Forbidden Steps

By Ed Rambeau

Chad Kipton is a 22-year-old top male model returning home for his fathers funeral and has no idea whats in store for him as he comes face to face with his fears, and eventually suffers the ultimate punishment for his passion. His stepmother, Vivian, also isnt aware of what terror lies ahead when her beloved husband, Frank, dies suddenly of a heart attack, and her youngest stepson17-year-old Dannybecomes tangled in a web so cleverly woven that he becomes blinded by his hatred. After the devastating event that took the life of Franks first wife, Margo, Vivian made it her goal to snag Frank, the love of her life. All was going well until Chad returns home. Just when you think youve heard it all, things go topsy-turvy in this unbelievable twist of events as Vivian finds herself accused of two murders. Was she involved? Shelly, her alcoholic sister-in-law, strongly believes sobut is she right?

Book Review 5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read!!

Just finished reading Forbidden Steps and loved every sentence of it! This was a fun novel to read that had my head spinning from the beginning right until the unexpected end. The story is a quick and easy read full of romance, mystery, murder and sex. There are so many twists and turns, I found myself giving up on trying to guess the end and just went along for the crazy, intense ride! As a first time novelist, Mr. Rambeau captured my attention right from the start and held my attention until the very last word, at which point, I honestly wanted more. One can only hope there will be a Forbidden Steps Part 2!!! I highly recommend Forbidden Steps and eagerly await Ed Rambeau's next novel.

-Alisa K. (Queens, NY)

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! WOW! WOW!

Wow! Wow! Wow! What a page turner! You CANNOT put it down. The storyline is so fresh and so well-written that I never saw any of the 3 amazing twists coming, and they were not only unexpected, but all mind-blowers. Can't wait to see the movie.

-Greg Maro

5.0 out of 5 stars Ed Rambeau's Ingenious Debut Novel is Concrete Solid!

Many talented people have found a measure of fame and fortune through fields such as acting, singing or songwriting; some show talent and proficiency in more than one endeavor (i.e., singers who write their own material). But not every artist is multitalented. Vocalists whose acting performances were panned by critics, or actors whose recordings made them laughingstocks rather than chartbusters, will attest to this. There are, however, exceptions, and Ed Rambeau, best known for his achievements in pop music, is such an exception. Rambeau's debut novel, a murder mystery entitled FORBIDDEN STEPS, is Exhibit A, proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Rambeau is one of those gifted entertainers who can more than hold his own in just about any field of the arts. Actually, STEPS should more properly be designated as Exhibit H, for prior to its release Rambeau had already established a solid name for himself as a songwriter, singer, actor, producer, arranger, photographer, and artist. Rambeau was one of the composers of the hit single "Navy Blue," as recorded by Diane Renay in 1964, and gained fame as a recording artist whose version of "Concrete and Clay" made the U.S. Top Thirty a year later. These are just two highlights from a career that has spanned decades and includes many facets of show business. Now, Ed Rambeau can proudly add "author" to the j

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781462860845

Ed Rambeau

Ed Rambeau was born in Hazleton, Pa. and started his career in the music business in the early 1960s. He had National hit recordings, one as a singer in 1965 entitled Concrete and Clay, and also as a songwriter in 1964 with his top ten hit Navy Blue recorded by Diane Renay. Since then he has dabbled in all art forms and has been referred to by many as a true Renaissance Man. He has appeared on such TV shows as Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, Shindig, and many others, as well as an actor on the TV soap opera “The Guiding Light”. FORBIDDEN STEPS is his first novel, but we expect to hear a great deal more from this fine new author.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

It was Monday, July 12, 2010, and it wasn’t the most enjoyable flight home for twenty-two-year-old Chad Kipton, who hadn’t been home since Christmas of 2009. At age seventeen, shortly after graduating from high school, he’d left his family home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His plan was to attend the Stella Adler Studio of Acting at NYU in New York City to fulfill his lifelong dream of pursuing an acting career. However, his life took a different path once he met Gerald Quaid, a male model representative for Ford Models, one of the major agencies in New York City. Gerald convinced Chad that with his extreme good looks and well-defined body, he could take the modeling profession by storm. Being aware that many top models eventually went on to have successful acting careers, Chad decided this could be the perfect stepping stone to advance his chances in his originally chosen profession. By age twenty, his career began to soar like an eagle, quickly making Chad Kipton one of the most sought-after young male models—not only in America—but in the world.

