Prologue

Deadly Connections
Prologue

It had been a very long day and Doctor Liam O’Connor was just passing through the ER when an ambulance arrived. Usually he would ignore it and go home, but when the doors opened and a nun got out first, he was intrigued. As the Hospital Administrator, the staff in any department were used to him ‘popping in’ and silently observing what was going on so the ER staff ignored him as usual. Liam saw the young girl who was lying on the gurney. Her body looked like she had been used as a punching bag but her beautiful face had been left unmarked so that when he saw her, his heart nearly stopped. It wasn’t possible for her to be here. She was safe in the orphanage he had hidden her at when her mother and stepfather had died in an auto accident when she was seven. So what was his great-niece doing in the ER?

“Sister Evangeline?” he said as he approached the nun. She turned and the concern on her face altered to alarm and then annoyance. For the past year, after the O’Connor’s detectives had found the girl not only alive but in the orphanage Liam’s nephew, Magnus, had been filing documents demanding that the girl be turned over to her biological father. This nun, with his help, had stonewalled every one of their attempts. “What is she doing here?”

“Doctor O’Connor,” she nodded stiffly. “I wasn’t aware that you would be in the ER.”

“I was just going home when you arrived, Sister,” he replied, keeping his eyes on the girl. “What happened to her?”

“A few of the boys assaulted her,” Sister Evangeline replied softly. “Sister Dawn found her naked and bound to a lab table in the Science classroom shocked to silence by what they had done.” She was shaking now and Liam was surprised at how angry she was. “The two who arranged it are in the hands of the police now.” Her expression became quite grim. “The other boys actually paid money to that pair to get a turn with her. I still can not believe any of my boys would…” She trailed away as she looked at the girl. “There is no excuse for what they did to her, Doctor O’Connor.” Liam sat with her as the ER Doctor examined the girl. When the word assault was quickly proven to be rape, he barely controlled his anger at the nun. How could she have glossed over something like that? It would have to be dealt with but it wasn’t what really mattered now.

“She won’t be going back to the orphanage with you,” Liam made the decision. “I thought she’d be safer with you than with our family, Sister Evangeline. This should never have happened!” The woman nodded her agreement and left Liam to make his phone calls. By the time Katy was through being examined another ambulance had arrived to take her to an exclusive sanitarium. She was an O’Connor and she would receive the best care they could afford while she recovered.

“Lucas,” Liam said as he strode into his nephew’s home an hour after Katy had been transferred. “Your daughter is at Glenhallow.” Lucas was on his feet. “She was raped.”

“Then it’s time for her to join the family,” Lucas nodded. “I just hope we don’t come to regret this.”

Chapter One

Katy Martin stood outside of the house that the lawyer who had visited her in the private hospital brought her to. After a full month of intense physical and psychological treatment and support she was finally going to meet the man who had paid her hospital bills. He was taking her in as his ward, but he had not told Katy why. The uncertainty and her imagination combined were triggering a panic attack. Magnus O’Connor stood at the door of his Jaguar and smiled at her encouragingly. He smiled gently as he watched his niece hesitate. He wished he could have told her everything, but it was his brother’s place to tell her who he was to her.

“You don’t have a choice, Kathryn Inez Martin,” she said under her breath. “Where else do you have to go?” She had nowhere to go and no one to take her in. She was only seventeen but she would live on the streets before she would go back to the orphanage. “So quit stalling and meet your mysterious benefactor.” She smiled at Magnus shyly. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, Mr. O’Connor.”

“You’re welcome, child,” Magnus nodded. He looked at the gold watch on his wrist and she knew he was telling her stop stalling. He was a handsome dark-haired man with a hint of silver at his temples. During his weekly visit to her in the hospital, he had been very kind, if a bit distant. Now, his deep blue eyes showed more than a hint of annoyance. “My brother has the answers to some of those questions you’ve been asking me.”

She let herself relax as she procrastinated another few minutes by letting her thick wavy black hair down and then putting it back in the band holding it at the nape of her neck. She could see that her hands were shaking as she opened the gate. It was an effort to walk up the flagstone path to the three steps leading up to a wraparound porch, but she did it. ‘Every step you can take forward is a victory,’ she remembered the psychiatrist telling her in the hospital. ‘Look at what is, and let what was be forgotten; left behind where it belongs’. She remembered telling the man that he didn’t know what he was talking about and had been shamed when the kindly German had rolled up his sleeve and showed her his concentration camp identification number. She had taken every word he said to her after that to heart.

