CHAPTER 22
Secret Meeting
"Hello, is this Whitney Russell?"
"Yes, this is she. Who's asking?"
"My name is Dylan. There are some important things that you need to know, so that you can help me."
"Who are you and what do you need my help for?"
"You'll know soon enough. A woman will be in Harmony tomorrow to meet you."
"I will not meet anyone unless...hell, hello!"
The line was silent.
"What the hell was that all about?"
She kept thinking who this Dylan was as she went to bed.
The next morning, she walked back to her parents' house after her tennis practice. As she was turning the key in the knob, a voice rose behind her.
"Excuse me, Miss Russell."
She turned around and faced a tall and elegant young woman.
"And you are?"
"Dylan sent me. I'm his sister Jennie."
"I don't know him. What is this all about anyway?"
"I can't discuss this outside. It would very nice of you if you can let me in."
Whitney looked at her suspiciously.
"I am not here to harm you, I'm not dangerous I promise."
"I can't say that it's reassuring, but come in."
They both went in and Whitney showed her to a seat inside the living room.
"So, what is this all about?"
"Fox Crane."
"I'm sorry, did you say Fox?"
Jennie nodded.
"What about him?"
"I know that it is everyone's belief that he died in the plane crash. But he is alive."
"You are kidding me, right?"
"No, I am not."
"If Fox was still alive, he would be with Teresa right now. He wouldn't have let her go through all the pain she experienced when she lost him and their baby."
"She was pregnant?"
"That's beside the point, she went through hell and now you're telling me that he is still alive?"
"You might want to know the entire story before you jump to conclusions."
"It better be good."
"Fox missed his flight because he forgot his documents."
"He missed his flight, but why didn't he called Teresa to let her know?"
"He called Dylan to come and get him, but while he was waiting for my brother, someone tried to take him out. And not once, it happened many times. Fox has been living from day to day the past 5 years. He has been trying hard to stay alive."
"Does he have an idea of who is trying to get him?"
"I think we are all thinking his grandfather."
"Why would Alistair would want to have one of his heirs killed?"
"Because he might have found out that Fox was planning on running away with Teresa."
"But that doesn't make sense. The day Fox died, Teresa told me that Alistair seemed pretty distraught."
"Please, the old man is a total psychopath. He did threaten to have Teresa killed if Fox didn't go back to his family."
"But why not just kill Teresa?"
"If he had her killed, then you would know. I understand that Teresa left a lengthy letter with you that you would give her brother if something was to happen to her."
"Yes, she did. How do you know?"
"Fox told her to do it and he did the same. He gave his to Dylan. Besides, if Alistair has Teresa killed than he'll have to go after you also because you know that he is behind it. He would have to go after Dylan because of what he knows also and then me. Too many people to kill. It's much easier to take out the heir of the family by having him assassinated in an airport full of travelers. Fox was on his way to discuss money with a very powerful Spanish family that is pretty much like his. Dylan thinks that Alistair's plan was to pin Fox's murder on the rivals of that Spanish family. That way, he can cry the death of his grandson and heir and not be suspected of anything."
"So, what now then?"
"Dylan seems to believe that Alistair has given up on finding Fox. I think the general idea is that Teresa will never find out that he is still alive. The last time someone attempted to murder him was 2 years ago. Since then, he's been moving around mostly because of rumors. We don't feel his life is threatened anymore."
"Are you trying to tell me that he wants to enter in contact with Teresa?"
"No, he wants to keep her in the dark about his whereabouts. He is worried that whoever is trying to get to him will get to her and that she'd be caught in the crossfire."
"That's fair enough."
"But is Whitney? This man is broken inside. This is certainly not the Fox Crane I met 8 years ago. This man is the shadow of what he used to be. He is unhappy, lonely and he needs her back in his life."
"But Teresa has tried so hard to move on with her life. Do you really want to do this to her. Tell her that he is alive but also tell her that she can never see him? That would be cruel and she will never have peace."
"You didn't get me, Whitney. Dylan wants to bring them together again. Teresa can't be in love with that Ethan fellow."
"No, she isn't."
"Well then, will you help me and Dylan with our plan?"
"I don't know. This is so risky."
"Take the risk, take the chance. Isn't it worth it in the end to know that your friends are happy?"
"I guess it is."
"You still have the identifications papers and everything else Fox sent to your house for his plan?"
"As a matter of fact, I still do."
"Good, we will need it. You will try and dissuade Teresa from marrying Ethan. But don't tell her that Fox is still alive. She cannot find out about it until she left the country."
"How do I know you are not setting us up?"
"Because of this."
She opened her purse and pulled out an old photograph. It was Fox, Jennie and another guy. Whitney assumed it was Dylan.
"Dylan and Fox have known each other since their first day in boarding school. They were always roommates and they are excellent friends."
"I see."
"It was nice meeting you and I hope you will do the right thing. Dylan will be in touch. We need you for this."
"Why?"
"Because both Teresa and Fox trust you."
Jennie got up to leave. She looked back at Whitney.
"No one can know about this. It's important that this doesn't go back to Alistair. It's a question of life and death."
"Yes, I understand."
Whitney opened the door and watched Jennie leave.
"I guess this is what I was waiting for. Teresa cannot marry Ethan."
She walked inside the living room. She was having a hard time processing everything. But then a smile touched her lips.