Chad’s good looks were remarkably outstanding. Envision a perfect male specimen and multiply that image by two and you had Chad Kipton. Standing six feet tall with the perfect measurements for a size forty jacket made him an ideal candidate for the modeling world. Before his success, he had turned heads everywhere he went. Now, in addition to turning heads, he had folks pointing and staring as well. Young females swooned and pined with starry eyes. Adult women gazed with lust and desire. Men stared with envy and jealousy. Even little children couldn’t help but notice something uniquely special and intriguing about this stunning blue-eyed man. He seemed to captivate everyone to an unnerving degree. What made him especially appealing was that he was always kind and considerate, as well as boyishly charming. In addition, he never displayed any sign of being conceited, and if anyone ever had the right to be, it was Chad Kipton.

Now, sitting aboard American Airlines flight 1807, Chad used his strong hand to brush back his long, thick, black wavy hair that fell across his deep-set, pale blue eyes. The woman sitting next to him couldn’t contain herself any longer.

"Aren’t you that model?" she inquired tentatively.

The words that model rang out in Chad’s ears. No one ever seemed to know his name, but they certainly recognized the face. Chad was longing for the day he’d hear, Aren’t you Chad Kipton? That’s why he was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to move to Hollywood to pursue his career in acting.

Yes, I am, he answered the woman with a half-smile.

Although the flight was a bit bumpy, that’s not what was making it uncomfortable for Chad. It was the phone call he received two days prior from his stepmother, Vivian Kipton, to inform him of the sudden death of his natural father, Frank, who had just recently celebrated his fortieth birthday. He couldn’t help but wonder how his seventeen-year-old brother, Danny, was handling it. This heartbreaking news of his father’s unexpected passing quickly began to trigger all those unforgettable memories of the traumatic event that caused the death of his natural mother. It was an incident so devastating for a ten-year-old boy to witness, it had been the subject of many nightmares for Chad ever since. His brother, Danny, who was only five at the time, still endured vivid recollections of his mother’s death and, to Chad’s knowledge, continued to have night terrors plaguing him as well.

The memory flashed through Chad’s mind as quickly as the very bullet that took his mother’s life. He recalled the entire family at a large mall in Santa Fe. They’d just finished their weekly grocery shopping at El Dorado’s supermarket and were pushing the cart containing the bags of groceries toward their car in the vast parking lot. Chad’s father opened the trunk. He and Chad began placing the groceries inside, while his wife, Margo, escorted their five-year-old son into the backseat and closed the door. Suddenly, out of nowhere, gunshots rang out from the roof of a nearby six-story building. Chad’s mother, Margo, was struck in the head and was pronounced dead upon her arrival at the hospital. Three other women were also hit by random bullets, but all survived with minor injuries. There were many eyewitnesses to the event, all of whom claimed observing a brief flash of the assailant on the rooftop, completely covered in black. The inexplicable attack remained a mystery, for the shooter had never been found.

As the airliner met with some bumpy turbulence, Chad recalled the headlines in the evening paper, which read:

Madman Sniper Strikes Four—1 Fatally

• • •

Frank and Margo had been high school sweethearts who married at the early age of seventeen, shortly after high school graduation. One year later, Margo gave birth to their first child, Chad. Five years later, Danny was born. For eleven years the couple shared a strong love and a solid marriage, until the horrendous catastrophe in the mall parking lot which claimed the life of Margo Kipton. She and Frank were only twenty-eight at the time. Frank and the boys were devastated and shared a tremendous period of adjustment, especially since they’d all witnessed the horrific, meaningless shooting. It took Frank years to get over the sudden loss of his beautiful wife.

