Disclaimer: I don't own Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. The OCs are all mine, for what that's worth.
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Chapter 25: Lifes & Lies
Marianne Beam was blond-haired, blue-eyed and vivacious. Anyone who saw her would say she was beautiful. It wasn't the anorexic kind of beauty that the magazines tried to sell. Full-figured, though far from fat, Marianne was an incredibly striking woman even with the horde of children running around her house – maybe even because of it.
She ushered Vanessa and Anna into the large country kitchen at the rear of her clapboard farmhouse and sat them down at the old oak extension table with a pitcher of sun tea without even asking.
Marianne took a seat and looked at Vanessa, blatant curiosity apparent in her expressive face. "Grace told me you're a friend of Lizzy's daughter."
Van looked at the woman curiously. Like Grace, she seemed open and friendly – perhaps even more so than Grace – but the same guardedness was present in her gaze.
"Yes, Eliza was Nancy Drew's mother and Nancy's . . . well, actually she's going to be my sister-in-law in a few weeks. We're marrying two brothers."
Marianne's face broke into a wide smile. "How wonderful for you both! I remember my wedding days so fondly – even if my husbands did all wind up being real tools."
"How many times have you been married?" Van asked.
"Five. And they were not all tools," came an amused voice from the back door. A young woman who was a bit younger than Vanessa walked through. She was the spitting image of Marianne though she was less full-figured. "Mom just never has been able to settle down."
"Jillian, when did you get here?"
"I told you I'd be by before class today to pick up my laundry."
"Vanessa, Anna, I'd like you to meet my oldest daughter, Jillian. She's going to college for psychology but obviously they don't teach them how to do laundry." Marianne turned a comically chagrined expression on her daughter who smiled tolerantly at the teasing introduction.
"It's nice to meet you." Jillian said, shaking their hands and then turning toward her mother. "And college may not have taught me how to do laundry, Mom, but you surely did with that fertile Myrtle body of yours and your penchant for men. I'm just letting you help me out because I know how much you love me." She leaned down and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek.
Marianne chuckled. "Ah, now you're letting me help you. I see. Well, lucky for you I don't mind. Your clothes are all washed and folded and in the basket in the laundry room. And you better not leave without saying hello to your siblings."
"Like I could get out of this house without them noticing. If you'll all excuse me," Jillian said as she breezed out of the kitchen.
"She is a lovely young lady, Marianne," Anna said. "How old is she?"
"She just turned nineteen last month but she has almost enough credits to be considered a junior in college. She and her best friend graduated from high school last year and immediately got an apartment together. I think it was a bid to exert their independence. I'm so proud of her. Oh, heck, I'm proud of all my kids."
"How many children do you have?" Van asked.
"By most standards, too many," Marianne said with a chuckle. "I had one or two with each husband. Including Jillian, I have eight altogether. My current husband is the father of the youngest two. He's also the youngest of my hubbies. I think he's a keeper."
"So, your first husband was Jillian's father?" Vanessa asked.
Marianne's face tightened. "No, he wasn't. I had Jillian before I met my first husband."
She stood and walked to the refrigerator. "Can I interest either of you ladies in a piece of pie? It's red raspberry – I picked the berries myself."
Not waiting for an answer, she busied herself with getting them each a slice of pie with freshly whipped sweet cream.
"This is delicious, Marianne. Thank you," Anna said and Vanessa nodded in silent agreement.
Marianne pushed her plate away. "Grace said you had some questions about Eliza Morgan. I'm not sure I can really help."
"You can't or you won't," Vanessa asked gently.
Marianne looked at Vanessa discerningly. "You know, don't you?"
Van licked her lips. "I suspect but no, I don't know anything. Marianne. Or should I call you Mary?"
Marianne studied her folded hands, her lips pressed in a tight line. "It was so long ago."
"Were you working at Mama's Kitchen when it happened?"
Marianne sighed. "Yes. I bounced around for awhile after graduating from the system. Liz tried to get me to come to Richford with her and Grace, but I had met this guy, and thought I'd found another way out. Big mistake, but of course, not my first where men were concerned. I didn't end up at Mama's Kitchen until a couple years later. Grace actually told me I should go to TNT and give it a try. She said it was the best move she ever made."
"What happened?"
"For a couple years I was really happy at Mama's Kitchen. Met some nice guys, made good money. I even had plans to go to school. Then Jarod came along and I got pregnant."
This sounded all too familiar to Vanessa and her mind was leaping ahead. "Let me guess. Jarod was a rich college guy who got you pregnant and then flaked out on you. Did Callisto get money from Jarod for you?"
"Yes," Marianne said quietly. "And he let me stay and work at the diner until I was into my third trimester. The trouble didn't really start until after that."
"I'm not sure I understand, Marianne. What kind of trouble? And how did Eliza get involved?" Vanessa asked. "By that time she had been living in Chicago for at least six years."