There was a whirring noise and she watched as a section of the door slid open and a microphone shot out. It was so like a scene from a movie she had seen once as a child at the orphanage that she almost laughed. But this was far too serious a situation for levity she scolded herself. She stood there patiently and waited to see what would happen next. “State your full name for the security protocols, please,” a mechanical voice said. “State the reason for your visit.”

“Kathryn Inez Martin,” she said in a voice she hoped was calm and not as shaky as she felt. “I’m here to see Doctor Lucas O’Connor.” The microphone retracted and the door opened. She stepped over the threshold and looked around the house in amazement. She had seenpictures of homes like this in history books but they did not do justice to the reality of the warm woods and the stained glass. Every room she could see had a fireplace in it with stone surrounds and mantles. It was like stepping into the past to be here and that made her feel more uncertain. She wanted to turn and run suddenly and that was silly. She had no reason to be afraid of this person. He had gone out of his way to help her after she had been hurt.

“Your room is located upstairs, Kathryn Inez Martin,” her unseen guide spoke. “Go along the landing to the left and turn left past the archway.”
Katy did as she was told wondering why she felt as if she was walking into a trap. She found herself outside of a room with a beautiful mahogany door. The door opened as she approached it and she walked inside. It was the room she had described in exacting detail in her journals in the orphanage. She saw them on the bookshelf near a desk in this sitting room and felt a chill of fear go up her spine as she realized this man had to know everything about her.

“You will come downstairs,” the mechanical voice sounded again. “There is a meal waiting for you, Katy.”

Even as she set down her purse and suitcase and did as she had been instructed, Katy wondered how they knew the nickname her father had given her when she was a child. She saw his face now as she remembered it from the day he and the rest of her family had left her behind. She was seven and had the measles so she couldn’t go with her parents and grandparents to dinner and the theater. She had not been in the car with her family when a truck had hit it and killed them all. It still hurt even after nearly eleven years to remember that had been the last time she had seen her family alive. She had woken up the next morning and there had been a police officer talking to her nurse. They had stood in the hall so she couldn’t hear the words, but she had seen the devastated look on the nurse’s face and her tears. But worse than that were the looks of pity on their faces as they had looked at her. She had been taken to a hospital for the rest of her recuperation and then gone to live in an orphanage run by a church. Since both of her parents had been only children and their parents were gone, there was no one capable of taking care of her.

There was a meal on the table in the dining room and two place settings. She ran her fingers along the wood trim at the top of the wainscoting as she looked at the paintings hanging above it of people. One of them looking enough like her to make her think she had a relative she wasn’t aware of. But they were dressed in a style from history so they were probably just here as mere decoration and held no meaning than that to the owner of this house. She was finally going to meet the man who had brought her here to this place.

“Hello, Katy,” his voice was warm and full of welcome and she felt some of her fear melt away. “You don’t mind if I call you that, do you?”

“Daddy used to call me that,” Katy said, her voice shaking. He was behind her and then his hands were on her shoulders. “Why am I here?”

“We’ll discuss that in a little while,” her host said. She turned and sat down at the table. Lucas O’Connor was a handsome dark-haired man with a lean face and deep blue eyes. He was pale, but Katy remembered Magnus had told her he spent most of his time indoors. He was wearing jeans and a plaid shirt and had loafers on his feet. He took a sip of his wine and smiled at her gently. “Do you like your room?”

“It’s right out of my journals,” Katy said, hoping her tone was not accusatory. “You read them!”

“Yes,” Lucas nodded. “I read them while you were recuperating. I wanted you to be happy here and to assure that I needed to know more about you.”

“Why are you doing all of this for me?” Katy asked the man. “I don’t even know you.” Lucas did not answer her at once and she could see he was thinking of just how to answer her. Could he tell that she was growing more fearful by the moment? This stranger had paid her hospital bills and now he was inviting her to live with him in his home. That was not the kind of behavior she was used to people displaying towards her.

“I knew your parents, Katy,” Lucas finally said. “We were in college together and we were very good friends.” He could see that she was intrigued now. “I was out of the country when they had their accident. If I had been here I would have seen to it that you never saw the inside of that horrible orphanage.”

“So this is your way of honoring my parents’ memory?” Katy asked him. Somehow that did not make her feel any easier about being in this place.

“Not entirely,” Lucas replied. He finished his wine and poured himself another glass. “I think we can be good for each other. You need someone to help you start out in life and I need to do something I can be proud of.” He grew very serious.

“That’s what I am then,” Katy smiled shyly at the man; “your ‘something to be proud of’?”

“I think so,” Lucas nodded. “I have had Magnus file all the necessary legal documents, Katy. As of this morning, at 10:30 a.m., you are my legal heir.”