It wasn’t until four years later, when Chad was fourteen and Danny was nine, that their father became enthralled with Vivian Freemont. He met her at a cocktail party held by one of his closest friends, an old high school buddy named Damien Edwards. Frank seemed to recall seeing Vivian around school on occasion, for she was three years behind Margo and Frank—a freshman during their senior year. Vivian was only fourteen and still somewhat awkward during her late pubescent stage, but later developed into quite an exquisite woman—a real-life "ugly duckling to swan" story.

Vivian first saw Frank when she attended a high school diving competition in which Frank was the major star of the team. When he first marched out onto the diving board looking like the perfect jock in his red Speedos and made a spectacular dive, it began to stir some of those early teenage, female hormones. She felt an immediate strong attraction toward him. She began to search for him in the school corridors, but always saw him with Margo. Frank was never really aware that she had an extreme crush on him, for Vivian was shy at that age and never approached her young heartthrob. Although it became quite clear that Frank and Margo were not only an item, but inseparable, somehow Vivian never got discouraged. She always had hoped that once the couple graduated, they’d go their separate ways and give her a chance to make her move on Frank. She became heavily disheartened when she later learned of their decision to marry. She even stood across the street and watched the happy couple exit the church and drive away to their reception. But even that didn’t diminish her desire for Frank.

Years later, the afternoon of the shooting, Vivian was driving home. Over her car radio came the shocking news of Margo Kipton’s horrifying death. Strangely, instead of being saddened, it seemed to offer her new hope. A short time later, knowing that Frank’s old high school buddy was Damien Edwards, she began to hang with his crowd, thinking it might be the ideal way to someday meet her longtime hero, Frank—especially now that he was available.

At Damien’s cocktail party, where Frank and Vivian eventually met, she was extremely flirtatious and there seemed to be an immediate connection. Although she was three years younger than Frank, and undeniably awkward during her high school years, Vivian had grown into an excitingly beautiful woman who had everything he saw in Margo, and considerably more. They exchanged numbers and Vivian was elated when Frank called the very next day asking her out on a date. They dated eight months before announcing their plans to marry. Now, Chad’s father had suddenly died only one week after his fortieth birthday, leaving Danny, now age seventeen, in the care of his thirty-seven-year-old stepmother, Vivian, with whom he never got along. Chad, on the other hand, adored her from the very first moment his father introduced her to his two young boys.

The sudden death of his father, and recalling the incident of his mother’s death, wasn’t the only thing troubling Chad on this unscheduled flight home. At age seventeen, he’d encountered a night that was as confusing as it was upsetting, and had been plaguing and disturbing him ever since. On this particular trip home, he was certain he’d have to confront it.

CHAPTER 2

The morning of the death of Frank Kipton started out no differently than any other. He woke up at seven A.M., and without showering, got into his sweats and went downstairs. Vivian was already up and about preparing him breakfast, just like she’d done every Saturday for the past eight years of their marriage. It was the same breakfast as always; a small glass of freshly squeezed orange juice followed by two scrambled eggs with a side of crisp bacon, accompanied by two slices of buttered toast and coffee. Although Frank displayed his typical hyperactive demeanor while swiftly ingesting the morning paper along with his food, Vivian did notice her husband appeared slightly edgier and a little more agitated than usual. When she questioned him about it, he told her it was nothing. Abruptly, he stood up, gave her a quick peck on the cheek, whispered his normal I love you, then headed off for his morning jog down the winding hills of Santa Fe.

The last time Vivian saw her husband alive was when she gazed at him from the kitchen window, watching him sprint down the hill. He turned to wave his usual goodbye and blow her a kiss. About an hour and a half later, she received the disturbing phone call from Casa Pacifica Del Centro Hospital. The representative explained that her husband had been brought in by ambulance and that she needed to come to the hospital immediately.

Is he all right? she questioned pleadingly. Please, tell me he’s all right.

The representative was reticent to inform her over the phone, but Vivian insisted. With great reluctance, she was told Frank had suffered a fatal heart attack. They assured her everything possible had been done to help her husband, and that they’d notified her immediately upon discovering his contact information in his wallet.

