Read Online Betrayal by Nancy Ann Healy - Free Book Online Page B

you to take this, for Dylan.”
    “Jane…I can’t. Dylan doesn’t even….”
    Jane smiled. “I don’t expect you to tell him anything. Maybe someday, maybe you can just tell him that John always wanted a son. How much John loved Alex. He would want Dylan to have this. The girls, well, they had their father.” A tear escaped her eye and Cassidy instinctively took her hand to comfort her. “Your secret is safe with me. If you ever decide…to tell him. Well, you should know I will support that.”
    Cassidy was nothing short of stunned. She had expected that Jane Merrow would be furious. “I don’t know what to say.”
    “You don’t have to say anything,” Jane replied. The president’s wife had learned many things over the years about people, about life, and about love. She had given up her own ambitions to support her husband’s and surprisingly she had little regret for that decision. She loved her children and she had loved him, even with all of his flaws. “Just take it, please.” She walked to a small loveseat and sat. “Before he passed he told me that he loved me.” She smiled. “And, he made me promise to look after all of you, the girls, Alex…you and Dylan.” Cassidy struggled to breathe. “He kept saying he was sorry…over and over and over. I don’t know what for. I’m sorry and take care of them. He would have done anything to protect the people he loved. Anything.”
    Cassidy detected a note of fear in the woman’s voice. “I am so sorry,” she said as she made her way to Jane. “He was always good to me, to Dylan…even to Chris.”
    “Hum. Well,” Jane stood and readied herself. “Some might not think so, Cassidy. John was a good man. A good father. Even a good husband. He was not perfect, not at anything, but he was a good man.”
    “Yes, he was,” Cassidy agreed.
    “Come on,” Jane put out her hand. “You can come take this before you leave.” She set the flag on the desk. “Looks like they are headed back. I’m sure Dylan will have some stories to tell you.”
    “I’m sure Alex will too,” Cassidy laughed. “Jane, I hope you know…”
    “You don’t need to say anything, Cassidy. That’s how families are supposed to be.” Cassidy smiled as Jane led her back through the door. “I love Alex,” Jane said. “As much as he did. She was there for me during some very dark times; for all of us. And, it was a terrible time for her. She deserves to be happy.” She nodded at the teacher. “And she is.”
    “I hope so.” Jane squeezed Cassidy’s hand before walking back to the large group still milling about. Cassidy let out a full breath and closed her eyes for a moment. Life felt surreal. She wondered how they had ended up here. As she opened her eyes again, Alex turned the corner. She saw Dylan looking up at Stephanie, regaling her with a story. The young woman was smiling and Cassidy could not avoid looking at her eyes. She shook her head as Alex caught sight of her. “Oh Dylan,” she whispered. “What am I going to do?”

    “Captain Toles.
Davno ne videlis, Kapitan
(It has been a long time, Captain),” a tall, thin man greeted the agent.
    “
Posol, dejstvidelno davno bilo
(Ambassador, indeed it has been),” she responded as she took his hand. “Cassidy, this is Ambassador Matthews, our illustrious Ambassador to Russia.” Cassidy smiled and accepted the man’s hand.
    “
Ocharovatel’naya, I bolee krasivaja pri personalnoj vstreche
(Charming and more beautiful in person),” he complimented. Cassidy continued to smile but tipped her head in question.
    Alex shook her head in amusement. Russell Matthews had been a valued resource for the agent in her time with the NSA. She regarded him as intelligent, charismatic and most importantly, she regarded him as ethical in his dealings. “Talk about charmers,” Alex laughed.
    “Well, to capture you, Captain, is a remarkable feat,” he nodded to the teacher who blushed at the offered sentiment.
    “All