SHORTS FROM THE SHELF features short serialized fiction by author Shannon Muir, administrator of SHANNON MUIR’S THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF, that may be later released as part of e-book or print collections. The story line featured currently is “Shining a Light on Crime”. This is Part 13 of 14. PART 14 WILL APPEAR NEXT SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH, 2019.

“I know you have a lot of questions.”

How she arrived at that moment remained a blur. However, Roxane knew she wasn’t backing down from getting the truth.

“When were you planning to take my children away to raise as your own, Auntie?” she said sarcastically. “How would you have had the man who never legally married me take all that I love from me?”

“That wasn’t the plan.”

Roxane put her hands on her hips.

“So enlighten me. What was the plan?”

“Ok I will admit it was the initial plan. I wanted an heir for myself and your mother.”

“You already had me.”

“No. The Sheridans wouldn’t let you go. So initially we were going to have Lou romance you then have us adopt your child or face public disgrace. But then I couldn’t bear to do that to you, so instead we arranged a fake marriage. That way people would feel for you as things crumbled.”

“Your tone in the beginning sounded like you changed your mind yet again. Why?”

“Your daughter might be Lou’s but then I realized I just didn’t have the heart to separate you from your daughter.’

“So that was why you hired the PR people and the lawyers.  Self-protection of a guilty conscience. But there’s so much left unanswered. What did your sister Celle see in a man like my father? They say she was obsessed with him, but how did she even hear about him? It seems you and Lou were the business entrepreneurs. The articles I’ve seen don’t mention Celle. Heck, I can’t even find an obituary saying how she died! What are you hiding from me?”