Empath's Angel - M J Marlow (easy readers .TXT) 📗

said softly as they pulled to a spot in front of the bank. “You could be a little nicer to them.” “I didn’t mean to be rude,” Stephen told her as he parkedand turned off the engine. “I’m just a little tired from the last shift. Maybe we should have rested.” He got outand opened the door for Emilia. “If you’d rather wait, we can go back to my house.” “No,” Emilia shook her head, “I want to get this done.” She walked into the bankand the manager rushed over to her. “Hello, Mr. Simon,” she smiled as the jolly old gray haired man, Lieutenant Daniel Simon’s uncle, put his arm around her shoulderand escorted her to his office. “How are you doing?” “Never better, darling,” Len said to her as he saw her into a seat. He looked at the young man with herand frowned. There was something off about the man. “Dan told me you’d be in town.” “This is Doctor Stephen Winslow,” Emilia introduced her companion to the bank manager. “I know Doctor Winslow, Emi,” Len smiledand held his hand out to Stephen. “He is one of our newest customers.” He looked a bit confused. “I didn’t know that you knew him, however.” “He knew my father, Mr. Simon,” Emilia explained the connection, “and is helping me settle the estate.” “It’s going to be rather easy,” Len smiled back at her, after a brief nod to Stephen. “Your father put everything in both your names, Emilia, so the only thing we need to do is put it all in your name alone.” “That was very efficient of him,” Stephen said softly. He saw the look the man shot himand knew he’d been overheard. “Will this take long? Emilia is still recoveringand needs to rest.” “No time at all,” Len replied tightly. He brought out the folderand turned it to her. Then he held out a pen. “Just a signature or twoand you’ll be set for life.” He saw her look of confusion as she saw that the accounts were all held in the name of Dominik Antoni Sobieskiand Emilia Elzabet Sobieski. “I was one of the few people in town who knew his real name,” Len nodded proudly; not bothering to tell them that it was Dominik’s uncle, Judge Leonard Novak, who had given him this information. “Margo will process the title changes for you,” he said as he handed her the safe deposit box keys, savings account book, credit cards,and checkbooks. “Your father left you a very tidy sum.” “Enough for college?” Emilia asked as she opened the savings account book, the money market account register,and the checking account. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw the amount noted there. Together they added up to almost twenty million dollars. She looked at Len in confusion. “I don’t understand. How is it possible for my father to have this kind of money?” She looked over at Stephen. “This is from his life before, isn’t it?” she said softly. “What was he, Stephen?” “A very gifted bio-chemist,” Stephen told her honestly. “Don’t worry, Emilia,” he smiled at her as he saw where her imagination was leading her. “It was all earned honestly. He worked very hard for the money he left you.” “So what do I do now?” Emilia asked, overwhelmed. “I don’t know anything about being rich.” “Start small,” Stephen told her. He handed the keys to her. “Right now, inventory the contents of the safe deposit box, Emilia.” He looked over at Len. “I’ll wait for you here.” Len took Emilia to his assistantand Margo took the girl into the safe deposit vault. She was shown how to access the boxand led to the private room. Emilia took a small notebook out of her purseand opened the box. Inside was an insurance policy, several bondsand other securities, all with her named as the beneficiary. There were also deeds to several pieces of real estate with her named on them along with her father. The value on all of these things was well over thirty million. She set all of them asideand opened several jewelers’ boxes. A letter fell out of the largest oneand she read it with tears in her eyes. Her real mother had left all of this to her. Emilia looked at the necklacesand ringsand braceletsand found herself wondering just who Karenand Dominik Sobieski had been. There was a small photo albumand Emilia looked at photographs of people she didn’t know, several photos of her with her parents until she was about a year old,and then looked once more at their wedding photo. A man who looked remarkably like Stephen stood as the best man. Stephen had told her about his family; was the man in this picture his father? “I’d rather have my family,” Emilia whispered. She frowned as she saw something stuck in the corner. “What’s this?” Emilia found an envelope hidden under a false bottomand her frown deepened as she saw that it was addressed to an Agent Adam Jozef Sobieski of the FBI, Philadelphia branch. She read the note pinned to itand realized that it was important. She left it off the registerand slid it into her purse. The only other thing she took with her was the photo album. She joined Stephen in Len’s officeand she kissed the man on the cheekand thanked him. Slipping the inventory into her purse with the other registers, she led Stephen down the street to her favorite local restaurant. “Miss Emilia!” a very tall, very round Japanese man came out of the back when a waitress ducked in back at her entry. He pulled her into his armsand held her tight. “We are so happy to see you back home.” “Mr. Ito,” Emilia smiled back, happy to see the man. She indicated Stephen. “This is Doctor Stephen Winslow. He has been looking after me since…” It still hurt to think of Father dead. “He’s been very good to