Secrets of the Heart (36 page)

“Oh, that’s right. So anyway, Caleb, when your father and I come back from Chicago, we’re going to have a little girl with us who is five years old. Her name is Meggie.”

Caleb’s eyes widened. “Really? She’s gonna live with us?”

“Yes. You see, she’s my daughter.”

The boy looked confused. “Your
daughter? Your
little girl?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t know you had a little girl.”

“Neither did I, son,” Tom said. “Not until Mommy told me last night. She was keeping it a secret because she had to. We’ll explain that to you when you get older.”

“Okay. Mommy…”

“Yes?”

“Does this mean Meggie is gonna be my sister?”

“That’s right.”

“And she’s five years old?”

“She’ll be six next June. But by that time, you’ll be eight.”

“Yeah. I’m two years older’n her, huh?”

“That’s right.”

“Then I can take care of her and that kind of stuff, huh. And if some ol’ bully like Frankie Johnson slugs her, I’ll slug him back!” Tom and Kathleen exchanged smiles.

“You can take care of her, son,” Tom said. “That’s what big brothers do for little sisters.”

The Harneds arrived in Chicago on a sunny September afternoon. Like Nevada, the leaves were beginning to turn gold and orange, and the grass was fading to a tawny color.

They rented a horse and buggy from a stable near the railroad station.

“Honey, which way is our hotel?” Tom asked.

“Take a left. It’s only three blocks that way.”

Tom pulled into the street after a break in traffic. “After we check in, I’d like to take a drive past the Stallworth mansion, just to get a look at it. Would that bother you?”

“Of course not.”

“Even if you should get a glimpse of Meggie?”

Kathleen thought on it. “No, because I know I’ll have her back soon. If she should happen to be in the front of the house, I’ll turn away so she won’t recognize me.”

“How long will it take us to drive from the hotel to that neighborhood?”

“About a half hour. Since we’re going that direction, I’d like to stop and see Hennie.”

“Just guide me there.”

“Thank you, Tom. And after we leave Hennie, we’ll be close to
the neighborhood where I lived after Peter died. I’d like you to see what you took me out of.”

“I’d like that. We’ll get our sightseeing done this afternoon. In the morning we’ll go downtown and hire the best attorney in Chicago.”

When she opened the door in response to the knock, it took Hennie O’Banion a couple of seconds to recognize the lovely, well-dressed, self-assured woman standing before her.

“Kathleen!” she squealed then lunged through the door and grasped Kathleen in a warm embrace. “I’m so surprised to see you back in Chicago!”

Hennie looked over Kathleen’s shoulder at the tall, handsome man who stood behind her. There was a gleam in his eye as he observed the reunion of the two friends.

When the young women released each other, Kathleen introduced Hennie to Tom.

Hennie invited the Harneds in, and the sound of children playing somewhere in the rear of the house met their ears as Hennie took them into the parlor and sat them down.

“So what brings you to Chicago?” she asked.

“Meggie,” said Kathleen. “We’re here to take the Stallworths to court and gain custody.”

Hennie’s face lost some of its liveliness as she said, “I guess you know you’re up against a mighty powerful pair.”

“Yes, but we’ve got the law on our side. We just have to hire the right attorney to get it made right. You don’t happen to know who’s real good in this town, do you? You know, someone who’s won big cases for people.”

Hennie shrugged. “Couldn’t tell you. I never read a newspaper anymore. I’m too busy being a mother, housewife, and Sunday school teacher.”

Kathleen nodded. “That’s enough to keep you hopping, all right. Are you still going to the same church?”

“Yes, we are. If you’re going to be in town over Sunday, I’d love for you and Tom to come. Our pastor is a great preacher. You never heard him, Kathleen. It was Dwight Moody who preached the time you went to church with us.”

“Yes,” Kathleen said quietly, looking down at her hands. “Dwight Moody. I remember him well.”

Hennie took a quick breath and said, “I saw Meggie just three days ago, Kathleen. She looked fine, but like I told you in my letter, she just doesn’t seem happy. I’ve drifted by the Stallworth mansion several times since I wrote you. I would’ve told you if I’d seen anything that looked out of line.”

“I appreciate that, Hennie. You’ll never know how much it means to me that you’d go out of your way to do that.”

