Read Indirect Route for Free Online Page A
Authors: Claire Matthews
me, they won’t give you any prepackaged food there. It’s like, all cooked in a huge pot and slapped on a tray. You’d be dead in a month.”
“Alright, calm down. We’ll do this on the up and up. But the ID would get us access to a lot more stuff, that’s all I’m sayin’.”
Janie gave him her own version of the eye roll, and they drove in silence until they parked in the visitor lot of the courthouse annex.
“It’s show time,” Aaron said, grabbing her hand and giving it a supportive squeeze. Janie looked into his eyes and was suddenly overcome by gratitude.
“Listen, whatever happens on this little adventure of ours, I just want to thank you. I couldn’t rest knowing that my dad might be out there somewhere, and I couldn’t have even started to find him without your help.” Before she could think better of it, she leaned over the seat and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re so special, Aaron.” Her whispered words hung in the air, until he backed up with a bit of a jerk and opened the car door.
“You’re pretty great yourself,” he said, tugging a lock of her hair. By the time she’d stepped into the parking lot, the moment had passed.
“Look, I’ve dealt with a lot of these county clerk types in the past. Why don’t you let me do the talking, okay?”
Janie frowned, not sure she liked being put in the back seat. “Okay,” she said reluctantly.
“Just because it’s easier to get what you want when you stick to their expected script,” he explained, and she could tell he was trying to take the sting out of his directive.
“Fine. But if you start pulling out any type of bogus identification, we are aborting immediately.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Janie wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but the actual process of standing in line, filling out the records request, and receiving the printed files from the middle-aged, bleached blonde clerk was a lot less dramatic than she’d anticipated.
“That’s it?” She whispered as they took the thin pile of documents and existed into the musty lobby of the courthouse building.
“That’s it.”
“So, what did we get?” Janie was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement.
“I don’t know, you mad woman. Let’s go find out.” They exited the courthouse plaza and found the nearest bench, which was fortuitously under a shade tree.
“Okay.” Aaron spread the sheets across his lap. “Kenneth Brown had a 1985 Chrevrolet Chevette registered in his name in 1990. He renewed it every year until 1994.”
“I was born in 1992,” Janie whispered.
“He’s also listed on the title of a house, at 13867 Cypress Hills Dr. In 1990.” Aaron paused.
“What?” Janie asked, taking the sheet of paper from his hand. The title looked official, with the seal of the state of Alabama, and some scratchy signatures on the bottom. Under title holder, she saw the name Kenneth Brown…followed underneath by the name Elaine Brown.
“Elaine Brown? My mom’s name is Elaine Block. Does this mean they were married?” Janie felt her heartbeat kick into overdrive. They were married ? How could her mother lie to her like that? And why?
“Maybe. Maybe it’s another Elaine. Maybe he lied about being married on the title paperwork. It’s dangerous to assume at this point.”
Janie nodded her head, still too upset to speak. It seemed like her mother’s life had been a lie. That meant her life was a lie. What if her father had been looking for her all this time? What if her mother had kept him from her? She shook her head, physically trying to rid herself of the crazy thoughts roiling through her mind.
“C’mon,” Aaron said, taking her upper arm and gently leading her to the car. “We don’t know enough yet to come to any conclusions. Let’s go drive by this house on Cypress Hills and see what it looks like now.” Janie nodded again.
“Hey.
“Alright, calm down. We’ll do this on the up and up. But the ID would get us access to a lot more stuff, that’s all I’m sayin’.”
Janie gave him her own version of the eye roll, and they drove in silence until they parked in the visitor lot of the courthouse annex.
“It’s show time,” Aaron said, grabbing her hand and giving it a supportive squeeze. Janie looked into his eyes and was suddenly overcome by gratitude.
“Listen, whatever happens on this little adventure of ours, I just want to thank you. I couldn’t rest knowing that my dad might be out there somewhere, and I couldn’t have even started to find him without your help.” Before she could think better of it, she leaned over the seat and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re so special, Aaron.” Her whispered words hung in the air, until he backed up with a bit of a jerk and opened the car door.
“You’re pretty great yourself,” he said, tugging a lock of her hair. By the time she’d stepped into the parking lot, the moment had passed.
“Look, I’ve dealt with a lot of these county clerk types in the past. Why don’t you let me do the talking, okay?”
Janie frowned, not sure she liked being put in the back seat. “Okay,” she said reluctantly.
“Just because it’s easier to get what you want when you stick to their expected script,” he explained, and she could tell he was trying to take the sting out of his directive.
“Fine. But if you start pulling out any type of bogus identification, we are aborting immediately.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Janie wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but the actual process of standing in line, filling out the records request, and receiving the printed files from the middle-aged, bleached blonde clerk was a lot less dramatic than she’d anticipated.
“That’s it?” She whispered as they took the thin pile of documents and existed into the musty lobby of the courthouse building.
“That’s it.”
“So, what did we get?” Janie was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement.
“I don’t know, you mad woman. Let’s go find out.” They exited the courthouse plaza and found the nearest bench, which was fortuitously under a shade tree.
“Okay.” Aaron spread the sheets across his lap. “Kenneth Brown had a 1985 Chrevrolet Chevette registered in his name in 1990. He renewed it every year until 1994.”
“I was born in 1992,” Janie whispered.
“He’s also listed on the title of a house, at 13867 Cypress Hills Dr. In 1990.” Aaron paused.
“What?” Janie asked, taking the sheet of paper from his hand. The title looked official, with the seal of the state of Alabama, and some scratchy signatures on the bottom. Under title holder, she saw the name Kenneth Brown…followed underneath by the name Elaine Brown.
“Elaine Brown? My mom’s name is Elaine Block. Does this mean they were married?” Janie felt her heartbeat kick into overdrive. They were married ? How could her mother lie to her like that? And why?
“Maybe. Maybe it’s another Elaine. Maybe he lied about being married on the title paperwork. It’s dangerous to assume at this point.”
Janie nodded her head, still too upset to speak. It seemed like her mother’s life had been a lie. That meant her life was a lie. What if her father had been looking for her all this time? What if her mother had kept him from her? She shook her head, physically trying to rid herself of the crazy thoughts roiling through her mind.
“C’mon,” Aaron said, taking her upper arm and gently leading her to the car. “We don’t know enough yet to come to any conclusions. Let’s go drive by this house on Cypress Hills and see what it looks like now.” Janie nodded again.
“Hey.