She couldn’t sit and instead looked out the window, but it faced the rear of the hotel. “I’m frightened.”

  “Raoul explained to me that you’ve been living in fear for ten years. Let’s hope today marks the beginning of a life of freedom for all of you.”

  Fleurine couldn’t imagine a life where her father didn’t dominate every facet of it. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. She jumped and whirled around in time to see Dennis open it. Her eyes caught sight of her lovely mother who was an inch shorter than Fleurine. She’d grown older, but nothing else had changed. Her light brown hair still hung down her back, and she still wore a dated white dress with long sleeves.

  “Maman—” Fleurine’s cry reverberated in the room before they flew into each other’s arms, clinging for dear life. She could smell the wonderful scent of lavender from the soap her mother had always used.

  “Ma belle fille.” Tears gushed from their eyes while they rocked back and forth, never letting go. “Thank heaven you’re still safe after all this time—and so beautiful!”

  “So are you. How are Marti and Emma?”

  “They’re fine.”

  “Do they know anything?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Not even about Raoul and my feelings for him years ago?”

  “I knew how you felt about him, but his name has never passed my lips in all these years. It had to remain a secret to keep us all safe.” Her mom’s gray eyes kept staring at her. “I can’t believe we’re together again. It’s a miracle.”

  “That’s because of you, Maman. You saved my life when you gave me the money and birth certificate so I could escape. There’s so much we need to catch up on... I don’t know where to begin.”

  Her mother nodded. “I understand we have Raoul to thank for this reunion.”

  “Yes. It’s a long story, and one day I’ll tell you everything. What’s important is that we owe you and him our lives for staying quiet about Father’s criminal activities over a lifetime. Right now, let me introduce you to Detective Dennis Landrie. He’s working with the head detective in Paris on this case.”

  He shook her mother’s hand. “Madame Dumotte, you’re a remarkably brave woman to come here under these circumstances. Monsieur Causcelle will be here any second while I take your testimony. I’m aware you want to be home when your son and daughter return from the fromagerie, so we’ll get started now. I’ll be recording our conversation.”

  Fleurine wrapped her arm around her mother’s shoulders, and they walked over to the couch to sit. The detective sat on a chair opposite them and began speaking into the recorder.

  “I’m taking the testimony of Simone Binoche Dumotte, fifty-nine, of La Racineuse, France. Born in said town, married at age twenty-seven to Garber Dumotte in said town. Her home is on the Causcelle estate. She’s the mother of two daughters, Fleur, twenty-eight, Emma, twenty-four, and one son Marti, twenty-two, all born in said town.”

  While he gave background information on her mother, a knock sounded, and Raoul walked in. Nothing ever prepared her for the sight of his handsome, virile presence and dark coloring. The sight of the most attractive man on the planet caused her to gasp quietly. The man she’d pushed away.

  Dennis got to his feet. “Come and join us, Raoul. We’re ready to hear Madame Dumotte’s story.”

  Raoul smiled at Fleurine’s mother. “We’ve never been able to talk before. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time, Simone. I swear you are safe here, and so are Marti and Emma.”

  “Thank you, Monsieur Causcelle.”

  “The name is Raoul. It has taken ten years for us to be our real selves.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “Yes, Raoul. God bless you for what you’re doing.”

  One black brow lifted. “Even if it means your husband will be going to prison?”

  “Now that I have my Fleur back, it’s a relief to tell my story at last.”

  Raoul had predicted her mother would cooperate once they were united. He sat down on another chair. His glance flitted to Fleurine, then he concentrated on her mother. “Please go ahead.”

  For the next half hour Fleurine listened to the ghastly story of the fire. As a sixteen-year-old, her mother had been in the hen house gathering eggs early in the morning when Garber and his friends suddenly came in. She had been behind a stack of empty crates and overheard everything they’d done at the church during the night. Her horror over the fire with the monks inside caused her to moan.

  Garber picked up on the sound. He caught her and vowed to kill her and her family if she ever breathed a word. She’d been his hostage from that morning on. Years later he forced her to marry him under threat of death. During her testimony to Dennis, she gave him the names of the teens involved.

  He praised her for her courage, then it was Fleurine’s turn to give her account of what had happened in the hay barn. She and Raoul had been confronted by her father, who’d aimed his rifle at them, threatening death. After Raoul corroborated her testimony, the detective made a phone call, then stood up with a satisfied expression.

  “Thanks to all of you, I now have the evidence we’ve needed to bring this case to a close. As we speak, Garber Dumotte is being arrested at the dairy along with Ernst Keller and the other men involved for their heinous crime committed years ago.”

  “But what about the men in Switzerland?” Simone had voiced the question paramount in Fleurine’s mind too. She couldn’t bear the thought of any of them still running loose.

  Dennis smiled. “They’re being arrested at this very moment. Thank you for your courage in coming forward, Madame Dumotte. A huge wrong against you and your children, against Raoul and his family, against humanity and against the Catholic Church has been righted at last.”

  Fleurine gripped her mother’s hand as the detective walked out of the room. She lifted her eyes to Raoul. “So we’re really free?” she cried.

