father died long before Stephen and I became involved.”
“No aunts, uncles, cousins?”
“No close relatives … just some distant cousins in Kansas. Stephen didn’t know them and never talked about them. Nolan Fairchild, Stephen’s great-grandfather, founded the town of Fairview over a hundred years ago. The Fairchilds were once a large, thriving family, but Baker Fairchild, Stephen’s father, was an only child. So is Elizabeth, Stephen’s mother.”
“I understand that Miranda, Stephen’s sister, is a good friend.”
A small smile. “Yes, she was a few years behind me in school, so we didn’t really get to know each other until after Stephen and I got married.”
“And Miranda’s mother? Tell me about Elizabeth Fairchild.”
As if unable to sit still while she talked about her former mother-in-law, Keeley stood and went to the large window that overlooked the backyard. Her face averted, she spoke softly, reflectively. “She’s very protective of the Fairchild name. Anything that could bring shame or tarnish the family’s reputation is something she’d do anything to stop.”
“And she thinks you tarnished it? How?”
“By marrying her son.”
“Do you trust her?”
She looked at him then. “Absolutely not. But if you’re asking if I believe she was involved with my children’sdisappearance, then the answer is no. Elizabeth might not love them, but she would’ve done anything to prevent the media circus their disappearance caused.”
“What makes you say your mother-in-law doesn’t love her grandchildren?”
“Elizabeth despises me and, in turn, hates my children.”
Though Cole knew enough about her background to know the answer to many of these questions, getting her perspective was vital. “Why does your mother-in-law hate you?”
A wry smile twisted her full mouth. “I’m a walking cliché. Poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks marries the richest boy in the county. My mother was an unwed mother. In small towns, especially this small town, that means something. Elizabeth was horrified to have me as a member of her family.”
Cole looked down at his notes. “But Miranda, her daughter, is also a single mother, isn’t she?”
“Even though Miranda and Maggie live with Elizabeth, she barely acknowledges their existence.” She shrugged. “I’m not necessarily the only one Elizabeth ostracizes, I just happen to be her favorite target.”
“Hailey and Hannah are her son’s children, too. Surely she feels some affection for them.”
“Affection is an emotion for normal people. Elizabeth isn’t normal. To her, my girls are tainted with my blood.”
Could Elizabeth Fairchild really be so cold and hate her daughter-in-law so much that she didn’t care that her own grandchildren had been abducted? She might hate the mother, but the children were her son’s—her own—flesh and blood.
When he’d lost his daughter, Cassidy, his in-laws had grieved almost as much as he did. A grandparent with this kind of cold, uncaring attitude was foreign to him. If Elizabeth could hate that deeply and severely, whatbetter way to destroy the woman she despised than to take her children from her?
“The person who arranged your husband’s abduction was never found. And from all accounts, there are still no suspects. Correct?”
Returning to her chair, Keeley nodded. “Yes. The final theory was that someone saw an opportunity to make some money and they knew we could pay the ransom. Though it’s my understanding from LCR that Stephen wasn’t supposed to die. Another kidnap victim inadvertently killed him.”
Refusing to give himself an out by avoiding her gaze, Cole faced her and answered, “That’s true.”
Keeley hadn’t thought Cole Mathison’s expression could get any grimmer, but for some reason, it had. Perhaps she was wrong about him. His questions were thorough and his demeanor gave every indication that he took this assignment very seriously. Something inside her
“No aunts, uncles, cousins?”
“No close relatives … just some distant cousins in Kansas. Stephen didn’t know them and never talked about them. Nolan Fairchild, Stephen’s great-grandfather, founded the town of Fairview over a hundred years ago. The Fairchilds were once a large, thriving family, but Baker Fairchild, Stephen’s father, was an only child. So is Elizabeth, Stephen’s mother.”
“I understand that Miranda, Stephen’s sister, is a good friend.”
A small smile. “Yes, she was a few years behind me in school, so we didn’t really get to know each other until after Stephen and I got married.”
“And Miranda’s mother? Tell me about Elizabeth Fairchild.”
As if unable to sit still while she talked about her former mother-in-law, Keeley stood and went to the large window that overlooked the backyard. Her face averted, she spoke softly, reflectively. “She’s very protective of the Fairchild name. Anything that could bring shame or tarnish the family’s reputation is something she’d do anything to stop.”
“And she thinks you tarnished it? How?”
“By marrying her son.”
“Do you trust her?”
She looked at him then. “Absolutely not. But if you’re asking if I believe she was involved with my children’sdisappearance, then the answer is no. Elizabeth might not love them, but she would’ve done anything to prevent the media circus their disappearance caused.”
“What makes you say your mother-in-law doesn’t love her grandchildren?”
“Elizabeth despises me and, in turn, hates my children.”
Though Cole knew enough about her background to know the answer to many of these questions, getting her perspective was vital. “Why does your mother-in-law hate you?”
A wry smile twisted her full mouth. “I’m a walking cliché. Poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks marries the richest boy in the county. My mother was an unwed mother. In small towns, especially this small town, that means something. Elizabeth was horrified to have me as a member of her family.”
Cole looked down at his notes. “But Miranda, her daughter, is also a single mother, isn’t she?”
“Even though Miranda and Maggie live with Elizabeth, she barely acknowledges their existence.” She shrugged. “I’m not necessarily the only one Elizabeth ostracizes, I just happen to be her favorite target.”
“Hailey and Hannah are her son’s children, too. Surely she feels some affection for them.”
“Affection is an emotion for normal people. Elizabeth isn’t normal. To her, my girls are tainted with my blood.”
Could Elizabeth Fairchild really be so cold and hate her daughter-in-law so much that she didn’t care that her own grandchildren had been abducted? She might hate the mother, but the children were her son’s—her own—flesh and blood.
When he’d lost his daughter, Cassidy, his in-laws had grieved almost as much as he did. A grandparent with this kind of cold, uncaring attitude was foreign to him. If Elizabeth could hate that deeply and severely, whatbetter way to destroy the woman she despised than to take her children from her?
“The person who arranged your husband’s abduction was never found. And from all accounts, there are still no suspects. Correct?”
Returning to her chair, Keeley nodded. “Yes. The final theory was that someone saw an opportunity to make some money and they knew we could pay the ransom. Though it’s my understanding from LCR that Stephen wasn’t supposed to die. Another kidnap victim inadvertently killed him.”
Refusing to give himself an out by avoiding her gaze, Cole faced her and answered, “That’s true.”
Keeley hadn’t thought Cole Mathison’s expression could get any grimmer, but for some reason, it had. Perhaps she was wrong about him. His questions were thorough and his demeanor gave every indication that he took this assignment very seriously. Something inside her
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