“So I’m going to be living here with you like I’m family?” Katy asked him, not knowing whether to be excited or fearful. “I won’t have to go back to the orphanage again?”

“You never should have gone to the orphanage in the first place,” Lucas said to her. “I feel responsible.”

“You shouldn’t,” Katy frowned. “I had no family left to take me in so, of course, I went to the orphanage.” She picked at her food for another few minutes and then pushed the plate away. “I’m sorry. It looks delicious, but I’m not very hungry.”

“You’ve only just come out of the hospital,” Lucas nodded. She had the feeling he understood only too well how she was feeling. “You’ve had a long day and are probably more in need of sleep than nourishment. If you need anything at all, let Asp know.”

“Asp?”

“The house security system,” Lucas nodded. “It asked you for your name when you came in, remember?” Katy nodded. “I designed the system. Asp stands for Automated Support and Security Protocol. It monitors the grounds, sets security levels for the people who visit and those who live here, orders groceries through a link to the grocers in the village, and a host of other things I’ll go over with you tomorrow.” He got up and showed her a panel on the wall. She remembered seeing its twin in her room. “If you tap on the panel, Asp will ask what you require and send a message to the maid or the housekeeper who live in a separate building on the property and they will bring it to you.”

“Can’t I just get up and get things for myself?” Katy asked him quite seriously. “I’m not used to people waiting on me. Your housekeeper and cook work hard during the day and I would hate to disturb their rest if it isn’t necessary.”

“I can certainly understand that,” Lucas nodded. “It will take you time to adjust to being a daughter of the house. Just remember everyone here wants to help you. You don’t need to do things for yourself anymore.”

“Thank you,” Katy nodded and got to her feet. “Good night…” She frowned as she suddenly realized she didn’t know how to address him. “It seems disrespectful to call you by your Christian name and Doctor is far too impersonal. Would you mind if I called you Uncle Lucas?”

“I would be honored,” Lucas choked. He wanted to tell her the truth about their relationship so badly, but now was just not the time. “Good night, Katy.”

“Good night, Uncle Lucas,” Katy replied. On an impulse, she went to him and kissed him on the cheek and then she went back upstairs. She took a shower and pulled on the robe she found hanging on the hook on the back of the door. She hadn’t had time to check the room earlier so she was surprised when she saw the walk-in closet full of new clothing that was all her size. She found a cotton nightgown and slid it on. Then she went to bed, hoping that for just this one night she would not have the nightmare. But she did and once again she was in the dark hallway that ran past the classrooms after taking a meal to a child in the Infirmary who was down with the measles.

"Kitty! Kitty!” a hated and familiar voice laughed from somewhere nearby. Katy controlled the fear and kept going. A door opened and she was pulled into the classroom used for science lessons. Matt Brewster, 17 going on a life sentence, the bad boy of the orphanage, leaned against the teacher’s desk and looked down his long nose at her. He’d been off of the grounds again she noted. A bottle of whiskey sat on the desk along with two glasses. “We saw you bringing meals to the moron when we snuck back in. How sweet!”

Katy watched as the other boy, Gordon, Matt’s shadow; let go of her arm and left the room. He had been shivering with excitement and Katy had felt her fear mount in reaction to that energy. Matt pinned her up against the wall and smiled as he saw how frightened she was. He had no trouble holding her fast as he had nearly a foot of height and at least thirty pounds on her. His dark brown eyes were filled with a purpose as he leered at her. Like Gordon he kept his brown hair cropped almost to the scalp.

“I’ve been anticipating this ever since you suggested it, Kitty,” he said as he began to unbutton her sweater. “I promise you it will be every bit as exciting and scary as you asked me to make it.”

“What are you talking about, Matt?” Katy shook her head and tried to get away from him. He pushed her back against the wall and held her in place. “Stop it! I didn’t tell you I wanted you pawing me!”

“Liar!” Matt hissed and took a switchblade out of his pocket. He opened it in front of her eyes. “You’re trying to tell me that wasn’t you I was kissing out by the chapel last week, or that you didn’t jump me in the storage shed last night and give me this?” He pulled his collar down and showed her a bruise on his neck. “You left quite a hickey.”

“You’re crazy!” Katy protested. “I would never meet you in private, much less let you kiss me. I don’t want you touching me!”

