CHAPTER 12
Meeting
"What do you mean she vanished?"
Fox was glaring at the man standing in front of him.
"I paid you good money, you have to give me results."
"But Mr. Crane, it's like she never existed. There is no trace of her. Her trail stops at the airport."
Fox picked up a photograph from the desk.
"Do you see this picture? I want this woman back."
"Yes, Mr. Crane. I'll give it another try."
"This is not good enough. You are a private investigator, you are supposed to be one of the best in this country."
"Yes, sir. I will get back to you as soon as I find something."
The man was standing in front Fox. "And what the Hell are you waiting for? Go, do your damn job."
"I just wanted to tell you that the longer she is gone, the harder it will be to find her."
"What, do you expect me to pay you more? She has been gone for practically a year. I spent close to a million for you to find her. You are fired."
"Fired?"
"Yes, fired. Leave everything you found on this desk. I'll find her myself. Now, get out."
"But Mr. Crane..."
"I said get out."
The man left the library leaving everything behind him. Fox picked up a picture of him and Teresa smiling at each other.
"Where have you gone, Teresa?"
"As far away as possible from you."
"Go away, Ethan."
"No, you think I'm scared of you like that poor man was?"
"That poor man as you call him hasn't done anything to find her."
"Fox, she doesn't want to be found."
"How would you know?"
"Let's face it, Fox. She's either dead or alive somewhere trying to built a life for herself. Can you blame her? After what you did to her."
"I loved her, I love her. If it were up to me, Grandfather would never have found out about us."
"It was a poorly kept secret, Fox."
"What do you mean? We were discrete about it."
"That's probably because you thought that no one would go up to the cabin?"
"I'm sorry, what did you just say?"
Fox was staring at Ethan.
"You saw us together and you blew the whistle, didn't you?" "I..I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do. You went up to the cabin thinking that Teresa was alone and you found me there with her. You came back here and told Father and Grandfather. You did this to her."
"I might have told everyone about your sordid little affair but you were her downfall."
"No, I was going to give up my inheritance when we came back from the cabin. You see, Ethan..it wasn't as important as she was to me. I will find her and make her understand."
Fox got up and left, leaving Ethan alone.
"Not if I find her first. I divorced Gwen for a reason and I'm not about to let you find Teresa. Alistair is on my side. He threw roadblocks for the investigator, he'll do the same for you."
**************************
"Whitney, you have to help me."
"Help you for what?"
"I have the feeling that you know where Teresa was."
"No, I don't."
"Whitney, please."
"Fox, she doesn't want anyone to find her. She is trying to put her life back together."
"Listen, I can't.."
"Fox, it's her choice."
"Whitney, please. The letter I received in the mail a few months ago was mailed from Harmony. You and I both know that she left town on that night, which means that someone must have mailed it for her. You are the only person she would trust with this. I know she told you."
"Even if I knew I wouldn't tell you, because you betrayed her."
"Don't you think I know. I want to make things right between us again. I want her to know that I never lied about my feelings for her, that I wasn't putting on an act."
"Weren't you, Fox."
"No, I wasn't. I really love her, and that letter I received from her..."
He pulled out the paper from his pocket. "Read it Whitney and tell me that I should leave her alone."
Whitney took the paper and started reading it.
"I thought you were different, but I was wrong. I thought I could trust you, but I was wrong. I thought you cared, but you didn't. You said you loved me but you lied. Your lies and deceit cost me my son. I am sorry I was blind, I'm sorry I allowed myself to open my heart and love you. I'm sorry I let you in my life and I'm sorry I didn't listen to everyone when they told me you were bad news. You took my son away from me, but there is one thing you have given me and I will never let you take it back. Never."
"What do you want me to say about this, Fox?"
"Say that you'll help me."
"No, I won't."
"Then tell me, what is this thing that I gave her and she won't allow me to take back?"
"I don't know."
"Whitney, you can't lie to a liar."
He walked away. She watched him and whispered,
"I'm sorry, but I will not betray my friend."
