Fractured Lines Read online

  Fractured Lines

  By

  Maggie Thom

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual people, alive or dead, business, establishments, locales or events is entirely coincidental. Any references to real events, business, organizations or locales are intended to only give the fiction a sense of realism and authenticity.

  ©Copyright Glenna Mageau (2020)

  All Rights Reserved

  Published by Quadessence Solutions Press

  Cover Design: Whimsical Reverie Design

  Formatted by: Binka Publishing

  Edited by: M. Ammons

  ISBN: 978-1-7752-698-7-8

  This book is my gift to share with you. It is meant to take you on an adventure beyond your fingertips. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in articles, interviews, and reviews. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Read...

  For the adventure!

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Chapter Fifty-four

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  Chapter Fifty-Six

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  Chapter Sixty

  Other Books by Maggie Thom

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  "I can't believe you've done this to us, to our family. It's always what you need. It doesn't matter what our daughter or I need. I'm gone."

  "You can't." He reached for her.

  "Oh, but I can. I need to. You realize what your family will do when they discover our daughter. We've fooled them for too long. Your father—"

  "Dammit! It's not fair. I don't want to lose you. I can't."

  "We don't have a choice, when he figures out you have a child—" She shuddered. "He'll never accept her. He doesn't accept me. I'm the garbage he never touches and never sees because he has servants do that for him. I come from the lowest life form to him, I live in a trailer park."

  "You can't run, you'll never be safe. I'll never see you again." He reached for her hand which she let him hold, but wouldn't let him pull her close.

  "He's done everything to keep you away from me. Even trying to pay you—he'll destroy—"

  She didn't tell him she was sure she was being followed. And had been for a while. She was sure he was being followed too. His family came from a very different world than hers. A world that didn't like poor, wrong-side-of-the-track type people entering their hemisphere, unless they were bringing a way to make money. And she had no clue how to do that. She'd fallen in love with the wrong guy. They thought they'd be safe because she lived far enough away. But not far enough that a wealthy man couldn't easily reach her.

  She'd been very careful to make sure their daughter was never seen. But what kind of life was that for a child? And how long could she really pretend that a man, who ate his food off a gold and silver embossed plate and used gold utensils, would not do something about her? Someone who barely scraped together enough pennies to pay her rent each month, never mind finding enough money to buy food.

  "Why did things become so complicated? I love you. I have since you came to my rescue seven years ago, when I was 12 and you were 14. I hadn't wanted you to know what that meant, you sticking up for me."

  It had seemed so long ago.

  She'd been so happy to get out of there. Her box size apartment, two hours away from where they'd both grown up, wasn't much, but it had gotten her out of the human snake-infested world she'd grown up in.

  "I can't put our baby through this." She started sobbing. "Why did I fall in love with you? Such a mistake."

  He pulled her into his arms. "Don't say that. You're the only good thing that's happened to me."

  She clutched at him. If she let go, she was sure the love that was so dear to her would be ripped apart by gale force winds, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. They stood there for a long time.

  "We've hidden us for a long time. We've managed to hide our girl, but my father is pressuring me, he wants me to m—"

  "Don't. I don't want to hear it. He wants you to marry Miranda." Shifting the tone of her voice to a deeper but regal voice, she continued, "A fine upstanding young woman who comes from the right stock—bred in captivity, never seeing the light of day nor having the brains to fend for herself. She will always be dependent upon her husband. The perfect mate.' Oh, and she just happens to be the daughter of Janson Wynter, whose money is older than God and who could buy heaven if he believed in it."

  He smiled sadly, which made her feel even more lost and alone.

  "Your brother must find that funny."

  He grimaced. "My brother is turning out to be a wild, out-of-control clone of my father. He's getting into so much trouble. I quit lying for him and listening to his BS."

  "You'll never be like them."

  "Father expects him to become this mega-mogul who will one day take the family business to a whole new height. And I'm expected to get on board and follow 'the way.' But I can't. Father is playing this game that he belongs with the mega-rich and famous who could, and probably do, buy and sell governments. He's destroyed others, just because he can. He takes their wealth, their dignity, their families, and their beautiful mansions—all in the name of money. Cal is like him, but worse."

  "Yeah. I don't think your dad has stooped to selling drugs, theft, and whatever else your brother has gotten into. He scares me. I'm sure I'll be on his hit list one day." She ducked her head, not wanting him to realize she probably already was. "I can't do this."

  "No. I won't let that happen. Dammit. Give me some time to figure this out. Please. Promise me you won't do anything rash? Just be patient. I'll get us away from them, safely." He kissed her deeply before pulling back. "Here's the money to get set up in a new town, a new
place. If you move to Vale, it's only an hour away. Far enough, but also close enough."

