Girl of Vengeance Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Was she shot? Is Adelina all right?”
    O’Leary shook his head. “Not shot, sir. I don’t know all the details yet—only what’s been reported in the news. We don’t have anyone on the ground yet. But the Canadian media is reporting that Adelina Thompson is demanding political asylum.”
    George-Phillip gave O’Leary a grim smile. “It’s about time,” he said. “I must get back—thank you for the update, O’Leary.”
    George-Phillip stepped past O’Leary, reaching for the door, when O’Leary touched his arm.
    “Highness? Remember that Adelina Thompson is not the nineteen-year-old girl you once fell in love with. She’s…”
    “She’s what, O’Leary? Old? As are we both.”
    “No, Highness, that’s not what I meant. She’s … not healthy. Mentally.”
    Anger flooded through George-Phillip. “Well, maybe it’s time she was given the opportunity to heal.” He pushed past O’Leary.

Adelina. May 4.
    “Mrs. Thompson? I’m Liam Tremblay, with Citizenship and Immigration. I’ve been assigned to your asylum case..”
    Adelina came to her feet. Tremblay was an unprepossessing man, roughly thirty years old. He had a crooked and mashed nose, which looked as if it might have been broken in a fistfight, but he wore a respectable looking suit.
    “I understand your daughter is undergoing some serious medical issues, so I won’t bother you today if you don’t have time to talk.”
    Adelina shrugged helplessly. “My daughter is in treatment right now, I’ve got nothing but time.”
    “I hope her prognosis is good…” He raised the pitch of his voice slightly at the end of the sentence, as if he were asking a question.
    Adelina looked at the floor. How was she supposed to answer that? Her daughter had become addicted to crystal meth. She’d done irreparable harm to her body and her brain. She might survive the stroke, but it was equally likely there would be more.
    “All we can do is pray,” Adelina said. Which was bitter. She’d prayed for a lifetime, to no avail.
    Tremblay sighed. “I see,” he said in a soft voice. “I’m sorry.”
    “Please, Mr. Tremblay. What can I do for you?”
    “Well, Mrs. Thompson, I’m the preliminary immigration officer. What I’m empowered to do is to reject your request for asylum out of hand, if I determine there’s no merit to it, or I can forward it on to the tribunal which will make a ruling after a hearing.”
    She nodded. “My claim is valid,” she said, her voice confident.
    “Be that as may, the process must be followed.”
    “How long does it take?” She needed time. If Canada wouldn’t take them in, maybe the United Kingdom would. Somewhere. She needed time to find out why Richard was sending assassins after her and Jessica.
    “Well, ma’am, if we go forward with your case, then your hearing will be within sixty days.”
    “And how long does it take to make your decision?”
    He smiled at her. “That I can do with a simple interview, here and now.”
    She breathed a sigh of relief.
    “Please. Please, go ahead.”
    “All right, then. I’m going to ask you a few questions. I want to make it clear right up front, as a matter of normal rulings, we don’t accept asylum cases for people who crossed the border from the United States.”
    Anxiety shot through her. “Why not?”
    He gave her a gentle smile and held a hand palm up. “Normally,” he said. “The fact that someone was shooting at you when you came across the border changes things. Typically, the reason is because the U.S. and Canada have an agreement that if a refugee reaches our borders, then they must apply in the first country reached.”
    She nodded. “Okay. I understand. That makes sense. But I’m a refugee from the United States.”
    “That may be a first, ma’am. So I’d like to take you through some questions to determine the validity of your case. I’m going to ask you some basic questions. Please answer them briefly and truthfully.”
    He took out a notebook