“Janet baby, are you there?” Margaret interrupted.
“Yes, I’m here mom. Just thinking. This woman is some spy or something?” Janet sounded flustered.
“I don’t think she’s a spy; she just wanted to be a part of our lives,” Margaret attempted to explain.
“This is all too weird and a lot to take in. How could she want to be a part of our lives without introducing herself the proper way first?” Janet questioned.
“What if she set me up, mom, for the murder of Elliot because you abandoned her,” Janet added.
Margaret did not even think about it in that way. This woman popped up, and now my child conveniently has legal issues. Janet is not perfect, but she would never kill anyone.
“Mom, let’s just meet. I won’t tell Olivia you will be there,” Janet responded.
“She would throw her off guard, but I think it’s a good idea,” Margaret agreed.
“I will reach out to our private detective about her too. Try to meet with her late in the afternoon. That way we have all the information. We will confront her together,” Margaret said before disconnecting the phone.
Janet sat on the edge of the bed confused. How could she allow a stranger get so close to her, especially given her parent's president status?
************************
An hour before the meeting
As Margaret is getting ready, she gets a call from the P.I.
"Margaret, I hope I'm not interrupting you, but I have a lot of information for you. Can we meet?" the investigator said with urgency.
"Yes, can you meet me at the coffee house again, say in about 10 minutes?" Margaret responded while looking into the mirror one last time.
Margaret dressed in her favorite yoga leggings and black tank top. She wanted to keep it simple and stay unnoticed. She still hasn't explained to Ron everything that has been going on since he's still out of town on business. Margaret was used to being alone in their penthouse in Manhattan. She knew business was business and she never questioned Ron about his business or business deals. Ron and Margaret had an odd dynamic of a relationship. She stayed at home and took care of the house, while Ron would reach out when he could. Usually, it was the same text on the queue. In the morning, he would explain his schedule via text then text later at night before bed just to check in. Margret was used to the dynamic of their relationship. Honestly, her life was good if she did not have to work and just shop all day. She knew Robert would come home when he was ready.
The caller ID from their private investigator, Jack, popped up across the screen while Margaret watched the news.
“Hey Jack, what do you have for me?” Margret answered the phone.
“Hello, Mrs. Ward! I have some important information for you. Do you think you could meet me? I know it’s short notice,” Jack responded.
“Is this something you cannot tell me over the phone or send via e-mail?” Margaret inquired.
“It would be more beneficial if I meet with you face to face,” Jack insisted.
“Alright, can you meet me at the coffee house around the corner from the penthouse?” Margret suggested.
“Sure!” Jack said eagerly.
“See you in fifteen minutes,” Margaret said before disconnecting the call.
************************
“Thank you for meeting me on such short notice,” Jack said while pulling out the chair for Margaret.
"No problem! Pressed for time. So, what do you have for me?" Margaret asked, rushing the conversation.
"Well, Olivia is, in fact, your daughter with Richard. Olivia was in and out of foster homes and group homes. At 16, she became a ward of the state. However, she has a large trust fund that was put in her name and she cashed in when she turned 18. The person on the trust fund remained anonymous. However, I could find tracking information leading to your current husband," Jack explained.
Margaret was speechless while Jack went over the information. She was shocked that her husband knew about the baby and opened a trust fund. She was confused why he never mentioned to her that he was aware of Olivia.
"Ma'am, are you okay?" Jack asked, concerned.
For a moment, Margaret drifted away in her thoughts.
“Yes, just shocked and trying to process everything you are telling me. My husband never knew of my child with his brother or even Richard and our relationship for that matter. Is there a way to find out how he found this information out?” Margaret questioned.
“Well, usually, I keep my clients’ information confidential,” Jack explained while looking deep into Margaret's eyes.
“Clients? My husband, Robert, is paying to investigate me?” Margaret shouted.
At this point, she got the attention of others in the coffee shop. Everyone looked up at the two to make sure everything was all right. Even the manager came from behind the counter to make sure the couple was okay.
“Margaret, I am not trying to upset you. I will tell you as much as I can, but I have a business to run,” Jack whispered with concern.
“Just tell me what you do know,” Margaret said looking at the time on her Rolex watch.
“Your husband is a client; I can tell you that, but I am unable to let you know what he is investigating, just like I could not tell him what you are investigating. Since you both are clients, I could find some of the same information. Could be how he found out about your child with Richard,” Jack hinted.
“What did you find out about Elliot and Janet, my daughter?” Margaret questioned.
“Well, Olivia and your husband have been meeting for over three months,” Jack responded while showing the surveillance pictures.
“We have had surveillance on them the whole three months. I could retrieve the “stolen” footage from your daughter’s apartment building. I will warn you that what you are about to watch could upset you. Let me know if you would like to stop at any time,” Jack stated.
“Show me!” Margaret said with excitement.
Jack opened his MacBook and started to play the video. Margaret's heart raced at every movement; it felt like her heart will jump through her chest. On the video reading April 13th, 2015 at 1:03 AM, you see a drunk Janet being helped into the building by someone dressed in all black. The person never looked up at the camera and seemed to know there was a camera in the building. Janet seemed completely out of it. The elevator view shows Janet unconscious and the mystery person pacing in the elevator, while Janet laid on the floor. The hallway camera view shows the mystery person dragging Janet into Elliot’s apartment. This mystery person had to be about 5’7’’ and about 150lbs. After viewing the surveillance video, Margaret was in shock with tears in her eyes.
