ever since I met Harrison. I am madly in love with him, but I can’t even enjoy any of this because of
her
.”

My mom clears her throat. “I am just sorry for you kids. It’s not fair what you have been put through. My baby girl finds the man of her dreams and he comes with a crazy woman. I just wish they would have locked her up for stealing the money
, since they can’t stick her with the other shenanigans.”

Clarke grunts. “Yeah
, they just need to throw her in a loony bin and forget where they put the key! Seriously though, what did Harrison say about the flowers?”

“He didn’t say too much
; there’s not much that can be done, really. He is going to forward the copy of the card I sent him to the detective in Portland and to his father. Not that it will do much good with the case back home. All of her moves are well crafted and impossible to track back to her. Nothing she has done so far has been enough to arrest her.”

“What?! Since when is having someone attacked not enough? You almost died
, Danners! How is that not a criminal activity? Can you please explain to me how the police have not been able to find any leads at all? It is unbelievable!”

“Oh
, do you have to point that out again? I just can’t stand the constant reminder that I was attacked. My sleep is invaded every night with visions of someone chasing me. I rarely get a good night’s sleep. Believe me, I agree. It has all been very frustrating. Now I also have some new information that there is even more to the story than I knew about before.” I shake my head before anyone can ask.” I can’t discuss it right now. I need to talk to Harrison first.”

My mom and Clarke look at each other. Before Clarke can say anything, my mom pipes up, “Honey, would you rather we stay in for dinner tonight? It has been a nice day
, but I am a little tired. I would be perfectly happy to order in.”

Clarke picks up on my mom’s cue, “I agree, I could go for some take out and comfy clothes. Maybe we could find a good chick flick on tonight?”

I am so damned relieved! “Are you two sure you don’t mind if we stay in? Let’s see if we can get something delivered and snuggle in for the night. I have so much going on in my head that I am afraid I wouldn’t be a very fun dinner companion.”

My mom pats my hand. “Of course
, dear. Besides, I am really looking forward to the restaurant we have booked for tomorrow night. Your father and I celebrated our thirtieth wedding anniversary there last year.”

Back in the penthouse after we ate, I excuse myself and
go to my room to call Harrison.

“
Mi amore
!”

I decide to skip past the pleasantries. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were engaged to Marion before Adelaide?” I demand.

Silence. Complete silence.

“Hello?” I shout into the phone.

“Where did you hear that?” His voice is quiet and controlled.

“I didn’t hear it
; I saw it with my own eyes.”

“What do you mean you saw it?”

“When I was faxing the florist card, I looked through a photo album I found on the bookshelf. It was all right there. Did you honestly think I wouldn’t find out about that? Why did you hide it?”

“I hid nothing. I honestly didn’t think that specific detail was relevant.” I growl and start to say something
, but his voice overpowers me. “It was over years and years ago. Way before I dated and became engaged to Adelaide. I was dating Marion and Adelaide was her roommate. It’s that simple.”

“Ohhh! But it does have relevance.
That
is part of why she is out to get me. I am the next person to stand in her way. The last being Adelaide. Don’t you understand how this feels to me? I feel as if you deceived me.” I am shouting into the phone.

With his voice raised, “Now
, stop right there. I did not deceive you and frankly, I think you are overreacting. I told you that I had a past with Marion. I just didn’t get into great detail because you said you didn’t want to hear it. Which is it Danielle?” Oh, I can hear he is about to spit bullets.

Ugh! This is not going well
; although, I couldn’t have honestly thought it was going to go any differently.