me.” “Then Ito considers the man his friend,” the man nodded, though his expression was not as welcoming as he turned to look at Stephen. “Miss Emilia is very special to us, Doctor Winslow. This town would lose its heart if we lost her.” “I’m beginning to realize that,” Stephen replied, accepting the man’s hand. The entire conversation between the manand Emilia had been in Japanese. It wasn’t until Ito had talked to him that English had been spoken. He saw how pale Emilia was,and the doctor in him took precedence. “Emilia, you need to eat something now.” “We shall prepare your favorite, Miss Emilia,” Ito bowed his head. He turnedand began barking out orders in Japanese. A moment later two glasses of iced tea were set on the table. “You have some very interesting friends ‘Miss’ Emilia,” Stephen smiled as he watched the man go. “One would think you’d lived here your entire life instead of just six years.” He laid his hand on hersand his expression grew soft. He shook his head to try to clear it of the spell she was casting on him. “I’ve heard you speak Polish,and now Japanese. You are a very special girl.” Emilia blushedand she saw the delight in the man’s eyes. This only made her more confused. How could he have such feelings for her? She had only known Stephen two weeks, while she had recovered her strength,and he had become her friend, her protector,and her comforter. She could see that he was beginning to feel something for her that went far beyond friendship. She wanted to pull away before he hurt her, but she couldn’t. Her eyes were locked to his as he leaned forward. He laid his lips on hers gentlyand she felt a surge of strange emotions cascading through her. When he pulled away, he looked as stunned as she felt. “Did that just happen?” he said as he reached up to trace her jaw line with his fingers. “Emilia, I…” “Eat now,” Ito broke in as heand the waitress brought out their meal. “Dream later.” Emilia jumped as the man’s voice broke the spell she’d been under. She blushed againand looked away from Stephen. Then she turned her attention to eating, refusing to look up at him until she regained control of herself. When she finally did look up, he was just as studiously ignoring her. That simple kiss had changed everything between them. His hand grazed hersand she jumpedand knocked over the saltshaker. Stephen smiled at herand all of her uneasiness vanished. He was still her friend. He wasn’t going to hurt her. “I’m so confused,” Emilia finally admitted, as the silence grew too unbearable. “What just happened between us?” “I think that we are meant to be more than friends, Emilia,” Stephen told her. He closed his eyesand put his head in his hands. “My father is not going to like this.” “What has your father got to do with it?” Emilia asked, her confusion growing. She laid her hand on hisand he looked up at her. His eyes were filled with a determination that made her feel frightened. “Stephen, you’re frightening me.” “I’m sorry, Emilia,” Stephen replied, replacing the ferocity with a warm smile. He took her hand in hisand kissed her palm, thrilled by the blush that lit her face. She was such an innocent; so unlike every other woman he had ever known;and he wanted her. “Would you consider becoming more than my friend?” He saw her indecision. “I don’t want to push you, angel. You are still so young, so innocent…” “Something is happening, Stephen,” Emilia broke in, losing herself in his eyes. She should run away, her mind was telling her, before he hurt her. But her heart was lost. She knew, with a certainty that frightenedand excited her; that she belonged with him. He was a part of her. “Let’s see where it takes us.” “My brave girl,” Stephen beamed. He let her goand glanced over his shoulder. “We’d better eat before your Mr. Ito comes over hereand makes us.” Ito watched as his little friendand the cold man with her settled down to eat. He could hear their conversation quite welland it unnerved him. She was such a child; what did she know of men like this Doctor Winslow? He knew that this man was going to bring trouble down on the girl. But right now, seeing them together, it was right. This pair belonged to each other,and he was going to do nothing to disturb this peace. It might be all they had. He frowned as this thought crossed his mind. When they finished eatingand left, they walked away hand in hand. “Since you’re selling the garage,” Stephen said as he drove them away from the town center, “you’re going to need a house.” He saw her frown. “Unless you are planning on leaving Glenville forever?” “Leave?” Emilia repeated. She shook her head. “Why would I leave? Glenville is the only home I’ve ever known.” “I thought you might feel like that,” Stephen smiled back at her. “So I would like you to consider staying with me while we have a realtor find you a property to look at.” Emilia was overwhelmed at his thoughtfulness. He wanted to help her find a new home? She closed her eyes to combat the tears that rose upand felt his hand reaching over to her. She moved into his sideand let the tears fall. She was safe here in his arms. She belonged in his arms. Ten minutes later, he stopped the carand she looked at the house with new eyes. She could see herself living here, she thought as they went inside. But was it right? He was ten years older than she was,and probably quite experienced with women. She was just a child. She set aside her worriesand looked over the house, feeling moreand more at home as the moments passed. “I want you to make yourself at home here,” Stephen smiled