The words I’m sorry, he’s gone seemed to resound in her ear.

This can’t be true, she thought.

Frank died instantly from a heart attack at the young age of forty. The only disorder he had regarding his heart was when he’d been diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse at the early age of twenty. His cardiologist maintained that, in most cases, mitral valve prolapse wasn’t life-threatening, and didn’t require treatment or changes of lifestyle.

Still somewhat in shock, and stunned from the news, Vivian attempted to hang up the kitchen wall phone but missed the hook. The phone fell and dangled to the floor, swaying to and fro on its curly cord. She stumbled forward to brace herself against the solid oak-topped counter. Her arm hit a large, yellow ceramic vase filled with daisies and sent it crashing to the hard tile floor.

Her youngest stepson, Danny, heard the noise. He flew out of his upstairs bedroom. From the top of the stairs he could see his stepmother seated at the kitchen counter crying profusely. Without blinking, he raced down the floating, winding staircase which led from the upstairs bedroom area into the living room, divided from the kitchen only by a solid oak, cutting board counter. Halfway down the stairs he called out, What is it? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?

Vivian couldn’t bring herself to tell him. Danny was only seventeen. Knowing how much he adored his father, she felt the news of his sudden death would destroy the boy. Danny rushed to her side and begged her to tell him what happened. Eventually, the words came out.

It’s—it’s your father, Danny. He had a heart attack.

Dad? But he’s okay, right?

It took her a moment to respond. When she did, it was with a slow side to side motion of her head while weeping uncontrollably. Danny broke down in a frenzy of complete disbelief and unspeakable pain.

CHAPTER 3

After seven months of dating, Frank had started to get very serious about asking Vivian to consider marriage. Therefore, he felt it only fair to warn her that in the event they’d wed, there would be absolutely no chance for future children. At the age of thirty, Frank had contracted a serious case of mumps, later categorized as bilateral mumps orchitis, which had been known to cause infertility. In Frank’s case, it became evident after much testing that he was now sterile. Although Vivian was somewhat distressed by the news, she became resolved to the conclusion that his two young boys would have to suffice as the closest she would ever come to motherhood. Besides, her adoration for Frank far outweighed her dream of having children, so she agreed to marry him one month later when he proposed, despite the fact they couldn’t have children of their own.

Their marriage was a happy one. Frank was everything Vivian had ever wanted in a man—exceptionally good-looking, charismatic, extremely successful, and had always been her Adonis from her freshman days in school. Although he’d come from an already wealthy family, Frank eventually acquired a healthy fortune of his own from several of his unique inventions. His motto was: Find a need and fill it—and that he did.

One of his simplest inventions ended up being his biggest moneymaker. He took a basic garment bag and attached shoulder straps to it, which could be worn like a backpack, allowing both hands to be free to carry two more suitcases. It also kept the clothes wrinkle free, since they weren’t folded up, just hanging on hangers inside. He called it, The Walking Closet, patented it, and worked out a profitable deal to market it with one of the leading luggage manufacturers in the country. This, as well as many other smaller inventions, accrued him well over one hundred million dollars, affording him the luxury of hiring an architect to help in the creation of designing his own dream home. He bought an amazing plot of land high up on a hill in Santa Fe and constructed the house upon it. It had a view of nearly one hundred miles in all directions on a clear day. Several rooms had ceiling to floor glass windows, and the glamorous home ended up being an architectural showplace. Because it was built at the summit of one of the highest peaks in Santa Fe, the large amounts of snowfall made it a rather treacherous drive in the wintertime, which usually lasted from mid-October until often late in May. Frank, however, had enough money to have the long and winding driveway leading up to his stately home plowed as often as deemed necessary.

