Desperate Measures Read Online Free PDF Page B

brothers, and the children you’ll have someday. I meant what I said. My adoption isn’t a topic I want to discuss. You are my daughter and I will always love you, this doesn’t change who you are. You are and always will be Caitlin Spencer. Never forget that you’re Aces.”
    Jack turned and left the room. Tears burned Caitlin’s eyelids at the mention of her nickname. Her maternal grandmother had always called her Aces.
     
    Caitlin waited at the end of the driveway for her mother, Constance, a real estate attorney. She saw the silver Cadillac come into view and charged down the street before her mother could pull into the driveway. Caitlin jumped into the car and burst into tears.
    “Mom, let’s go for a ride.”
    “Caitlin, what is it?” her mother asked but then knew immediately. “Dad told you.”
    “Yes, but I have so many questions. Why is Daddy ashamed? It all makes sense now, though. I always knew Daddy wasn’t like his sisters and brother, he is so different from them and so am I.”
    “I know, honey,” Constance said and embraced her in a hug.
    “Mom, could it actually be true that the famous Lukas Bucklin is my grandfather?”
     
    * * * *
     
    “Caitlin,” Drew whispered gently and forced her back into the present, “what happened after you found out? I know you wouldn’t let something like this drop.”
    “At first no, I didn’t let it drop. That’s when the shit hit the fan.”
    “That must’ve been a big fan for all of this crap. Sorry, tell me what happened,” Drew apologized.
    “I decided to do some research on Bucklin, more out of fantasy than really expecting to find anything concrete. This doesn’t happen in real life. Only on soap operas does someone find out they could be the unknown granddaughter of someone like Lukas Bucklin. I found an old article containing pictures of Lukas and couldn’t believe how much he looked like my father, the facial structure, nose, and eyes especially.
    “In the article, the timelines and locations raised another flag. My grandmother must’ve been sixteen when she conceived my father. Lukas was probably around seventeen, and on his way to becoming a major household name.”
    Caitlin paused for a minute before continuing. “Now for more coincidence, which I know you and Scott don’t give credence to in your line of work. I have the picture, the names and the ages. Now for the place. I remember my grandmother telling me she’d spent every weekend in Spring Lake as a teenager. One of her girlfriend’s parents had a summer home there.
    “It took me about a month to muster up the courage to call my uncle Gary. I made him promise to keep our conversation between us. He claimed he didn’t know anything more than what my father had already told me. I found this hard to believe because Gary had always been a gold digger, going from job to job, gambling, thinking someday he’d hit the mother lode. Out of anyone, I thought he would’ve found out everything he could before my grandparents died, if for nothing else but to hold it over someone’s head.
    “A week later I found out from my furious father, that not only did Gary call him about our confidential conversation, but Aunt Carol and Aunt Virginia knew as well. My father almost disowned me. It was only after numerous calls from Aunt Carol, he finally believed that Gary spilled the beans, not me. I never even thought about the subject again. It wasn’t worth it.
    “I grew up with two loving parents and have done quite well for myself on my own. Trying to prove any of this would’ve been a nightmare. Drew, can you imagine taking on someone like the Bucklins? They’re into everything, electronics, oil, and pharmaceuticals. The least of it being the gourmet grocery chain Lukas started.”
    Returning to the table after his phone call, Scott interrupted, “So did she update you? Caitlin, I’ll fill you in, but you already know Tomas will be here tomorrow, unofficially for now.”
    “I