Free Another Deception by Pamela Carron

with authority.  Anyway, like I said, he was one of the lucky ones.”
          He stopped talking and Cranford was not sure what it was he saw in the man’s eyes but it was something that caused him to moan and go stark white as he uttered the words,
    “Oh my God…you! You are talking about you!”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    9
     
     
          J acks answered his phone and listened as one of Sang-mi’s sons informed him of her death. He felt numb as he heard himself responding. He had just talked with her a few days before and she was fine.
    “I understand.” He spoke with sadness. “I am so sorry. Of course, I will be there. I loved her too. I will be there as soon as I can make the arrangements. Thank you for calling me right away.”
         When the voice on the other end was gone, Jacks wiped away a lone tear that trailed down his cheek. Sang-mi was gone, he would never hear her words of wisdom or her sweet voice singing her silly little rhymes again, and he felt desolation and a sick feeling consumed him as he mourned the only mother figure he had ever known.
         Honey immediately started packing for the both of them. She was determined to accompany her husband to Sang-mi’s farewell service. She made the necessary phone calls to her patients and arranged for airfare early the next day. She figured three days would cover the time needed for the funeral and Jacks told her that the family had invited them to stay with them at Sang-mi’s house. From what she gathered that was a real honor.
         Dwight and Sheila returned from their vacation the day before and were over for dinner, as she wanted to catch them up on what was going on since the last in depth conversation at their house when Jacks returned from his last trip to New York. She was hoping this was the last tie to that place for Jacks. With the final deposition done on a lingering old case now turned over to someone new and Sang-mi gone, there was no real reason for him to keep making these trips. She understood his grief over Sang-mi’s death but admittedly, now there was a certain amount of relief. The city held no glamour for her but rather the horrible memories of being kidnapped by Asa’s goons.
         Jacks was the last one to make it that evening to dinner, as he had several things he had to finish up so he could be away the next few days. By the time he made it home, Honey had already updated their friends not only on Sang-mi’s death, but also on the lab report about the DNA match. Dwight and Sheila both commented on Sang-mi’s death and expressed their sorrow to Jacks. When Sheila asked what caused her death, Jacks admitted he had not asked the son of San-Mi but assumed it was natural causes.
    “You know, she was in her seventies and as spry as she was she did have complaints with her heart from time to time. I did not pry, for it would be the family’s place to share that sort of information when and if they chose to.”
          It was Sheila, who during dinner, brought up the subject of the DNA.
    “Honey told me the test came back positive and you have decided to leave it alone. So do you think it is just another trick for Asa to come after you again?”
    “There is no reason for me to think otherwise. Asa is a liar, so why should I believe this is nothing more than another attempt to get back at me for all the trouble I caused him? No, I will not let him manipulate me again!”
          Surprisingly, Dwight seemed to agree.
    “Good for you! We have to deal with enough evil as it is. I say stay as far away from that creature as you can!”
          Honey made a face and determined to change the subject to a happier one.
    “Are you still having morning sickness or has it subsided yet?”
          Sheila made a similar face and groaned,
    “Oh, it is definitely still coming and going. I wish I could remember who it was that told me