Chapter 21

Elsie quickly chopped up the carrots and lifted her cutting board to scrape them into the pot. Her fingers twitched slightly and she could feel her shoulders tensing with worry. As she turned, both John and Charles were sitting at the edge of the island whispering quietly to one another.

"So what do we do now?" Elsie questioned, joining into the conversation. John and Anna had come over after the meeting for an early dinner. They explained what had happened and then as the four sat quietly on the couch, Anna had fallen asleep. Knowing she needed her rest, the others went into the kitchen to discuss further.

"I think we should look into hiring a private investigator. Green knows something about Gilligham. It appears he likes to know secrets and prey on them. He saw Anna was pregnant and used that vulnerability to hurt her after she told his date who he really was. Green doesn't care a damn thing about this baby. He's just angry and using his power from Gillingham and Carlisle to have some fun," John said.

"But do we want to get involved with whatever Gillingham is doing? It must be something dangerous and sketchy for him to be willing to continue to back Green for all of these assaults on women," Elsie pointed out. "I'm not sure I want Anna and the baby involved in that."

"No, I think John's right, Elsie. We find out what it is and use it against them both," Charles said. "Anna won't be involved in it. She doesn't even need to know. But this guy obviously enjoys controlling others. We have to stop that."

"I don't like it," Elsie replied, sticking to her thoughts. "I don't like any of this. I say we let Mary and Matthew handle it. They know more of what we are up against. I don't want you two to get involved where you don't have to."

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Mary sipped her wine at the big event a town over. It was her first time out to one of these parties since George had been born. The room was crowded and full, but Mary had come for one reason. She knew that Tony Gillingham would be here.

Once, years ago, Tony and she had been friends. Over time their friendship had faded with life and love. The two got married to different people and started families. She had thought he was a good, decent guy. Apparently, she had been wrong.

"Now, don't start anything," Matthew murmured into her ear, as he spotted Tony across from the room.

"Start anything? Matthew, you know I can handle myself," Mary simply said, placing her glass down on a tray next to her. She stepped away from her husband and made her way quickly across the hallway.

When Tony recognized Mary coming toward him, he turned and made a beeline for the restrooms. But Mary made it before he could turn down the next hallway.

"You can't run from me, Tony," Mary called out, making him turn to face her. His lips curled into an uncomfortable smile and he sighed.

"Well, nice to see you here, Mary," he said, overemphasizing her name. "It's been a while since you have been to one of these events."

"Yes, I had a son," Mary responded, tipping her head slightly to the side. "Other responsibilities, but I just had to come tonight." The fake pleasantries came with a fake smile.

"Good. We've missed you. I ought to get going to…."

"What has Alex Green got on you, Tony? Must be something quite scandalous for you to use your top lawyer and your money to pay off all those victims." At her words, Tony's face faltered and he glanced around to see who was standing around them and could have possibly heard Mary.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Now, if you'll excuse me," Tony muttered, pushing past a couple. "Sorry," he murmured. He walked into the small, side, and enclosed porch, only to be followed by Mary, leaving the two of them alone, outside.

"Pity," Mary started, "I was hoping we could discuss this in front of others, but this will do." Mary kept her calm and reserved nature, as she shut the door behind them and stood in front of the door.

"What do you want from me, Mary?"

"I want you to get Carlisle off the Smith case," Mary stated with a flick of her wrist.

"He doesn't want the baby," Tony said quickly. "He just wanted to scare her a little." The simplicity in the way he said this made Mary's blood boil.

"So you're okay with your employee terrorizing one of his victims? All for fun?"

"It's not like that," Tony replied.

"No, it's exactly like that. And you're just as bad as he is," Mary added.

"I….I'm not," Tony stuttered. "I was going to fire him after the first incident, but then…."

"Incident? So now we're calling raping women incidents? Charming," Mary said, pursing her lips into a disapproving line.

"You don't understand…"

"I do. He has something on you, obviously. What, I don't know and I personally don't care," Mary continued.

"Alex, he has a way of finding out a person's secrets and exploiting them," Tony continued, anxiously twiddling his fingers together.

"Whatever he has on you must be really bad then. What are you doing? Insider trading? Money laundering? Cheating on your wife?" Her eyes watched Tony carefully, but he didn't give away whatever it was. "Either way, as I said, I don't care. I do care that whatever it seems to be is worse than paying off sexual assault victims and that my friend is now bearing the brunt of it."

"I didn't know she was your friend, not at first," Tony feebly explained. Mary gave an empty chuckle.

"Right, because that's what matters," she said, "Not all the women you've allowed this to happen to and then wouldn't allow to speak out. Had Anna tried to speak out, would you have offered to pay her off, too?"

"Look, Mary, I'm sorry your friend is involved. I had no idea. He came to me and just said he was angry at a girl and wanted to make her pay for a little while."

"And you didn't question that further?"

"No," Tony replied.

"Despicable, you're despicable. Call Carlisle off, have Green drop the case, or I will find out what you are doing that has to be kept such a secret," Mary warned. "Oh, and stop helping Green. Because I promise you, if I find out, I will bring you down. And you're too pretty to go to jail, Tony."

