Personal memoir recounting a visit from Australian federal agents and a U.S. FBI agent

my adrenaline was still pumping from the previous encounter with the officials of the Philippines who had enough power to condemn me if they had felt like it. I caught my plane in the knick of time and once I was settled in my seat my thoughts went back to my dear Robbie and how much I was missing him. J was just relieved that I was on my way to be back with him again soon. Looking out the window I could see the red earth beneath me. As 1 landed for the last time I took notice of the first steps I walked off the plane and onto a new soil for the first time. 1 had so much to be looking forward too in my new homeland. In my heart I knew this was all | ever wanted, this was going to be my haven. There was another surprise in store for me when two elder strangers walked up to me and asked my name. “Are you Jenna?” Nodding at their question they gave me their first names and wrapped their arms around my neck. My new mother-in law then said, “ We are Robbie’s parents. We wanted to be the first ones who. welcomed you to Australia and into our family” It was my in-laws meeting me for the first time. Handing me some balloons and flowers they even had gifts for their new daughter-in law. While waiting for Robbie’s plane to arrive we all chatted about many things like the flight over from Thailand and the scare at the previous airport in the Philippines. I asked them how they knew whom to look for? My father in law laughed, saying recognizing me was easy from Robbie’s detailed description. He told them to look out fora petite, young blonde carrying an abundance of luggage. Laughing together over a few more brief conversations of getting to know each other better they seemed relieved to finally meet me compared how stressed she sounded in the conversations | overheard Robbie having with her while in Thailand. Watching the arrivals board I knew Robbie’s plane had landed ages ago but was just waiting for him to get out of customs. It didn’t bother me anyhow, I was enjoying get accompanied with his parents for the first time. Eventually | saw my husband walking down the runway behind the gates, I just couldn’t wait a second longer. I ducked underneath the gates and ran all the way up the runway to jump excitedly into his arms. | wrapped my arms and legs around him holding onto him for dear life. I just missed him so much I knew I would never let him go, theoretically speaking that is, and I never have nearly a decade later. Chapter 24 Over the near decade we spent together, Robbie and I have shared the common highs and lows that every determined marriage endures. It has 135 taken a lot of hard work and doesn’t come without its flaws but no matter what it is just perfect for the two of us. He helped me how to remember to smile again and life has slowly began to sort itself out. They say that time heals all wounds but what I had experienced in my young years wasn’t nearly long enough to let all of the hurt go. Seeking help through many counselors and psychiatrists I was doing everything I could do to deal _ with the scars and all of the pain left behind. Completely off of any pharmaceuticals, since the last day of our honeymoon, and healing my heart with love instead of hate our marriage is my foundation and Robbie is my solid rock. We have to be for one another, putting the bonds of our union through the wringers and back, as neither of us expected my past life eventually to come back and haunt me after so long. Our blissful life came to a sudden halt one day when we were out visiting my in-laws at their nearby house on just another plain afternoon. There was a knock on the front door and my father in law got up from watching TV on the couch to answer it. He rushed back quickly coming into the dining room, where [ was feeding my nineteen months and five month old boys at the table, and he blurted out, “Jenna there are three police officer’s at the door asking for you by the name of Virginia Roberts!” I asked my mother in law to stay with the babies to find out what this was all about. I didn’t even think it had anything to do with Jeffrey at first and wasn’t even worried when I opened the door to offer them to come inside to talk. They weren’t actually police officers and two federal agents of Australia with one F.B.J agent from America. The American agent asked if I wouldn’t mind actually coming outside so that I may speak with them in private. “Okay” I said, as well as mentally preparing myself for something big from the look of it, it’s not over a parking ticket or anything small that you get three federal agents knocking at your in-laws front door asking to speak in private. “Can we first ask you if you are in fact Ms. Virginia Roberts and originally from Palm Beach County in the United States?” I confirmed my name and previous state of residence then they even asked, “May we see some identification please?” A different agent asked the question this time and I told him “‘T will have to go and grab it, my purse is inside. I'll just be one second.” Robbie was standing on the other side of the door trying to figure out what they were doing here talking to me and when I rushed through it to grab my purse and saw him standing there looking puzzled, | told him | had no idea what this was about yet, but not too worry everything was going too be just fine. Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling outwards, I opened the door to find out exactly what the agents wanted to talk about. 136 1 Copyright Protected Material CONFIDENTIAL [3 Copyright Protected Material CONFIDENTIAL GIUFFRE004268 GIUTTFRE004269 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_021212