“Do you know who the mystery person is?” Margaret questioned.
“Yes, I have more to show you,” Jack said while messing with the computer functions.
As he opened the next video, the footage time-stamped April 13th, 2015 at 12:34 AM, you could see Olivia and Robert sitting in a car together in front of Janet’s building. They were waiting, and from the audio, they were waiting on Elliot.
Robert: “Are you going to be able to pull this off?”
Olivia: “Yes, he’s usually drunk too. Just once I am in I will text the burner phone and you can come up.
Robert: “Yes, the plan is five minutes’ tops you are up there. We don’t want to miss Janet.”
Olivia: “Got it!”
As they finished the conversation with the footage reading April 13th, 2015 at 12:46 AM, Elliot walks up towards the building. Olivia hops out of the car to have a conversation with him. He looks like he trusts her; you only had body language to go from since there was no audio. Both Elliot and Olivia made it into the building, making their way upstairs using the elevator. The elevator cameras show that Elliot was not completely out of it. Then five minutes later, at 12:49 AM, Robert came running out of the truck into the building. A couple of minutes later, Olivia comes down and walks down the block, and
the first video now makes sense. It was Olivia who walked Janet upstairs and into Elliot's apartment. The state Janet was in, there is no way she could have killed Elliot.
"Is there more to this?" Margaret questioned.
"Keep watching!" Jack suggested.
At 3:04 AM, on April 13th, 2015, you see Olivia and Robert leave together, both wearing a change of clothes and avoided considering the cameras. The hallway camera doesn't show Janet until 4:33 AM in a frantic running across the hallway to her apartment.
"Turn it off!" Margaret said with tears in her eyes.
"You okay?" Jack leaned in, reaching over to comfort Margaret.
"Yes, just overwhelmed. Are you taking this to the police?" Margaret asked.
"I have to, and I'm sure you would want me to, right? Isn't your daughter being accused of this murder?" Jack questioned.
"Yes, but could you hold off. I am going to meet with Olivia in about..." She looked down at her watch. "Oh, shit, I'm late!" "Can you hold off?" Margaret questioned again.
"Yes, how about you give me the address of where you will be and I will come to get that conversation on tape?" Jack suggested.
"Sure, I'll text it to you,” Margaret said, gathering her belongings.
555 W 32nd Street.
Margaret gathered her things and ran out of the coffee shop. She was texting Janet as she left. "Honey, I'm on my way. Sorry, I'm late. I have some news. Be careful, Olivia is dangerous." Margaret didn't want to go into detail with Janet; she wanted to be there. She rushed across town so that she could be a part of the conversation. The main thing was that her daughter was innocent, and this crazy person, along with her husband, set her up. She needed to know why!
Chapter 12
Olivia sat across from Janet explaining everything. She told her that she was her half-sister. She also told her about the conversation she had with their mother. Olivia told Janet that Margaret wanted nothing to do with her. She lied and told Janet that it was because she was a mistake and Margaret was such a whore that she had no clue who her father was at the time. Janet sat and listened and would check her phone occasionally, waiting to hear a word from her mother.
“You waiting for something?” Olivia pointed to Janet’s phone.
“Yes, my lawyer to call me about my case,” Janet said sarcastically.
The two women stared at each other for a moment trying to figure out how to break into that conversation.
“Speak your mind, Janet. Ask what you want to ask,” Olivia said with a smirk.
“What happened to the lawyer? What was his name? Tim? Is he even a lawyer or just one of your sidekicks?” Janet said with attitude.
Olivia laughed, “My sidekick? You're funny. Tim… Well, he was not right for the job. I thought he would be helpful, but I was wrong,” Olivia explained.
“You mean his license was revoked from the bar and he legally was unable to represent me? But you knew that because you have not worked as a detective in months,” Janet spat back.
Olivia sat staring at Janet speechless. She knew that Janet had found out about her. She just was not sure what or how much Janet knew. As Janet and Olivia sat in silence, Janet’s phone text tone went off. Janet looked at her phone discreetly:
"Honey, I'm on my way. Sorry, I'm late. I have some news. Be careful, Olivia is dangerous."
Be careful? Janet thought. How is this woman a danger? I mean, Janet could tell the conversation was not as friendly as she was accustomed to, but she did not see the risk in Olivia…yet.
“Anything else you would like to know? Or should I just get to the point?” Olivia asked.
“Elliot was your half-brother. Did you know that?” Olivia smirked.
Janet tried not to let her emotions show. She looked outside with the crowd of people walking past the diner. She was hoping to see her mother appear to find the underlying truth behind all of this; she did not see her.
“How do you know all of this?” Janet inquired. She was skeptical just to believe what Olivia was telling her.
“My mother and I weren’t close, but she did not keep major secrets like that from me,” Janet said.