“That’s not what you said earlier, Kitty!” Matt broke in. “It doesn’t matter. It’s much too late for you to back out now! Gordon and I have it all put together.” He used the knife to cut the straps on her bra and undid the clasp. He tossed it over to the table along the far wall by the windows. “Come here.” There was a table in this classroom with a hole that was used to flush things down into the drain below. Katy tried to pull away from him but he was holding her upper arms as he shoved her along in front. Stomping on his foot only made him laugh as he kept her moving. He shoved her down on the table and used her sweater and the duct tape he found in the desk drawer to tie her wrists down to the hole. “You’ve got a really hot little body, Kitty,” he said as he yanked her jeans and underwear off. He smiled as her shoes and sneakers joined them on the floor. “And now, as you asked; you are going to share it with every teenage boy in the orphanage who could afford to pay.”

“Matt, no!!” Katy shook her head and pulled on the bonds holding her down. “Don’t do this!” But he was not listening. He raped her as she screamed for help and continued struggling, but it did no good. She lay there stunned and bruised while he put his clothing on again. But that wasn’t the end of it. He got one of the linen bags the science teacher used for his rock samples and emptied it. He put it over her face after he used more duct tape over her lips to keep her quiet.

“Now that I’ve had my turn,” he laughed as he leaned his cheek against hers, “it’s time for the others. All right guys,” she heard him laugh as he went across the room and she heard the door open, “it’s time for Sex Education, Brewster style.”

“Wow, Matt,” Gordon frowned as he saw her tied down and helpless. He listened to her whimpering. “She sounds scared! Are we really going to do this?”

“We’ll take turns,” Matt ignored him. “By the time we leave here, every one of us will know how to have sex.”

For the next several hours, every boy in the orphanage from the age of 13 up who had money to pay to Matt and Gordon got a turn with her. As she lay there hearing how ‘she’ had asked for this to happen; how she had teased and tormented every one of the boys who was now raping her; she was left in a state of shock. When a nun finally found her the next morning still bound to the table and shaking in terror, Katy could not talk.

“Katy?” she heard the man’s voice and it startled her for a moment. “Honey, are you all right?” She threw her arms around his neck and sobbed and he held her gently and let her cry. “It’s all right, Katy. I’m here and you’re safe. No one can hurt you now.” He turned his head. “Bring a sedative, Martha,” he said to someone Katy couldn’t see.

“No, Uncle Lucas,” Katy shook her head. “I don’t want a sedative.”

“Just humor me, Katy,” Lucas’ voice was gentle but she could hear a tinge of fear in it. What was he afraid of? He put the pill in her mouth and held the glass of water to her lips. “That’s a good girl,” he smiled and kissed her on the forehead. “You get some rest now.” Katy closed her eyes and he sat there holding her hand until she was asleep. Then he sat there for several more minutes just watching his daughter sleep. He had hoped someday he could tell her the truth but that was when her mother and stepfather had been alive and they could help explain things. At least he finally had her with him where she belonged.

“She’s a beautiful child, Doctor Lucas,” the housekeeper, Martha, smiled as he joined her downstairs for a moment. “So like her mother.”

“Sabrina was a very beautiful person, inside and out,” Lucas agreed. “I never should have abandoned her like I did.” He ran a hand through his thick wavy hair and sighed. “I have a chance to make it up to her through our child.”

“You’re a good man, Doctor Lucas,” Martha nodded. “The child is going to see that.”

“You’re a good woman, Martha Brown,” Lucas smiled and hugged her. “You can go back to bed now. I don’t think Katy is going to wake up again tonight with that level of sedative in her system.” Martha nodded and left the house. Lucas remained in the dark for another hour nursing his drink. He knew what he was doing was right. It was also eleven years overdue. He made a phone call. “I need more than a month with her,” he said simply when the line was answered. He frowned at the answer. “She has only just gotten out of the hospital, Countess. I want…” He sighed. “Yes, I know how important this marriage is to the families, but she is my daughter and…” His hand was shaking at the imperious tone of the person he was speaking to. “Very well. We will be on our way tomorrow morning.” He hung up the phone with more force than necessary and sat staring out the window wishing he could have told the woman to jump. He poured himself a whiskey and downed it in one gulp. Then he went upstairs stopping to check in on Katy once more before he went to his own bed and struggled with the worry and guilt he was feeling at bringing his child home only to have to surrender her again.

Marcus let himself into the penthouse of the office building that housed his law offices and smiled as he saw his mistress Sylvia lounging on the couch in her leopard print cat suit. Sabrina’s younger sister had proven to be just as eager to play this game as he was. They had taken Katy’s twin and Sylvia and her ex-husband had raised the girl in a very toxic environment. Sylvia looked up at him and smiled.

“Are we ready, Magnus?” she said as she got up off the couch in a motion that was calculated to keep a man’s eyes on her every second. “When can Kimberly take her place?”