  “Like you’ve never been before,” he answered in his deep, vibrant voice. “All it took was for the three of us to give testimony. The law is doing the rest. It’s only the beginning, of course. In time your father and his friends will be tried before a jury and convicted. But what matters is that your lives are no longer held hostage by him or his henchmen. You can go anywhere, anytime, without fear.”

  “This is like a dream I never thought could happen,” her mother murmured.

  “Believe me, I know the feeling.” He got to his full height. “If you’re ready, I’ll drive you to your house. Another officer has already taken Marti and Emma home from the fromagerie. They’re waiting for you. I have no doubt it will be a reunion the four of you have anticipated for years.”

  Her mother walked over to him. “After what you’ve done for us, I owe you a debt of gratitude I can never repay, Raoul Causcelle.”

  “If you’re talking gratitude, it works both ways, Simone. The Causcelle family intends to help make up for your years of suffering. I’ll tell you about it when we get you home. My car is out in front.” He reached for Fleurine’s suitcase and headed for the hall.

  Fleurine was in a daze as she caught hold of her mother’s arm. They followed him out of the hotel to a waiting black Mercedes. He helped them get in and drove them to the estate.

  She stared at the back of Raoul’s head with its black, luxuriant hair. He’d risked everything for this day to happen. The moment felt surreal. There was no more fear from her father. Fleurine had never known this kind of freedom before.

  Yet relief from the paralyzing dread of his evil didn’t mask her churning emotions where Raoul was concerned. But there was no time to examine what was going on inside her because they’d pulled up to the one-story farmhouse where she’d been born and raised. All looked familiar except for the police car out in front.

  Raoul helped them from his car and carried her suitcase to the front porch. Before they reached the door, Emma flew out of the house and ran to embrace Fleurine with cries of joy. Over the years Marti had grown as tall as Raoul. They hugged long and hard.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  THE UNDERCOVER OFFICER who’d brought them home walked out to talk to Raoul. “My job here is finished. I’ll leave them in your hands.”

  “Thank you for everything you’ve done. This is a day to go down in history.”

  “You can say that again. My folks had a relative who died in that fire years ago.”

  “Like so many others, our family had one too. Now it’s over.”

  The two men shook hands before he walked to the police car. By now the family had gone inside. Raoul waited until Simone signaled him from the doorway to join them.

  He’d never stepped on Dumotte property, let alone stepped over the threshold. Once inside, the austerity of the interior twisted his gut. But that would change now that Simone had free rein of everything, including their bank account and possessions. Raoul would make sure of it.

  “Raoul? Come in the living room and explain to everyone how you managed for all of this to happen.”

  Fleurine sat on the couch between her siblings. Raoul sat in one of the wooden chairs opposite them next to Simone.

  “After ten years, your sister and I met by accident in Paris a little over three weeks ago. She’ll tell you the details in her own time. But what you need to know is that with her and Simone’s help, I learned your father had hired his friends to keep me and my brothers under surveillance all these years. He hated my father and our family. If he had caught me or my family talking with anyone in your family, he would have had everyone killed.”

  Emma gasped. So did Fleurine who realized Raoul was still keeping quiet about his relationship with her.

  “However, the accidental meeting in Paris with your sister has changed the course of all our lives. I called in the police, and they devised a plan to arrest your father for a crime against the Church. He’s now in custody for that crime in La Racineuse, along with his cohorts. They’ll be flown to Paris tomorrow to face trial, conviction and imprisonment.”

  Marti sat forward with a solemn expression. “Are you talking about the fire that burned those monks alive?”

  Raoul cleared the blockage in his throat. “Yes.”

  “So our father was responsible.”

  “He and his friends. I realize this can’t be easy for you to hear. But as Father Didier at the cathedral told me weeks ago, Garber was once an innocent child. Through being abused, he learned to hate, and God will deal with him. What’s important is that he and Simone produced three wonderful children, and you have your whole lives ahead of you. That’s what I want to talk to you about.

  “Your father did run the dairy faithfully for years. Despite her constant fear of all of you being killed because of his threats, your mother supported him while raising you to keep you safe. Out of respect for your mom and you, our family held a meeting and want to do something for you in return.

  “Emma and Marti, you can go on working at the fromagerie or whatever you’d like to do on the estate. But maybe you’d like to look for work elsewhere or go to college here in France. That decision is up to you. Just know the family will be funding those expenses and give you each a car of your choice. It’s the least we can do.”

  Marti jumped to his feet. His gray-blue eyes lit up. “You really mean that?”

  Simone nodded. “He means it, mon fils. His word is his bond.”

  Raoul smiled at her. “Your maman is a saint, Marti. The reward money offered years ago by the community for finding the person causing the fire is hers. As for the Causcelle family, we will always look after your family’s needs. That includes a new car for her too. It and your truck will be out in front in the morning, Simone.”

  He noticed Emma sobbing against Fleurine’s shoulder.

  “You need to know your maman kept secrets all your lives, and they kept you safe. In truth, she helped your sister escape to Paris where she’s been living and working all these years.”

  “You’ve been in Paris?” Emma cried. Both she and Marti stared at Simone and Fleurine in wonder.

