<b>Chapter </b><b>173 </b>


    After texting Gracie back, I looked up at Tyler. He looked relieved. Probably thanking the inner gods. for her text message before I went grizzly bear in the restaurant.


    “<i>When </i><i>she </i><i>tells </i><i>us </i>that name…”


    <i>“</i>I’ll be on it. We’ll have all <i>of </i><i>his </i>info <i>in </i><i>less </i>than 48hrs.”


    I nodded at Tyler as we headed back to the table.


    Zelma was eating her food; it looked like Dous and Parys were able to calm her in my stead. She looked up at me with a weary but warm expression.


    “How’s your meal?”


    My voice was still husky.


    <i>“</i><i>It’s </i><i>excellent </i>Mr. <i>Christiansen</i>. <i>You </i><i>were </i><i>right</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    She smiled lightly as I sat down.


    “Ms. <i>Fynch</i><i>…</i><i>I </i><i>want </i><i>to </i><i>apologize </i><i>for </i><i>my-</i>”


    She held her hand up as she wiped the corners of her mouth.


    “<i>No </i><i>apologies </i><i>necessary </i><i>Mr. </i><i>Christiansen</i>. <i>You </i><i>love </i><i>Ms. </i><i>Grd</i><i>, </i><i>that </i>much <i>I </i>can tell. <i>Your </i>anger <i>is </i><i>beyond </i><i>warranted</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    I nodded. I was d she understood, but my behavior was out of line.


    “<i>I </i><i>appreciate </i><i>you’re </i><i>saying </i><i>that</i><i>. </i><i>But </i><i>please </i><i>ept </i><i>my </i><i>apology</i>.<i>” </i>


    <i>“</i><i>epted</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    She smiled as she sipped her water.


    <i>“</i><i>Benard </i><i>Thorton</i><i>. </i><i>He’s </i><i>called </i><i>their </i><i>‘</i><i>handyman</i><i>‘</i><i>; </i><i>but </i><i>really </i><i>what </i><i>he </i><i>is</i><i>…</i><i>is </i><i>the </i><i>person </i><i>they </i><i>call </i><i>to </i><i>handle </i><i>all </i>


    of <i>their </i><i>dirty </i><i>work</i><i>. </i><i>I </i><i>would </i><i>locate </i>him as soon <i>as </i><i>possible </i><i>if </i><i>I </i><i>were </i><i>you</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    <b>11:14 </b>Thu, Sep 11


    I didn’t like the way she said that.


    “Do you have concerns?”


    ??


    “Yes. As of now, <i>there’s </i>nothing <i>I’ve </i><i>heard </i><i>regarding </i><i>Grd</i><i>…</i><i>but </i><i>I </i><i>would </i><i>never </i>put <i>anything </i>past a person that had no problem <i>killing </i>an infant. <i>The </i><i>day </i>my <i>madam </i><i>found </i>out Grd was still alive<i>, </i><i>he </i>didn’t seem surprised, but he <i>did </i>offer to <i>handle </i><i>her</i>‘ for my mistress. <i>The </i><i>only </i><i>thing </i><i>that </i><i>stopped </i>them… my sir had already arranged for <i>her </i>arrival.<i>” </i><fn0352> Chapters first released on find{n}ovel</fn0352>


    We all sat in shock at those words. She was STILL considering murdering her own daughter. I could feel my temper rising back up when Dous asked an important question.


    “You said he didn’t seem surprised <i>Gracie </i>wasn’t <i>dead</i><i>…</i><i>is </i><i>it </i>possible <i>he </i>couldn’t kill her when she was a baby…so he gave <i>her </i>to Diana <i>Teagues</i><i>? </i>


    <i>Interesting</i><i>. </i>


    Zelma looked at Dous with a look of rity.


    “<i>You </i>know<i>…</i>that’s <i>highly </i><i>possible</i>. <i>Maybe </i><i>he </i><i>isn’t </i><i>a </i><iplete </i><i>monster</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    I needed to know EVERYTHING about the night Gracie was born. I needed to speak with this Bernard


    Thorton ASAP.


    Zelma finished her meal, rifying any information or questions we had regarding Grd. There were a few things I was certain of following this meeting, <ol><li>The Rochesters <i>were </i><i>without </i>a <i>doubt </i><i>some </i>of <i>the </i><i>worst </i>people to <i>have </i><i>ever </i><b><i>be </i></b>born. </li><li><i>Benard </i>Thorton <i>would </i><b><i>be </i></b><b><i>the </i></b><b><i>key </i></b>to <i>answering </i>all <b>of </b><b>Gracie’s </b><i>questions </i><b><i>regarding </i></b><b><i>her </i></b><i>adoptive </i></li></ol>


    <i>mother</i><b><i>. </i></b><ol start="3"><li><i>The </i><i>punishment </i>I had instore <b>for </b><b>the </b><b><i>Rochesters</i></b>…it was sure <b>to </b><b><i>be </i></b><i>filled </i>with <b><i>exquisite </i></b><b><i>pain</i></b>. </li></ol>


    I ordered a ride share for Zelma, she stated she would be staying with her friend this weekend. As she headed to the car, I thanked her for everything she’d done to protect and help Gracie.


    “<i>I </i><i>wish </i><i>I </i><i>could </i><i>have </i><i>done </i><i>more</i>…I <i>should </i><i>have </i><i>done </i><i>more</i>…I owed <i>her </i><i>this</i><i>.</i>”


    I nodded in response; I knew the feeling.


    As she prepared to get into the car, she called back out to me.


    <i>“</i><i>Mr. </i><i>Chris</i><i>!</i><i>” </i>


    I turned back in her direction; my mask was now back over my face.


    <i>“</i><i>Grd</i><i>…</i>is <i>she </i><i>happy</i><i>?</i>”


    ?. (50


    I paused for a moment before pulling out my phone. I walked over to her and showed her the picture


    Gracie had just sent me.


    She stared at the picture for a few moments; tear drops falling onto the screen. She let out a light


    sigh and got into the car. I closed her door and wave her off as she drove away in her ride share.


    It was now almost 5:30pm, time to get back home to my love.


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