The main level of the spectacular home had a spacious living room with a twenty-foot high, dark-stained, distressed beamed ceiling. Between the beams was affixed terra-cotta colored corduroy. The mixture of the rustic beams and the elegant corduroy material was a fascinating blend. One wall had a floor to ceiling stone fireplace, and the entire house was filled with exquisite antiques. Frank had a fascination with elephants, so every room had hand carved pieces of the majestic animal purchased on the many business trips he’d made to both Africa and India. From the center of the room hung a huge, ornate, amber crystal chandelier over a treasured oriental rug, which he and Vivian bought in China. A cushiony black, leather lounge chair and antique, maroon velvet armchair faced a large, luxurious, gray ultra-suede sofa, with an oblong oak coffee table stretched between them. A solid, oak-topped counter separated the living room from the modern, high-tech kitchen. One kitchen door connected to the two-car garage; the other led to an extremely well-stocked wine cellar in the basement.

From the kitchen, off to the left, was a large, opulent dining room containing an elegant, long, Italian dining table made of fine burl walnut. The eight high-backed chairs surrounding it were upholstered with a tasteful red and black flame-stitch material. The walls were lined with off-white linen. The outside wall was a ceiling to floor window revealing a row of Robinia Neomexicana (New Mexican Locust trees) beautifully accented by the outdoor lighting which captured the soft, pale-pink flower the trees had to offer. The view beyond was awesome. It sparkled during the night, and was breathtaking on a clear day.

In the living room, a floating circular staircase led upstairs to the three large bedrooms. Frank and Vivian’s room was between Chad’s room and Danny’s. The master bedroom and Chad’s room overlooked the living room separated by a corridor and a solid oak post banister. Danny’s room was off to the side and hidden behind a wall at the top of the stairs. At the end of the upstairs hall, there was a door leading up to the rarely visited cobwebbed attic.

Underneath the three bedrooms was a roomy half-bath, a small guest room with an adjacent bath, and a vast combination library/den that had floor to ceiling bookcases with a ladder that rolled back and forth against one wall. The back wall, behind the large, stately walnut desk, was completely wood paneled with rustic-looking, dark-stained pecky cypress.

The vast grounds were beautifully manicured and maintained by a crew that came in twice a week from Tambrella’s Lawn & Maintenance. On one side of the magnificent, large, oval-shaped swimming pool were several changing rooms and cabanas, along with a steam room, sauna, and four private shower stalls. On the other side, some yards away, was a fully equipped gymnasium with ceiling to floor mirrors on three walls, and ceiling to floor glass on the remaining side, offering another dynamic view of the rolling plains and snow-capped mountains in the distance.

For years the Kiptons had a live-in housekeeper named Rosa de Peralta, who occupied the downstairs guest room. Once Vivian married Frank, she began to feel the boys were becoming lazy, relying too much on the housekeeper. Therefore, she suggested to her husband they be taught some responsibility by dismissing the live-in, and making the boys attend to their own rooms, make their own beds, and clean up after themselves. After much ado, Frank gave in and let Ms. de Peralta go. The boys weren’t happy with the decision to fire the live-in—especially Danny—who created a big stink, mostly because he developed a real fondness toward the kind, middle-aged woman. His hatred for Vivian only intensified as a result of her hand in the decision to let the housekeeper go. Two months after Ms. de Peralta was dismissed, Frank and Vivian both realized they’d made a huge mistake, and attempted to rehire the woman. Unfortunately, she’d already found steady employment elsewhere and refused to come back, so they decided to obtain the services of Merry Maids and have a crew of three housekeepers come in for a few hours twice a week.

CHAPTER 4

After eight months of dating, when Frank announced his sudden plans to marry Vivian, it was much to the dismay of his parents, Ruth and Arnold Kipton. It was Frank’s younger sister, Shelly Kipton Boston, who advised their parents to perform a thorough background check on Vivian, only to discover she came from a rather low-income family. The search also revealed that Vivian’s parents, Bob and Eleni Freemont, had struggled to survive from the beginning of their marriage. Her father, Bob, worked as a mechanic for Nick Acropolis, a middle-aged Greek, who owned an auto body repair shop off West Alameda. Bob’s wife, Eleni, took on a part-time, late night job doing laundry at a local home for the aged to help support their financial situation. Bob and Eleni were just about getting on their feet when a terrible auto accident took the life of Bob at age thirty-four. On his drive home from work, Vivian’s dad attempted to pass a trailer truck on a two-lane highway and misjudged his timing. His car crashed head-on into an oncoming bus. Passengers on the bus were horribly shaken, but no one was injured badly. Bob, however, was killed instantly. Vivian was eight at the time and now only had vague recollections of her fun-loving dad. She recalled him being tall and rugged-faced, but most of all, she remembered his hands. They were large, coarse and calloused and felt rough on her soft, young skin. She also remembered his fingernails as always being dirty—embedded with grease from his job as a mechanic.

