Page 64 of The Heart of the King

David acknowledged her arrival with a nod of his head.

“The captain was detained leaving the country. His flight was delayed due to weather on the other end.” Randall slid the folder to David. “He hasn’t said much so far, but telephone records indicate he’s been in contact with someone in your grandfather’s household.”

“But not who?” David asked as he pushed the chair next to him away from the table just a bit.

Jazz took that as an indication of where she was supposed to be seated.

“No, sir. It’s a general switchboard line. We’ll have to get the switchboard records and try to match them up. We may not be able to do that. The other calls are to a cell phone registered to the household, but, at this time, we have no way of knowing who uses it.” Randall pulled another folder toward him.

“What’s in that one?” David sounded ready for sleep.

“Your mother was found to be less than completely forthcoming. She did help convict your father, but wasn’t honest about some other things. Just today, she pled guilty and will likely be sentenced to a couple of years in prison.” Randall managed to keep a straight face. “The only one who doesn’tseemto be complicit in something is your grandmother.”

“It would surprise me.” David leaned back in his seat. “She always seemed different. I wondered how she ended up with my grandfather and then how she allowed him to raise my father the way he did.”

Randall shook his head. “I have no idea.”

Jazz wondered if she’d ever meet her in-laws. The grandmother, at least, didn’t sound completely horrible.

“Your father’s paramour, Mildred Hazel’s mother, has been charged and has agreed to a plea deal as well. She’ll likely spend the better part of a decade behind bars before she’s eligible for any kind of early release.”

“So Hazel will be nearly an adult?” David asked.

Randall nodded.

“Then we’re her permanent guardians.” He looked at Jazz thoughtfully. “I wonder if we’re legally able to adopt her, if she wanted us to. She wouldn’t be added to the line of succession, but she’d always know we wanted her.”

Jazz nodded. “That would be a great idea if we’re allowed to.”

That’s when it hit her. She wanted this to work. She wanted to be here for the long-haul.

Despite bombs on yachts, she wanted to spend her life with David, Hazel, and whoever else might join their family.

It was an unsettling realization that she’d never go back home.

Because, now, this was her home.

And there was no place she’d rather be.

The evening had been completely overwhelmingfor David. He couldn’t imagine how Jasmine felt.

Finally, after receiving an update on nearly everyone in David’s extended family and their current or pending jail time, he and Jasmine were allowed to leave his office and return to their quarters.

“How’s Hazel?” he asked as they waited for the elevator.

“Subdued. She didn’t object to me helping with her clothes or bath. Mrs. Sneedly insisted on staying in her room with her when Hazel asked to stay with me. She pointed out, rightly so, that it could be a while before I went to bed.” Jazz leaned her head against his arm. “She needs to know that nothing is going to happen to her.”

“I promised her that repeatedly in that room.” His arm slipped around Jasmine’s waist.

“I mean Mrs. Sneedly,” she told him as they stepped into the elevator. “The girls took advantage of her distraction when they ran off. She needs to stay with Hazel for now. Zellie trusts her. What happened could have happened to any of us.”

David nodded slowly. “I’m inclined to agree.”

“I told her as much, just that it couldn’t happen again.”

“We’re all going to the cabin tomorrow. Unfortunately, we’ll likely all be going at different times, just because of our schedules and such, but we’ll spend a couple of days there.”

“That sounds lovely.”

---