George and Inez were eating a large breakfast.

“ So, Inez, tell me what you found.”

“ Like I said, I found a connection with your Orville and the Crane Family. I won’t talk over breakfast. So, shut up, let me eat, or tell me how that lovely wife of yours is doing and why she’s still putting up with the likes of you.”

George laughs and begins to tell her about Maggie and their kids.
 

The Bennetts were just cleaning up from their breakfast when there was a knock on the backdoor. Jessica went to the door and opened it.

” Mrs. Russell?”

” Hello, dear. Jessica, isn’t it?”

” Yes, M’am.”

” Miz Madelaine. How are you? Come in.”, Sam says with enthusiasm. Madelaine smiles at Jessica and Kay, and locks eyes with Charity.

“ Your girls are growing up into beautiful young women, Samuel.”

Sam’s chest swells with pride. “ Thank you, and you are correct.”

It was the girl’s turn to blush, which they did.

” Samuel, I’d like to talk to you.”

“ Surely. Girls, we’ll be outside.”

Sam and Madelaine go and sit on the outdoor furniture. Charity and Madelaine kept eye contact for the longest time.

” Yes, Miz Madelaine?”

” Samuel, how long have I known you?”

“ I think ever since TC brought me home that day in Kindergarten.”

” Yes, it has been this long. And, since your parents are gone, God Bless their souls, I am saying what I’m saying out of concern to you. Be cautious of Ivy Crane.”

” Huh?”, Sam said in shock.

” Samuel, I could see her ‘bedroom eyes’ towards you. It was my first time seeing the two of you together. Now, if it only took me one time. How many times more do you think it will take Grace?”

” Miz Ma..”

Madelaine puts up her hand, signaling for him to be quiet. “ Samuel, Grace is a loving and trusting wife. But, she’s not stupid. Even an innocent like Grace will get the ‘slut radar’ up around you. Sorry for my use of language, but, it’s the kindest thing that I can say about a woman that knowingly goes after another woman’s husband. Samuel, I know that men can get their temptations. But, a REAL MAN knows the consequences of his actions. That woman is a CRANE. Maybe not by blood, but, she’s been around them long enough to have taken THEIR ways as their own. Which means, that she will go around, destroy YOUR life – your bond with your wife and family, and have nothing affect her in the least. Surely, she hasn’t told you that she’s going to leave Julian for you. Has she told you that lie?”

Sam couldn’t look up at Madelaine and just mumbled, as he looked towards the ground, “ No, Miz Madelaine.”

“ Think about that, Samuel. She’s chasing after you, yet is unwilling to SACRIFICE anything to be with you. Surely you can see that she wants you for  what amounts to little more than a ‘Stud Service’. Surely you can see what a fool’s deal she’s trying to get from you. You are a good man, Samuel. You have everything REAL that she can’t buy with 10 Crane Fortunes. “

Madelaine leans in and kisses Sam on the cheek.

” I just thought that an outsider could give you a fresh perspective on things.”

Sam nodded as Madelaine got up and left. Though she didn’t turn around, she knew that Charity’s eyes were following her all the way.
 

“ So, we’ve eaten and done the dishes. NOW, will you tell me about Orville Perkins?”, George asks, sitting down on the couch next to Inez.

“ Yes, I’ll tell you know. I have to tell you, this was a tricky one. You got lucky. “

“ If I did, it’s the first piece of luck that has stuck.”

” Oh, this stuck, alright. “ Inez pulls out several folders from a satchel.

” You got lucky because he was audited, and because the auditor was a real asshole. Stickler for details, and ALWAYS went to the extent of the law. So, your Orville had to come up with audit stuff for five years. Which..he did. Now, the audit actually begins 2 years before the time that you told me to look. And, for the first year, there was nothing. But, the following four years.”

She puts the tax forms out in order.

” There’s a significant jump in his income.”

” Bingo. Now, for three out of the four remaining years, his income is the same. The exception is  this year.”

