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Chapter 155 — Too Different
Ending his recent cases in the office Mason's back to his father's house. He had to question Sophia about her past overwise to find the dots will be absolutely impossible.
"What else do you want to hear from me?" his stepmother surprised when he came to her with his questions. "I've already told everything I knew."
"I need the details and as many as possible. The address of the house where you lived with your parents when you were young, names of family friends, the school you went to, any mentions of other relatives. Everything that you can remember. Of course if you're not changed my mind to search your father's traces."
"No, I did not. But... Mason, are you sure you can find something? After all these years? I thought this case's absolutely hopeless."
"Under normal circumstances the chances would be slim", Mason said honestly. "But the picture in Duvall's family album and some of my contacts are increase rates. Why would not give the try after all?"
"Why do you doing it, Mason?" Sophia looked at him intensely. "You did not want to help me in first place; I saw it on your face."
He sighed. "I and Mary had the talking, and I came to the conclusion that everyone should have a second chance. Maybe you'll luckier and will get happy reunion with your father."
Sophia stared into his eyes, knowing that he has in his mind the return of Pamela which became a kind of disaster for him.
She's just said: "Thank you." Then she smiled slightly and shrugged: "Ask me, I'll try to answer."
"Good. First where you were living in Pittsburgh?"
Sophia said the address and added that the house still belongs to her. CC bought it when she began looking for his father.
"There's no one living there?" Mason asked.
"No, of course. It is closed."
"Your family ever has moved?"
"No. Or I do not remember this. But my parents always had said that our house was an ancestral."
"And what about your neighbors? If there were neighbors who were familiar with your family for many years?"
"No... I do not remember. I think my parents were not getting close to our neighbors."
Mason raised his eyebrows.
"It's a bit strange for the family belong to founders of the town."
"We're lived very quietly. All my friends were schoolmates ... I do not remember that I invited someone to my home or played with the children of neighbors. Yes, it's really strange," she thought aloud. Her chest feels the unpleasant chill.
"Yes, it's unusual. Especially for the family of the traveling salesman."
"Perhaps my father was too tired of communicating with his clients so he's not willing to talk with anyone at home. Though I don't sure about."
Mason gently asked all the details and names but he and Sophia were disappointingly it's small count. Finally Mason put his notes in the folder and takes it away in his case.
"I'm sorry, I can remember so little. No matter how hard I try." Sophia looked at him with guilt and hope.
"But it's not too little. Anyway, now we have the point where we can start."
Mason came home late when Mary already started to worry.
"I'm sorry, I just lost track of time," he kissed her at the door.
"You might call," Mary returned the kiss. "Is something wrong?"
"No, just the family investigating for Sophia."
"And how it goes? By the way, Miss Kolbet called and asked for you again."
"I aware." Mason smiled. "I just rang her doorbell when she did."
"So you spent all of time with her?" Mary surprised unpleasantly.
"I do love when you're jealous," Mason's smile widened. "Sorry, I can not help."
"This is not funny," Mary said grimly.
"I know. But my relationship with Amy is... you see she's my secret contact."
"What you mean?" Mary bit her lip.
"The thing is, Mary," Mason pulled her closer to him and put his arms around her. "Amy lives in Pittsburgh and she's investigating about Mr. Wayne due my request."
"But why you were so surprised when she came?" Mary turned to face him. "If you were the person who hired her. By the way, why you choose her? After all she's apparently a lawyer, not a private detective."
"Because I know her very well and can trust her. Sophia's case requires special privacy. I was surprised because I was on the phone to her earlier and she's not supposed to go here. But it turned out that she came on the other case and just brought me something that she managed to find. Well, happy now?"
"Pretty. I do not know why I so overreacted. I have not doubts in your love."
"I hope in my loyalty too..." He did not finish because at the point the phone rang.
Mason picked up: "Mason Capwell's house. What? Augusta? I..." But Mary immediately grabs the receiver from him: "Yes, Augusta. No, all right. When? Well, I think we can meet in the park tomorrow. Yes, at the large fountain. Okay, it's fine. Around three o'clock. We'll be there."
She hung up. Mason frowned.
"Did you agree to meet Augusta in the park? Oh no, do not tell me that you were going take Sammy along! Are you are crazy?!"
"Nothing like this. I and Augusta made the deal: I allow her to meet with Sam and she closes her mouth about Julia and pretend to be our children's aunt."
"There you go," Mason clenched his teeth. "I thought we agreed to build a united front."
"This is the point, Mason. A front. Are you really looking for a war against Augusta? I think that I just found the acceptable choice."
"I'm not looking for a war; I do not trust Augusta Lockridge! And she already proved that she's not going to deal with us. You think too well of her."
"Or you do too badly? Remember her face when crying Sammy ran to us. She was terribly terrified."
"Don't ask me to remember. I saw red when it's happened."
"Mason, she does not want to hurt Sammy. And I sure that she will not risk with repeating this traumatic experience for her niece."
"Are you sure? That's what I call credulity."
"You are too tough on."
"I cannot take any chances to damage my daughter's mind."
"And thus turn the problem into a time bomb. Sam will not always three. Now we can hide her from Augusta but what you will do if she will appear in the town when Sammy will be 7 or 10? And if Augusta would start to tell her how her evil parents hid the truth about her birth mother and prevented from seeing his own aunt?"
"Do you think she will not do if you're going to meet her halfway?" Mason smiled bitterly.
"I think she'll not. She will have not reasons. By the way she told me that you and Julia had the great love when you conceived Samantha. Is it true?" Mary looked at him questioningly.
"Of course, not!" Mason finally hit the roof, being already frustrated to the brink. "And you still want to compromise with her?!"
"Yes. Because I realized how much this situation hurt her. Mason, Augusta's not guided by a cold math. She still does grieve because of her sister's death."
"All right." Mason stared past Mary.
"Do you not going to interfere in our agreement?"
"I guess you call me a tyrant if I'll?" Mason smiled wryly.
"Mason, I love you very much. And the last thing I want is to hurt Sam. Now or in the future."
"I know. But I can not help asking myself if you would risk if the child was not my daughter, but your son?" With these words Mason turned around and quickly goes upstairs.
Mary bit her lip. She knew that he hurt badly by her taking the decision alone. But she just could not see another way out. No one...
She still spends some time in the living room but then the weariness took over, and she walks upstairs to the bedroom. Opening the door she was almost certain that she would see the empty room but she clearly could see Mason's form on the bed. That's something.
Mary undressed and lies down next to Mason. Then she reached out and feels his hand. Mason did not move. Then she put his fingers to her lips and kissed. Mason turned over and took his hand away. Mary felt a wave of cold frustration but after a moment she felt hugging arms of Mason, his breath was on her neck.
"I'm sorry..."
"No, I'm sorry..."
They were together again. Inseparable. As a whole.
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