Page 17 of Special Agent Joseph

Theatrically, Lucia threw the article she had in her hand at the wall, then flung herself across the bed, leaving the clothes she was stuffing into her backpack scattered on the floor.

The livid teen had created a hell of a mess in the time it had taken for Megan to finish her own food and follow the girl. Knowing it would make more sense to give her time to calm down, it soon became apparent that three-quarters of an hour hadn’t been nearly enough to soothe her. Therefore, it didn’t surprise her that Lucia still held a grudge and continued to act out.

Finally, Lucia turned to look at Megan… her face flushed and her eyes stormy. “I hate him.”

“You didn’t used to.”

“Because I thought he loved me.”

“He does.”

“Then how can he be a-a crook and… a-a monster?”

“I don’t know. But one thing I’m sure of, what he does has nothing to do with you. He wanted to keep you separate. And the opportunity is still there. Look kid, he’s rich. Let him spend some of that money on you for a school where no one knows you, and where you get what you need… new friends and a great education.”

“Right. Using dirty money he’s taken from addicts and hookers. No thank you.”

“Okay. That I understand. But from the portraits scattered around the house, I’d bet my last dollar your family has always had money. There’s too much proof of an ancestry of rich relations in this place.”

Thoughtful, Lucia sat up. “That’s true. He told me our family made scads of money years back in Italy bottling and selling wine, and that wealth set him up here. In fact, we still own a winery in Southern California that produces lots of different varieties.”

“There you go. Just set your mind to accepting that those funds are your true inheritance and break loose from him. Hell, if I’d have had your opportunities, I promise you this, I’d get myself one hell of a good education and never look back.”

“So what happened to you? Why didn’t you do it?”

“Single mom. Worked a lot. Ignored me and my brother when she was around. We pretty much brought ourselves up.”

“But at least you had a brother to share those times with.”

“Yeah… not so much. Dean was older than me. Got into a lot of trouble and ended up getting killed in a motorcycle accident. Didn’t view the world in the same way I did. Mom might not have been the best mother, but she taught me one thing. Life gives you what you deserve. Work hard, and you’ll get ahead. Till the day she died, she held her head high because she knewshe’d done the best she could with a grade ten education. Never wanted that for me. Made sure I understood. Guess, in her own way, she loved me. And so does your grandfather.”

“You figure our money is my ticket out of this mess.”

“If your wealth is all that matters to you – now that you know what he does – then, yeah.”

Lucia swiveled to look at Megan. “Use the money and screw him, right?”

“Exactly. You don’t owe him anything. Make your own way. Educated women have many more opportunities in the world today. Start your own business or go wherever your dreams lead you.”

“Hey, maybe I can attain your glory and be a nanny or a bank clerk. Yippee!!”

Megan pulled her head out of her ass long enough to realize she was being played. The girl was good at it too. She chuckled and said, “Fine. You can’t say I didn’t try.”

“Did he promise you a raise if you could get me to behave… be a nice girl and listen to reason?”

Grimacing to show Lucia had it right, Megan admitted, “He’d have been pleased to have you safe. Don’t look at me like that. It’s true and you know it. Be as pissed as you want, but you can’t argue with the elephant in the room. You know what happened to your parents. He doesn’t want to take any chance of the same happening to you. He loves you. And you love him.”

“Loved him. No More. Now I just want to show him that he’s everything I detest.”

Understanding that she wasn’t going to get through to the girl that night, Megan stood. “Sleep on it, Lucia. Think about everything we talked about. And understand one thing, I’ll help you all I can.”

Lucia made a rude noise as she turned away, letting Megan know the discussion was over.

Chapter Twelve

Lucia split?Goddammit!

The next morning, Megan looked all over the property, and everywhere in the house for her charge, but found no trace of the teen. How the hell could she just disappear? Finally, she went to find Vinnie with the bad news.

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