"Well, look at how you've changed Grandmother's office!" Clara Sue exclaimed. "I bet this cost a pretty penny to do, and for what? Just to make you happy, I suppose."
"It's my office now, Clara Sue," I said, glaring back at her. "What is it you want? Make it quick. I've got work to do."
"Me and Charlie want to talk to you, right, Charlie?" she said, turning back.
"Uh-huh," he said, continuing to smile.
"Charlie's a businessman," Clara Sue bragged. "He knows about all this stuff," she added, waving at the walls of my office as if they were covered with Wall Street ticker tape.
"Talk to me about what, Clara Sue?"
"About the hotel. What did you think?" She plopped herself down in one of the red leather chairs and crossed her stockinged legs. "Sit down, Charlie," she commanded. Charlie took the other chair quickly.
"So how's business?" Clara Sue demanded.
"We're doing well," I said. "If you have any—"
"You know," Clara Sue said quickly, leaning toward me, "Grandmother Cutler loved me the best. She wanted me to be the real owner of this place some day."
I sat back and smiled.
"I hardly think so, Clara Sue. Whatever I say about Grandmother Cutler, I will never say she was stupid," I replied. My comment had the effect of slapping her across the face, and I relished the look of outrage washing over her features. She snapped back in her seat, her smile washed away.
"That's what you say, but I had many a talk with her before you came here and ruined our lives," she insisted.
"I don't want to go through this with you again, Clara Sue. You and I have nothing to say to each other. I'm really going to have to ask you to leave. I'm busy."
"I'm not leaving so fast. We've still got unfinished business. And I've told you before, Dawn"—her eyes glinted maliciously—"especially that last time we spoke, not to try giving me orders." A sly smile twitched across Clara Sue's lips. "You remember our last conversation, don't you, Dawn? Surely you haven't forgotten the details of that day." She laughed cruelly. "We were in your bedroom, and I was wearing this exact same dress—"
I cut Clara Sue off before she could continue. "Don't you ever, ever mention that day to me again, you murderer!" I lost control of myself as my rage toward Clara Sue and what she had done to me suddenly burst forth. "As long as I live I will never, ever forget that day or forgive what you did to me. The only reason I can tolerate the sight of you is that I know it was all a tragic accident. You didn't kn
ow I was pregnant, yet what happened that day could have been avoided if only you would let go of the hatred you hold against me. I've never tried to hurt you, Clara Sue."
"Accidents happen," she sneered. "My heart was broken when I heard the news. To think I missed out on being an aunt again. By the way, how's the brat? Does she miss her Auntie Clara Sue? I'd love to see her. I've got some stories I'd love to tell her. One's about a princess named Dawn and a big bad wolf named Michael." Clara Sue grinned at me wickedly.
"Get out!" I shouted, outraged at the audacity of her threatening to tell Christie the truth about her parentage before she was ready to hear it. "Get out before I have you thrown out! How we can even be related is beyond me."
"I'm not leaving," Clara Sue spat in a steely whisper. "Not until you hear what Charlie and I have to say, right, Charlie?" She turned sharply on him, and it was as if she held some string attached to his head. He straightened up quickly and nodded.
"She's right, Mrs. Longchamp," he said.
"Call her Dawn, or better yet, Eugenia," Clara Sue said, smiling maliciously. "That's what Grandmother Cutler wanted her to be called."
"What is it you have to say, Mr. Goodwin?" I asked. It was my turn to be demanding.
"Well, Clara Sue's been telling me about the situation with the hotel—the wills and all—and, well, to be direct, Mrs. Longchamp, it sounds to me like she hasn't gotten her fair share of things. I'm familiar with estates and wills and deeds and—"
"Clara Sue knows very well that we have an attorney, Mr. Updike, and if she has any legal complaints to make, those complaints should be directed to him," I said curtly.
"He's just going to do whatever you want him to do," Clara Sue hissed. "You've managed to fool him the way you've fooled everyone else."
"I would hardly do anything other than what my attorney recommended, Mr. Goodwin," I said, ignoring Clara Sue completely. "So if you feel you want to present something on her behalf, he is the man to call. be glad to give you his phone number," I said, opening a drawer to get one of Mr. Updike's business cards.
"We don't want his phone number," Clara Sue snapped. "Tell her, Charlie," she demanded.
"Tell me what, Mr. Goodwin?"
"Well, I discussed Clara Sue's situation with my own attorney, and he says there's real cause for contesting the wills, especially the grandfather's will that leaves a majority interest in things to you.