Chapter 4

"You were having problems with your marriage at that time, brother. I didn't want to add to your worries. And, AJ, don't force her if she doesn't want to go. Please!" Adele begged him with her hand on his arm.

"I'll tell her about her father, and then I'll tell her father where she is. That's about the best I can do
Adele. I can't totally break a promise. I have to let him know where to find her, since she's his only
child," AJ said kissing his sister goodbye. "I'll do my best to keep in touch. Let's not make it eight years between visits, Adele."

"Why did he wait all these years to contact her?"

"He didn't know about her. They do all these background checks on the new Presidents and found he has a daughter. He only has so much time to produce her before they release it to the media. See why it's so important I get her to Washington?" he explained.

"Just be gentle, AJ, I know how forceful you can get at times. Now you should probably go, take care and God Bless."

"What about my gentle side Adele, have you forgot about that? I will do my best to handle this child
with kid gloves," he smiled and kissed his sister.

"Good bye, AJ, don't be such a stranger!"

AJ's frustration level was at an all time high when he reached San Francisco. The address his sister had given him was over two years old the landlord of the apartment building had told him. Adele (he still didn't know her real name) had moved when she had to quit her job her as a waitress because of some unknown illness. The forwarding address he had for her led AJ to another abandoned place.

At the second place, though, he at least got some word of her daughter. It seemed Tessa visited her mother at least twice a week. Adele had moved again after just over a year at this second location.

That was how he ended up in San Francisco. Adele had told the landlord she was moving to San Francisco to be closer to her daughter. AJ located the run down apartment building where she had lived for eight months. His heard sank when the old lady that ran the place gave him Adele's next location.

Standing next to the place where Adele was lying, a chill ran down his spine. It was unnerving to see his sister's name on the headstone at his feet. Knowing she was alive in Houston and that a woman he had never met was laid to rest under the stone that read: Adele Chegwidden Born June 1,1944. Died August 8, 2004. His and Adele's birthday! He had reached a permanent dead end, missing her by just a few months.

The last landlady had no information on Adele's daughter other than the fact that a young woman was a regular visitor and also was the one paying Adele's rent. AJ had perked up at that asking for the address from the checks used to pay the rent. His hopes fell again when the woman said she always paid in cash. Just as he was about to leave, the woman remembered that what little belongings Adele had at the apartment had been shipped to a warehouse across town.

That was how AJ came to find himself in the warehouse district on his second day in San Francisco. He stood for a few minutes looking at the rundown building, wondering what he would find on the third floor, which was where Adele's things had been sent. AJ had no idea how this could lead him to finding Tessa, but it was the last lead he had.

Climbing the stairs that he found once he was inside the building, AJ had taken one look at the rickety old elevator and decided not to chance it. He allowed a ray of hope to flicker when he saw a small printed name label above the peephole in the heavy metal door at the top of the flight of stairs. T Chegwidden, it read. The door was slightly ajar and he pushed it open.

To be continued…