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Chapter 11
Mason left Julia's house intending to ask Pamela a question or two. For instance, how could it happen so
that the documents they had intended not to use against CC were still being used. Pamela swore she had no
idea, but Mason did not believe her. It alarmed him. He had been determined to support his mother against
his father, but now, looking at her as she was rolling her eyes, Mason could only think coldly that she was
lying.
Using the papers they would not profit in any way, and she had known it. But the facts revealed could
seriously damage his father's reputation. Mason suspected this was exactly what Pamela wanted; he was
aghast.
"Where are you going?" she asked him.
"To Dad," Mason said curtly. "I must try to undo the harm and help him out of this," he added icily.
But when he came to the Capwell mansion CC would not see him. Well, this was hardly surprising; but not
the attitude of Eden, or Kelly, and Ted. None of them would talk to him. Now, this was strange, accustomed
as Mason was to doors shut in his face. Little by little, Mason had to realize there were many more things
happening than what he knew of. He shut himself in his office and started gathering the information.
By the end of the first day he had enough to see someone was deliberately drowning CC, attacking him in
several ways. Mason could not tell who that enemy was, and it was scary; usually in the business circles you
get to know such things if you are generous with your informants.
It was too obvious, though, than Mason's own family had jumped to the conclusion - or had been led to
believe even - that the one behind it was the black sheep, none other than Mason Capwell.
Mason cursed everything and dove into decyphering the mystery. The deeper, the more stunned he got at
the mere venom of the unknown ill-wisher. The venom directed at both his father and at him.
If only they could unite their forces!
But the evil person seemed to know the situation within the Capwell family really well. CC did not trust his
son, he never had. It was no time for him to learn to, now.
Mason was left to his own devices.
A few days passed, and suddenly Mason realized that what was happening was not limited to the court
proceedings and the paper business. Not only CC's mistakes and possible crimes; there was bribery
involved, blackmail, libel and threats, and for the first time Mason saw it was complete destruction the
invisible enemy was aiming at.
*
Mason let the nanny go; Matt was sleeping. Mason watched the little one for a while, his mind on the
malicious schemes played out against the Capwells. He felt as if he were in the center of a global nightmare,
and that a nightmare of a madman. The only person who'd not let him down now - he just needed to get to
Julia, and the nightmare might stop scaring him so. A legal adviser, and a loyal friend - he needed her in both
the roles. He needed a friend now that everyone had turned away from him; he could use legal help, too.
He dialed her number. "Julia," said he hastily, "I need your help."
"Mason?" she said, and her voice, so familiar, made him sigh with relief.
"Mason," she said, "you bastard, how do you dare to turn to me for help? I told you to get lost; I told you
never to call me again."
Mason froze. It was no nightmare. It was an apocalypse.
The last time he'd seen her she'd told him nothing of the kind. He'd been holding her in his arms, enjoying the
warmth of her body, the aroma of her hair, the feeling of security and serenity. The last words she said to him
were not to get lost, but to take care.
"Ju- Julia," he stumbled. "What's wrong? Let me come over, and--"
"Don't!" she yelled. "Don't you come close. If you disconnect now, I will never, ever talk to you again, you
hear?"
Ironically, that was the truest thing she'd ever said today, Julia thought. The feeling of the cold knife blade on
her neck made her shiver inwardly.
Mason left Julia's house intending to ask Pamela a question or two. For instance, how could it happen so
that the documents they had intended not to use against CC were still being used. Pamela swore she had no
idea, but Mason did not believe her. It alarmed him. He had been determined to support his mother against
his father, but now, looking at her as she was rolling her eyes, Mason could only think coldly that she was
lying.
Using the papers they would not profit in any way, and she had known it. But the facts revealed could
seriously damage his father's reputation. Mason suspected this was exactly what Pamela wanted; he was
aghast.
"Where are you going?" she asked him.
"To Dad," Mason said curtly. "I must try to undo the harm and help him out of this," he added icily.
But when he came to the Capwell mansion CC would not see him. Well, this was hardly surprising; but not
the attitude of Eden, or Kelly, and Ted. None of them would talk to him. Now, this was strange, accustomed
as Mason was to doors shut in his face. Little by little, Mason had to realize there were many more things
happening than what he knew of. He shut himself in his office and started gathering the information.
By the end of the first day he had enough to see someone was deliberately drowning CC, attacking him in
several ways. Mason could not tell who that enemy was, and it was scary; usually in the business circles you
get to know such things if you are generous with your informants.
It was too obvious, though, than Mason's own family had jumped to the conclusion - or had been led to
believe even - that the one behind it was the black sheep, none other than Mason Capwell.
Mason cursed everything and dove into decyphering the mystery. The deeper, the more stunned he got at
the mere venom of the unknown ill-wisher. The venom directed at both his father and at him.
If only they could unite their forces!
But the evil person seemed to know the situation within the Capwell family really well. CC did not trust his
son, he never had. It was no time for him to learn to, now.
Mason was left to his own devices.
A few days passed, and suddenly Mason realized that what was happening was not limited to the court
proceedings and the paper business. Not only CC's mistakes and possible crimes; there was bribery
involved, blackmail, libel and threats, and for the first time Mason saw it was complete destruction the
invisible enemy was aiming at.
*
Mason let the nanny go; Matt was sleeping. Mason watched the little one for a while, his mind on the
malicious schemes played out against the Capwells. He felt as if he were in the center of a global nightmare,
and that a nightmare of a madman. The only person who'd not let him down now - he just needed to get to
Julia, and the nightmare might stop scaring him so. A legal adviser, and a loyal friend - he needed her in both
the roles. He needed a friend now that everyone had turned away from him; he could use legal help, too.
He dialed her number. "Julia," said he hastily, "I need your help."
"Mason?" she said, and her voice, so familiar, made him sigh with relief.
"Mason," she said, "you bastard, how do you dare to turn to me for help? I told you to get lost; I told you
never to call me again."
Mason froze. It was no nightmare. It was an apocalypse.
The last time he'd seen her she'd told him nothing of the kind. He'd been holding her in his arms, enjoying the
warmth of her body, the aroma of her hair, the feeling of security and serenity. The last words she said to him
were not to get lost, but to take care.
"Ju- Julia," he stumbled. "What's wrong? Let me come over, and--"
"Don't!" she yelled. "Don't you come close. If you disconnect now, I will never, ever talk to you again, you
hear?"
Ironically, that was the truest thing she'd ever said today, Julia thought. The feeling of the cold knife blade on
her neck made her shiver inwardly.