Alexis shot a glance at the briefcase on the seat beside her. She was loath to touch the heavy object again. Like Pandora’s box, opening that briefcase might turn loose the evil that had killed her father.
She tore her gaze away and kept driving until the gas gauge warning light came on. She’d forgotten to fill the tank again. She’d have to stop somewhere. Surely she was safe now. No one could have followed her. Even she didn’t know exactly where she was.
Exhausted, she watched for signs for the next gas station, finally pulling off the road at a rest area. Parking as far from other cars as possible, she sat for a minute trying to decide what to do. She couldn’t just leave her father there. She should call someone.
Who? What could she tell them?
Her fingers trembled as she reached for her seat belt. There was no choice. She had to open the briefcase. Surely the contents would tell her what this nightmare was all about.
Even though she’d parked near the end of the lot, Alexis scanned the area to be sure no one was nearby. If an inanimate object could be evil, surely this briefcase was evil. She had to force her fingers to reach for the locks so she could peer inside.
A scream of protest filled her mind, but never made it past her lips. Beneath a thick manila envelope, the briefcase was filled with stacks of what appeared to be hundred-dollar bills. She closed her eyes tightly, wishing she could make them disappear by thought alone.
What had he done? Dear God, what had he done? Her father didn’t have this kind of money. Only drug dealers or kidnappers had this sort of cash.
Her moan of anguish escaped, shockingly loud in the tense silence of her car.
No wonder he was dead. No wonder someone wanted this case. But where had it come from? Her father wasn’t a drug dealer. He wasn’t a criminal. He worked in the insurance industry.
Money laundering?
Oh, God. She knew nothing about that sort of stuff. Could a criminal launder money through an insurance company? And even if they could, why would her father have this briefcase full of money? He wasn’t a crook, he was her father!
She snapped the case closed and shut her eyes. What was she going to do? Opening her eyes, she stared at the parking lot. What would happen if she simply carried the case over to the large trash can sitting several feet away and left it there? The idea was dangerously tempting.
Except, whoever wanted this case wouldn’t stop looking for her just because she’d thrown it away. No matter where she ran, they’d follow. The money made that a certainty.
There had been an envelope. Maybe the contents of the envelope would tell her what to do, how to get this money back where it belonged. She forced her fingers to reopen the case. Lifting the envelope, she turned it over and stared in horror at the bold printing across the front.
Her eyes burned with the need to cry again, but she’d used up all her tears. Too bad she hadn’t used up the fear, as well. It threatened to consume her at the sight of her name.
She should go to the police right now. It would be best if she didn’t even look inside the envelope. But she knew she would. He had been her father, whatever else he may have been. He had brought this briefcase to her apartment for a reason. She owed him a hearing, even in death.
With a heavy heart, Alexis lifted the unsealed envelope flap. On top was a sheet of lined paper, ripped from some sort of notepad.
Darling Alexis,
If you’re reading this note it means I’m in trouble and never got a chance to explain. Hang on to this briefcase. A woman named Kathy can tell you the rest. I don’t remember her last name, but I’m sure she’ll be in touch.
So typical of her father. He could never remember names or details. Kathy might really be Suzy or Betty or something that wasn’t even remotely close to that.
Don’t let anyone know you have this in your possession. I’m sorry to put this onus on you, but I may not have a choice. I’m not sure about the legality of this money. I trusted the wrong person years ago and a lot of people were hurt as a result. It’s too late to make amends to some of them, including you, but I’m going to try. I’m sorry, Alexis. I know I’ve been a lousy father. I wasn’t the best husband, either. Lois deserved so much more than I could give her.
Alexis wiped at her burning eyes. Whatever else had been wrong with his world, her father truly had loved them both.
Saying I’m sorry really doesn’t cut it, but it’s all I can say. I can’t make the past go away or change the decision that we made. I’m a weak man, Alexis. A stronger, better person would have told you the truth a long time ago.
The note was rambling. He must have been drinking when he’d written it. The penmanship was sloppy, but it was definitely her father’s handwriting.
I’m sorry for that, too, but as it turns out, even I didn’t know the truth until recently. I still don’t, at least not all of it. God, I wish I’d told you this in person! Your mother and I couldn’t have children, Alexis.
What? Her heart began to pound as his words burned away her entire life.
Lois wanted a baby desperately, so we applied to adopt. We were told it might take years. You know how much I loved her. I would have given Lois the moon if it had been possible. I knew it would kill her to wait indefinitely, with no certainty that we’d ever get a baby to call our own. Instead, I knew someone who knew of a doctor that might be willing to bend the rules for us. I’m sorry, Alexis, I knew it would be an illegal adoption, but I didn’t care at the time.
She was adopted? It couldn’t be true. It mustn’t be true. Her whole life had been a lie? She wanted to crumple the damning paper in her hand and throw it away, but he’d looked at her through eyes that were dying and had said he’d wished she’d been his.
The paper shook so badly she could barely hold it still enough to continue reading.
The doctor claimed he knew an unwed girl willing to see her baby go to a good home for enough money to go to college and start over. If we could cover his fee and pay the girl, he was willing to take a chance and help us all. I’d like to believe if we’d known the truth, we wouldn’t have gone through with your adoption, but Lois wanted a baby so badly, I don’t know.
What truth? What had he done?
We didn’t ask any questions. We never met your birth mother. You were only a few hours old when the doctor’s nurse placed you in Lois’s arms. You were such a beautiful, perfect little baby girl. I wish you could have seen Lois’s look of joy. It was worth everything. You may not have been our biological child, but we always thought of you that way, you have to believe me. We loved you, Alexis. I loved you. I know I haven’t been there for you since Lois died. I let my grief consume me instead of thinking about you like I should have. It’s too late to make that up to you now. All I can say is I’m sorry, Alexis.
She wiped at the burning tears that slipped down her cheeks. The car was so hot she was suffocating. She turned on the ignition to let the air conditioner run, wiping at her tears until her vision became less blurred.
It wasn’t entirely his fault. She should have tried harder to get him to seek help. If she’d been a better daughter…but she wasn’t really his daughter. The enormity of that was still hard to accept.
Alexis stared at the money. Once again, fear gripped her. Had her father done something awful in an attempt to make things up to her? She gripped the note, fearing the answer it must contain.
I just learned that the doctor who forged your birth certificate was murdered recently. I did some snooping and learned the awful truth. Your real mother never gave you up for adoption, Alexis. I don’t think she even knew you existed.
How