Truth and Justice - Fern Michaels Page 0,78

dogs and a couple of cats, maybe a parrot and some hamsters to round out it all. In a word, a family. A family minus a dad. Sad but doable. Definitely doable. As she walked around the rooms, she crossed her fingers behind her back that the insemination would work. If not, she would keep trying until it did work. She didn’t come this far to give up over an initial setback.

Sara walked into the kitchen and sat down at the counter. She longed for a glass of wine, but the doctor had said no drinking or smoking. A glass of ginger ale would have to do.

She noticed that her hand was trembling when she opened the refrigerator. She was antsy, jittery for some reason. Why? Everything was just fine; everything had gone off just the way she’d planned it. She was sitting pretty right now, so why was she feeling like this? She tried to define the feeling to herself so she could get a handle on things. It was as if she were waiting for the other shoe to drop, which was downright silly because the first shoe hadn’t even dropped. So, then, what was it?

There had been no glitches. Her finances, which were beyond robust, were safe and secure. All her assets, of which there were many, were being cared for and had finally been cataloged and filed away. Her money manager was top-notch and worth every penny she paid him. So if all that was in order, what was it that was bothering her? The little widow? Was she going to cause some trouble? Of course she was, that was a given.

Sara eyed the ginger ale in her glass and decided it was flat. Apple juice would have been a better choice and, of course, healthier. If she wanted apple juice, she either had to go to the supermarket or call in an order, and that would mean she needed to make a grocery list.

Sara’s acrylic nails drummed on the countertop. Her life, as she knew it now, was brand-new. No more chasing rich men to add to her assets. She bit down on her lower lip as she contemplated the changes she would have to undergo, along with the fear that Bella would somehow find her and rip everything away from her. All Bella had to do was find Andy’s friend, Paul Montrose, and it would all be over. Maybe. She had to believe everything was as airtight as her lawyer said it was. Of course, she had not bothered to tell him about Andy’s new will and the new POA paper Andy had had Montrose send her.

Possession was nine tenths of the law, and she had possession of the will and the new POA. She hadn’t bothered to file anything. Why would she? She knew she would have to be extra careful going forward. She could not put herself out there for anyone to see. The name of the game now was hunker down and live the life of a recluse.

No one knew she was now legally Sara Nolan except her and her lawyer. Not even her doctors knew, and she planned to keep it that way. At least for now. The name change had been strictly for her own satisfaction. She had taken on a whole new identity after she had left Steven Conover and sent him the phony divorce papers. The deed to this house, the title to the Mercedes in the garage, and her brand-new driver’s license plus three new credit cards were in the name of Nora Lewis. The little bronze plate on her mailbox also carried the name of Nora Lewis. All the utilities were in the name of Nora Lewis and paid ahead for a full year. All she had left to do was establish an account at the supermarket and drugstore, and she would have her new life all set up in a neat box with a big red ribbon on top.

Tears rolled down Sara’s cheeks. All her plans were in place. There had been no glitches that amounted to anything. She was about to start living the life she planned.

Yes, she could live that life, but she wasn’t happy. She wasn’t happy because Andy wasn’t here. Andy would never be here, and if he were, he would want to be with Bella, not her. There was just no way she could ever live with that. Some way, somehow, she needed to eliminate that woman. Now that