THE PRODIGAL DAUGHTER

by Ginna Gray

  Work became her escape. Maggie arrived at the office before dawn and stayed late, long past the time the household retired for the night.

  Jacob and Dan she avoided whenever possible. For his part, Dan abided by the orders she'd issued and made direct contact with her only on matters concerning business. However, he often gave her long, intense looks, as though trying to communicate with her silently, but she ignored them.

  Occasionally while working late in the office she would see him working in the cannery, but he seemed to have abandoned his role as bodyguard, for which she was grateful. It hurt her to be around him at all. Every time she glimpsed him walking through the cannery or orchard her heart felt as though it would crack in two.

  Maggie considered ordering Dan to stay out of the cannery in the evenings altogether, but she needed him to keep things running. Plus, she didn't want him to know how much his nearness affected her.

  Between Thanksgiving and Christmas Maggie went on two more modeling assignments, and each time she was sorely tempted to simply stay in New York and not return to Ruby Falls ever again. Make a clean break and walk away—from the family, from the business, from the town. From Dan.

  But there was that tantalizing possibility that she was Jacob's daughter, after all.

  Often Maggie thought about the times as a kid when she had felt isolated from the rest of the family, the times she'd wondered why she couldn't have been born dainty and pretty like her sisters, and she would tell herself it was foolish to hope. But until she knew for certain, she could not walk away.

  On Christmas morning everyone had already gathered in the family room when Maggie came downstairs. When she walked by the doorway her mother rushed out into the hall and intercepted her.

  "Maggie, sweetheart, where are you going? Surely you're not going to work today. It's Christmas."

  "Yes, actually, I am."

  "But the family always opens gifts together on Christmas morning. Aren't you going to join us?"

  Maggie glanced into the room where the others were gathered around the tree. They all watched her and waited to see what she would do. Her eyes met Jacob's briefly and she could have sworn that even he looked hopeful. But she was through with impossible dreaming. She shook her head. "No, I'm not."

  "Oh, but Maggie—"

  "I'm sorry, Momma. You'll find presents from me for everyone under the tree. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go."

  Maggie knew her actions were hurting her mother, and she was sorry for that. The last thing she wanted was to cause Lily more pain, but she didn't have her capacity to simply push hurtful and unpleasant things aside and pretend they had never happened. Nor did her mother understand that for Maggie, merely being around the people she had always thought of as her family was excruciating and degrading beyond measure. So Maggie avoided them all and drove herself to the point of exhaustion so that she wouldn't have to think about the day of reckoning that was bearing down on them.

  One morning during the first week of January, Anna came into Maggie's office with an odd expression on her face.

  "Sorry to interrupt, Maggie, but there's a Mr. Henry Kincaid on line one. He asked for your extension, but I get the impression he's expecting to speak to Martin."

  "Henry Kincaid? Should I know him?"

  "He's the CEO of Bountiful Foods."

  "Oh, really." Maggie picked up the telephone. "Mr. Kincaid, this is Maggie Malone. What can I do for you?"

  "Actually, Miss Malone, I called to speak to the acting president of the company. I think I was put through to the wrong office."

  "You are speaking to the acting president, Mr. Kincaid."

  "You? That is, I thought Mr. Howe was filling in for Jacob Malone."

  "No, that job has fallen to me." Temporarily, she added silently. "Mr. Howe is out of the office at the moment. Perhaps I can help you."

  "Well, it was Mr. Howe who approached us, but I suppose I really should be dealing with you. Martin told us that once Mr. Malone passed on he would head the company, and that he would immediately move to change Malone Enterprises's articles of incorporation to allow it to be sold to outsiders. Anticipating that, we made an offer some weeks ago. I'm calling to inquire if your shareholders are ready to consider it."

  "I'm afraid you've been misled, Mr. Kincaid. The Malone Cannery is not for sale."

  The man laughed. "Miss Malone, I can tell you're a savvy negotiator, but let's cut to the chase, shall we. We were just testing the waters with that figure. We are quite prepared to go higher. I must say, after examining your books and seeing your splendid profit picture, we here at Bountiful Foods are most impressed with your company."

  Splendid profit picture? "I see. I didn't realize that Mr. Howe had given you access to our books."

  "Yes, he provided us with a computer-generated copy of your company records for the past two years. He's been most helpful in facilitating this deal. Most helpful."

  "Oh, I'm sure he has. However, I'm afraid Mr. Howe has wasted your time. Jacob Malone is still very much alive, and when he's gone the company will remain in the family."

  Mr. Kincaid argued some more, but Maggie finally convinced him there would be no deal. When she hung up, she frowned and tapped her pencil against the desktop. If Mr. Kincaid and his board thought their profits looked splendid, he was looking at a different set of books than she was.