“Well, I have a nice neighbor who’s always glad to watch my children. So this gives me time to peek in on Meggie. Would you let me know how this court thing goes?”

“I sure will. Tom, we’d better be going.”

“A little different than our new house in the country, wouldn’t you say?” Kathleen said with a laugh. They were looking at the neighborhood and apartment building where Kathleen had lived after Peter died.

“Yeah…just a little. Thank God I was able to get you out of such squalor.”

“Yes, it is rather bad, isn’t it? Just think, I’d still be living here if it wasn’t for you. How can I ever thank you enough, Tom?”

“Thank me enough? I’m the one who’s been blessed, Kathleen.”

The next morning, Tom and Kathleen drove downtown, left the horse and buggy at a stable, and headed for the First Bank of Chicago, where they Would begin seeking referrals to the best law firms.

Before they entered the bank, Tom said, “Honey, do you know what law firm John Stallworth uses? We sure wouldn’t want to walk into their offices!”

Kathleen nodded. “He always used the Zachary Hagen law firm. They’re big in this city.”

By noon, the Harneds had inquired of bankers, merchants, and accounting firms for their recommendations. As it turned out, the names of two law firms were mentioned most often—the J. H. Bledsoe law firm and the Zachary Hagen law firm.

When they reached the impressive office building where the Bledsoe offices were housed, Kathleen began to feel shaky. They stepped inside and eyed the register of offices.

“Fourth floor,” said Tom. “Rooms 400 to 406.”

Kathleen took hold of his arm and gave a gentle tug. “Before we go up there, I need to sit down for a few minutes.”

“Sure,” Tom said. He spotted a small bench near the stairs and guided her there. When they were seated, he took her trembling hands in his and said, “It’s going to be all right, Kathleen. The Lord wants you to have Meggie. You’re her mother, and it’s only right. God gave Meggie to you, and she belongs with you.”

Kathleen took several deep breaths and squared her shoulders, took another deep breath, and said, “All right, darling. I’m so thankful I have you. I’m ready to talk to the lawyers and to face whatever may come.”

A middle-aged woman with her hair pulled back into a bun sat at the desk in the outer office of the J. H. Bledsoe law firm. She looked up as the Harneds came in.

“Hello,” she said with a smile. “May I help you folks?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m Thomas Harned from Virginia City, Nevada. This is my wife, Kathleen. We’ve come to seek help concerning a situation that took place here in Chicago some time ago. Your firm has been highly recommended to us.”

“All right. Please be seated over there in the waiting area, and I’ll see which one of our attorneys can see you.”

“Ah… ma’am?”

“Yes?”

“If it’s at all possible, we would like to see Mr. Bledsoe himself.”

“Oh. Well, it is possible, of course, but it may be an hour or more before he could see you.”

“We don’t mind the wait. Our problem is very serious and involves the life of a five-year-old child. May we wait?”

“Certainly.”

It was exactly an hour and twenty minutes later when the secretary ushered Tom and Kathleen into the office of J. H. Bledsoe, a distinguished-looking, silver-haired man in his sixties.

Bledsoe seated them in padded leather chairs facing his desk, then eased into his own chair. “All right, Mr. and Mrs. Harned,” he said with a smile, “I understand you have a problem that involves a young child.”

“That’s right, sir,” said Tom. “I’ll explain it as best I can, and Kathleen can fill in where I leave gaps.”

When Bledsoe had heard the entire story, he nodded, looking thoughtful for a moment, then said, “This case rings a bell, Mrs. Harned. I recall reading about it in the papers, and it struck me then that an injustice had been done.”

“You’re exactly right, sir,” Tom said. “We want to hire you to get Meggie back for us. She belongs with her mother. I don’t care what it costs us, I just want justice done. And that means Kathleen and Meggie must be together.”

Bledsoe leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desktop, then ran his gaze between husband and wife. “I’m not sure you need me.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Stallworths couldn’t fight you in court if they wanted to.”

Tom and Kathleen exchanged quizzical glances, then Tom said, “We don’t understand, Mr. Bledsoe.”

A smile curved the attorney’s mouth. “It’s simple. The Great Lakes Railroad Company went bankrupt last week. It was in all the
newspapers. John and Maria Stallworth are dead broke, folks. They’ve lost their fortune. They’re personally bankrupt as a result of the company going under. I understand that they’ve been given notice that the mansion will be taken from them shortly.”