“Not just yet, poppet,” Magnus said as he held his arms out to her. “Come show me you’ve missed me.” Sylvia ran to him and threw her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

“I’ve missed you, Magnus,” Sylvia purred as she leaned her cheek against his. She gave him a kiss that sent his senses reeling. “It gets so dull up here when you’re gone all day.”

“But I always make it up to you, don’t I poppet?” Magnus smiled as he reached into his pocket and held out the jewelry box. He saw her eyes light up and he was glad Sylvia had proven to be so easy to please and so eager and gifted at giving pleasure. He was very proud of his wife.

“Oh Magnus,” Sylvia squealed as she saw the gold sharks-tooth styled necklace and matching earrings. She took out one of the earrings and went to the mirror to hold it up and admire the way it looked. “They’re so pretty!” She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Thank you, darling.” She saw Kimberly coming out of the guest room. “Kimmy, it’s time to start your lessons.”

“Do you remember what I promised would happen when Kimberly’s twin finally rejoined our family?”

“You said we would be married,” Sylvia nodded, “and we could start teaching Kimmy more about your business. But it’s been a month. I thought you’d forgotten.” He held up a document and her eyes danced with joy as she saw that it was a marriage license. “Oh Magnus, I love you!”

“Then go put on the wedding dress I laid out on our bed, sweet thing,” Magnus said to her. “The Judge will be here in thirty minutes.” Magnus watched Sylvia sashay out of the room and went to pour himself a drink. He would soon have both of the twins in play and he would use them to make the people who had looked down their noses at him his entire life pay for slighting him. He saw Kimberly frowning at him. “Is something wrong, child?” he asked the quiet girl. Kimberly was an observer; she was quite content to listen and bide her time. When she did make a move it had been well planned.

“I don’t know what you’re up to, Magnus,” Kimberly said simply, “but I don’t think it’s right.”

“You can always go back to your father, Kimmy,” Magnus said coldly. He saw the girl pale and knew the thought of going back to her abusive stepfather was more than enough to keep her in line. He smiled at her more gently. “Go on and help your mother. We’ve a wedding to get through.” He watched her go and he knew he was going to have trouble with the girl. He got on the phone. “Post his bail. I need the boy to help me with a special project.”

“Mum,” Kimberly spoke up as she watched her mother getting dressed in the gown Magnus had chosen for her.

“Yes, love?” Sylvia turned from the mirror with a smile on her face. Kimberly wanted to ask her mother why they were here with this man. She wanted to tell her mother to run because she knew Magnus was a very dangerous man. But seeing the happiness on her mother’s face she forgot it all. “You look lovely, Mum,” she said instead. “I hope you’ll be very happy together.”

“Why thank you, love,” Sylvia beamed and came over to hug her ‘daughter’. “That is the sweetest thing you’ve ever said.” She checked her hair once more and settled the cream colored hat with its veil on her head, admired the cream linen suit Magnus had chosen for her and nodded. “I’m sure we will all be very happy.” She held her hand out to Kimberly. “Ready to be my maid of honor, sweetheart?” Kimberly nodded and ran to her room to change.

When the Judge arrived, a tall dignified man with twinkling blue eyes and a warm smile, she stood to one side and listened to the ceremony. She didn’t like Magnus; there was something about him she didn’t trust, but her mother wanted him and Kimberly had learned early that no one stood in the way when Sylvia wanted something.

“We have a surprise for you, baby,” Sylvia kissed her cheek. “Magnus has chosen a man for you.”

“I don’t want a man, Mum,” Kimberly complained and looked over at Magnus. The look on his face made her very nervous.

“You need someone to keep you safe from your father, sweetheart,” Sylvia crooned. There was a chime announcing the arrival. “You’ll like this young man. He is Magnus’ protégé.” Kimberly turned and watched a tall young man with brown eyes and close cropped brown hair walked off of the elevator. “Kimberly, darling, this is Matt Brewster.” She kissed her daughter on the cheek. “He’ll make you an excellent husband.”

“Don’t worry Mrs. O’Connor,” Matt smiled as he ran his eyes over Kimberly, “I will do my best to make your little girl happy.” Kimberly did not like the look that she saw passing between her new stepfather and this kid. They were up to something. And there was a nasty feel to this kid that made her skin crawl. She turned to go back to her room. Matt grabbed her arm and yanked her back.

“Oh no baby girl,” Matt laughed. “It’s time for us to get married.” Kimberly shook her head as her mother brought her a pill. She was forced to take it while Magnus distracted the Judge and she felt her throat go numb. Matt

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Texte: M J Marlow
Bildmaterialien: Bookrix
Lektorat: M J Marlow
Übersetzung: M J Marlow
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 11.01.2010
ISBN: 978-3-7309-0674-3

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