NOW FOR THEN Chapter 12
"Cabot Residence, may I help you?"
"Hi, Edith, this is Olivia Benson. How are you this morning?”
“Good, Ms. Benson. Mrs. Cabot is right here, she’s been expecting your call.” Edith passed the phone on.
Alex’s mom picked up immediately, "Olivia, my dear, how are you? Did you have a good flight? How are your accommodations?”
“I’m fine, Mrs. Cabot. The trip here was fine; the hotel’s great,” Olivia rushed on, communicating the urgency while trying to keep her mood in check. “I need your help.”
'"Of course. How can I help?"
**Tell me the truth,** the detective thought, instead she asked, “Do you know the General personally?”
After a brief pause, the woman responded, “Yes.”
“When did you last speak with her?”
“The night Destiny disappeared. Harriet called me right before Agent Vaughn did.”
“To tell you about the abduction?”
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you anything else?”
“Just how worried she was. Why, Olivia, are you asking these questions?”
“If they turn out to be totally unrelated, I apologize in advance for prying,” Olivia explained, her voice sincere. “But right now, I have nothing except for a bunch of questions.”
“What kind of questions, my dear?”
Ignoring the other woman’s query, the detective laid out some of her cards, “I found out you and the General and Martha Iverson Clark Locke all went to school together, and knew each other.” Not getting any ready response, she continued, “I also read about Mr. Locke and his anti-war stance, and the government’s investigation of him and his wife.”
“The Afghani charities?” Mrs. Cabot replied, sounding indignant, “Martha and Randy were completely vindicated! The Attorney General personally apologized.”
“That’s fine. Nevertheless, Agent Vaughn told me yesterday you were a person of interest,” Olivia revealed. “Now I don’t know if he was bluffing or not, but so far, he had been keeping tabs on me, and questioning everything I do.”
“I see…”
“So, please forgive my frustrations. I really don’t mean any disrespect. I really would like to help you find Destiny. And if I need to clear your name with Agent Vaughn, I need ammunition.”
“I understand,” the older woman answered agreeably, then sighed. “Please tell me what you need from me then.”
Olivia wasn’t sure how she should react to Mrs. Cabot’s placid response. “Are you or members of your family involved in anything, um, political? Or radical? You mentioned your parents…”
“Oh, they were just being idealistic, as far as I know. They considered themselves socialists, but then my mother was French,” Celine Cabot offered. “I wish I could tell you differently, but my family is really quite complacent. Alexandra is the only one who had ever expressed a political aspiration.”
“What about Jack?” She remembered Alex’s uncle.
“He wanted to teach. But he has great respect for President Carter, and you don’t just turn down a federal appointment.”
“Suppose not.” Olivia agreed. “Tell me about the General and the baby she gave up for adoption?" She asked bluntly.
There was a long moment of silence on the other end of the phone. "That's not my story to tell, Olivia," the woman finally said.
"Mrs. Cabot, General Thomas is also missing and presumably abducted.”
There was a light gasp, then, “Dear, God. Oh, no.”
The outburst sounded genuine. Still something in the woman’s voice troubled Olivia. She filed that away for the time being, and pressed on. “And I don't have any leads. Agent Vaughn is being less than cooperative. Unfortunately, time for the General and Destiny is fast running out. If you expect me to find them and find them alive, then I need to know the truth, and I need to know it now," she pleaded urgently.
Expelling a soft sigh, Celine Cabot began, her voice slow and monotonous, "Harriet was working in Washington DC. There was a certain powerful senator… He was friends with her father, and he was to mentor and look after her. Instead, he had other intentions, despite his marital status, and he made them quite well known. You would call it sexual harassment now. He asked politely at first, and of course she refused politely. He became persistent and she was determined to stay away...”
Olivia remained silent. Taking a shaky breath, the older woman continued, “One night they were both attending a party and he approached her, bringing her a drink as a peace offering. He apologized for his behavior. And on account of her father’s friendship with this man, she accepted the gesture. When she realized he had drugged the alcohol, it was too late… I’m sure you can extrapolate the rest, Detective.”
Brushing aside the formal address, the brunette asked, "Did she report it to anyone?”
