Lost Loves of Meadow Lane

Chapter 36

August 20, 1911

"That woman is not his mother. His mother died at birth, and now his father is dead. And as James Whitherdale's widow, is not raising my deceased husbands only child my responsibility?" Bella asked the Judge sitting across the desk from her.

"Do you have any proof that Thelma Anne Marzak is the boy's mother?" The woman, sitting to Bella's right, said, interrupting the judge before he could answer Bella's question.

It had been almost three weeks since Edward had told Bella the name he had uncovered. Once they had found the woman's death certificate they quickly found a birth certificate for a Baby boy Marzak. Amazingly, the doctor had allowed the father's name to be printed on the certificate, even though the couple was not married-James Whitherdale. Bella smiled at the woman and watched as the color drained from her face. She was going to take great pleasure in what she was about to introduce to the judge. Proving Riley's birthright had been a stumbling block for her to gain custody of the young man.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Bella replied pulling the papers from a metal box she had sitting beside her. She passed the papers to the judge who took them and gave them a thorough look.

"Your Honor, I object. I have not seen the documents presented. I'm here in the interest of the minor. It's my responsibility to make sure he has a safe environment to grow up in. People that care for him..."

"Enough," the judge said in an unmistakable voice of authority. "Do you think I am incapable of determining if these documents are real? The fact that I know the doctor listed on the birth certificate makes it easy to verify the truth. Mrs. Whitherdale, unless you have anything else to present, I am prepared to make my decision."

"Your Honor, I also have a signed letter from the midwife if you would like..."

"Please," the judge said as he reached across his desk and accepting the document from Bella. After a more than quick peek, the judge continued. "Mrs. Whitherdale, please accept my condolences on you and your step son's loss."

When the judge was done saying his peace, the social worker walked from his chambers, shoulders slumped and defeated. She had believed that somehow, Isabella Whitherdale, was responsible for the man's death. She had believed all the lies and was not looking forward to meeting up with the red-haired woman who had set these events into motion.

Bella was greeted at the door by two apprehensive men-on taller, and one shorter. They both relaxed visibly when she shared a victorious smile.

"It's not official, yet, but Riley is staying with us, forever."

"Do you think it would be appropriate to say thank you to the judge?" Edward asked, locking eyes with Bella.

"You can thank me however you wish," the judge said from inside the doorway as he hung his rob on the hook. "Is this man the one helping you and Riley?" he asked Bella.

"It is," she replied.

"Son, don't take too long. Women this strong do not come around every day in these parts."

"As soon as her mourning period is over and she says yes, your honor..."

"I word to the wise, Ms. Swan," The judge said stepping into the hall. "Don't waste time mourning a man like Mr. Whitherdale." The judge turned his back and walked the length of the hall disappearing out the doors.

2011

The silence that filled the car, after Jasper's confession, was thick; taking on an almost physical form. He refused to let Alice's eyes break him as her dark eyes bored through his carefully built defenses. He would not look at her, if he did, it would be his undoing. When Alice finally looked away, he released the air he had been holding back. He was grateful she had held speaking-her eyes had done enough damage to his self-esteem.

There was a tension to the quite that held them until they saw the Welcome to St. Martins sign, unnerved him.

"Do you think we'll find anything here," Alice asked still looking out the window. Buildings passed by in a blur.

"I'm not sure. This is where it all began but this is not where it ended," Jasper replied. He wanted to be hopeful but it seemed the cards were stacked against unraveling the mystery of everything that had happened to them back then.

After arriving in St. Martins, it didn't take long to find the building that held vital records. Nor did it take long to find the records for James' and Isabella's marriage. James Whitherdale's death certificate was easily located as well. The surprise came when they uncovered the birth record the child Isabella gave birth to.

"Excuse me, Ms..."

"Terry Sue, but just call me Terry"

"Terry... my friend Jasper and I have been looking through these old records. We're working on a genealogy, and I think we've linked a relative but we're curious why this ledger entry has a second state stamp and date on it," Alice said as she passed the book to the elderly woman

Terri pushed her glasses up her nose and looked, "Well, ain't that odd... not the stamp, that is, cause that was known to happen, but the dates are three years apart. That's the odd part." She pulled the records closer and started turning pages. It took a few minutes as she scanned each page, stopping before she reached the end. "Ah, here we go... Dr. Carlisle Cullen corrected a birth certificate for a patient, Isabella Swan Whitherdale," her brows narrowed as she continued to read, digest, and translate the century-old writing. It seems he had two births in one week and the names had accidentally been transposed. The original record indicated that Isabella Whitherdale's pregnancy ended in stillbirth of a son but this one says that she, in fact, had a live birth of a daughter, and his wife, Esme Johnson Cullen had the stillborn son. That is so sad... his own wife. I guess it's a good thing he realized the error and corrected it."

"Are you saying... Isabella Swan had a daughter-not a son. That's not possible," Jasper said, almost rudely, as he stood behind Alice.