"What do you mean she vanished?"
Fox was glaring at the man standing in front of him.
"I paid you good money, you have to give me results."
"But Mr. Crane, it's like she never existed. There is no trace of her. Her trail stops at the airport."
Fox picked up a photograph from the desk.
"Do you see this picture? I want this woman back."
"Yes, Mr. Crane. I'll give it another try."
"This is not good enough. You are a private investigator, you are supposed to be one of the best in this country."
"Yes, sir. I will get back to you as soon as I find something."
The man was standing in front Fox. "And what the Hell are you waiting for? Go, do your damn job."
"I just wanted to tell you that the longer she is gone, the harder it will be to find her."
"What, do you expect me to pay you more? She has been gone for practically a year. I spent close to a million for you to find her. You are fired."
"Fired?"
"Yes, fired. Leave everything you found on this desk. I'll find her myself. Now, get out."
"But Mr. Crane..."
"I said get out."
The man left the library leaving everything behind him. Fox picked up a picture of him and Teresa smiling at each other.
"Where have you gone, Teresa?"
"As far away as possible from you."
"Go away, Ethan."
"No, you think I'm scared of you like that poor man was?"
"That poor man as you call him hasn't done anything to find her."
"Fox, she doesn't want to be found."
"How would you know?"
"Let's face it, Fox. She's either dead or alive somewhere trying to built a life for herself. Can you blame her? After what you did to her."
"I loved her, I love her. If it were up to me, Grandfather would never have found out about us."
"It was a poorly kept secret, Fox."
"What do you mean? We were discrete about it."
"That's probably because you thought that no one would go up to the cabin?"
"I'm sorry, what did you just say?"
Fox was staring at Ethan.
"You saw us together and you blew the whistle, didn't you?" "I..I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do. You went up to the cabin thinking that Teresa was alone and you found me there with her. You came back here and told Father and Grandfather. You did this to her."
"I might have told everyone about your sordid little affair but you were her downfall."
"No, I was going to give up my inheritance when we came back from the cabin. You see, Ethan..it wasn't as important as she was to me. I will find her and make her understand."
Fox got up and left, leaving Ethan alone.
"Not if I find her first. I divorced Gwen for a reason and I'm not about to let you find Teresa. Alistair is on my side. He threw roadblocks for the investigator, he'll do the same for you."
**************************
"Whitney, you have to help me."
"Help you for what?"
"I have the feeling that you know where Teresa was."
"No, I don't."
"Whitney, please."
"Fox, she doesn't want anyone to find her. She is trying to put her life back together."
"Listen, I can't.."
"Fox, it's her choice."
"Whitney, please. The letter I received in the mail a few months ago was mailed from Harmony. You and I both know that she left town on that night, which means that someone must have mailed it for her. You are the only person she would trust with this. I know she told you."
"Even if I knew I wouldn't tell you, because you betrayed her."
"Don't you think I know. I want to make things right between us again. I want her to know that I never lied about my feelings for her, that I wasn't putting on an act."
"Weren't you, Fox."
"No, I wasn't. I really love her, and that letter I received from her..."
He pulled out the paper from his pocket. "Read it Whitney and tell me that I should leave her alone."
Whitney took the paper and started reading it.
"I thought you were different, but I was wrong. I thought I could trust you, but I was wrong. I thought you cared, but you didn't. You said you loved me but you lied. Your lies and deceit cost me my son. I am sorry I was blind, I'm sorry I allowed myself to open my heart and love you. I'm sorry I let you in my life and I'm sorry I didn't listen to everyone when they told me you were bad news. You took my son away from me, but there is one thing you have given me and I will never let you take it back. Never."
"What do you want me to say about this, Fox?"
"Say that you'll help me."
"No, I won't."
"Then tell me, what is this thing that I gave her and she won't allow me to take back?"
"I don't know."
"Whitney, you can't lie to a liar."
He walked away. She watched him and whispered,
"I'm sorry, but I will not betray my friend."