"He was a powerful senator, a friend of the President. It was her word against his. He threatened to ruin her, her career, everything…” Mrs. Cabot explained. “Harriet called me. My father talked to my sister’s Mother Superior. Oh, I had a younger sister, Maureen, don’t think I’ve ever mentioned her to you. Anyway, the good sisters agreed for Harriet to convalesce at St. Dominic’s, until she had her son. Afterwards, Martha and Randy adopted him. Martha was my college roommate and our mutual friend."
“I could certainly understand why she gave him up. Who’d want a constant reminder of such a horrible ordeal,” Olivia couldn’t help but commented.
“Actually, Harriet wanted to keep Kenneth.” Celine clarified patiently, “She just couldn’t. That’s why Martha agreed to adopt him, so they could keep in touch. He knew Harriet was his biological mother, and how he came about.”
“He knew he was a product of rape?” The brunette was stunned. **Must all mothers tell their children, and everyone else?**
“Yes, it’s a close family secret, of course. My friends thought it’d let him know just how special he was… After all, despite what the government or the church would like women to think, there were other options.”
“Options? I thought you’re…”
“Yes, Olivia, I’m Catholic, and I have my own beliefs, but I can be very pragmatic if I must.”
'Why didn't she keep him then? I realize it would have been difficult, but it was still her child." Olivia had to ask.
"She couldn't possibly have given him any kind of life. Her career would have ended. How was she supposed to support a child, as a single woman? You didn't do that back then. She took the only alternative she had, and tried to put it behind her."
"What about the Senator, could there be any connection between him and her kidnapping?"
"The senator died a few years ago. Long before then, he and Harriet reconciled.”
“After she returned from her maternity leave, she received a promotion…” Olivia tried to process the new information and eliminate the possibilities.
“Yes, the senator used his power to obtain that for her. To atone for his guilt, I believe. But I don't think there’s anyone left from that time who would still care,” Mrs. Cabot speculated quietly.
The detective scribbled something in her notebook, and continued, "So, when you had Destiny, you gave her to the General. Why? Granted, it was two years later, she was a Major, but nothing else changed. She was still a single woman.”
“But she had a rising career…”
“I would think that with all of your connections you could have provided her with a complete family, a father and a mother, instead of the potentially unstable life of an army brat." Olivia grasped at straws. Anything unusual from Mrs. Cabot’s past might provide a clue. She still had no idea what the government might be looking for.
"We were good friends at Wellesley," Celine Cabot stated as if it explained everything.
"That's a statement, Mrs. Cabot, not an explanation. I know you had to give away your only child, but again why to a single woman? Mr. Locke kept telling me how much he and his wife wished they had a daughter like Alex. They would have been good parents for Destiny, too,” she hoped Mrs. Cabot could see why she was questioning her motivations. She knew the woman was holding something back, she just didn’t know what.
The silence dragged on, and Olivia was beginning to wonder if the other woman had hung up on her. At last, Celine spoke, “We were so young… Who knew if anything would have come out of it… I was heartbroken when Harriet left for the military. Then she told me I was sick, and told me to get help. So I let Alex woo me and let myself fall in love with him and marry him. When she called me about her pregnancy, I realized she said those hateful things to me because the senator thought all she needed was to be shown the way. Harriet was the friend I stayed with after I caught Alex… it was a wonderful week.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know…” Olivia finally managed, after reading between the lines.
"Now perhaps you understand why you hold such a special place in my heart.”
She said nothing, attempting to compartmentalize the revelation, and still draw from it her next sets of questions. "I still am not sure if I completely understand why…”
“Harriet was with me when Destiny was born. Alex called her, because he wasn’t sure if he could make it to the delivery, and he wanted me to have a friend. He never suspected a thing…” Mrs. Cabot trailed off, sighed, then continued. “Anyway, Harriet asked to keep Destiny, and Alex thought it was a splendid idea. He knew how difficult it was for her to give up Kenneth…”
“You mentioned your cousins using family connections…”
“You don’t think I’m a person of interest because of my grandparents’ associations, do you?” She sounded clearly concerned.
“I don’t know. Were they involved in something that might be…?” Olivia paused, not knowing how to continue without insulting the other woman.
“Hmm…” Celine hesitated. “I told you my parents met during the Resistance.”
“Yes?”
“In order for my mother to participate without raising suspicion, my grandparents became involved with the Vichy Government. They did it under the direction of General de Gaulle and his group. I guess you could call them spies, but they were good spies. After the war, my grandfather even received a Légion d’honneur for his work. Our government couldn’t possibly…”
“I don’t think that’s it, Mrs. Cabot.”
