Helen Donovan, 2919 W. Giddings St., Chicago, IL 60625, (773) 588-5616

Words: 79,119

Synopsis: What Goes Around

Phoebe thought something might be wrong with her when the inexplicable rage she had experienced on several occasionsas a kid suddenly returned to her out of the blueat age twenty-two. Phoebe knew shewas adopted and that her real parents were dead, but that didn’t stop the perpetual yearning she felt inside to know where she came from. So, when she was still very young, she made a promise to herself to one day hire a private investigator to search for her roots. Now, excited to be working her first job post-college, at the [insert newspaper name here] no less,Phoebe decides to keep that promise.

Released from Holt Correctional Facility after serving twenty-one years for killing her second husband, seventy-five-year-old Nina Carlson finds herself on the way to a live-in job at Imperial Nursing and Rehabilitation Center as part of some do-gooders’ parolee re-entry program.Fortunately no one knew about her other kills, or she’d still be at Holt. Not entirely pleased with the idea of working at Imperial, she vows to use the place to find an opportunity—she always finds an opportunity, at any cost.

Chicago Detective Ed Finnegangets a callto investigate the sudden death of Stella Dawson, matriarch of one of Chicago’s wealthiest families. Upon arrival, Finnegan learns that onlytwo months earlier 13-year-old Crystal Dawson was also found dead in the Dawson family estate, a grand Queen Anne mansion known as Charlayne. Finnegan doesn’t buy two accidental deaths in same home within a short time, and decides to take a second,hard look at Crystal Dawson’s death as well. When Stella Dawson’s death is ruled a homicide, his investigation identifies her granddaughter, Sandra, as the prime suspect.

Sandra Dawson lovesCharlayne. It was,is, and will always be her castle, the place where she feels happy, safe and secure. Nothing will ever come between her and her beloved Charlayne. So when her grandmother, Stella the Witch,threatens to sell her castle Sandra kills her—just like she killed her sister, Crystal, whose sessions with a psychiatrist were starting to reveal a little too much about their not so sisterly relationship.

Nina Carlsonquickly finds an opportunity in the person of Stanley Rodgers, a seventy-eight-year-oldsingle,wealthy patient rehabbing at ImperialNursing and Rehab Center following an automobile accident.Nina wastes no time worming her way into Stanley’s life, and his money.

Phoebe is initiallydisappointed anddisillusioned when the private investigator’s search reveals that her grandmother is an ex-con. But, she reasons, there are two sides to every story, and her heart fills with hope and excitement asshe eagerly looks forward to meeting and talking to a blood relative for the very first time.

The appearance of a granddaughter out of nowhere doesn’t fit with Nina’s plans, so she meets with Phoebe for the sole purpose of coldly rejecting her, specifically instructing Phoebe to never contact her again. Brokenhearted, angry and unwilling to admit her search is at a dead end, Phoebetakes her search directly tothe agency that handled her adoption. There, Phoebe is stunned to learn that she not only has an identical twin, but that her sisteris the adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Dawson, a prominent, extremely wealthy Chicago family.

Using the discovery of her sister as justification for ignoring Nina’s instruction never to contact her again, Phoebe arranges a meeting of the three of them.Phoebe is surprised when Nina apologies profusely for initially rejecting her, but accepts the apology.Sandra is coolly curious about the whole situation, a little too much so about how Nina killed her husband for Phoebe’s comfort.

WhenPhoebe’s adoptive mom,Mary, reads in the newspaper that Sandra has been nameda person of interest in the death of her grandmother, she demands thatPhoebe stop associating withher newly discovered blood relatives: an ex-con and a murder suspect. Instead,Phoebe reaches out to Sandra, who invites Phoebe to come stay with herat Charlaynesince Sandra’s parents are leaving for an extended stay in Arizona.

Unfortunately, beforethey leave for Arizona Sandra’s parents inform her that due to the recent tragedies in the home they no longer feel comfortable living at Charlayne, and therefore plan to donateit the City of Chicago in Stella’s memory. The threat of losing Charlayne again ignites rage inevery nerve in Sandra’s body, and she vows if she can’t save her castle she’ll burn it to the ground and take everyone with her.

Ninais an expertschemer, and from the instant she learnedof Sandra’s wealth she recognized the once in a lifetime opportunity to live the life of luxuryin Charlayne. Her new husband is in her way, however, so shearranges an ‘accident’that puts himback in Imperial.

When Sandra’s parents return unexpectedly, she surprises them by introducing Phoebe, her identical twin, with no advance warning, then takes advantage of their shock to propose a plan to run a scholarship foundation from Charlayne instead of giving it away. They agree to give it a trial run.

On her way to meet with Sandra and Nina after work a few days later, Phoebe is confronted outside of her officeby Mary, who begs her again to leave ‘those people.’Blinding rage overpowers Phoebe, and a strangerhas to intervene to prevent her from strangling Mary right there on the street.

Phoebe, trembling and frightenedat what she did,rushes to meet Nina and Sandra. Neither seems particularly surprised, or concerned, about her violent outburst.Sandra informs them that her parents have gifted her Charlayne for her birthday.

Together they go home—to Charlayne—nurture having been abandoned to nature.

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