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Chapter 58 — Captured? (2 Part)
"I am not a criminal," Mary's uncle hard said. "My plans did not including to take hostages or kill anyone." He paused and added: "All that I wanted is just to meet with my own nieces."
"Really?" Mary's voice is dangerously trembling. Mason calmly pressed her palm and then looks at Mr. Duvall.
"Drop it, Lawrence; we know that you were the person who was behind the hunt for Mary and me for months. It's not the big secret now. Keith Timmons is afraid you, but his own head is meaning for him more then your orders. In fact he gave Mary your address by his own hands. Your game is over."
"See, at the point in the script I must begin to cry and repent, but then begin preparations to murder and at the last moment gallant Santa Barbara police taken me red-handed? No need to dramatize, attorney. Here not gangster's lair."
"Fine. I pleased that we came to understanding. And since it's very possible that you agree to answer our questions?" Mason bent his head.
"It's possible, I agree. Assign your own questions."
"Well. Why you kept Christie as the hostage and said her lies about yours ID? Why you did call Mary from D.A.'s office and try to scare her? Why you did your best to attack me?"
Lawrence Duvall gravely takes breath and lowered himself in easy chair opposite them.
"About Christie it's just the accident. I did not know that she saw me earlier and thought that I am Kennett. And when she called me "dad", I just did not make clear that she did the mistake. I did guess that with her mistake would simpler for me to make her trust me. Christie flashed up and turns back to him."
"But my call," he continued, "must not to scare Mary, I just wanted to contact with her. D.A.'s office was my mistake, it seems to me that you cannot able to track be from it earlier than I want. And finally about your least statement (by the way, absolutely proof less one) I can say only that I have been always wanted that Mary was happy--"
"You said this before," Mary interrupted him. "But I cannot understand as you can think about my happiness and trying to kill my soon-be husband in the same time."
"Mason Capwell is not best man for you, my dear," sounded the answer.
Mason turned white and slowly got up.
"So here is it that," he said. Suddenly all bit of the puzzle got up on their own places in his mind. "So you were the person who rescued Mary and placed her in the hospital. Did you?"
Mary shocked look at Larry, but he just nodded.
"Yes, it's been me."
"But you rescued her not for bestial Mason Capwell. Her husband Mark McCormick was much better then he. It's OK that he raped her, it's OK that later he getting involved with illegal sale organ. Don't care; he was better than Mason Capwell."
"Raped?" Lawrence's face changed. "What are you talking?"
"Ah, what sincere perplexity! I don't believe that such prudent person as you as did not read the newspapers. This story was in details illuminated for one and half year away."
Lawrence sharply stretched his hand to some button and pressed it. Sounded the call, and was immediately open door and the service person come in.
"Get the Santa Barbara Times of--"
"Of May," Mason complaisant prompted.
"... Of May of past year. Now."
"On my way," the personal secretary (who was obviously) leaves out.
The room was kept the silence.
"If it's truth--" began Lawrence, but at the point he was brought newspapers, and he became quickly to turn its pages.
Mary would recognize these issues anywhere. She convulsive swallows and Mason embraced her for her shoulder.
"Soon all is ended," he whispered. Mary nodded and tried to relax. This nightmare must be having the end. Someday.
Lawrence makes the sound look like exclamation and goes to the next page. Having looked her and more one, he finally threw newspapers on the table. His face seemed was shocked.
"I had no an idea about what was happened," he said with cawing voice. "I must to say that these facts become some like a shock for me."
"But your trying to kill Mason become some like a shock for us," Mary showed her voice.
"So Mr. Duvall? Really you did change your opinion about Mark and me for the last 15 minutes?"
"About McCormick I really changed. But I cannot say the same about you. I aware about all scandals with you, about your reputations, about your family, finally. Mary cannot be amongst Capwells."
"I myself decide where I want be," Mary upset said. "My God, how little you are different with dad. Outwardly, may be yes. But inwardly... inwardly just rot only. You do not know what the love is. Even dad said this once.
Oddly to say but Mary's words gave the effect to Lawrence even more than all of rest. He turned pale, then reddened and got up.
"You knew nothing about him or me or about my and his lives. My brother--"
"Not dare even speak about him! He was really the good person, not like you. He cannot even think to kill my loved man because of his reputations or reputations to his family," Mary's eyes hurled to lightings, voice trembled from fury. "I remember that the talk. I am just a child but dad told that loves my mom no matter. This was shortly before his death. Then you said that to love nobody much more simply, much more burdensome! See, I guess that you think this now too? Am I right?"
"You was a child, you did misunderstand the talking--"
"I did fine understand. But now I want to say you something," Mary pulled out her hand from Mason's hands and come close to Lawrence. "I hate you, Uncle Larry. I hate you for all that you did. For trying to kill Mason, for your interruption in my life, for kidnapping my sister, for the lies that you put up around itself, for your attitude to dad... I do not want to know you, do not want that you come to my husband and soon-be baby. And me. Listen?! Never!"
Lawrence Duvall silently looks at Mary. She did the step to door.
"And now we will leave out, and nobody stop us. And will not stopping further while we not go away enough far."
Lawrence shakes his head.
"I cannot allow you leave out. You are too aggressive against me and..."
At the point the door sharply open and the bulky guard appeared on the threshold.
"Mr. Duvall, there are police... With search warrant."
"What?" he jumps up.
"Cruz," Mason smiled in first time for all time. "Cruz Castillo, my friend and best police detective of all who I know. Do not advise to hold us, Lawrence. Later this can be too expensive for you."
Lawrence halfhearted look at Mary then at the guard and finally at Mason again.
"You are right," he agreed and addressed to the guard. "Let in the officer, we hide nothing."
The guard runs downstairs but Mary grins at the last Larry's words.
"Mary, I am really sorry--"
"I don't care. Let's go, Mason. Christie..."
They had time to pass only a few steps and got in Cruz's hands. He released the breath of the relief.
"THANK GOD, you're OK! I even thought that I need to search all manors for yours."
"No, we are OK. Thank you, Cruz. You even cannot image how much I thank you," Mary embraced him and Mason shakes his hand.
In minutes Mason, Mary and Christie came out of mansion of Lawrence Duvall and moved to police cars, which stood on the opposite side of the entrance gate. They feel that they were extraordinarily lucky that they make it.
Lawrence Duvall watched after all of three from window of his cabinet which got the nickname "the crypt" because it's good deafening. He kept quiet and tried to understand what was happened here. All went by the way that was not the same with way that he wants, but he did not know how he can correct the situation. "But I'll do anything," he promised himself. "I can not reject that I want to make".
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