SCARRED - Part 3 (The SCARRED Series - Book 3) by Kylie Walker Page A

pictures...”
    Derek swiped a hand through his hair. “Doctored photos to make you think the baby was dead and to make you not want to see her like that. He got away with doing this for quite a few years before the hospital finally let him go. There were no charges filed so apparently they had no proof of what he was doing...but he did it and your daughter is alive.”
    Samantha was sobbing uncontrollably now and Trevor was trying to break through his own shock and comfort her.
    “She was as shocked over this as you are. It took a lot of effort to get her to even agree to meet you, but she is willing at this point to agree to a DNA test. She doesn’t want you to think this is a scam on her part. In fact, none of this was her. It was all my doing. It breaks my heart that all three of you had to endure what you did for twenty-four years. I just want to try and help set some of it back right if I can.”
    The silence was deafening again, with the only sound in the room being Samantha’s sobs into her husband’s shoulder. Trevor finally said, “We’ll talk about...”
    Samantha whipped her head up and interrupted him. There was finality in her eyes that warned them both not to argue with her as she said, “We don’t need to talk about it. I want to see her.”
    He looked from her to Trevor and his father-in-law nodded.
    “Good,” Derek said, softly. “I’ll arrange it.”
    Derek left that day emotionally spent, but encouraged at the same time. They’d all agreed to the meeting. Once that happened, he hoped they could find their way towards forging some kind of relationship. Twenty-four years was a long time, but from what he knew about parent/child relationships, time was rarely a rival for that infinite bond.
    As he got into his car, his phone rang. He saw that it was his dad and answered right away. “Hi Dad. What’s up?”
    “I have bad news,” he said.
    “What’s that?” Derek felt his stomach in his throat before his father even said, “Jesse gave our men the slip somehow yesterday. They followed him to Long Island and he went into a car lot. Somehow he managed to get out of the car lot without taking his own car. My guys got the salesman to tell them what kind of car he’d driven out in and even the license plate number. That car was found abandoned at the train station in Newark today.”
    “Jesus, Dad! So we not only have no idea where he is, we don’t know what he’s driving either?”
    “I’m so sorry, son. I went to Vince. He says he has no idea where Jesse is. I’m going to go back at him. He has to be supporting him. At the very least there should be some kind of financial trail we could chase.”
    Derek felt like he was going to be sick. “It’s not your fault. Let me know if Vince offers anything. I get the feeling he’d go to his grave protecting his son though. Can you have some of your men help out with the guy who’s been watching her? I’m going to try and convince her again to stay with me, but she’s a little bit stubborn on that point.”
    “I’ll send them over today.”
    “Thanks.” Derek hung up and just sat there for a few seconds. How long was Chloe supposed to have to live like this? He beat his fists into the steering wheel and finally started the car and left. He needed to get back to Rhode Island. Shit!
    *******
    T he next day as Derek left the yacht and headed to his car, he had no idea that he was being watched. Jesse sat in his car on the far side of the lot and watched through binoculars as Derek Stark...arrogant, rich, and apparently very stupid, got into his car. Jesse had been tracking him for two days after he’d given the fools Derek had following him the slip. He didn’t have confirmation they were working for Derek, but he was sure that Kelly didn’t have the kind of money or the pull something like that would take. Stark thought that she was his to protect now. He was in for a very rude awakening. He had no idea who he was dealing with