Chapter 3

Tracking the woman who had destroyed their family wasn't hard. Convincing Richard to let her handle her, on the other hand, had been. But as was often times the case when Emily Gilmore dug her heels in, she got her way.

And at that moment her heels ere leading her across the lobby of a hotel that had certainly seen better days. Scanning the area with distaste, Emily once more wondered how someone with so little class could have gotten a judge to side with her over them. Then again, as the woman in question pranced into the room, she could pretty well guess. "Sorry, hon. We're booked. But if you want to make a reservation we might be able to work something out," Roxy said, eyeing the other woman's subtle designer clothing and classic pearls.

"I'm not here for a room."

"Well. Sorry. Gave at the office."

"Do I look like I'd be collecting funds from a place like this?" Emily asked her distaste clear in her voice.

"Hey, it might not be the Ritz, but it's my place."

"How lovely for you."

"What do you want, lady? I've got things to do."

"You don't recognize me, do you?"

"Should I?"

"I'm Emily Gilmore."

"So?"

"So?" Emily asked annoyed. "So, I'm the woman whose family you destroyed."

"Yeah, that narrows it down."

"You took my daughter away," she clarified stiffly, watching as Roxy's expression changed to one of understanding.

"She wasn't your kid."

"And, it would now appear, that she wasn't yours either."

"What? The high and mighty want to step off the hill and pass judgment?"

"I want to see my daughter."

"She ain't. . ."

"Don't you dare say that!"

"Yeah, well. Where have you been?" Roxy challenged, smirking as she started to run down the list of her 'daughter's' sins. "Huh? Where were you when she married the cult guy? When her husband was killed trying to get her away from kidnappers? When she was fooling around with Crammer? Where have you been while she's been in the hot seat? Huh? Because I don't remember seeing you around."

Emily blanched at that, "if Natalie had called we would have been here."

"Well, she didn't call you, now did she? She's got richer and better than you. She's got momma Roxy and rich momma Vickie, so what the hell does she need you for?"

Inhaling, Emily straightened her spine and reached into her Channel purse to pull out her checkbook. "Well, we'll just let her decide. Now, how much would you like for the information. That was always what it was about with you, wasn't it? The money. At lest up until the end. Then you only wanted to hurt and destroy her."

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Don't I? You had to have known that she wasn't your child. You probably also knew who her biological parents were. If you hadn't you would've allowed her to stay with us. You saw dollar signs."

"I wanted my kid back."

"Whatever you say. Now, how much will it cost me for you to give me that information?"

Roxy laughed at her then: "honey, just knowing that Natty will slam the door in that holier than thou face will be more than enough payment," she shot back as she pulled a pencil out of her hair and a piece of crumpled paper out of the pocket of her too tight jeans. She quickly scribbled an address on the paper and threw it at Emily. "Don't let the door hit ya, where the good lord split ya," she added before stalking off.

Head held high, Emily looked at the address before turning on her heel and walking out, wondering if the other woman was right. Wondering if all she and Richard would receive would be a door slamming in their faces. . .