“All right, son, she’s gone. Pass me the decanter and let me fill my coffee cup. She thinks my health will change if I abstain from alcohol. Every now and again, the taste of a good whiskey comes in handy. For some reason, I’m guessing I’ll need it by the time you tell me why you’re here.”
“What I’m about to tell you might sound insane, but I promise you, it’s all true.” Jameson licked his lips and struggled with how to tell the man about Caroline.
“It’s all right, son. If it’s the truth, then everything will work out in the end,” he assured him, taking a sip of the whiskey and settling into his chair.
“I’m here to discuss your daughter, Caroline. Recent events brought you to my attention, and I need to tell you a few things. I’m Jameson Stanton. My father killed your wife, and until yesterday, I believed he murdered you, too.”
“You’re the half son,” Mr. Bates whispered, holding his hand to his chest.
“Will you be all right? Maybe I should wait until Nancy returns?” Jameson asked, thinking this might not be such a bright idea.
“If you’re here telling me this, then you’re either stupid or the opposite of James Stanton, a damn evil man,” Mr. Bates said. “Since you know my story, you must call me Thomas.”
“I don’t know everything. Only what I’ve found out recently,” he admitted quietly. “I asked a friend of mine to investigate you to ensure you weren’t part of my father’s organization. He cleared you and your wife. From what I understand, you discovered something about my father while you worked as an accountant. The following day, the bas—sorry, my father came to your home and made you call your daughter, Caroline, to return home.”
“I worked for James for six years. While going through some files of my colleague who passed, I discovered a ledger with codes. It took me two days to crack it. I thought my partner embezzled from Mr. Stanton, and I didn’t want my business to suffer,” he informed Jameson.
“Your partner fixed the books,” Jameson guessed.
“He made different ones, yes. When I cracked the code, I realized Mr. Stanton trafficked people. I believe he killed my partner. His men searched the office for the records and didn’t find them. I hid the evidence and returned home to tell my wife. When I arrived, he held a gun to her head. I knew if I gave him what he wanted, he’d kill us both and leave my lovely daughter to discover us.”
Jameson took a healthy swig of the whiskey, letting it hit his stomach.
“I explained I found no records except for a small book and played ignorant. My wife, Anna, however, panicked. In my rush to protect my family, I gave myself away. James knew what I discovered immediately. He gave me two options. Either hand over the ledgers and go quietly with them, or they’d kill Caroline on the spot. They even showed us a picture of her talking to her friends.”
“It’s not much of a choice,” Jameson said quietly.
“No. My poor Anna begged James to let her call Caroline home. I knew then I needed to wait to see my daughter one last time before I went with them. James knew he must kill me to keep the truth of his dealings. My precious girl rushed inside, and Anna panicked when she saw the expression on James’ face. She begged me to tell him where I hid the books. As soon as his eyes landed on my daughter, I knew he had changed his mind. Anna shielded Caroline, hoping to remind James of our deal, but the evil man shot my poor Anna. I rushed to protect Carolinewhen he shot me in both knees. He took our little girl,” Thomas said, his voice shaking with grief.
“I’m surprised he left you alive,” Jameson murmured.
“He said he did it to remind me of his power. If I told a soul, he’d make Caroline pay. I searched the world for her, and now I’ve made my peace with her death. I lost Anna to cancer four years ago. By some miracle, she survived the shooting, always hoping Caroline would walk through those doors again. We spent the last years of our lives suspended in time, waiting for a daughter who’d never come with our grandchildren. Nancy has filled the last years of my life with companionship, but I’m waiting to die to see my wife and little girl again.”
“My father was a cruel man, Thomas.” Jameson said, shaking his head. “I’m sorry your family suffered because of him.”
“You keep apologizing. If I must guess, you’re not too much older than my Caroline. Such an innocent and young age to take on the sins of your father,” Thomas advised. “His actions went beyond our control. I’ll always regret finding those ledgers.”
“When Phillip died, James turned his attention to me. He blamed another woman for his misfortunes. All my life, I wanted to feel accepted, and he never gave me a second thought until he lost his first son. I almost followed his path. When I discovered his lies, he shot me in the stomach. It took me a year to recover.”
“Better a year than pushing up daisies,” Thomas replied. “I bet it hurt like hell.”
“It did, sir. When I healed, I took a job here in Texas. I locate trafficking victims. I know this may come as a shock to you, but I discovered your daughter, Caroline,” he said, pausing to let the older man absorb the news.
“You’ve…seen my daughter? My Caroline?” His eyes filled with tears. “Tell me, son, this isn’t a cruel joke.”
“It’s not, Thomas,” he assured him. Jameson pulled out his phone and showed him a couple of snapshots of Caroline. One of her laughing with Riley and another of her sleeping.
“Oh, my sweet heavens,” the man exclaimed. “Where is she?”
“My team rescued her with some other survivors. She’s in a safe place. It’s for her safety. Caroline believes you’re dead. She’s recuperating from a bout of pneumonia and injuries she sustained before we arrived.”
“When can I see my little girl?” he asked, his hands trembling.
“I’ll bring her to you,” he offered. “I needed to know you’ll take care of her. She suffers from nightmares, but she’s feisty. It’s taken me a couple of weeks to locate you. Caroline has a group of women watching over her. I’m guessing she’ll have a very strong personality by the time they’re done. But she has a vulnerable side, too. I can’t leave her without knowing you’ll ensure she attends therapy. Of course, she’ll never want for anything.”
“Son, you have given me a gift. I never thought to lay eyes on her again,” he sobbed. “When will you bring her?”
“I’ll return this weekend. She doesn’t know who I am, or rather, who my father was. This weekend, she’s attending a wedding. After the celebration, I can bring her. She’s made some good friends, and it’s important for her to have some normality. My team conducts background checks on everyone. I’ve delved into your financials, and I know you lost your home due to medical bills. I’ve secured a place for you. It’s a ranch home with a pool. You’ll no longer have to attend therapy at the community center. A therapist will work with you daily. From now on, I’ll take care of Nancy’s pay.”