  She hugged him tight. What she was going to do was a bit rash, but it would save them all a lot of heartache in the long run. And maybe they could be together.

  ~~~~

  "Where is she?"

  "Haven't seen her in months. It might even be years now. No idea."

  "You're her mother, shouldn't you know?"

  "She buggered off. One less mouth to feed." The woman cackled as she took her lighter and held it under the piece of tinfoil, where her current hit of drugs sat. With a glass straw, she quickly inhaled the fumes it created. "She did nothing but complain. Do I care where she went? Hell no. Not my problem."

  She held out the tinfoil to her young friend. "Want to try it?"

  He stepped up and took a hit. "Whoa, that's good. What have you got for me to sell this week?"

  "Some new stuff that's hitting the streets. A new-hit wonder. You'll love it."

  "We'll explode this business. I can get drugs in and out of this country, so easy."

  "Try to cut me out and I'll castrate you."

  The young man stepped back several steps. "Not my plan. I can help though with increasing our base. You keep your daughter away from my family."

  "You suggesting she isn't good enough?"

  His eyes widened when he realized his mistake. "No. But I don't want her screwing this up. Do you think she'd be happy with what you're doing?"

  "She can't be that stupid. She grew up in this house. If she doesn't know, she's gone blind and dumb."

  He laughed. The woman laughed with him. He wasn't about to correct her that he was laughing not at what she said, but it was about what she'd said. If her daughter couldn't look at her and see that she was a lying, conniving addict, one who would be easy to steal from, then she really wasn't all that smart. And definitely not good for his family. His brother already played the idiot. He didn't need him finding a woman who was just as bad. This woman's daughter could screw up everything. He had a sweet deal. The fewer people who knew about his relationship with this woman, the better for him.

  He was going to get rich and powerful, without his father's help. This woman would be his drug mule to get there. She'd set up a small business right from her trailer. She'd been keeping him high for almost eight years, since he was 15. But now he was ready to expand the business. He just had to find the right time to tell her he could do it. He could take her dinky little operation and make it into something big.

  He would be rich. And not because of his old man.

  The woman took another hit and then offered it to him. The thought that he really shouldn't, crossed his mind, but it was gone in an instant. He was smarter than all of them and he would prove it. Just not today. Taking a long, deep drag, the effects soon relaxed him into the netherworld that he loved. He flopped backward onto the couch, sending newspapers, wrappers, and dust mites flying.

  ~~~~

  "Marcy?" He looked at the woman, puzzled.

  "It's me."

  "Do you know how hard it was to find you? I looked for months. If you hadn't contacted me, I'd have never—" He crushed her to him. "Never do that again. I get it. My father is unpredictable—"

  "And an arrogant ass. But your brother is the one who scares me." She laid her head on his chest.

  "I'm sorry. I wish I had different relatives. But I don't. You're who I want for my family. You're all I want. You and our baby. Where is she?"

  She looked up at him. "Safe. Joan's with her. I couldn't bring her. She's doing amazing. I miss you so much."

  "Moving away was smart, but that letter you sent me? He might have read it." He pushed her back. "What did you do?"

  "I had a little work done."

  With his index finger, he traced her nose, her brow, her cheeks. "But your face, it's so different. I didn't think that was what you would use the money I gave you for. I could pass you on the street and not have recognized you."

  "I know, love. That's the point."

  "I almost didn't approach you, but you were the only one in a jade-colored dress, sitting by the fountain."

  "That's why I did it. That's why I had my face redone. Now, I can hide in plain sight and right next door. And I have been. I'm back living about an hour away. The other direction from where I grew up. It's perfect." She hesitated for a moment before pulling away and sitting back down. "You didn't get married, did you?"

  "No! I couldn't. If I had, you'd have heard about it. It would be in every newspaper, on every radio, and, if my dad had his way, on billboards as well."

  "How did you convince him?"

  "I didn't. I said no. Actually, I told him if he kept pushing, I'd tell everyone I was joining the monastery. He backed off."

  She giggled. "Oh, love. You are definitely not joining a monastery." She waved at her face. "This is the answer. No one will know. Now it's your turn. We can be free. We can live anywhere."

  "My father would never let me go, love. He'd search forever. I can't."

  "So, he wins. I lose." She pressed her hands to her face before she got up and ran.

  "Marcy! No! We'll make this work, I promise."

