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Chapter 153 — The Wrong Trace
"I wonder what you expected to see when you asked me to search information about your father." Mason asked, coming in the living room of Capwell's house in the next day.
"Sorry?" Surprised Sophia turned to him.
"You're surely known that in fact it's impossible to find any traces of your family in Pittsburgh. What was the point? Or it was just for show-off? What are you hiding?"
"Mason, what are you talking about? Why you're so aggressive? The case of my family is extremely painful to me, I never thought that you will put me that backstab," Sophia noticeably paled.
For a moment they glared at one other, and then Mason apparently relaxed.
"So why did you send me on the wrong track?" He repeated softly.
"Why on the wrong one? My family originated from Pittsburgh, I just told you."
"Do you mean that you're born there?"
"I did as my father and my mother."
Mason pursed his lips, looking intently into her face. Whether it's lying? After all, she's an actress. Or she really does not know.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"My man could not find birth records of your parents, as well as your own. In Pittsburgh."
"It's impossible!" Sophia made a wide gesture. "That just can not be."
"However, it is an indisputable fact. Either records were destroyed or never existed. Any errors excluded. So what you may say now?"
"I may say that you're gone mad or play some of your games with me. I told you the truth."
"I did, too." Mason sat down on the sofa. Then he raised his eyes to hers. "Do you want to tell me something else? Or the family research supposes to be closed now?"
"I already told you everything I knew. Mason, I do not believe that you did find nothing. It's impossible."
"I found the only record of the death of your mother. But that's all."
Sophia stared up him, then opened her mouth and closed it.
"Are you serious?"
"Absolutely."
"But my parents have been told me... told about their childhood. Exactly there."
"Looks like they're laid."
Sophia winced.
"No, they didn't. What for?"
"I have no idea. But destroy anything in the birth registration data is very difficult case, believe me."
"Then what is it?" She looked up him helplessly.
"Well, I guess, these records exist somewhere, but definitely not in Pittsburgh. Perhaps your family was originated from somewhere else. But seems it was very important for them to belong to founders of the town. Or hide the fact of their moving."
"Do you think this can be verified?"
Mason looked at her searchingly.
"It's laborious, but I think we can try. But this requires at least some details of your earlier life. Are you sure that you want to continue?"
"I do. Please, believe me, Mason. I would never joke with these things. Let alone deceive you. I am the most interested person here."
"OK, I'll try. May be I'd overreacted. But feel an idiot was not too nice. Okay... who was your father? If he had any education?"
"He was a traveling salesman..."
"What?" Mason was astonished.
"A traveling salesman. He traded books. Why are you so surprised?"
"Mary's father was also a salesman. Maybe it's sort of a family business?"
"It's coincidence, Mason. Back then many people tried to doing it."
"I aware. Tell me more... my father ever met to your father?"
"Of course, he did not. As I already said as the last time I saw my father was just before I left home to become an actress. Of course, it's happened before my acquaintance with CC."
"Then how he can knew ..." Mason stopped. "Of course. Family photos."
"Photos? I don't know that you mean. And CC knew what?"
"And I would like to know it also," the voice of the patriarch suddenly sounded. "What or who I knew?"
The retreat was already nowhere.
"About the false identify of the person who's posing himself as Bernard Wayne." Mason folded his arms on the chest. "I was the witness of this not-too-pleasant scene in my late teens."
"Oh, I see you mean," CC frowned. "But I cannot see your point."
"Wait a minute. CC, you're saying that you're visited by the man who introduced himself as my father?"
"The father threw him down the stairs" Mason put in.
"Did you throw my father down the stairs???" Sophia was horrified. "When? Why did you not say me about his visit? You know how much I want to see him!" Her voice was laced hurt and resentment.
CC shot an angry look to his oldest son and turned to his wife.
"It's happened during your missing years. In addition, that man was not your father."
"How you can know? My father could look different now..."
"No, Sophia." Mason shook his head. "After seeing pictures of your father I stopped doubting. It's not him. Not his appearance, face or hands."
"I really understand nothing," Sophia said, moving her eyes from the son to the father. "I still could understand if my father might look for me here. But having someone posing as him???"
"We'll talk later. I'll let you know if I'll find more", Mason quickly walked to the door, giving the father and Sophia a chance to sort things out.
"Why did you tell me nothing?" Sophia asked tensely when the front door slammed shut after Mason. "You're aware how it is important for me. You've even helped me look for him! I do not understand this."
"What I had to tell you? About the long time event when an unpleasant man tried to pose himself as your father who you so desperately wanted to see? I did not want to give you a false hope."
"Perhaps with helping of as you say "an unpleasant man", we would find my father!"
