Chapter 21

"I thought I told you to stay away." Vince yelled through the phone.

"Actually, I do believe when we last talked you asked me to think about it and I did." Andrew said.

"Then why are you there?"

"Because I don't agree with it. It's wrong to think that me going away is the right answer. It only helps her hide from her past."

"She's not hiding from her past."

"No. She's only choosing to ignore it and I'm helping."

"So you think what? You'll appear and she'll finally be able to deal with it? I'll tell you what will happen. You're going to bring back more memories and more problems. It will be too much pressure for her to handle and she'll crack"

"I don't think she's as weak as you think she is" Andrew told him.

"Maybe that's because you haven't been there but I have been. I was there when she was in the hospital."

"Don't you mean the institution? You know that seems to be the going trend with the kids you've raised. I wonder how long before Stephanie takes her turn?"

"If I was there right now, you'd be a dead man." Vince raged through the phone.

"But you're not. Look, I'm not trying to cause a fight. My point is how you chose to raise them didn't work. So what would be so bad if I gave it a shot?"

"She's not a child. There's no more raising to be done. The best thing any of us can do is let her live for herself."

"I don't agree." Andrew said and Vince realized that words were not going to work. He would have to do something more to keep him out of her life.

"Look over to my guard. He's going to hand you something." Andrew followed Vince's direction and opened up a check for $100,000 signed by Vince. "Now I want you to take it, walk out of the hotel and stay out of our lives. It's what you really came for right? It's always been about the money with you."

"People change." Andrew told him.

"Not you." Vince hung up the phone and let out a deep breath. He looked up and saw his wife standing in the doorframe. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough. Maybe it's time we talk with Jessica."

"She doesn't want to speak with us."

"Then we force her or have Stephanie do it. Vince you're handling threats against her left and right and now Andrew's back in the picture. It's too much to keep in the dark."

"No. The less she knows the better she'll be."

"And what about her safety? Some of these letters are severe. We can be putting her in harm's way again."

"Trust me. I won't let that happen."

"What about Andrew?" Linda asked him.

"I'll find out right now." Vince picked up his phone and dialed Mike. "Is he gone? Fine but keep your eyes open and call me if there's any more problems."

"Well?" Linda asked when he hung up the phone.

"It's taken care of." He told her but she still looked concerned. "Don't worry. Why don't you take the kids outback and let them play a little?"

"I can't. Every time I go back there and see the playhouse it makes me sick. I don't want the girls touching that thing." She said. Vince went over and hugged his wife.

"Listen, give a few more minutes. I have a little work to finish up and then we can take them to the park. They'll love it."

Linda nodded then left the room. From his study window Vince looked out the window at their backyard. She was right about the playhouse. Its bright colors did nothing to change the feeling you got from looking at it. It was a constant reminder of what had happened. As is all this, thought looking at the table. He had just been giving another stack of letters received by the company to Jessica, but not the friendly support one. Those were kept at the office for when Jess was ready to see them. Vince was only given the threatening ones that he'd scour for hours. He was beginning to worry that this wouldn't stop. There were letters from angry Shane fans, Hardy fans who blame her for the fact that they aren't working right now or just those who with the constant media exposure have become obsessed.

If Jessica had planned on returning to a normal life, Vince felt sorry for her. It was apparent to him that that was never going to be. Thanks to Shane too much had happened and the letters were getting out of control. Stephanie had told him about what had happened to their house. It was time to listen to his head of security and let the authorities know how bad it was getting.

He looked at the picture on his desk of Shane, Stephanie, and Jessica. They really were his three kids. He failed Shane, and he had failed Jessica but he still felt he could make it right, with both of them. Shane is getting the help he needs. According to Dr. Bromley, he had been responding well in his therapy sessions. Vince could only hope that it was truthful.

As for Jessica, he had no choice but to stay the course. The guards he had assigned will continue to watch out for her and hopefully she'll be none the wiser. She may not have wanted it, but it was his job to make sure she is given the chance to lead a normal life. So if that meant staying out of sight or paying off someone who meant her harm, while she went off oblivious to it all, then he would do it. He gathered the letters back into the folder and made a mental note to give them to the FBI tomorrow.