Marianne's lips turned down in sadness. "Yeah, but she always checked in on me and Grace from time to time. When she found out what had happened, she took care of everything. She came and got me out of that 'home for unwed mothers' that they stuck me in, and she contacted a man about setting me up with a new identity. She even gave me enough money to get by until I could find a job and a place to stay. I would have lost Jillian if it wasn't for Lizzy."
"Lost her? How?" Vanessa asked.
"Those people weren't going to let me keep her. I know I had signed papers giving them permission to look for an adoptive family for my baby. But when the time came, I just couldn't go through with it. They wouldn't listen, though. They told me that I didn't have any choice. If Lizzy hadn't helped me disappear I know they would have taken Jillian. I probably never would have even seen my baby girl."
Vanessa looked at Marianne, her heart racing. "What people were trying to take your baby, Marianne? The Padovanos?"
"The Padovanos? You mean, Callisto? No." Marianne said. "I mean, Callisto did send me to the adoption agency . . ."
"What adoption agency?" Vanessa asked.
"The Turner's adoption agency, of course. I think they called it Happy Homes or something like that," Marianne said. "It was in the same building as TNT."
Vanessa leaned forward. "Marianne, when did all of this take place?"
"Mid to late April, just a couple months before Jillian was born," Marianne said. "It was still pretty cold when I moved to Rochester but the weather was turning."
"That would be less than a month before Eliza was killed." Vanessa jumped up from the table. "Oh my God, Anna. We have to get back to Ithaca. I . . . I better warn Frank and Joe. Nancy could be in terrible danger if the Turners figure out why she's there."
Marianne stood and followed them to the door. "Danger? What kind of danger? What do you mean Eliza was killed? When?"
Vanessa patted the woman's arm in comfort even as she pulled out her cell to compose a succinct text message.
"Eliza was killed less than a month after she helped you relocate, Marianne."
Marianne's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide and frightened. "You don't think it was my fault? Oh, I couldn't bear that. Lizzy was the best friend I ever had."
"It wasn't your fault, Marianne," Vanessa said earnestly. "I promise, I'll be back in touch when I know more."
Grasping Vanessa's arm, Marianne asked in a breathless voice. "They wouldn't come after me or Jillian, would they?"
"I don't think they know where you are, Marianne. You should be safe. Please, I have to go. I'll be back in touch as soon as possible. I promise."
Vanessa dropped into the car as she sent the text message to both Frank and Joe.
As she expected her phone was ringing within minutes.
nhnhnhnhnhnh
Joe stepped off the elevator and took a quick survey of the floor. The upper floors of the office building were built on a simple plan, with office suites on either side of a central hall. The elevator ran through a shaft at one end of the building. On the floor that TNT was on, though, the suites had been remodeled to combine them into a single office complex with the entrance located right next to the elevator. At the end of a short hall was another door that Joe suspected led to the fire stairwell he recalled seeing on the blueprints.
Through the glass fronted doors Joe saw a waiting room with a reception desk located in the corner of the room. He strode into the office and smiled at the pretty, petite woman behind the desk. According to her name plate she was Lisa.
"Hi, Lisa. I was told to come here to meet with a Mr. Jim Bowers. Do you know if he's in?"
The young woman's warm smile turned to a frown. "I'm sorry, did you say Jim Bowers? I'm afraid his offices aren't even in this building. He's located just down the street in the Law Advocates office."
Just the fact that the TNT receptionist knew who Jim Bowers was worried Joe. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I must have gotten my directions wrong. Can you tell me where I can find him – Jim Bowers that is?"
"Um, well," she sighed and considered Joe for several seconds. She finally stood and pulled out a rudimentary map of the business district. She circled a location and turned it so Joe could read the map. "Mr. Bowers' office is located in this building just a block and a half east on the opposite side of the main road."
Joe took the map with a grateful smile. "Thanks. That's a big help. I hope I'm not too late for our appointment . . ."
The receptionist cast an uncertain glance toward a door that appeared to lead into the interior office suite and then turned to place a restraining hand on Joe's arm.
"Actually, I . . . I happen to know Mr. Bowers isn't in the office right now."
"Oh?"
"Well, it's funny you came here looking for him because he's in a meeting with Mr. Turner right now."
"He's here?" Joe tensed.
She indicated the door that led to the office suite. "He walked through there just a little while ago."
"Oh, well, thanks. I guess that means I don't need to worry about being late."
Joe turned and walked back out into the elevator lobby, pulling out his cell as he went. He hit the speed dial for his brother.
"Where are you, bro? I think we might have a situation."
Frank's voice snapped like a high tension wire. "Did you get Vanessa's text?"
"No, what's up?"
"Turners are involved, Joe."
"Shit. And by now they know who Nan is, too – Jim Bowers is in the TNT offices as we speak."
"I'm almost there."
Joe looked around the elevator lobby. "They can't get out past me where I am now," he said.
