Golden could only nod, words failing her. She’d thought the situation was sad but it was past that. It was pathetic. She had a mother who was so blind to the truth, so brainwashed by her husband, she couldn’t even think straight.
The realization only strengthened her resolve. If she was to save her mother she had to get her hand on that money.
And whatever it took, she would do it.
***
“Thank God.” Reed dropped his forehead onto his palm and his body sagged with relief. “I thought it would never happen.”
“Well it did, so get your tail out here first thing tomorrow and deal with your business.’
“I’ll be there tonight,” Reed told Max. “I haven’t got a moment to lose.”
Within hours he was in the air, his private jet on its way to the United States. The firm Max had put on the case, Accelerated Investigation Services, had delivered as promised, tracking Carrie down in Massachusetts. Carrie Kingston, now a registered nurse at Mount Auburn Hospital. She’d been a junior when he’d met her in Las Vegas. He could thank his lucky stars that he’d finally remembered, or at least come close, to the name of the college she’d been attending when they met. She’d mentioned it in passing but it had totally slipped his memory until four days earlier. He’d been in the bathroom shaving, the TV on in the bedroom, when he’d heard a commercial that made him snap to attention. Hershey’s Chocolate. Hershey? Hershey College.
Face covered in foam he’d shot to the phone and called Max immediately. That, it turned out, had been exactly what they’d needed, a piece of the puzzle that gave them a location and, better yet, an institution to which to tie the mystery woman.
And now he would see her again. All he had to do was get her to free him from the prison he’d locked himself in.
Next morning, drained by jetlag but not letting that stop him, Reed was on his way to the Cambridge address provided by the P.I. firm. They’d already made contact with Carrie Kingston and she was expecting him at nine o’clock.
He got to Lowell Street with fifteen minutes to spare. He parked on the street a short distance from the house and sat in the car, anxious to hop out and ring the doorbell but loathe to disturb her before the appointed time.
When it finally came around to nine o’clock Reed was already standing on the front porch, ringing the doorbell. It opened immediately and there in the doorway stood the girl he remembered, not looking a day older than when he’d last seen her, and she was smiling.
“Reed. I never thought I’d see you again. Come on in.” Still smiling, she stepped back. “I was in shock when I heard you were trying to track me down.”
Reed was in shock, too, at such a warm reception. He’d expected confusion or resentment and even anger. After all, he’d married the woman and then abandoned her. But this?
Carrie ushered him into her comfortably furnished living room where she directed him to a fat plaid sofa. “Have a seat. I’ll get you something to drink. Coffee? Tea?” She gave him an alluring smile. “I guess it’s too early for a beer.”
“Uh, I’m good, thanks. I don’t need anything right now.” Reed could feel a bead of sweat running down his back. This was too easy. Too good to be true. Why was she being so friendly? He had the uneasy feeling that things would soon take a turn for the worse.
Carrie shrugged. “All right.” Then to Reed’s surprise she bypassed the armchair and came to sit on the sofa beside him. “So,” she said, turning to him, still smiling, “why did you hunt me down? I’m dying to know.”
That made Reed freeze. Eyes narrowed, he searched her face. How could she not know? They’d gotten married in a drunken stupor and now, years later, he’d come to find her. That could only mean one thing. He wanted a divorce.
He was opening his mouth to say just that when her next words knocked the wind out of him.
“Are you here to ask me to marry you for real this time?”
Carrie Kingston was staring right at him, looking like she meant every word. “I’m glad you found me,” she continued. “I never forgot you but I thought there was no hope. When I got the call that you were looking for me, I knew. I’ve been on your mind all this time, haven’t I?”
For a moment all Reed could do was stare. Words failed him. How the hell was he going to dig himself out of this mess?
Obviously, the girl had feelings for him or she’d convinced herself that she did. She’d assumed he’d come looking for her to rekindle whatever it was they had that one night in Vegas. What the heck was she going to do when she found out his reason for hunting her down was the very opposite?
He grimaced, not knowing where to start. Finally, he just spoke. “Carrie, I’m sorry but I’m not here to renew a relationship with you. I’m here to ask you for a divorce.”
“A divorce?” Carrie’s eyes widened in shock. “You came looking for me to ask for a divorce?”
His eyes never leaving her face, Reed nodded. “Yes. I’m sorry.”
The light went out of Carrie’s eyes. Her shoulders sagged and she looked away. Finally, she shook her head and got up. Then she laughed and looked back at Reed. “I should have known better. It was too good to be true. How pathetic can you get?” She slid her hands into the pockets of her slacks and looked up at the ceiling. When she looked down at him again she was still smiling, but it was a sad-looking smile. “I am such an idiot. Sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry.” Reed stood up but he did not move toward her. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t even think you remembered me.”
“Oh, I remembered you, all right. I thought about you for a long time after I left Las Vegas. I just never thought I’d ever see you again. And then when I heard you were looking for me...” She shrugged. “Let’s just say I made a hell of a wild assumption.”
Reed didn’t know what to say in answer to that but when the silence stretched on he had to speak. “Will you give me the divorce?”