George looks at the tax form for that year.

” This is the year that Chad thinks he was born.”

“ Now, you can see that the income jumps a great deal. But, it looks like he has a big promotion. And then, he looks like he just lost his job. The companies on ALL of these tax returns have one thing in common: they are ALL subsidiaries of Crane Industries. Now, they are from far flung places in the world, and some of the companies no longer belong to the Cranes. But, at the time of these tax returns, they WERE under the Crane Industries corporate umbrella. “

“ You’re sure?”

” Absolutely. Some of these companies were pretty obscure, but, they all belonged to the Cranes. That’s not all.”

“ There’s more?”

” Yeah. Your other name? The singer? Well, she was pulled in for a mini-audit. Only a year. But, here it is.” She pulls out another tax return and gives it to George.

“ Let me guess…Crane Industries?”

“ Absolutely. And, unless you’re gonna tell me that a saloon singer suddenly would become an expert in timber…..something’s not kosher.”

“ I’ll be.”

“ Inez, when I began this, I smelled money behind it all. Big money. But, CRANE money?  You know what I’m saying, don’t you?”

” Yes. They didn’t want a Black Bastard in the family, and so they used the mother’s friends to do her in. I can’t help but feel for the woman. She didn’t stand a chance. The Cranes had it all planned. She was NEVER going to be allowed to raise that boy. NEVER.”

“ No. Now, the only question left is WHICH Crane was it? The old man, Alistair, or his son, Julian?”

Inez shrugged her shoulders as they poured over the documents.
 

Chad sat on his bed, listening to the CD of his mother’s voice. He heard someone approaching and turned it off. There was a knock at the door. He went to open it.

” Hi, Dr. Russell.”

” Chad. You haven’t been out of your room for a few days now. You go to work and then come back here. You haven’t eaten meals with us for awhile.”

” Thanks for the plates, Dr. Russell.”

” I’m glad you saw them in the refridgerator. You need to get out, Chad. You need to find a way to deal with this. You’re a smart young man. You have so many goals in life. Maybe you need to put this search for your parents on hold, and begin again with those goals.” She hands Chad a piece of paper.

” What’s this?”

” A doctor on staff wants to throw a Sweet 16 party for his daughter. He asked if anyone knew of a good DJ, and I thought of you. I told him that I would give you his name and number. Chad, music seems to help you. Why not share it with others?”

” I don’t feel in the DJ mood, Dr. Russell.”

” Maybe not now, but, possibly when you get there. You should give him a call. It’s something to do, other than sit in this room, and be down.”

” You could be right.”

” I know I am. Helping others is the best way to take your mind off of your problems. It has helped me numerous times over the years. And, once you’re able to stand back and look at things, you can get an entirely new perspective.”

Chad looks up and nods at Eve. “ You might be right, Dr. Russell. Thanks.” Chad leans in and gives her a kiss, which sort of shocks Eve.

” Well, I’m glad that I could help.” Eve turns to leave, and Chad calls after her.

” Dr. Russell?”

” Yes, Chad?”

” I want you to have this.” Chad shows her a CD  and hands it to her.

” What’s this?”

” It’s a recording of my mother’s voice. Mr. A helped get it onto CD. I guess I got my love for music from her. I think it’s magnificent. I just wanted you to have it. You’ve been supportive of me trying to find my parents, and even though you haven’t been gung-ho like the Coach, you’ve just tried to spare me the pain that I’m feeling right now, and I respect that. I know you’re not into music all that much. But, in your spare time, I hope you enjoy it.”

” Well, thank you, Chad. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. Now, you call that doctor.”

” Yes, M’am.”

Eve left Chad’s room feeling good. She didn’t like seeing him withdraw from the world. She knew what could happen if he continued and how hard it was to come back once you started on that negative spiral. She took the CD and went back to the Russell House, placing it in the pile with all the rest of the CD’s. She’d listen to it later.