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Brushing the hair off Anna's forehead, John pressed a kiss against her temple. She shifted slightly, but stayed asleep on her parent's couch. Soft snores filled the air and John couldn't help but smile at the sound. She was exhausted, he knew, so he refused to wake her.

"Could she stay here for the night?" John asked Charles. Elsie had walked down the street to give her neighbor some of the cookies she had baked for dessert.

"Yes, but you could, as well. There's a guest room," Charles offered. John's head shook.

"I'd like to go and do some research on Alex Green. Maybe ride up to see where he lives," John informed him.

"Oh, I see," Charles said with a quick nod. "Do be careful, like Elsie said. We don't want to poke the bear further."

"I thought you agreed with me," John countered.

"I do," Charles quickly said. "I just worry if Elsie were right. We need to tread lightly."

"Oh I will. I don't plan on letting him know I am around," John told him. "Just tell Anna that I wanted to let her sleep. I can take her to the guest room if you'd prefer."

"She'll be fine here. We'll wake her when it gets darker out."

John gave a quick nod, but then there came a knock at the door.

Charles met his eyes, not sure who would be coming by at this hour.

Opening the door, Charles saw Mary and Matthew on the other side of the door.

"Mary," John breathed. "What are you two doing here?"

Mary's lips curled up into a bright smile and she stepped into the small cottage, with Matthew following behind her.

"Anna said she would be here this evening for dinner with her parents," Mary answered.

"Yes, but she's asleep," John quickly told her. "She's had a trying day. Whatever you have to say can be saved for tomorrow."

"I don't think it can," Mary stated with a quick shake of her head. She walked over to Anna's father and stuck out her hand. "We haven't formally met. I am Mary Crawley and you're Mr. Carson?"

"Yes, nice to meet you Mrs. Crawley," he stated, shaking her hand.

"Oh, call me Mary. Your daughter and I are the best of friends. This is my husband, Matthew. We've just come from a big event in the next neighborhood over. We were headed home to our son, George, when I received the best call."

"What is that?"

"The case has been dropped. Alex Green will no longer be pursuing custody of the baby."

"What?" John asked incredulously. "Are..are you sure?"

"Yes. I put a little terror in Tony Gillingham and he got him to back off," Mary explained. "He pulled Carlisle off the case."

"But…what will keep him from coming after her later?" Anna's quiet voice asked from the living room, making them all turn toward her.

"He won't. Tony informed me that all of this was to scare you. Alex likes to use this power he was given by him," Mary promised her. But Anna stepped forward and shook her head.

"No, no….he won't give up," Anna murmured. "You should have seen him in the bathroom earlier. He….he wants my daughter, Mary. He said so."

"Anna…." Mary reached out. "No. But as an extra precaution, we're going to write up paperwork for him to sign, giving away any rights."

John gently pulled Anna closer to him and kissed the top of her head.

"And if he signs those, he will have absolutely no hold on her?"

"None," Mary assured.

"What's all this?" Elsie asked, surprised as she entered her house to find extra company inside.

"Mum, this is Mary and Matthew Crawley," Anna explained. "They said the lawyer is dropping the case and that they believe they can get Alex to sign paperwork that says he gives away all rights on the baby."

Elsie's face brightened. "What wonderful news!"

"If he signs them," Anna agreed, with doubt in her voice.

"Well, we're heading back. It's getting late and George likes his father to sing him a goodnight song. It was nice to meet you both."

Mary and Matthew quickly left the cottage, leaving the Carsons, Anna, and John.

"Should we pull out some ice cream and celebrate?" Elsie questioned the three of them, already heading toward the freezer to grab a pint.

"I don't know if we should, just yet, Mum. He hasn't signed the paperwork," Anna said.

"No, but I am sure he will," Charles told her with a wink and the enthusiasm that only a dad could have in an attempt to cheer up his daughter. "Also, did you say daughter? Are you having a girl?"

Anna's cheeks reddened. It was the second time today she had let that slip. Trying to keep it a surprise was definitely not working.

"Yes, we're having a girl," Anna replied, her lips finally curling up into a small smile.

"Oh, a girl!" Elsie exclaimed. "Now I get to go and buy her all the cute clothing."

"Does she have a name?" Charles questioned his daughter.

"Yes, but you will have to wait on that one. We are not telling anyone her name right now."

"Alright," Charles gruffly said, but there was a hint of playfulness in his tone.

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"I don't know why Mary and Matthew are so sure he's going to sign the paperwork. Mary scared Tony, not Alex," Anna said to John, climbing into the bed.

"Because he is losing his lawyer and Tony backing him," John explained. Anna's head shook, undetermined.

"No, he won't sign them. There's nothing in it for him," Anna disagreed. "I don't think we are done with him, quite yet."

John wrapped his arms around Anna and he held her close. As she slowly drifted into sleep, his mind went to what she said about there not being anything in it for him. After she was asleep, he gently moved her to her pillows and kissed her cheek.

Then he quietly got out of the bed and walked down to his small office. He went to open his laptop to begin a small attempt at looking into Alex Green and what he would want, when his eyes fell on the small table across the room. He walked to it and picked up the picture of him and his father when he was 5. That's when it hit him. He knew what he needed to do.

To be continued...

Thanks for reading. :)