"Young man, as strange as it is to have a doctor correct an error such as this after three years, which in this case I understand, I am saying that. Granted, three years is a long time before correcting a live birth record, and I'm sure the doctor got himself into quite a bit of trouble, even back then, but there's no doubt about it. He would have had to show irrefutable evidence to be allowed to correct the ledger."

"Is there any way that we can get copies of these entries or certified copies?" Alice asked.

"I can make you a copy of the ledger for a small fee, and you can have it right now, or you can get certified copies but that takes up to twelve weeks," the woman stated looking at Alice. She wasn't in the mood to deal with the man behind her, and slightly irritated with his attitude.

"Both please," Alice answered. The woman passed her a few forms before taking the ledger and sauntered to a back room. Alice quickly filled out the request form and handed it to Terry when she returned with the promised photocopies.

"Is there anything else I can help you folks with today?" Terry asked out of habit fully expecting them to leave.

"Actually, yes," Jasper said from behind. Terry raised an eyebrow in question allowing him to continue. "Can you do a quick search on... Riley Mason from the same time frame?"

"I can do a search, but again Sir, if the information has not been entered into the system, you're back to searching through the archives," the clerk repeated, frustrated.

"I understand," Jasper replied. Using his teeth, Jasper unconsciously picked at the cuticles of his thumb.

"I'm sorry, but I do not show any records of birth, marriage, or death under that name. And Riley seems to be a very popular name during that time frame," Terry said, redirecting her stare from the monitor to the couple on the other side of the counter. "I have 25 entries for a Riley but nothing under Masen."

"Here," Jasper said as he pushed another twenty from his pocket towards the woman. Terry looked away and started tapping on her keyboard. The mechanical sound of the copy machine behind her roared to life and light traveled below the lid. Then a single sheet of paper rolled into the tray. Jasper folded and tucked the piece of paper away before sticking it in his back pocket safe and sound.

As Alice and Jasper left the building, new questions simmered in the back of their thoughts. Jasper was not ready to verbalize his question, yet. On a hunch, he made a suggestion. "Alice, the best and most information we discovered wasn't through an agency, but the historical society in Gulfport. What do you think about doing the same here, in St. Martins?"

Alice's reply was a beaming smile that lifted Jasper's spirit. It had been a very long time for Jasper that such a small gesture as a smile affected him as warmth filled him and his affections for the woman next to him grew. The thought that he had done something to cause that smile baffled him. He couldn't remember the last time that had happened.

Sitting in front of a microfiche monitor, Alice read aloud while Jasper rubs the small of her back, listening.

"As investigators prepared to question James Whitherdale about financial practices of his company, more questions arise when he is found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Where is his wife, Isabella Whitherdale, and why is Mr. Whitherdale's housekeeper pointing fingers at the man's widow-who has not been seen in how many months? Is this a tale of a man about to lose everything, or something more devious? Could this be a love triangle gone wrong? Police have made no comment, as the case is still under investigation.

More questions arise from an unnamed source who claims to know Victoria Suthers personally and states that it would not be the first-time mysterious deaths surrounding the housekeeper when she was known as a lady of the night or woman of passion. The unknown source also alleges that Mr. Whitherdale has a son who has not been seen since the disappearance of Isabella Whitherdale. The son, known only as Riley, is claimed to be an illegitimate child whose mother died during childbirth to one Thelma Anne Marzak, who also worked with Victoria Suthers at a brothel in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Several witnesses have come forward and made statements claiming that while Mrs. Whitherdale was pregnant that she did not look well and that they had not seen her in town often at the birth of her child and that when she was seen it was always in the company of either Mr. Whitherdale himself, or the housekeeper. One witness was even bold enough to claim that Mrs. Whitherdale had been seen once, while with her husband, in the company of another man, possibly an old boyfriend that had moved away before Mrs. Whitherdale had married. Speculation and rumors have run from innocent to disturbing-"

"Oh, thank god," Jasper said, unthinking, stopping Alice short.

"What do you mean, thank god? This, this is like reading some twisted murder plot..." Alice said in confusion.

"Yes, it does, but it also gives me hope that... one, you and I are not related. And two, I'm not related to Victoria Suthers,"

"What? How did you ever come up with that?" Alice asked, completely confused at Jasper's remark.

A/N

There will be no killing the author this week. Just think, you've gotten how many chapters over the last week or so… I'm trying here, I really am. I do not want this story to lay on the side of the road while I go back to classes. I'm hoping to let you all finish the story by mid-January. Aren't you excited?

So, Bella's figuring out who she is that's for sure. I thought she was going to jump over the desk and get in the judges face or something.

Jasper… Jasper… Jasper… Alice! Wow. That's a heavy one. How many people were starting to think the same thing?

Remember the 3 R's of Fanfiction

Read, review, and recommend.

See you next chapter!