After the fatal accident, Vivian’s mother, Eleni, had to struggle to make ends meet. The job at the home for the elderly was only part-time and wasn’t paying much. Along with that, the money she’d received from Bob’s meager life insurance policy began to run out, leaving her with no alternative but to find a better job to support herself and her young daughter, Vivian. Since Eleni had no previous skills or training in any profession, no one would hire her. Eventually, she met Adriana Soria, a wonderful, spicy Spanish woman who owned and operated a fast food franchise of Wendy’s located on Sawmill Road. Learning of Eleni’s sad story, Adriana felt sorry for her and offered her employment as a clerk. Since Eleni was desperate, she immediately took the job. She worked there for years and became very well-liked. Although Vivian adored her mother, like most teenagers, she felt embarrassed when schoolmates would come up to her and say, Hey, I saw your mom yesterday. She waited on us at Wendy’s.

Vivian was their only child and Eleni was twenty-four when she gave birth to her. Her husband was twenty-six. At age sixty-one, Vivian’s mother never remarried, and now lives in a small, lovely home on the outskirts of Santa Fe, which Frank and Vivian bought for her as a gift.

On the other hand, Frank’s family had acquired a sizable amount of wealth from their highly successful catering business, which they’d eventually expanded to include a large, elegant wedding reception hall by buying an old Spanish mansion located at the crest of a mountain. The Kipton family had it beautifully converted into what quickly became the number one choice for most high society weddings in the entire city of Santa Fe. It was ornately designed, but very tastefully decorated, overlooking the most beautiful vista. They added on an immense circular dining area that extended halfway out over the crest and revolved a full 360 degrees every hour, supplying all those who dined with the most miraculous view of the entire sparkling city below. They not only catered to weddings, but to all major social events as well. They named it: Circulaire.

• • •

A few months after Frank and Vivian had begun dating, he invited her to meet his parents. Vivian was in awe when she walked into the beautiful home of Ruth and Arnold Kipton. The breathtaking estate made her jaw drop, making it apparent that its grandeur overwhelmed her. It was very intimidating and made her childhood home seem like a shack in comparison.

Because of the research done on Vivian’s background, she wasn’t very well-received by the Kiptons. Their dislike for her soon elevated as a result of Frank’s younger sister, Shelly, who attended a backyard barbecue a few days later with her brother and his newly acquired female friend. Shelly’d accidentally overheard a conversation Vivian was having with a small group of females and relayed the information to her parents.

I can’t believe how cute that Frankie Kipton is, said one young woman.

Cute? He’s friggin’ gorgeous—and I think he likes you, Viv. You must be ecstatic, said another.

Then Shelly heard Vivian say, "I am—and not only is he hot—he’s successful, and his family is loaded. He invited me over to meet his folks. They’re so rich. You should see their home. My God, it’s like a palace."

It was an innocent statement, but Shelly blew it all out of proportion, and made her family believe the only reason Vivian was after Frank was because of his money. Along with that, Shelly took it upon herself to secretly follow Vivian in her car on occasion. One particular day, while following her, Vivian decided to pay a visit to her mother. Shelly was appalled to find her pull up in front of a house that appeared to be a rundown pillbox in comparison to the grand home of Ruth and Arnold Kipton. Frank’s younger sister couldn’t wait to describe Vivian’s mother’s house to her parents. The Kiptons were such social-climbers, that the description greatly distressed them. They both felt their son deserved better, so when Frank informed his parents of their decision to marry, they were up in arms and dead-set against it. Nevertheless, Frank and Vivian were in love and had no intention of changing their plans. Shelly had never trusted Vivian since that ill-fated backyard barbecue, which continued to make their relationship strained.