"I'm sorry, but back then I was sure you're dead and not expect that you would need him."
"Tell me about your meeting. What did he want? Maybe he's still my father after all?"
CC shook his head.
"I realized that he's lying from the very beginning. He wanted to see you but frankly lied about your last meeting, your last conversation. You and I discussed this for too many times when you were trying to look for him. He was not your father, just some fraud. What I cannot understand why you're discuss your missing father with my oldest son!"
"Mason helps me find him."
"Why?"
"I asked him. Do not argue, CC. I want this. But please, give me everything you remember about the man and as detailed as possible. Please, CC. Just for me."
* * *
Mary sat in the living room and sketching her children in pencil on the piece of paper: baby Mickey with a rattle in his playpen, busy Chip's building the tower of blocks, concentrated Sam's trying to put teddy bear in pants with straps. She's just outlines their faces, more sketching the contours than actually drawing. It's not-quite-drawing gives her great pleasure. And there is no risk to draw something bad! Maybe she could give something like to Christy?
The doorbell rang. Mary raised her head from the paper, she was expecting nobody.
She got up and went to the door. There's the very beautiful woman with long dark hair.
"I'm looking for Mason Capwell," she said in a sing-song, velvety voice.
"He's not home. Any message for him? I am his wife."
"No, I'll come by later if you do not mind. Oh, I'm sorry, I did not introduce myself. My name is Amy Kolbet, I and Mason went together to Harvard."
"Mary Capwell." Mary shook her hand. "I'll tell him about your visit."
The beautiful stranger leave and Mary came back to the table and stared blankly at her unfinished sketch. Mason's classmate? What is she doing here?
To her own amazement Mary realized that she's eating by jealousy. Amy Kolbet was so beautiful.
"Nonsense!" Mary sat up. "Probably they are just colleagues."
But she saw no one Mason's colleagues for whole time of their living together as before the marriage as after one. Only different delivery men brought documents for him. Mason's working life never touched their home.
Mason returned a few hours later, after the visit to his father's house he had to drop at the office of law firm and to complete some papers. He appeared just for dinner and while they eating Mason briefly retold Mary his conversation with Sophia.
"Looks like she really was not aware", he finished helping himself with the glass of wine.
"Of course, she did not. Mason, Sophia absolutely has no reasons to lie."
"You never know who and why take this path. I prefer facts, Mary. And its points to the apparent mismatch with my stepmother's story. However, just one thing became obvious for me today: Sophia really wants to find her father. Although I honestly do not understand why she does."
"For the same reason you wanted to find your mother."
Mason winced. "Hmm," he managed to utter.
"I hope she'll still succeed with your help. I wish I had even the slightest hope to see my father again!"
"I'm sorry, you have not." Mason got up, walked around the table and sat down beside Mary. "I wish to meet my old friend just once too."
Mary hugged him for a moment, pressing her face to his chest and then pulled away.
"Someone came to see you today", she said carefully choosing her words. "The woman, she named herself Amy Kolbet. She said that you and she went together at university.
"Amy Kolbet? Came here?" Mason seems very surprised. "It's... strange. I was not even known that she is in the town."
He got up and went to the phone.
Mary heard him asking for Miss Kolbet. So she is not married and has no any business with Mason.
Mary finished her dinner and walked back into the living room. Mason's already finishing his phone talking.
"Yes, of course, I'll call you. Yes. The Capwell Hotel. Well, of course, how can I invite you to our competitors? Yes. See you later." He hung up and looked at Mary. "I hope this is going to work out."
"Do you and she are going to do something?" Mary cannot help.
"Yes, we're..." Mason suddenly looked up Mary. "Wow, I detect a note of jealousy?"
"Just a little bit." Mary hid her flushed face on his chest.
"Do not be silly. We have purely business relations," Mason gently pulled back and looked straight into Mary's eyes. "Do you believe me?"
"I do", Mary accepted after a pause." But I could not help. She is very beautiful, Mason."
"Well, she was one of beauties of Harvard, so not surprisingly."
"You had an affair with her?" Mary guessed that Mason would deny it, but he nodded.
"I did, not long."
"And after the graduation?"
"No, I have not seen her since. Mary, you just said that you do believe me."
"I believe you, but don't sure about her."
"Forget Amy. You and I have much more interesting things now. In the bedroom.
Mary automatically steps to the stairs, but then she stopped.
"You hint it every time when you want to distract me from something."
"And I have been succeeding for every time. I'm just irresistible." With these words Mason pulls Mary to the master bedroom, and she had no choice but to obey.
However, she had no desire to resist. She did not want to think about the beautiful stranger who's just invading her home.
Mason loves Mary and Mary loves Mason. And they both know it.
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