  Raoul smiled. “Did you know your mother made bakery items that she secretly sold on the estate? She’s a saint. That money helped your sister when the time came to run away from your aunt in Switzerland. Your sister is a heroine too. She worked in a bakery in Paris using your mother’s delicious recipes. That’s how she paid for college and is now the head software engineer at Aire-Tech.”

  Marti looked stunned. “You’re a software engineer?”

  Raoul nodded. “She’s a whiz. Top of her class. All of you Dumottes are exemplary people who’ve had to endure pain no one else can comprehend. Please keep in mind that if you don’t want any help at the moment, money will be put in your individual accounts at the bank of your choice to be used however you please.

  “I have one more thing to say before I have to leave. You’ve been given time off from the fromagerie to enjoy this reunion. Since the company jet will be flying your sister back to her job in Paris within five days, you’re all welcome to fly with her. If you decide to come, I’ll accompany you and install you in the guest suite at the palais where I live when I’m in Paris. It can sleep four.

  “You’re welcome to stay there as long as you want and enjoy the sights. Whatever your plans, the jet will be available to take you. Now I’ll say good-night.”

  Simone followed him out to the porch. “Please, won’t you stay for dinner?”

  “That’s very kind, but I have to get over to the dairy.”

  She nodded. “Words can’t express my feelings, Raoul.”

  “I think we both have the same problem. With your willingness to have revealed the truth, our lives are forever changed. We can all relax and enjoy the future, wherever it leads.”

  “I’ll always be in your debt for making this happen.”

  “It took Fleurine’s courage too,” he said before he realized he’d revealed the nickname for the woman he’d loved and lost.

  Pushing thoughts of her from his mind, Raoul raced out to the car. He drove straight to the dairy where six police cars, two paddy wagons and an ambulance had assembled. After he got out of the car, Dennis walked over to him. “The suspects are loaded, Raoul.”

  “How did it go?”

  “Like clockwork. Dumotte never saw it coming.”

  A deep sigh escaped Raoul’s lips. “The Ministry of the Interior will be giving you the Medaille d’Honneur de la Police Nationale for this, Dennis. It’s a privilege to have worked with you.”

  “This crime might never have been solved without your help.”

  “Simone Dumotte is the one we have to thank, Dennis. She’s one saintly woman.” Her sacrifice so Fleurine could escape her father’s tyranny had to be her crowning glory. This arrest went a long way to help Raoul get rid of some of his guilt. He was a Causcelle and that fact had put her in danger in the first place.

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  He eyed the ambulance. “Was someone hurt?”

  “No. We brought it as a precaution.”

  “What’s next, Dennis?”

  “We’ll take Dumotte, Keller, Hartzel and Richter to the jail in La Racineuse. Tomorrow they’ll be transported to the airport and flown to Paris for their arraignment. The four in Switzerland will also be flown to Paris. We have it all sewn up now.”

  “Dieu merci.” Raoul took a deep breath, trying to comprehend that the nightmare was over. “What else can I do to help?”

  “Nothing for the time being. I’ll stay in touch with you.”

  “Then, I’ll go into the dairy to explain everything to the workers. A new head has to be named tonight.”

  “Life goes on, doesn’t it?”

  “Amen.” Raoul patted the man’s shoulder and had just started walking toward the entrance when his brothers came rushing toward him. All three of them teared up as they hugged.

  What would Raoul have done without them guarding the Dumotte family? They’d helped him with everything.

  “This marks the beginning of a new era,” Nic spoke in a broken voice.

  Jean-Louis let out a long sigh. “Thank heaven Dumotte is gone with all his evil cronies.”

  “We’ll tell Papa the truth tonight,” Raoul announced. “He loved Gregoire, and this news will make a new man of him. First, however, we need to go in and announce that Gaston will be the new head of the dairy. He should have been put in charge years ago.”

  The second they entered the building, all the workers stood in the aisle shouting Bravo! and clapping hard. Each one came up to shake their hands and thank them for getting rid of Garber, whom they’d secretly named the menace de Saône.

  Dumotte’s crime had not only put the Saône department in eastern France on the map, everyone had suffered because of it.

  And no one more than Simone and her children.

  Raoul didn’t dare dwell on the reunion going on in their home. The thrilling period of his teenage life with Fleurine had come to an official end.

  He no longer recognized the girl he’d loved. A beautiful, determined and talented woman had taken her place. Someone, it seemed, who could not love him. He had no choice but to let her go.

  After sending Dumotte to prison at last, he realized a miracle had happened. Maybe one more lay in store for him. The next time Raoul met with Pascal in Paris, he’d go to his cousin’s home for dinner and meet the woman who might be the perfect match for him.

  Another thunderous cry of approval broke out when Raoul announced that Gaston Farouche had been named the new head of the Causcelle dairy. While everyone celebrated the welcome news, Raoul and his brothers left to drive to the chateau.

  They found their papa in the family room, putting a puzzle together with Françoise’s great aunt after dinner. Françoise sat nearby reading a book. Jean-Louis gave his wife a kiss and asked her to wheel Nadine to her room. He and his brothers needed time alone with their father.