Terri Reed - The Deputy’s Duty

Now here she was entering into the Fitzgerald inner sanctum. Something she had never expected. Yet couldn’t deny she’d watched the family and yearned to belong to the tight-knit clan. If only she were visiting under more pleasant circumstances. A part of her wished she didn’t have to do this. But the other part of her knew it was the only way to find Georgina and gain justice for her cousin.

The sound of children laughing came from the gated backyard. Meghan caught a glimpse of Irene Mulrooney, the Fitzgerald family housekeeper, picking up Charles’s son. A deep longing for a child of her own tugged at her heart. She’d always wanted kids. Her ex hadn’t. She hoped maybe one day…

Ryan ushered her inside the house. She heard voices as he closed the door behind them. Others had already arrived. She followed Ryan, barely having time to appreciate the beauty of the wainscoting in the entryway, the intricately carved staircase leading to the second floor or to catch a peek of the antique-filled living room.

The house had been built on a solid foundation and filled with lovely items. She hoped the family was strong like the house to weather this news.

He led her to a high-ceilinged dining room with a long wooden table and a sea of chairs around it, several of which were occupied. She halted just inside the arched opening as everyone in the room quieted and stared.

Trepidation dried her mouth.

She noted with a tiny bit of relief she wasn’t the only non-blood Fitzgerald in the room. Pretty, strawberry-blond Merry O’Leary Fitzgerald stood next to her husband, Police Captain Douglas Fitzgerald. The man closely resembled his older brother Ryan. Enough so that Meghan had at one time thought maybe they were twins.

Victoria Evans, Owen’s ladylove, and Demi Townsend, the woman who took over nanny duties after Olivia died, were both seated at the table. Meghan liked Demi, they’d become sort of friendly over the past few months. Though Meghan owed her an apology for trying to warn her off Charles. Since he wasn’t guilty of any crimes, Meghan was happy that Demi and Charles had fallen in love and recently announced their engagement. They made a cute couple.

Near the window, Nick Delfino, another outsider, took a post, looking forbidding with his arms crossed over his chest. Meghan had only met the former Boston Internal Affairs officer once. He was nearly as intimidating as Ryan. Beside him, Keira Fitzgerald, Ryan’s youngest sister, regarded Meghan with a curious stare. Meghan wondered how Ryan felt about his baby sister falling for the man who’d been secretly planted in their department to determine if the Fitzgeralds were legit or corrupt.

Ryan moved away from Meghan to stand near his brothers, Owen and Charles.

Meghan stepped aside to allow Fiona Fitzgerald and firefighter Hunter Reece to breeze past her and enter the room. It was rumored Fiona and Hunter were quite the item of late. Apparently the gossip was true if the way they were holding hands was any indication. Fiona had been widowed two years earlier, leaving her to raise her six-year-old son, Sean, by herself. When an arsonist had recently targeted Fiona’s bookstore, Hunter had been the one to save not only the store but Fiona and her son, as well.

“Sorry we’re late,” Fiona said as she stopped to take stock, her gaze landing on Meghan. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Meghan managed to croak.

Decidedly uncomfortable at being the focus of so much attention, Meghan edged closer to the doorway. She’d never had a big family. Her father, Phinn Henry, had arrived in Boston from Ireland as a young man and hadn’t kept in touch often with his younger sister, Tara, Olivia’s mother. Dad had met Mom while working in a brokerage firm. Candice Henry had been an orphan so when Meghan was born it was just the three of them. Until they both died in a car accident when Meghan was twenty-one.

At the head of the table sat Ian Fitzgerald. The current sitting mayor and the clan patriarch. His observant eyes turned Meghan’s way. She willed herself to fade into the woodwork. Didn’t happen.

A moment later, Aiden Fitzgerald swept into the room, blessedly taking everyone’s attention away from Meghan. Tall, distinguished looking, he carried himself with a proud bearing that Meghan had found comforting. Until she’d read Olivia’s letter.

Moving to the end of the table opposite his father, he stood facing his family. “I’m sorry to call you here unexpectedly.” His gaze raked over the group assembled before him. Regret underscored sadness in his blue eyes. “You all are a part of this family now, so you need to hear.”

Anticipation vibrated in the air. Meghan leaned forward, wishing she could claim to be a part of this family. She longed with every fiber of her being to belong to something, to someone. But she was the outsider. That would never change. Because when they learned the truth, they would revile her just as Ryan did.

“As some of you already know, we suspect Christina Hennessy killed her husband, Burke Hennessy.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “And we suspect she may have been involved in the murder of Olivia Henry.”

There were murmurs of surprise. Meghan’s heart sped up.

“Christina has run off with her adoptive daughter, Georgina,” Aiden added.

“You don’t think she’d hurt the baby, do you?” Merry asked, her voice laced with concern.

Meghan’s own fear reared. Who knew what Christina was capable of?

“I’m hoping not, but we just don’t know.” Aiden cleared his throat again, apparently having trouble getting his words out. “The truth of the matter is that Olivia Henry was baby Georgina’s birth mother.”

Meghan heard a gasp, saw the stunned expression on each face.

“Did Christina know?” Fiona asked, her lively blue eyes awash with concern.

“I’m assuming so,” Aiden said, his gaze meeting Meghan’s briefly.

Meghan noted the grief in his blue eyes. Her fingers curled against the empathy spreading through her.

Tell them, she wanted to scream, but refrained, allowing him time to come clean on his own. But if he didn’t say what needed to be said soon, she’d be forced to tell them the truth.

“Now the letter makes sense,” Merry interjected.

Meghan blinked. She knew about the letter?

Douglas nodded. “Right. Olivia was writing to her baby not a man as we’d assumed.”

Confused, Meghan sought Ryan’s gaze.

“Olivia gave Merry a letter before she died,” Ryan explained, his voice devoid of emotion. “She’d addressed it to her sweetheart saying they’d be reunited soon.”

“Oh.” Meghan digested that information. “That supports what she wrote in the letter to me. That she knew her baby was here in Fitzgerald Bay.”

All eyes focused on her. All except Ryan who looked away.

“You received a letter from Olivia?” Keira questioned. “When?”

“It was mailed months ago, before she died, but I only recently received it,” Meghan said.

“What did it say?” Owen asked.

“Where is it?” Fiona asked.

“Why’d it take so long to get to you?” Charles asked.

Feeling the force of the several sets of Fitzgerald stares, Meghan shifted her gaze to the elder Fitzgerald, willing him to step up and tell the truth.

“I have the letter,” Aiden said, drawing his family’s attention. He met his father’s gaze across the expanse of the long dining table. Ian Fitzgerald nodded ever so slightly. Obviously Aiden had discussed this with the patriarch.

Aiden placed the letter on the table. “There’s something I must confess to all of you.”

Meghan held her breath.

“Twenty-three years ago I was unfaithful to your mother.”

A collective gasp echoed in the stillness of the room.