Kay Bennett was working on the morning memos when she heard a knock on the door. She looked up.

“ Daddy!”

Kay got up and ran to her father.

” Well, you’ve been working so hard lately, I just wanted to check in with you.”

” I’m fine, Daddy.”

Sam shook his head. “ I can’t believe my baby is working. At a real job.”

Kay laughed. “ I am.”

” Kay, I just want you to watch out for yourself. The Cranes aren’t to be trusted.”

” Daddy, PLEASE not another ‘ how evil the Cranes are’ lecture.”

“ I can’t help it. I’m your father. Speaking of children, how’s my grandchild?”

” She’s doing fine. I’m taking care of her, Daddy.”

” Kay, I never meant to imply anything else. I know that you love your baby.”

” I’m glad someone does.”, Kay muttered.

” What’s wrong?”

” What isn’t wrong? I’m pregnant with his child, and Miguel doesn’t have time for me. Or the doctor’s appointments. Mom treats me like dirt. So does Jessica.”

” Kay, give them time. They’ll come around.”

” I don’t care if they don’t. I have my baby, and we’ll be fine.”

Sam pulled Kay into a hug. “ Why do you have to do everything the hard way, my darling Kay.”

“ Because she knows that’s the most rewarding. Or so they tell me.”

Kay and Sam look up to see Fox in the doorway.

Fox comes over to Sam. “ Chief Bennett.” Sam hesitates, but shakes Fox’s extended hand.

“ I don’t mean to take your daughter away, but we have an important meeting to plan for, so…”

Sam kisses Kay. “ I know you don’t want to come by the house, but drop by the station sometimes.”

“ Bye Daddy.”

Sam leaves and Fox looks at Kay, who arches her eyebrow. “ What?”

” So, that’s what a Daddy’s Girl looks like.”

Kay blushes. “ Yeah, I guess I am. My father has always been on my side, unlike the rest of my family.”

” Well, you’re lucky. Be thankful you weren’t born a Crane.”

Kay looked at Fox and wanted to say more, but let it slide. She went to her desk and picked up some files.

” I finished this group last night.”

Fox looks at the work. “ Already?”

” It’s not like I actually have a life.” They both laugh.

Fox takes an envelope out of his pocket and hands it to Kay.

” What is it?”

” The test results from your first Internee Exam.”

Kay opens the letter. “ Is this for real? The top 5 percent?”

Fox smiled. “ Yeah. You kicked ass. Only that dweeb in accounting scored higher than you.”

Kay shook her head and Fox could see tears forming in her eyes, but she held them back. It was an awkward moment for both of them and Fox spoke up.

” I’ll take these to my office. See you for lunch around eleven forty-five?”

” Sure.”

Fox left her office, and Kay sat down, staring at the test results. She never considered herself stupid, but she definitely didn’t think she was Crane Intern material. She thought she’d hang on, at the bottom of the group, as usual. She let her hand run over the letter, and then she put it in her briefcase.
 

Simone knocked on the door to the Library.

“ Mr. J?”

“ In here, Simone.”

Simone walked into the cavernous room, filled with books. She saw Warren reading some papers at a huge desk.

” You like the room?”

” It’s…um…”

” Huge?”

” Impressive.”

” It’s the only room in the house that I wouldn’t let my wife decorate. We were in England years ago, and took one of those day trips to the English countryside. Saw this setup over there and thought it was just the kind of place I wanted for myself. All the wood is mahogany. Took the builders six months to complete the task of the bookshelves. On the walls are Remington originals, as well as the statues. “

” And the portrait over the fireplace?”

“ My great-grandfather. The man who bought the original 35 acres of land. “

“ Wow.”

” He had the portrait done in Philadelphia, because, of course, no Southern White painter would paint a portrait of a Black man.”

Simone nodded as she went along the bookcases along the wall, which were covered with picture frames of the rich and famous. This room was a walking history lesson.

” You’ve had an amazing life.”

Warren chuckled. “ It’s had its high points.”
Simone turned to him. “ So, I’m here to report for duty.”

” Well, the first duty you have is to get dressed. Jonah will be here in a half hour to take you to see my friend, The Dean, at the University of Virginia. “

” The Dean?”

” Of course. I meant it my dear when I said that part of you staying here would mean you getting an education. Anything is possible through education. – remember that.”

” I will.” Simone looked off and smiled.

” Did I amuse you, Simone?”

” No. It’s just that your quote about education. That’s something my parents would say all the time.”

” Smart people, your parents.”

” Yes. Well, I’ll be going. See you this afternoon?”

” Yes. I’ll have your first assignment ready.”
 

“ And, you see here, this is the room that I’m going to have the designer turn into his playroom. Lots of windows. Lots of light. It’ll be great!”, Theresa squealed.

Julian rubbed his temples. As he took a tour of the house Theresa had bought, she was telling him of her design ideas, and the tab was running higher and higher.

“ Theresa. Little Ethan will have a large nursery. Does he NEED a playroom?”

” Of course he does! You wouldn’t be trying to shortchange your son, would you, Julian?”

” Of course not. It’s just that your ideas, are well, expensive.”

” Little Ethan’s a Crane. I thought they deserved the best?”

Julian shook his head. He had so many retorts floating in it, but kept silent.

“ We do. And, I want the best for my son.”

They both looked over to Little Ethan, who sat on a blanket, playing with his toys.

“ I’m going to give the decorator a budget limit, Theresa. Don’t go over it.” Julian pulled out a card. “ For the outside work, call this gentleman. He is tops in his field when it comes to babyproofing the outside for children: the best pool covers, all the latest in child safety measures for playgrounds. Understand?”

” Yes, but does that come in the decorator’s budget?”

Julian rolled his eyes. “ No. Anything on the outside, I’m going to take care of myself. Little Ethan is to be back at the mansion by seven –thirty, Theresa. Seven-thirty.”

“ Fine. We’ll be just fine, Julian.”

Julian went over to his son and picked him up. He kissed Little Ethan, handed him to his mother and left the house. Despite his doubts, he had to admit that Theresa had chosen well. It would be a house they could be in many years to come. He didn’t tell her that, in addition to all the safety measures with regards to Little Ethan, he was going to take care of the security issues. He would make sure his son was safe. Theresa had been an expensive mistake, but Little Ethan was worth it.

The phone in the limo rang.

” Julian Crane………I see…..are you sure that’s where she is….no. If you can assure me she went there of her own free will, there will be no need for further surveillance. Thank you.”

Julian hung up the phone. He knew he had told Eve that he would stop tracking Simone, but he had to be able to give Eve a point of reference just in case.

He had found out that Simone was in Virginia hunt country, on the estate of Warren Johnston. Julian was going to make sure to have his secretary gather all the information he could on Mr. Johnston, whom Julian knew only by what he read in the business section.