• • •

There was only one bumpy moment during the marriage of Vivian and Frank Kipton. It was shortly after Chad had just turned sixteen. Vivian found a single earring on the passenger’s side of Frank’s car and irately confronted him with it. Immediately, noticing the concerned and suspicious look on his new wife’s face, Frank passed it off lightly, smiling and wrapping his arms around her while assuring her she had nothing to worry about.

Oh, God, don’t tell me you think I’ve been fooling around, he chuckled lightly. I’m positive it’s my sister’s. I’ll ask her and see that she gets it back, he added convincingly.

Knowing how much Shelly disliked her, Vivian felt certain that even if it wasn’t her earring, she’d lie for her brother. As a result, Vivian secretly hired a private investigator to follow him, but after several months the investigation proved fruitless. Therefore, Vivian had no alternative but to assume he was telling the truth, and concluded any further exploration. She dropped the investigator, but continued to keep a very close watch on her husband’s activities, which never revealed anything. Although it put a slight strain on Vivian’s feelings for her husband, as the years progressed, it eventually was completely dismissed and forgotten, that is, until the afternoon of his sudden death.

CHAPTER 5

Before heading to the hospital Vivian pulled herself together to further console Danny, then made the many unnerving phone calls necessary to inform close friends and immediate family members of the startling news. Frank’s parents, Ruth and Arnold, and his sister, Shelly, were utterly shocked. They all broke down as she delivered the heartbreaking report of Frank’s sudden passing. Although the family was completely aware of Frank’s minor heart condition, they’d all been told that, in most cases, mitral valve prolapse was nonthreatening, so his unexpected demise seemed to come out of nowhere. They hung up and Frank’s entire family prepared to meet Vivian and Danny at the hospital.

Vivian and her young stepson both hurried to the car and began the unforeseen trip with Danny crying hysterically all the way. Knowing the relationship with her young stepson had always been rocky, she tried her best to give him the attention required at a time like this.

The actual time spent at the hospital seemed vague and somewhat of a blur to Vivian. There was the usual paperwork followed by the arrival of Frank’s family, who all had a short discussion with the Mendozas, the kind, elderly couple that discovered Frank and had remained at the hospital out of sheer concern.

Mr. Mendoza informed the family they were driving up the hill when Mr. Kipton was jogging down toward them. Frank even waved, though not knowing who they were. They beeped the horn and waved back as they passed. Moments later Mr. Mendoza happened to glance into his rearview mirror and noticed Frank stop suddenly and stumble to the ground. The Mendozas immediately turned their car around and rapidly drove back down the hill. They hurried out of the car and checked for a pulse, but found none. While Mr. Mendoza administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to no avail, his wife reached into her purse for her cell phone and dialed 911.

The entire Kipton family was overcome with grief. They wept uncontrollably as the Mendozas relayed the series of events.

Before leaving the hospital, Mrs. Cruz, the hospital administrator, questioned the family as to whether or not they were aware of any previous heart condition related to the deceased. Vivian informed Mrs. Cruz about Frank’s mitral valve prolapse. The administrator asked for the name and number of his cardiologist, then attempted to explain the autopsy guidelines that were in effect. According to the law in New Mexico, as well as many other states, anytime a death occurs due to homicide, suicide or accidents, such as vehicle crashes, falls, drowning, burns etc. or any other unusual circumstance, an autopsy is required. It is not an option.

"But I’d prefer not to have an autopsy administered on my husband," stated Vivian adamantly to a rather stunned Mrs. Cruz.

Frank’s sister, Shelly, exchanged a quick subtle glance with Ruth and Arnold. They all listened intently as the conversation continued.

Excuse me, ma’am? responded Mrs. Cruz.

I don’t think my husband would appreciate having a complete stranger cut into his body—nor would I, so how do I go about stopping it? Is there a form I need to fill out—or something to sign?

