Baby Love (Baby #2)(113)

"Ah yes mon cher and that is what brought you to me. Things unfolded the way that they did for a reason. Do not believe that it is pure coincidence that you and your father sit before me now. There is a purpose to all of this. It is the finishing of the story and proper punishment for the guilty."

Preston was enamored with her soft, melodic voice as was I. She watched the dangling earrings and I shifted her on my lap afraid she might reach over to pull on them as she sometimes did with mine.

Trinity turned her attention to Preston who had begun squirming in my arms wanting free reign.

"And who is ce bel enfant?"

"This is my daughter Preston."

"A very exquisite child," she commented, "I see you are a very proud mama and dare I say the judge is a very proud grand-pere?"

"Je suis effectivement cela," my father responded in perfect French.

I took that as a 'yes' being that I couldn't speak French.

My father took Preston from me allowing me to present Trinity with the plastic bag that held the key and the note that I had found hidden in the jewelry box.

She accepted it from me and read the brief note instructing her to give the envelope to Maggie. Her face grew dark with something that felt like anger.

"I told Marla not to trust that sister of hers! I knew that in the end, Maggie would not cross Matthew."

She shook her head in sorrow.

"If she had only done what Marla requested of her when she knew she was dying perhaps the monster would be behind bars right now."

"He is," my father replied, bouncing Preston on his knee.

Trinity's head snapped up in surprise.

"Then evidence has surfaced about his involvement in Marla's death?"

"I'm afraid not," my father replied.

"He's been arrested on unrelated charges. I think I explained that Maggie confided to Tylar on her deathbed that she felt he had poisoned her the same way that he had poisoned Marley."

"Yes I recall that Judge. But will those unrelated charges keep him in prison for the rest of his miserable life?"

"Perhaps," he replied, "But they won't get him the death penalty."

I looked over at my father's somber expression. He wanted an eye for an eye. He wanted to avenge my mother's murder. I felt the same way.

Trinity rose and went to a tall wooden cabinet in the corner of the parlor. She opened the door and searched the top shelf finally pulling out a small envelope. She handed it to me. It was sealed; 'Maggie' was written on the front.

It was my mother's handwriting. I recognized it from the pages she had written and torn from the notebook.

I opened the sealed envelope and took the folded piece of paper from it. There was a curly lock of hair taped to the paper. It looked like baby hair. The note was short and direct.



Maggie,



Please take this lock of Tylar's hair to Preston in Baton Rouge. Please tell him that he has a daughter and that she needs his protection. The hair will provide the DNA proof that she is his child. He will protect you as well for doing this good deed. Trinity will know what the key opens.

Love,

Marla



The business card that my father had given to my mother before he left was enclosed in the envelope as well.

I handed it over to my father to read. Tears sprang to my eyes as I sat back down and tried to compose myself.

My father looked up first at me and then at Trinity.

"I don't understand why Marley would have trusted Maggie with a task such as this," he said, handing the note to Trinity to read.

She shook her head; her eyes were full of sadness.

"I'm so sorry Judge. Marla was still trying to look out for Maggie in some way it would seem. She knew that Maggie needed to be kept safe from Matthew; she knew that you were one person who could do that."

Trinity wiped an errant tear from her cheek.

"She never shared with me the contents of that envelope there or the contents of the metal box. She said it was family business; it wasn't safe for me to know too much. Marla loved me like a sister but she was a very private person. Why I never knew you were her baby's father until I received your phone call. She did ask me if the key ever found its way to me if I would do what I could to assist."

I was confused; my father appeared to be as well.

"Assist in what way?" I asked.

"In getting the metal box opened," she replied.

"Let's do it then," my father replied standing up holding Preston.

"Can you get the metal box for us?"

"I’m afraid not Judge Tylar," Trinity replied softly.

"Why not?" My dad and I both asked in unison.

"It's hidden inside the casket with Marla."



CHAPTER 45



The ride back to Baton Rouge was a very quiet one. Preston was sleeping soundly in her car seat. I was lost in thought about all we had learned from Trinity today. I suspected my father was as well.

Shortly after the botched attempt by my mother and Maggie to leave New Orleans and return to Mississippi, Trinity had moved to Vidalia. She had preferred the quiet life of a small town to the crowded, noisy life in New Orleans. Around the same time, Matthew had moved to Baton Rouge with my mother, Maggie and me. This had allowed my mother to stay in touch with Trinity. My mother had done just that.