"You're sure they're still there? They haven't already left, have they?"
"I assume they're still here. The receptionist said that Jim Bowers was still here."
"I'll be there in less than ten minutes," Frank said. "We're pulling the plug on the undercover thing, now."
nhnhnhnhnhnh
Nick smirked at Nancy. "TNT placed your mother and her friends at Mama's Kitchen – we have a long-standing business relationship with Callisto Padovano. But you knew that didn't you?"
"Yes. That's why I'm here. Mama's Kitchen seems to get all of their waitresses through TNT so I figured it was the only in I had to a job. Are you telling me that in thirty years of business you never had even an inkling that there was something shady going on there?"
Nancy watched the two men's reactions to her question with interest. Jim looked like someone had hit him with a cattle prod. Nick's jaw clenched briefly but that was the only sign that he had heard her. He leaned on the desk across from her and leveled her with a calculating gaze.
"Callisto's business is his own but there are certain synergistic benefits to the relationship," he said smoothly.
"What are you talking about, Nick? We help those girls. So does Cal," Jim's alarm was almost palpable.
"Of course we do – that's what we're here for, isn't it? Her mother and her friends are a case in point. Let's see, we hadn't been in business long when Jim's young . . . protégé came to us for a job. I found it rather interesting that she refused to go to work at the Law Advocates – that's what Jimbo here really wanted." He looked at Jim thoughtfully. "That was during, what, our fifth year in business, Jim?"
Jim's face had turned red but he managed an even tone. "Yes, I believe so."
"You see, Jimbo set me and Tiff up – gave us the startup money for the employment agency and helped us get everything in order for opening the doors. He's our silent partner. Tiff's big brother, at least in spirit."
"You do good work here, Nick – you and Tiffy."
Nick's smile was smug. "Yeah, we do good work here – for the kids. Right, Jimbo? You always have had lofty ideals. You and Tiffy."
"It's what we're here for – to help the kids."
Jim looked at Nancy as if willing her to believe him. The funny thing was that Nancy did believe that he believed it. But Nick Turner – Nick Turner was giving her the creeps right now. How could Jim Bowers have missed the danger burning in those dark, shaded eyes for nearly thirty years?
Nick stood and smiled. When he turned on the charm he was a compelling man but Nancy knew what she had seen in that handsome face moments earlier.
"I think we should take Ms. Drew to meet Tiffany, Jim. What do you think?"
"Is Tiff feeling better?" Jim looked hopefully at Nick. "Is her prognosis looking up?"
"I think she's definitely taking a turn for the better," Nick said as he motioned toward the back of the room. "Is your car parked out back, Jimbo?"
"You know it is," Jim stopped next to Nancy. "There's never any parking at the Law Advocates office building."
"We'll take your car then," Nick said, standing.
Jim smiled at Nancy encouragingly. "Tiffany will be glad to meet you, Nancy. It's been awhile since she's been able to accept visitors. She went through a full mastectomy last year and has been undergoing chemo. Her recovery has been rather slow."
Jim moved past Nancy and through the rear exit. She pretended to wrestle to get her backpack out from under the desk. She was purposely holding back and considered making a break for the outer office. Unfortunately, Nick was remaining uncomfortably close. He seemed to sense her intentions and moved back to her side to take her arm.
"You and I understand each other, don't we, Nancy? Jimbo's clueless and I think it would be best if he stayed that way for at least a little while longer. I'd really appreciate it if you behaved yourself."
He purposely opened his jacket to give her a good look at his gun, leaving no doubt in Nancy's mind that he was willing to use it. He jerked her to a stop as she cleared the chair and pointed at the bulge of the phone in her pocket.
"Give it."
Heart sinking Nancy handed it over. Flipping it open, Nick's face tightened as he punched buttons, obviously reading the short texts she had sent to Joe. He dropped the phone on the floor and stomped on it. Nancy's only consolation was that she had erased the text message about Mary that she had received from Joe.
He exited through the storage room behind the office, roughly dragging Nancy with him. The exit from the storage room led straight into the back part of the hall, separated from the main hall by a heavy steel door. Next to a rear set of stairs was a freight elevator. Nancy grimaced as she realized that this shaft had been a late addition to the office building – an addition that she knew her backup, Joe, didn't know about because it hadn't been on the blueprints they had of the building.
Jim held the elevator doors for Nick and her, his smile friendly and trusting. If she could get Jim to understand just how dangerous Nick was maybe she would have an ally. Unfortunately, the two men obviously had a lot of history together. Tiffany was a total wild card at this point. Nancy just needed to keep sharp and hope that an opportunity to escape presented itself.
Barring that, she was taking her own advice and placing her faith in Frank and Joe.
They had never let her down before.
NH
A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed last chapter: Agent Striker, liferscove2118, marbleandtoast, JackieJacks, Princess In Love, Confidential Brunette, and lassie-rose. You all make my day with those little notes!
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