"But Fox is alive and that's all that matters."
"Hello, is this Whitney Russell?"
"Yes, this is she. Who's asking?"
"My name is Dylan. There are some important things that you need to know, so that you can help me."
"Who are you and what do you need my help for?"
"You'll know soon enough. A woman will be in Harmony tomorrow to meet you."
"I will not meet anyone unless...hell, hello!"
The line was silent.
"What the hell was that all about?"
She kept thinking who this Dylan was as she went to bed.
The next morning, she walked back to her parents' house after her tennis practice. As she was turning the key in the knob, a voice rose behind her.
"Excuse me, Miss Russell."
She turned around and faced a tall and elegant young woman.
"And you are?"
"Dylan sent me. I'm his sister Jennie."
"I don't know him. What is this all about anyway?"
"I can't discuss this outside. It would very nice of you if you can let me in."
Whitney looked at her suspiciously.
"I am not here to harm you, I'm not dangerous I promise."
"I can't say that it's reassuring, but come in."
They both went in and Whitney showed her to a seat inside the living room.
"So, what is this all about?"
"Fox Crane."
"I'm sorry, did you say Fox?"
Jennie nodded.
"What about him?"
"I know that it is everyone's belief that he died in the plane crash. But he is alive."
"You are kidding me, right?"
"No, I am not."
"If Fox was still alive, he would be with Teresa right now. He wouldn't have let her go through all the pain she experienced when she lost him and their baby."
"She was pregnant?"
"That's beside the point, she went through hell and now you're telling me that he is still alive?"
"You might want to know the entire story before you jump to conclusions."
"It better be good."
"Fox missed his flight because he forgot his documents."
"He missed his flight, but why didn't he called Teresa to let her know?"
"He called Dylan to come and get him, but while he was waiting for my brother, someone tried to take him out. And not once, it happened many times. Fox has been living from day to day the past 5 years. He has been trying hard to stay alive."
"Does he have an idea of who is trying to get him?"
"I think we are all thinking his grandfather."
"Why would Alistair would want to have one of his heirs killed?"
"Because he might have found out that Fox was planning on running away with Teresa."
"But that doesn't make sense. The day Fox died, Teresa told me that Alistair seemed pretty distraught."
"Please, the old man is a total psychopath. He did threaten to have Teresa killed if Fox didn't go back to his family."
"But why not just kill Teresa?"
"If he had her killed, then you would know. I understand that Teresa left a lengthy letter with you that you would give her brother if something was to happen to her."
"Yes, she did. How do you know?"
"Fox told her to do it and he did the same. He gave his to Dylan. Besides, if Alistair has Teresa killed than he'll have to go after you also because you know that he is behind it. He would have to go after Dylan because of what he knows also and then me. Too many people to kill. It's much easier to take out the heir of the family by having him assassinated in an airport full of travelers. Fox was on his way to discuss money with a very powerful Spanish family that is pretty much like his. Dylan thinks that Alistair's plan was to pin Fox's murder on the rivals of that Spanish family. That way, he can cry the death of his grandson and heir and not be suspected of anything."
"So, what now then?"
"Dylan seems to believe that Alistair has given up on finding Fox. I think the general idea is that Teresa will never find out that he is still alive. The last time someone attempted to murder him was 2 years ago. Since then, he's been moving around mostly because of rumors. We don't feel his life is threatened anymore."
"Are you trying to tell me that he wants to enter in contact with Teresa?"
"No, he wants to keep her in the dark about his whereabouts. He is worried that whoever is trying to get to him will get to her and that she'd be caught in the crossfire."
"That's fair enough."
"But is Whitney? This man is broken inside. This is certainly not the Fox Crane I met 8 years ago. This man is the shadow of what he used to be. He is unhappy, lonely and he needs her back in his life."
"But Teresa has tried so hard to move on with her life. Do you really want to do this to her. Tell her that he is alive but also tell her that she can never see him? That would be cruel and she will never have peace."
"You didn't get me, Whitney. Dylan wants to bring them together again. Teresa can't be in love with that Ethan fellow."
"No, she isn't."
"Well then, will you help me and Dylan with our plan?"
"I don't know. This is so risky."
"Take the risk, take the chance. Isn't it worth it in the end to know that your friends are happy?"
"I guess it is."
"You still have the identifications papers and everything else Fox sent to your house for his plan?"
"As a matter of fact, I still do."
"Good, we will need it. You will try and dissuade Teresa from marrying Ethan. But don't tell her that Fox is still alive. She cannot find out about it until she left the country."
"How do I know you are not setting us up?"
"Because of this."
She opened her purse and pulled out an old photograph. It was Fox, Jennie and another guy. Whitney assumed it was Dylan.
"Dylan and Fox have known each other since their first day in boarding school. They were always roommates and they are excellent friends."
"I see."
"It was nice meeting you and I hope you will do the right thing. Dylan will be in touch. We need you for this."
"Why?"
"Because both Teresa and Fox trust you."
Jennie got up to leave. She looked back at Whitney.
"No one can know about this. It's important that this doesn't go back to Alistair. It's a question of life and death."
"Yes, I understand."
Whitney opened the door and watched Jennie leave.
"I guess this is what I was waiting for. Teresa cannot marry Ethan."
She walked inside the living room. She was having a hard time processing everything. But then a smile touched her lips.
"But Fox is alive and that's all that matters."