From Rags to Riches

Finding the Connection

Jordan:

Your real daddy.
Your real daddy.
Your real daddy.

No, I'm her real daddy. He's her blood relative, a man who helped bring her into this world, but I'm the one she calls daddy. I'm the one who is helping bring her up into a perfect little girl.

"Jordan?" Rebecca's voice brings me out of the chant I've been repeating in my head for the last fifteen minutes. I turn away from the mirror and look deep into her blue eyes; desperately trying to find something to convince me I can do this and that Conrad has nothing on me.
"We are going to find him, put every single restraining order we can put on him, and we are going to move on and forget this ever happened." She says with such assertiveness I didn't think could exist in such a tiny body.

"Now you need to suck it up, let your team do their job and enjoy the final moments of OUR daughter's birthday before she goes to sleep. Got it?" Rebecca continues and I can't help but think how sexy she is when she's angry.
"Got it" I manage to choke out before she leans in and gives me a searing kiss. But before I can react, she pulls away and ushers me out the door and towards the stairs.
"Go, she's in her room waiting" all I can do is nod as I make my way upstairs.

"Why is everyone running around?" Sienna asks me as I finish Sleeping Beauty for the thousandth time. I think about lying to her, but don't all kids know when something has been going on? I place the book back in her bookcase and lie next to her; prompting her to snuggle in next to me.

"There are some people who are jealous of me and mummy, people who don't want us to be a family" I start off.
"But why? We're a good family" Sienna says with a hint of confusion in her voice.
"Yes honey we are, a very good family, a perfect family. But you see Sienna, some people aren't as lucky to have what we have, and some people made choices in their past that they now wish they hadn't"
I have no idea if this is making any sense to her, but I'm hoping it will answer her questions enough for her to be satisfied.
"Ok, but are you and Mr. Mason going to make it all better again?" She asks and I can't help but smile.
"Yes sweety, we are. No matter what, you and mummy are going to be safe and we will still be a happy family"
"A perfect family" she concludes with a sleepy smile. I kiss her head and carefully get up off the bed.
"I love you princess" I tell her as she lies on her side and closes her eyes.
"I love you too daddy" she mumbles as I grin and walk out the door; closing it behind me.

It's Sunday morning, and Reid and Mason call me into the security room as promised to show me the information they have managed to dig up.
"Ok so we have Samantha Hastings, twenty- five, born in Kentucky, mother of five year old Maisie and two year old Max. Her husband is a psychology professor at Seattle University and neither have any known connections to Conrad" Mason informs me and I clench my jaw.

"However" Reid starts and I regain some hope.
"During junior year of college Conrad travelled with his college to the University of Louisville to play against their baseball team. Guess who also attended that college?"
"Samantha?"
"Exactly. They had a fling but broke it off about two months later according to a college newsletter" Mason scoffs as Reid says the last part and I can't help but snicker. Seriously, that's what college kids report in their newsletters? Crazy.

"That's the only lead we have so far, they are going to look deeper, but that's the connection they've got" I tell Rebecca that evening over dinner and a glass of white wine. Rebecca nods as she munches on a bit of lettuce from our chicken caesar salad she deliciously made up.
"Evelynn had this idea of getting all the mums together for a few drinks and then trying to get it out of her that way" she explains and I frown slightly.
"When girls have a few drinks, we gossip. We talk about our first crush, our first kiss, the most daring things we done in high school. So now that we know the connection between them, I'll know the right questions to ask to catch her out that way" she answers my look and I smirk.
"Sounds like a plan Miss Kramer" I say as I raise my glass towards her. She giggles and does the same.
"What a great team we make Mr Matthews" she says as she clinks our glasses.
"Teamwork makes the dream work" I wink as I take a sip of my drink and continue the rest of the night with my perfect match.