“So what caused the company to go under, Mr. Bledsoe?” Kathleen asked, a note of elation in her voice.

“A trusted officer of the company embezzled millions. He was using the money to pay off gambling debts. By the time he was caught, it was too late. The money’s gone, the railroad company has been shut down, and soon it will be sold to the highest bidder.”

Tom took Kathleen’s hand in his and looked at the lawyer. “So the Stallworths have no way to fight us in court, you say.”

“That’s right. Unless—”

“Unless what?”

“Unless some rich friend would come to their aid if you took them to court.”

“So what do we do to make sure we win if that should happen?”

“Well, I’ve been told enough by your wife to know there was manipulation of the law to take Meggie from her. If you want to officially hire me as your attorney, I can go to the Cook County court-house and examine the court records of this case. If I feel I have the goods on the Stallworths and their attorneys, I’ll take it from there. But even at this point, I have no question that a thorough investigation will prove that John Stallworth paid enough money in the right direction to bend the law his way. With proof in hand, I can go to the Stallworths on your behalf and tell them they’re about to go to court over Meggie’s custody versus her mother, who is going to fight them to get her back. I’ll see, then, what their reaction is.”

Tom looked at Kathleen. As their eyes met, she slowly nodded her head.

“Mr. Bledsoe,” Tom said, “you are officially hired.”

“All right. I’ll get my evidence and put their feet to the fire. We’ll see what they do. I have papers for you to sign right here in my desk.”

“No matter what those people do, they’re going to lose, Mr. Bledsoe!” Kathleen said. “They stole over a year of my daughters time with me, and I hope they suffer to the utmost for it!”

Tom was embarrassed by Kathleen’s outburst and saw the surprise in Bledsoe’s eyes.

“I’ll need both of you to sign right here,” Bledsoe said as he shoved the papers across the desk and handed Tom a pen and ink bottle.

When it was done, Bledsoe said, “You folks come back to this office at this time tomorrow. I’ll have news for you.”

The sun was slanting westward in a partly cloudy sky as the Harneds drove away from the attorney’s office. Kathleen had said little since they left the law offices, but suddenly she closed both hands into fists, pounded her knees, and said, “Yes! Yes! Oh, Tom, it’s so wonderful! Those vile people are paupers! They’re about to lose their fancy mansion! It feels so good to know they’re penniless…on the verge of poverty! They looked down on this poor girl from the slums’ and took my daughter from me. It’ll be good for them to have to live in the
real
slums, just like I had to after Peter died. Now they’ll get a dose of their own medicine!”

Tom remained silent.

When they entered their hotel room, Kathleen flopped on the bed and said, “Oh, I’m so happy, Tom! Revenge is so sweet!”

“Kathleen, this kind of hatred and bitterness will not hurt the Stallworths. It will serve only to dry you up on the inside. I’m glad we’re going to get Meggie back, apparently without a fight. But seeing you like this, it—”

Kathleen sat up. “It what?”

“It’s just not like you. I’ve never seen this in you before. You’ve always had such a sweetness to you. I don’t like what I see.”

Kathleen’s lips quivered as she said, “I…I have a right to be angry at those people, don’t I?”

“Of course you do. But don’t let yourself become heartless and without compassion.”

Kathleen stared at the floor, then said, “I…I don’t know what to do, Tom. I don’t know how to be different.”

He knelt in front of her and took hold of her hands. “I can tell you what to do and how to be different. You need to be saved, Kathleen. If you’ll open your heart to Jesus, not only will He save your soul, He’ll take that bitterness and hatred you feel toward the Stallworths out of you.”

Kathleen could think of nothing to say.

“I want you to think a moment about Jesus Christ, Kathleen. Look what this world full of wretched sinners has done to Him. If anybody had the right to be bitter, it was He. But was He? Did He act vindictively over what we caused Him to suffer on the cross in our place? No. He took the untold, unfathomable pain and agony because He loves us so much. He took it
for you
, Kathleen, as well as for me and for the rest of the world. But you’ve gone on rejecting Him.”

Her blue Irish eyes blinked rapidly as she felt the familiar pricking of unshed tears.

“You need to ask Jesus to forgive your sins and to save you, Kathleen.” Where Tom had previously felt restraint, he now felt great freedom as he saw that his words were sinking in.