“Oh, no…” she sounded stricken. “I hope it’s not that… He only meant well…”
“Mrs. Cabot?”
“When Destiny was born, we were at war with Vietnam. We couldn’t possibly send her away from the safety of France.” In a small voice, she confessed, “So Alex expedited and arranged for the adoption papers… Money opens many doors…”
Olivia decided to save the woman from further shame. She also thought the connection was too insubstantial and tried another, “And you never saw Destiny afterwards?”
“Only once, when she was twelve.”
The same year of the photograph, she realized. “Did she visit you in New York?”
“No. We were very paranoid about people finding out, especially my mother-in-law, and Alexandra.” Celine explained, “So Bobby arranged for us to meet out in the open sea. You remember Bobby?”
“Yes.” How could she not; she was just thinking about him and his wife.
“A lot of things we did back then seemed so unnecessary and foolish now…” She continued. “Destiny was very sick, and we weren’t sure if she would live. Alex and Harriet both thought I should see her before the leukemia took over… So Alex and I told everyone we were spending a weekend with Bobby on his yacht. Meanwhile, he picked Harriet and Destiny up from DC on his personal jet and we rendezvoused…”
“I’m glad that Destiny recovered.” Olivia offered with sincerity.
“Thank you. The cancer miraculously went into remission. We were all so relieved.”
“Bobby must be a very good friend.” Maybe the woman’s connections were the cause of the red flags, she wondered.
“Yes, he was.” Mrs. Cabot answered slowly, perhaps pondering the same thing. “Our families go very far back. His grandfather was one of my grandfather’s associates. He helped armed the Allies, before our government got involved.”
“I see…” Possibly he was still smuggling, Olivia speculated to herself.
“That was back then. Bobby’s company now only transport clothing for retailers. You can see the containers in Jersey City…” The woman quickly defended her friend.
“The other night, you mentioned an agent who called you about Alex…” The detective changed the subject abruptly. “Do you know what department he works for?”
“No. He just told me he was one of the agents in charge of Alex’s relocation, to ensure her safety and comfort. Why do you ask?”
“I’m just curious.” She didn’t want to alarm Celine Cabot in any way. “Do you have his name?”
“Rico La Guardia,” she provided without hesitation.
“Rico La Guardia?” That sounded like something from the Godfather.
“He introduced himself at the funeral and reassured me Alex is in very good hands. He seemed awfully kind. You don’t think Alexandra is in danger, too, do you? Please, Olivia…”
“No, Mrs. Cabot. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to upset you. Alex is in no danger at all, I’m pretty sure.” She comforted, wishing she truly were certain. “I’m just wondering if other government agencies are involved, besides the DSS. That’s all.”
“You promise, you will tell me if you think Alexandra… Oh, God… Please don’t let anything happen to her, too.”
“I promise, I’ll let you know if I even suspect anything.”
“If you need to stop what you’re doing and go to her, I understand.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Cabot. I’ll keep that in mind.” Had she believed her lover was in trouble, she wouldn’t have cared what Celine Cabot thought. Still, it was good to have her permission. “When you talked to the General, did she mention seeing any strangers or anyone who might be suspicious?”
"No.” She took a deep breath, and gradually regained composure. “If she had, I certainly would have told you and Agent Vaughn."
"What about Destiny's ex? Did she ever say anything about him?"
“No. Harriet and I really don’t talk that much, Olivia.”
“Why not? Don’t you ever wonder…?”
“About Destiny? Of course I do. But what good would it do me? I know she has a good life, she has a good mother, and she grew up to be a decent human being, a contributing member of society. I can’t even be a proper mother to the daughter I did keep… It’s just better if I didn’t keep track.”
The brunette felt so sorry for Celine Cabot. She couldn’t imagine going through life with that much unresolved guilt. She really wanted to say something consoling, instead “Don’t you ever wonder about you and Harriet?” flew out. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Immediately, she apologized.
“That’s all right.” Chuckling softly, Mrs. Cabot acknowledged, “It’s a fair question, and you deserve an answer.”
“No, it was really impertinent of me, and I do beg your pardon.”
“Nonsense, My dear. I’ve told you secrets, secrets that I’ve asked you to keep from Alexandra. And instead of enjoying your holiday, you are on the other side of the continent, doing me a great favor. The least I owe you is honesty.”
