One
Pierce Avery was having a very bad day. Such a bad day, in fact, that all other bad days in his life up until this very moment seemed positively benign in comparison. Stress churned in his stomach and tightened bands of steel around his head. His hands were clammy. He probably shouldn’t even be driving, given his current state of mind.
Ordinarily, his first instinct during such a crisis would be to hit the river in his kayak. On a hot August afternoon, there was nothing like catching a face full of spray to court, paradoxically, both exhilaration and peace. He’d known since he was a preteen that he wasn’t cut out for desk work. Mother Nature called him, seduced him, claimed him.
As a young man, his only option had been to find a career where he could act like a daredevil kid and get paid for it. Such occupations were few and far between, so he’d had to invent his own company. Now he spent his days leading groups of college kids, fish-out-of-water high-level executives or I’m-not-dead-yet senior citizens in exploring the great outdoors.
Biking, hiking, rappelling, caving and his favorite—kayaking. He loved his job. He loved life. But today, the very foundations of who he was had crumbled beneath him like loose soil in a rainstorm.
He parallel parked on a quiet street in downtown Charlottesville. School hadn’t begun yet at the University of Virginia, so the sidewalk cafés were only sporadically populated. Pierce’s alma mater had shaped him despite his best efforts to rebel. He’d graduated with honors and a master’s degree in business administration, but only because his father had pushed and prodded and insisted that Pierce live up to his potential.
Pierce owed his father everything. Now, years later, his father needed him. And Pierce couldn’t help.
Locking the car with shaking hands, he stared at the unobtrusive office doorway in front of him. A pot of cheerful geraniums tucked against the brick building soaked up the sun. An engraved brass placard flanked a modern doorbell. The only odd note was a tiny For Rent sign propped on the inside of the window, backed by antique lace sheers. Anyone or anything could have been inside. A doctor, a CPA, an acupuncturist. Maybe even a massage therapist.
Charlottesville’s thriving downtown community was rich with arts and crafts as well as more conventional businesses. One of Pierce’s ex-girlfriends had a pottery studio just down the street. But today, none of that was on his radar. He barely even noticed the rich aroma of freshly baked bread from the shop next door.
Pierce had an appointment with Nicola Parrish. He rang the doorbell, knocked briefly and stepped across the threshold. In contrast to the blinding sunlight outside, the reception area was cool, dim and fragrant with the herbal scent of more potted plants in the bay window. An older woman looked up from her computer and smiled. “Mr. Avery?”
Pierce nodded jerkily. He was twenty minutes early, but he’d been unable to make himself stay at home another second.
The receptionist smiled. “Have a seat. Ms. Parrish will be with you shortly.”
It was exactly two minutes before his stated appointment time when the summons came. His handler nodded with another gentle smile. “She’s ready for you. Go on in.”
Pierce didn’t know what to expect. His mother had set up this appointment. Pierce didn’t want it. In fact, he’d give almost anything to walk out and never look back. But the memory of his mom’s anguished eyes kept his feet moving forward.
The woman he had come to see stood, her hand extended. “Good afternoon, Mr. Avery. I’m Nicola Parrish. Pleased to meet you.”
He shook her hand, noting the firm grip, the slender fingers, the soft skin. “Thank you for fitting me in so quickly.”
“Your mother said it was urgent.”
Unexpected grief constricted his throat. “It is. And it’s not. In fact, I don’t really know why I’m here. Or what you can do...”
She waved an arm. “Have a seat. We’ll sort things out.”
Her ash-blond hair was cut in a chin-length bob. Though it swung as she moved her head, he could swear that not a single strand dared to dance out of place. She was slender, but not skinny, tall, but still a few inches shy of his height.
He scanned the wall behind her head. Harvard Law. A second degree in forensic science. Various awards and accolades. Combined with the fashionable black suit she wore, he got the message. This woman was smart, dedicated and professional. Whether or not she was good at ferreting out information and answers remained to be seen.
Suddenly, she stood. “Perhaps we might be more comfortable over here.” Not waiting to see if he would follow, she stepped from behind her desk and moved to a small sitting area. Now he could see that her legs were her best asset. They were the kind of legs that made teenage boys and grown men believe in a benevolent creator.
He sat down in an armchair that was more comfortable than it looked. The lawyer picked up a silver pot. “Coffee?”
“Please. Black. No sugar.”
She poured his drink and handed it to him, their fingers brushing momentarily. Neither of her hands boasted a ring of any kind. Pierce drank half the cup in one gulp, wincing when his tongue protested the temperature of the liquid. A shot of whiskey might have been more in order.
The lawyer’s eyes were kind, but watchful. She waited for him to speak, and when he didn’t, she sighed. “The clock is ticking, Mr. Avery. I only have forty-five minutes today.”
Pierce leaned forward, his head in his hands. “I don’t know where to start.” He felt defeated, helpless. Those emotions were so foreign to him that he was angry. Frustrated. Ready to snap.
“The only information I received from your mother was that you needed to investigate a possible case of hospital fraud from over three decades ago. I assume this has something to do with your birth?”
He sat back in his chair, his hands gripping the arms. His mother had contacted Nicola Parrish because one of his mom’s good friends had worked with the lawyer in an adoption situation and had highly recommended her work ethic, in addition to her investigative experience. “It does.”
“Are we talking about a situation where infants might have mistakenly gone home with the wrong parents?”
“It’s not that simple.” Perhaps he should have seen a shrink first. To sort out his chaotic feelings. Lawyers were trained to be observant, not to get into a guy’s head. Although in truth, he didn’t want anyone inside his head. Because if that happened, he would be unable to hide the dark river of confusion that swelled and crested in his veins.
“Mr. Avery?”
Inhaling sharply, he dug his fingernails into the thick, expensive upholstery. “My father is dying of kidney failure.”
The flicker of sympathy in her blue-gray eyes seemed genuine. “I’m sorry.”
“He needs a transplant. His time may run out while he’s on the waiting list. So I decided I should be the one to do it. We ran all the tests, and...” He stopped short as the lump in his throat made speech impossible.
“And what?”
Pierce jumped to his feet, pacing the small space.
