Zelda was watching Boone as he talked to one of the bartenders at the bar. He seemed unconcerned by the meeting that was about to happen, but she supposed that running a major corporation called for similar meetings. 

However, those meetings didn't involve her daughter's welfare, so he could show a little more concern. Zelda took a deep breath as she tried to take comfort in the fact that Boone was so confident.

Boone walked towards her with a cup of coffee. "It's fine, Zelda." He gave her a gentle kiss. "I'll do all the talking. All you need to do is listen."

Zelda nodded, fighting tears. The meeting hadn't even started, and she was close to breaking down. How would she manage to get through it with a straight face? 

"I thought we could go and get some brunch after this. I know you're not hungry now, but you might be when we're done." Boone was doing her best to distract her, but it wasn't working. "There's a secret I need to tell you."

The door opened, and Charles walked in, causing Zelda to tense in her seat as she set her coffee cup down with shaking hands.

Charles looked around as he took his time in joining them. "This seems like a nice place. I would hate to see you lose it." Charles sat in a chair, leaning back as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Boone looked amused. "I don't see how I could lose it?" Boone followed his lead and leaned back in his seat as well. Zelda was not in a reclining mood.

"Lawyers are fairly expensive, last I heard," Charles shrugged.

"True, but we have one in the family, so we're all set, how about you? Do you have one in the family?" Boone sounded as if he was having a casual conversation with a friend. It made Zelda want to scream.

"I'm sure Eden's trust fund will be happy to pay for the fight, especially since what I am doing is for the well being of the child," Charles insisted, smiling at Zelda. It wasn't a pleasant smile.

Zelda swallowed hard, fighting back nausea. How could he think he would be better for Eden than her? Boone reached for her hand under the table and squeezed, sensing her fear.

"What if I told you that there isn't going to be a trust fund?" Boone reached for Zelda's coffee and took a sip, watching Charles's reaction.

He snorted. "My son's books were very successful, making him a famous man, and there is a trust fund. She has no access to it, so all the money is still there." Charles looked pointedly at Zelda.

Boone nodded. "You know a lot. I'm curious how you got your information, especially when the information is private?' Boone waited.

There was a break in Charles's façade, and he looked away for a moment. "I have my sources." He shrugged, trying to regain control of the situation. Zelda felt her hopes swell at the sign of weakness. It was the first time she had seen him looking weak.

"Well, your sources are right, there is a trust fund that gives Eden's guardian fifteen hundred a month for Eden's care and expenses, and it's a well-crafted document, our family lawyer has looked it over and not been able to find any loopholes in it." Boone dropped the bomb in a nonchalant way.

Zelda kept her eyes in front of her, doing her best to hide her shock. Boone must have talked to Zebadiah about it. He would be the only other one who would know the details, and if Boone talked to Zebadiah, what did he tell Zebadiah?"

"But I am talking present tense, not future. The trust fund might not be there for much longer."

Zelda couldn't hide her shocked expression at Boone's revelation. What did he know that she didn't?

 Boone leaned forward, going in for the kill. "I'll be blunt. I wrote Collin's books. He stole them from me, and I have proof," Boone said in a low hard voice, and Zelda couldn't help the gasp that escaped her.

Boone had written the stories that Collin had passed off as his own? That changed everything. Why hadn't Boone said anything?

"You see, your son not only stole my girl, but he also stole my stories as well." Boone didn't look at Zelda. He kept his gaze focused on Charles wanting to drive the point home.

"You're lying. If Collin stole them, why didn't you go after him when he was alive, you could have had all of that money all of his fame?" Charles shook his head in disbelief.

"I didn't want either, and it didn't seem worth the effort." Boone shrugged as he sat back in his chair. "If I went after the rights to my stories, I would win. I would win, and all of the money would dry up in an instant, but I don't think this is about the money."

Charles sat up straight as he sensed danger. "Of course it's about the money!" he insisted, but there was fear in his voice.

Zelda felt her hope grow a little bit more as she did her best to stay present and keep up with the conversation.

"You see," Boone reached down into his bag that rested against his chair and pulled out a file that he threw onto the table, "this shows that you've been up to some highly illegal activities. I think someone is putting you up to all of this. You have no interest in Eden, and if you gained custody of her you would probably ignore her. Although, the money would be a nice bonus and has proven a distraction from the real motivation behind this."

"Boone, what are you saying?" Zelda asked softly.

"Charles is being blackmailed. Someone wants him to go after you, and possibly me, by targeting Eden. He doesn't have a choice. Someone wants Charles to distress you to the point that you will give me up, leave me, and it almost worked."

Zelda looked at Boone with shocked eyes. "Who would do such a thing? Simone already said she has given up..." Zelda took a shaky breath as she realized the truth.

Boone turned his attention back on Charles. "I have a good idea who it is, and I'll be going after her next, but if you confirm it, you can have this." Boone reached into his bag and threw an envelope on the table. "There is enough cash in there for you to head to where ever you like, although I would suggest another country. Look at it as a gift from your daughter-in-law."

Charles reached for the money, and Boone pulled it back.

"A name!" he insisted.

Charles licked his lips nervously and looked around the bar. "Fanning."

"Thank you," Boone said, pushing the money towards him. "Leave, if I ever see you or hear of you in Eden's life again, I will make sure that all of this information is given to the proper authorities. I don't think I need to tell you what jail will be like for someone who has done what you have." Boone tilted his head.

Charles stood and slowly backed away as if Boone was a snake that was about to strike. Then he turned and hurried from the bar.

"What did he do?" Zelda asked.

"You really don't want to know Zelda, trust me on this." Boone took the file and placed it back in his bag.

"If it's that bad, why are you letting him go?" Zelda asked.

"I'm not letting him go. He'll be taken into custody soon enough." He turned in his seat to look at Zelda. "How do you feel, do you feel better?"

"Kind of." Zelda shook her head as she sorted through all that she had learned. "How did you know it was Fanning?" She asked.

"Same as you. Once I took the time to piece it all together it was clear. Paulette's recent visit to my office confirmed it." Boone watched her absorb all that she had learned.

"What are you going to do now, and did you honestly write Collin's books?" Zelda had so many questions.

Boone smiled as if they were expected. "I don't know. I'll have to think about how to handle Paulette, and yes, I wrote those stories."

"I always thought they were about Cara," Zelda said almost to herself as she thought about the angst of the main character's unrequited love for the beautiful untouchable woman.

"No, they were always about you." Boone gave a bittersweet smile. "Look, I'm hungry, let's go get some lunch, and I will answer every question you have."

Zelda's heart had stopped at his words, and there was a good chance that she had melted to the chair as fire zoomed through her veins at his admission.

"Is that the secret?" she asked in a husky voice. "Were they really about me?"

"Yes, my love, they were. Just as all of my stories since then have been about you."

Zelda's mind went into overdrive at his statement. She had forgotten that he had said he was a writer. She still didn't know his penname.

"As much as I want to act on your come hither look and tone, and trust me, it's working. I think there is still a lot that we need to talk about, and sooner would be better than later." Boone stood, reaching for his bag as he held out his hand.

Zelda nodded, watching him in wonder as she reached for his hand.

How on earth did she deserve this man's loyalty and love? She must have done something very right in a former life.