The Last Option

That same afternoon, while Louis and Rebecca celebrated the dismissal of the case, Bernard in his apartment was struggling between feeling hate and frustration, or sadness and grief. His friends had left, once they left him all prepared for the baby's attention: the food properly bottled and that he just had to warm up when he gave it to him and the diapers prepared with his wet wipes; and for him: the dinner in the oven.

He had stood at the door of the baby's room after he fell asleep in his crib, watching him. Seeing him reminded him of his father, Nathan, and that made him feel great impotence for not having achieved he was recognized as his son, besides frustrated.

He also at times felt a deep sadness to be alone and remember Margaret. He felt lost and aimless; his short-term goal was to make him recognize the child as a Hicks, but not to achieve it, the frustration invaded him and, thinking about Rebecca's lawyer saying they would not recognize the baby, hatred and anger. It was a whole mixing of emotions that took turns in him, one after the other, sometimes all together, invading him without mercy.

He had to sit on one of the furniture in the room, next to the cradle. Even though he felt much better, he could not stay much time standing, because he started burning the wound in the abdomen. Rage made him think again about the murderer, to think he was still free and camping he enraged him, and once again he thought about looking for him to tell him who ordered to murder the Hicks. If his suspicions were true, and he came to see that the one who gave the order was Louis Randall, he would not rest until he made him pay for all the damage he had done.

He was in those thoughts when they ring the bell of the apartment. He did not want to answer at first, but finally he rose heavily on the furniture and went to see who was the unexpected visitor.

It was Captain West, who was this time alone.

"How are you, Mr. Sullivan? Can I come in?"

Bernard stepped aside, a little weary of that man.

"I suppose you had come to give me news about the murderer of the Hicks. Or am I wrong?"

West went to the living room and stood in the middle of it, watching everything around him.

"I must confess that I was the doubt of how you had done to get an apartment so," West told Bernard, turning towards him again. "I suppose that-"

"Haven't you heard about it yet?" Bernard asked him wryly. "I thought the work of you was to investigate and know things, especially those related to the Hicks family," West looked at him with expression between offended and curious, perhaps as mentally telling him: very well, you have me, what will be that I don't know?

Bernard did not let him ask him, starting to explain:

"This morning Nathan Hicks' attorney and I went to family court to petition. Come," Bernard asked him to follow him, which West did to the baby's room. "I introduce you to little Nathan again, but now as Nathan Hicks' son," West looked at him amazed, but still unable to say something. "I see that I have surprised you, right? Well, yes, Captain, he is the son of my deceased employer. He was born by artificial insemination in a rented womb, that of my wife. It was an agreement between Nathan, the wife of him and mine and me. We had the son of him, but unfortunately they couldn't get to know him for what we know what happened to them."

"Very well," West managed to say when he came out of his astonishment and Bernard let him digest the news. "And the court this morning was for-"

"To ask for the baby to be recognized as a Hicks, but we couldn't."

"Why?"

"Because there are certain legal requirements, according to the judge, that must be met, mainly by the child's family, which precisely refuses to comply with them, leaving everything in limbo." "Okay. And then this apartment?"

"It's a part of the payment that the Hicks made us for making the miracle of bringing their child to world. I imagine you couldn't track the origin of this apartment, right? That's why you're here and told me what you told me when you entered."

"That was part of my question, as the record is lost in a long list of companies related to Hicks' business and various charities."

"Although you don't believe it, it was a strategy from them to prevent his family from finding out about the existence of that baby, because until yesterday he had remained at the most absolute secret."

"I see," West gave another quick look at the baby in the crib, who was already asleep, and then he left, this time heading slowly and thinking, towards the kitchen area, with Bernard following him. "Why it was a secret? Did they already suspect they were going to kidnap them, and didn't they say so as not to involve the child? So they wouldn't kidnap him instead?"

"You're going a little further on the subject, Captain, but no wonder things can go that way, for Nathan insisted no one find out until the last minute, when he could change his will, but he couldn't. He once told me that in his family the ambition was very great, but he only had his cousin and his sister. The three of them own everything; well, Nathan was part of it, not now."

"Are you suggesting to investigate his family?"

"I'm not suggesting anything, Captain, I'm just giving you some facts that you are ignorant of. Nathan's family already has a lot of money, maybe the kidnapping was to ask for a huge amount, but it went wrong. Seeing them kidnapping each other would make no sense. But Nathan had his reservations."

Bernard felt he was giving more information than he owed to the captain, but he did not care much about it. Perhaps that policeman has the astuteness to reveal what is behind the death of the Hicks, and reach Louis Randall himself, if he is really involved in all that. He thought about revealing the identity of the murderer, making as if he suddenly remembered his face in the photographs, but something told him not to do so, to keep it for the moment.

"Did you say that Hicks couldn't change his will on time?"

"No, he couldn't. When he was in those proceedings they were assassinated. Only his sister remains as heir to everything since his wife Norma also died."

"Ujum!" West muttered, rubbing his chin and staring at the ground, thinking.

At that moment the doorbell rang again, snapping him out of his momentary musing.

"All right, Mr. Sullivan. You've given me some more information to process," he told him as he walked with him into the hall to see who was knocking on the door now. "I'll go to leave you with your visit." When Bernard opened the door they saw Camila, who was smiling until she saw the captain.

"A very pleasant visit, from what I see."

That said, West left in a hurry. Bernard was puzzled seeing Camila at the door. He did not plan to see her again that day.

"Can I come in?" she asked him. Bernard roused himself and gave way, asking her to enter.

"I don't want to be a nuisance," she said, once inside the apartment and Bernard closed the door, "but I was near here and I wanted to stop by to see how little Nathan was."

She continued to the baby's room and entered, when she reached his side she verified he was still asleep and comfortable. Bernard watched her from the doorway, still a little surprised to see her there again.

"I see everything is fine," she said, approaching him. "He sleep like a little angel"

"Eeeh, yes. I gave him his food before putting him to bed," he said, finally reacting, "and he has a clean diaper."

"Well, I'll go," she approached him, asking him to pass, because he was in the middle of the door, blocking it. He realized this and immediately pulled away from her. She went out to the living room. He followed her. "If you need help, call me without doubt it," she turned to see him as he walked doubtfully into the room as well.

"Eeeeeh, yes. "I will, thank you."

She turned and started walking towards the door. Something inside him told him not to let her go.

"Do you want-?" he asked hastily, searching his head for a quick excuse to make her stay. "Do you want to have a coffee, or drink something?"

She stopped and turned, seeing him, and waiting for him to continue.

"I mean, if you don't have anything else to do," Bernard was a little nervous, and he hoped he didn't show it in his voice. "You know, to thank you for taking the time to come again."

"A coffee will be fine. Thank you."

She turned and this time headed for the kitchen. Bernard went after her, feeling intimidated again by her presence, struggling to control himself and wishing she didn't notice him. But she had already noticed. From the very day she met him she realized the effect she had on him.