Page 51 of No Way Forward

“Attorney Richard Kagen is in the spotlight again along with his adopted daughter Novette Kagen. An article on the father-daughter duo has gone viral, which claims to have uncovered the fact that Novette wasn’t a random orphan that Richard decided to share his life and prosperity with. Richard Kagen knew Novette’s birth mother, and she may have worked for

him.”

Novette’s fork slipped from her fingers and fell on the floor. The maid moved to pick it up, but Novette paid her no mind. Her gaze remained glued to the TV screen. This must be some kind of mistake.

From an early age, her dad told her that he adopted her. When she was old enough to be curious about where she came from and who her biological parents were, he said he didn’t have any information about them. The records were lost, he’d said, and she saw no reason at the time to think he was lying.

“He lied to me!” She shoved her plate away, feeling sick to her stomach.

“Diane Leggett worked as a receptionist at a small sales firm that Richard Kagen owned.”

A woman’s photo appeared on the screen. She looked to be a few years older than Novette. There was no mistaking the shape of the nose and the bone structure in the jaw and chin. Even the eyes and eyebrows looked so similar to Novette’s.

“Ms. Leggett died—”

“Turn it off!”

Everybody in the dining room jumped at the bellow. Novette twisted around in her chair to find her dad standing in the doorway. His pale skin and troubled eyes told their own story. He’d known about Diane Leggett all along.

The maid scrambled to click the TV off, and the dining room plunged into silence. Anger bubbled inside Novette, so much so she couldn’t form words. This man, who she thought was too overprotective, was really a bully, a liar, and who knew what else.

“What do you want from me?” she asked him. “What have I done or what has that woman done to make you treat me this way?”

He charged forward. “We’re leaving now, Novette. If you haven’t finished your breakfast, you can get something on the plane.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you talk to me. What are you hiding from me, Daddy? Or should I say Richard?”

He tried to touch her cheek. She smacked his hand away. Guilt filled his expression, shocking her.

“Please, dear, we can talk later. Right now we have to go.”

She stood. “I said I’m not going anywhere until you tell me the truth. I doubt you’re going to get me past security at the airport if I’m shouting bloody murder.”

“Don’t talk like that.”

“Try me.”

He sighed, rubbing his temple.

“Oh, and in case you think this is some movie of the week, they’re not going to let me get on the plane drugged either.”

“Novette, you’re being dramatic.”

She started to tell him where he could go when one of the men stormed into the dining room. “Sir, we have an issue.”

Her dad spun around. “What kind of issue?”

“There’s a fire down at the boathouse.”

“A fire? How in the—” her dad began. He frowned and glanced at her before turning back to the guard. “It’s got to be a diversion. Was there anything on the camera?”

“No, sir.”

“Have the other men check it out. Novette, you come with me.”

“I’m not—”

He grabbed her arm and compelled her out of the dining room and down the hall. Her dad thrust open one of the doors along way and pushed her inside. “Stay here.”

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