“Whether you believe me or not, Elliott was our brother. Those sources you used to find out information about me, maybe you should reach out to them about Elliot,” Olivia suggested sarcastically.
“How did you find out about all this?” Janet asked, trying to keep it simple.
“Well, your dad, Robert knew about me for a while about four months ago, because he had a trust fund in my name. So, you would need to ask your mother those questions about my father. I tried to get them from your dad, but he was not concerned about me finding out my history. Shit, he wasn’t worried about you finding out the truth. The truth is, you and your mother are worth far more dead than alive. If we could just get one of you out of the way, the rest would be easy,” Olivia said, smiling as she explained what she knew.
Olivia started patronizing Janet, and then Margaret came through the door. Janet could feel her heart race faster and faster, but she felt a sense of relief when she looked up and saw her mother. Janet stood up to greet her mom. As she hugged her, she whispered in her ear, “Olivia was behind Eliot's murder. She is also my half-sister along with Elliot being my half-brother,” Janet whispered. Margaret released Janet with eyes of fright. She knew about Olivia but had no clue what Janet was talking about regarding Elliot.
“We are under surveillance,” Margaret whispered back before letting Janet go from their embrace.
“Sit down, mother. Glad you all could be here. I am not a fan of surprises, but I would be lying if I said I did not have a surprise up my sleeves as well,” Olivia smirked while standing up to greet Margaret.
Margaret could barely look at her as Olivia grabbed her and gave her a hug. “Don’t try anything crazy. I would hate to have to hurt your one and only daughter,” Olivia whispered.
“Sit down and join us!” Olivia smiled.
“So, we are just missing one more member of the party, and then we could get straight to it,” Olivia stated.
“What do you want from us?” Margaret asked sitting next to Janet.
“I want acknowledgment and $50 million dollars. Also, I want a part of the Ward name,” Olivia demanded.
Janet laughed, “That’s your angle? Extortion? Did you discuss your plans with my father?” Janet questioned.
“He has another agenda, and honestly, I don’t care about what he agrees with. He’s already in too deep,” Olivia responded.
Janet’s mind was racing, and she could barely think of the right questions to ask. She was struggling to focus on what Olivia was explaining to her.
“Mom, why did you not tell me I had a half-sister? Elliot being my brother? What is going on here?” Janet turned towards her mother to get answers.
“The truth will always set you free, Janet,” Margaret said as she stared into Janet’s eyes. “At 16, I was with your uncle, Richard first. I wouldn’t say it was a relationship, but he took a girl out of the slums and put me up in a penthouse. He paid for my life, and all I had to do was do as I was told when I was told, and I would continue to live the luxurious life. Everyone in the family knew I was just a young girl following behind Richard as his intern. That is what we told them. Well, I ended up pregnant, and it was either abort my baby or lose my luxurious lifestyle. At the time, I could not go through with the abortion. So, I lost my lifestyle and gave my baby up for adoption. Your father never knew I had a relationship with his brother, but he did notice me not coming around. He found out about the penthouse and Richard’s funds. Your dad saved me after I gave up Olivia. So how he figured out about Olivia, Richard, and our relationship is beyond me,” Margaret explained.
“So, nice of you to share that story with us, mother dearest,” Olivia interrupted the ladies’ glance.
“Either way, Janet, your whole life has been a lie. This is what I just heard from mother dearest,” Olivia smirked.
“I’m calling
your father!” Margaret snapped.
Janet sat in silence; she could not believe what she was hearing. These things can’t be true; she has lived her whole life believing that her parents are stand up people. Now she is finding out that everything she thought she knew was a lie.
“What do you think Daddy is going to say to you? He is the one who found me, he is the one who reached out to me, and he is the one who came up with the plan to murder his son and set up his only daughter. What a snake your father is,” Olivia said while looking at Janet.
Margaret hung up the phone on the second ring. Margaret could not believe what she was hearing. Margaret knew Robert since she was 16 years old. She would never have thought he would be capable of murder, let alone setting up his children. Instead, Margaret decided to call Robert’s brother, Richard.
“Richard, come down to the diner on 555 W 32nd Street now. It is important. It concerns your brother, Robert,” Margaret said, not even giving him a chance to respond before she hung up.
“So, you’re going to bring my father into this? The father who wanted you to abort me; the father who I never met. Tell me this, mother dearest… When was the last time you spoke to your “lover,” Richard,” Olivia asked sarcastically.
“Not since Robert and I got married,” Margaret answered with a sense of calmness.
“Not since you married his brother,” Olivia repeated.
“What difference does it make? At this point, you are going to get everything you want, so what more do you need at this point?” Janet pleaded.
“At this point, sissy, I need you to go to jail for that murder because you’ve lived your life. It’s my turn to profit from the Ward name. I am not going to be forgotten again,” Olivia said with confidence, staring at Margaret. Olivia pulled out a small .380 caliber gun. “Listen, I don't want to go against the plan with daddy dearest,” Olivia spat while holding the gun under the table trying not to draw attention in the diner. “Call him back!” she said, looking at Margaret.
“Call who back? Robert?” Margaret questioned.
“Yes! Get him over here now!” Olivia screamed but pulled it together, looking around making sure not to draw any attention to where they were seated.