“You really don’t owe me anything, Mrs. Cabot,” Olivia tried again, but she must admit, curiosity was eating her up.
“I do wonder sometimes,” ignoring the protest, the woman proceeded. “But it’s just not right… I don’t mean the nature of the relationship. Despite all our problems, Alex was the great love of my life…”
“But he’s been gone for so many years… Don’t you ever get lonely?” Once again, the words escaped out of their own volition. At least it sounded sympathetic. However, if she had allowed herself to think about it, to put herself in Celine Cabot’s shoes, the question would have been utterly pointless.
“Not really, I kept myself too busy,” Celine laughed indulgently. “Besides, Harriet was making so much difference in the world, and ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ is just a very recent development.”
“I’m really sorry for asking so many questions.”
“That’s all right, Olivia. Do you think you have everything you need?”
“Hmm…” She considered the final coincidence, and decided to ask, “Do you know a Goran Petrovic?”
After a moment of contemplation, she responded, “No. Should I?”
“That’s Destiny’s ex. He disappeared in April of 2001.”
“Goran Petrovic…” She thought about it. “Oh, wait. A couple of years ago, Harriet called me out of the blues and asked me to help a young man by the name of George Peterson…”
“Do you remember exactly when?”
“Just after New Year. Actually, in the same conversation she told me Destiny had dissolved her engagement… She didn’t say they were the same person though.”
“Did she say why they broke up?”
“She didn’t and I didn’t ask. I’m sorry, Olivia.”
**Petrovic, son of Peter, new identity. That’s gotta be him,** the detective concluded. “Can you tell me anything about Peterson?”
“Harriet said he was the adoptive son of a couple of doctors she met when she was in Europe, and that he wanted a fresh start with a new vocation.”
“What kind?”
“When I talked to him, he wasn’t very specific about what he wanted. I don’t think he knew. He just said he wished to get away and help people. But he did use the word vocation, and seemed to be having a crisis of faith.”
“So you helped him?”
“Of course! It’s not my place to question God’s will, or judge what’s intended for God or not. So I introduced him to my contacts at St. Dominic’s. Last I heard, he joined their lay brothers’ missionary and went to Cambodia.”
“Do you know if he’s still there?”
“I don’t, but I’m sure I can find out.”
“That’s okay. I don’t think it’s necessary.” Vaughn could keep chasing his own shadow for all Olivia cared.
“You don’t think he had anything to do with their disappearance, do you? Harriet spoke very fondly of him.”
“I don’t think so,” she replied honestly. "I really should be going, Mrs. Cabot. Thank you for your help. I'm really sorry for prying. I'm just trying to rule out everything that doesn't make sense, and I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
"I understand. If I can be of any further help, please call me. Good luck."
"Thanks, I'm going to need it.” One item was still tearing a hole in her mind. She knew if she didn’t ask, she would just spend too much time doubting. “Oh, Mrs. Cabot?”
“Yes, Olivia?”
“I have… um… uh… a totally irrelevant question…” Why she was suddenly so tongue-tied, she couldn’t understand.
“What is it, my dear?” Patient concern filled her voice.
Olivia willed the sentence to come out smoothly this time, “The other night, Edith showed me pictures of Alex when she was young…”
“And you’re wondering about her and Kenneth…” Celine finished the statement with a smile in her tone.
“Yes,” the brunette admitted, a little too quickly for her own liking.
“He was a responsible, trust-worthy young man, familiar with protocol.” Alex’s mother explained evenly. “He was perfect as an escort, much like Jack Francis was for Ling.”
“I see.” She supposed Alex couldn’t have gone with her own cousin. “Thanks for satisfying my curiosity, Mrs. Cabot.”
“You’re quite welcome.” Laughing softly, she pursued, “Olivia?”
“Yes?”
“It wasn’t like Martha and I had a marriage pledge for our children. I believe I can speak for the family when I say I’m quite happy with you.”
**Am I just an open book?** She thought, surprised; but she did need the reassurance. “Thank you.”
“Goodbye, Olivia, and thanks again for your help."
She hung up the telephone. **Rico La Guardia… If that’s not a made-up name, then I live in the Land of Oz. Rico the Watcher? Just who the hell is he?**
The only probable suspect she had now was Robert Miller, Jr. **Hopefully the search on him will be productive.** It was still too early for her to go to Destiny’s school, so she ordered breakfast, and stared blankly at the computer screen.