"Afraid not, ma’am. As I said—it is not an option. It’s the law—standard procedure," reiterated Mrs. Cruz.

"But surely the immediate family has the right not to have such an invasion administered upon a deceased member if they so choose, am I not right?"

"I’m sorry, ma’am, but you’re not. As I said—it’s the law."

Well, who can I call or talk to? There must be some way to stop it, insisted Vivian.

Why are you so hell-bent on stopping an autopsy? cut in Shelly. Is there something you’re afraid they’ll find? she insinuated blatantly.

Vivian looked at her in disbelief.

"No, of course not. How dare you even think that? It’s just a personal thing. I don’t wish to see Frank being cut up, Vivian expressed defensively. I don’t think he’d appreciate it either. And quite frankly, I’m surprised you don’t seem to care."

Vivian’s strong attempt to have the autopsy abolished made both Shelly and her parents highly suspicious. They began to wonder what ulterior motive she might be harboring.

After the family left, Mrs. Cruz contacted Frank’s cardiologist requesting a submission of Frank’s records to the hospital immediately.

In the hospital parking lot, after Vivian and Danny pulled away, Ruth Kipton questioned her husband and daughter regarding the strange autopsy conversation.

What was that all about?

It was pretty obvious to me, answered Shelly. "Something isn’t right. She’s hiding something—and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let her put a stop to an autopsy. I’m calling the Santa Fe police as soon as I get home."

• • •

Some time later Vivian returned home in a complete state of distress along with her equally distressed stepson. She consoled the young teen a little while longer until he’d eventually cried himself to sleep on the living room sofa.

Still shaken from the sudden loss, Vivian left Danny asleep on the couch and dejectedly went up the long, winding staircase. She reached the door to her bedroom and opened it, immediately whimpering at the sight of the empty bed. Her eyes slowly scanned the desolate room until they fell upon something they had never seen before. For some strange reason, Frank had forgotten to turn off their Macintosh desktop computer the morning of his death, something he’d never done in the past. Now there it was, on the desk in the bedroom, completely accessible.

Curiously, she made a slow cross and sat in the chair in front of the computer. How odd, she thought, recalling the many times she’d suggested to Frank they should share each other’s private entry passwords in the event something happened, so they’d each have access to one another’s important documents and information saved on the hard drive. She recalled Frank always treating the idea lightly, claiming she wasn’t as computer savvy as he was and didn’t want her having access to any of his valuable documents out of fear she’d either destroy or delete something by accident. He further suggested they leave that information in each of their respective wills. His excuse toward not wanting to share passwords always seemed feeble to Vivian, and caused her great suspicion, but she didn’t push it. She now had the opportunity to discover if his frail excuse was, indeed, the truth.

She immediately began investigating his saved e-mails, only to find what she’d suspected for years to be true. Her husband was having an affair. There they were, e-mails containing love notes from his mistress, each of them beginning with My Darling Frankie, and ending with, All my love, Daisy.

She began devouring e-mail after e-mail, and grew considerably more outraged with each one she’d read. She scrolled down the list and found even more, and became heavily disgusted with the man she’d trusted and loved all these years. She sat there stunned, filled with rage that he was now gone forever, and she’d never have the opportunity to confront him, coupled with the fact she’d now have to feign grief over his death for the sake of the boys.

That bastard. How could he do this to me? she thought sadly to herself.

She found dealing with the discovery of his affair on the very afternoon of his death more than she could bear. She threw herself onto the bed in a fury, and cried angrily as she began using her fists to pound the pillow wildly on which her husband used to rest his head. After a moment, she stopped and silently paused to forgive him, realizing that this horrible discovery of his illicit affair paled in comparison to a crime she’d once committed against him—a crime that he’d never learned about before dying. She sprawled across the bed and cried softly in silence until, from sheer exhaustion, plus the stress from the discovery, she drifted off to sleep.

An hour later she woke up and immediately rushed to check the computer for any new incoming e-mails from his well-kept secret mistress, Daisy. All she found was the usual deluge of ads and junk mail along with a few messages from business associates who apparently were not yet aware