  Chapter 2

  Andi pushed the cart down the aisle. Her mom stopped every few feet to pick up some vegetable or fruit, stare at it for a few minutes, and then either put it back or put it into the cart. She always looked so deep in thought when she did it. Andi was sure she was trying to figure out if she could use it in one of the dishes she was making that evening for her dinner party. Her meals were definitely five-star. Everyone who was invited always raved about and wanted her recipes. But she always declined, probably because she never followed a recipe and it would never taste the same twice.

  "Want to tell me why we drove almost two hours to go grocery shopping? The three stores in our city have always had everything." Andi quirked an eyebrow.

  Delilah shrugged. "It's a test."

  "A test? What kind of test, to see if they carry the same groceries? Even if their prices are better, you just spent all that by driving here."

  "Oh man, you sound like me. Aaaaaahhh."

  They both laughed.

  "No, really? Why come to Temin?"

  "Because that party warehouse we stopped at? Well, they not only have a better selection, but they have better quality. They'll give me a 10% to 30% discount on all the tablecloths, napkins, decorations, whatever I need. And they have gorgeous colors. I can rent the cloth stuff and they'll launder them, not me. I don't have to worry about that. The more parties I have, the better the discount." Delilah waved her hand. "And they'll deliver and pick up ... for free. That's why I'm now shopping for groceries here."

  Her mom looked at her sideways. "If nothing else, I figured it would annoy you and, since you always seem so stoic and reserved, I thought it would give you a ton of questions."

  Andi made a face before grinning. She really didn't care, she loved spending time with her mom. They pretty much always had fun hanging out together, but Andi couldn't resist the urge to needle her. "What about—"

  Her mom was back to shopping. Something she took seriously. She picked up a vegetable, or maybe it was a fruit. It was some oddly shaped thing Andi had never seen before. Delilah looked at the food and then glanced up with that distant-to-laser-focused-to-distant look. It meant 'don't bug me while I'm creating.' Making masterpiece meals was her thing. It was really the only thing Andi hated about grocery shopping with her; it was mostly done in silent mode. As soon as she looked away, Andi started making faces behind her back. A young child, sitting in a nearby cart, giggled.

  "You're funny."

  Andi winked at the little girl as they walked by.

  "Making faces again, Andi?"

  "I'm too old for that. Come on."

  Delilah smiled but went back to her contemplative shopping. Andi was sure her mom had no idea what she was making or buying until she got there. Either that, or she enjoyed picking up, feeling, and smellin
g the fresh fruits and vegetables and then deciding if they went in the basket or not.

  Bored, and knowing her opinion wasn't needed, Andi pulled out her phone and checked her calendar. She had a couple of hours until she had a photoshoot. It was of a family of eight, along with three dogs, two cats, an iguana, and a rabbit.

  All Andi could think of was chaos, but it wasn't the biggest or craziest she'd ever had to photograph. That one went to the family that wanted five generations, with the great-grandmother at 93 on a horse, with her pet dog on another horse, and a third horse laying on the ground. The grandmother at 74 balanced on a tightrope, with the rest of the family being rather boring, doing handstands or backbends. They were a family of acrobats. It had been going great, at least until the neighbor's mutt had come racing through their yard barking. One horse got skittish, dancing around. The grandson had caught his great-grandmother as she slipped out of the saddle. The dog, that had also been on the horse, had landed on the mom who was doing a handstand. Everyone had jumped into action to keep the grandmothers from getting hurt. The grandmother on the tightrope hadn't lost her balance, but she'd been doing that kind of work for most of her 70-plus years.

  Andi had gotten some amazing pictures of the catastrophe which, ironically, the family loved and bought. They said the pictures reflected their life—crazy, chaotic, but beautiful and unconventional.

  Her mom sighed.

  "Who's all coming tonight? Is this a fundraiser? Or a meeting for a fundraiser? I have a shoot at 2:00 p.m. It shouldn't take more than two hours, pending things go as planned. So, if you need help, I could maybe be at the house to help you set up around 4:00 or so?" Andi asked as they turned a corner. She sauntered along but realized she hadn't gotten an answer. She turned back.

  Delilah had stopped several feet behind her. Her eyes wide, her gaze focused straight ahead. She'd gone pale.

  "Mom?" But she got no response. Andi looked over her shoulder to see what she was looking at. There were several people moving through the bins of fruits and vegetables. No one really stood out. No one was doing anything to make a scene or draw attention. Nothing out of the ordinary. At least, not that she could see. Although, the woman on the red scooter was a bit of a disaster. She was pushing her way past people with the nose of her wheeled transportation. She'd bump people's carts to move them out of her way.