  Maggie shot out of her chair. "I'm going to accounting," she said, marching past Anna's desk in the outer office.

  The door to Elaine Udall's office was closed, but Maggie could hear a keyboard clacking. Grasping the knob, she started to barge in, but when she opened the door a crack something about Elaine's demeanor stopped her, and she paused to watch.

  With quick, nervous moments the woman was entering figures onto a computer spreadsheet, every now and then casting furtive glances toward the door, as though fearful that someone would walk in and catch her. Maggie's eyes narrowed. Why so secretive? She was about to knock and announce her presence when Elaine finished her work, withdrew a diskette from the Zip drive and slipped it into her purse.

  Giving the door a quick tap, Maggie pushed it open. Elaine started guiltily and shoved her purse into the bottom drawer of her desk.

  "Miss Malone, is there something you want?"

  "Yes. I want to see all the purchase orders, invoices and all expense receipts for the past two years."

  "Very well," she said in her snooty schoolmarm voice, and turned back to the computer. "It will take me a few minutes to print them out, though."

  "No, I don't want a printout of the books. I have that. I want to see the actual orders and invoices and all other pertinent documents."

  Maggie wasn't sure, but she could swear she saw panic flash in Miss Udall's eyes. "I'm afraid that's impossible. We don't keep that sort of thing."

  "Don't try to play me for a fool, Miss Udall. I know what the law requires, and I also know that we keep thorough substantiating records going back decades in our storeroom. I want the past two years' worth in my office within the hour."

  Elaine puffed up like a toad. "Are you questioning my accounting?"

  "Are you questioning my right to review company records?" Maggie fired back.

  "Mr. Howe says you're not even a Malone. He said you won't be here much longer. I don't think I should turn over company records to you."

  Maggie braced her hands on top of the woman's desk and leaned toward her. "I don't give a rat's ass what Mr. Howe says. I am still acting president of this company. Now … you can either have those records brought to my office immediately, or you can clean out your desk right now. The choice is yours."

  It took Maggie less that two hours to uncover gross discrepancies. The printout of the company's financial records that she had did not tally with the actually receivables and payables during any month she'd checked.

  Fuming, Maggie buzzed Anna and told her to have Martin and Miss Udall come to her office immediately. A short while later Anna walked into Maggie's
office alone.

  "Sorry, Maggie, but Martin left the office at noon. He told his secretary he had a golf date with a customer, but he didn't say which one."

  "And Elaine Udall?"

  "According to Susan in accounting, she shot out of here like a cat with its tail on fire about two hours ago, right after she had those archive records brought to you."

  Maggie grabbed her purse and headed for the door. "If anyone wants me, I'll be at Martin's house."

  She had not been to the Howe home since she returned to Ruby Falls, and when she brought her car to a halt in the circular driveway she looked with distaste at the white colonial. The place belonged to Martin's father and was the biggest, most ostentatious house in town. Rupert could not have borne anything less.

  As president of the First National Bank, he liked to think of himself as the town's leading citizen, but to most folks around these parts that position belonged to Jacob.

  A wicked little smile twitched Maggie's mouth. Though Martin's father had always treated Jacob with hearty friendliness, she knew that fact secretly galled Rupert.

  Overriding Laurel's objections, Martin had insisted that they move in with Rupert on returning from their honeymoon. He had claimed that he couldn't possibly leave his father all alone in the big house.

  Personally, Maggie didn't believe that was the reason. Not for a minute. Rupert had spoiled his son rotten, and never in his sorry life had Martin ever given a thought to anyone else's needs or wishes. The way Maggie figured it, he simply hadn't wanted to trade the grand home for one the size he and Laurel could afford, or give up the lavish life-style that his father had always provided.

  The front door was ajar, but Maggie rang the doorbell, anyway, and stood impatiently while the elaborate chimes echoed inside the house. When no one answered she glanced toward Laurel's BMW parked in the side driveway. Maggie eased the door open and stepped inside.

  "Hello. Laurel, are you here? It's me, Maggie." She eased farther into the foyer. "Anybody home?"

  Maggie thought she heard a faint sound and stopped, cocking her head to one side. It was coming from upstairs. It sounded almost like a muffled moan, like an animal in pain.

  Reaching inside her purse, Maggie closed her hand around her stun gun and started cautiously up the stairs. At the top the sounds grew louder as she followed them down the hallway to a large bedroom at the end. The first thing she noticed when she stepped inside were several red stains on the carpet that looked like blood. Maggie's heart rate speeded up.

  Her gaze darted around the room, but there didn't appear to be anyone there. She was wondering if she should call the sheriff when she heard a moan from the bathroom. Maggie hurried across the bedroom toward the sound, but at the bathroom door she stopped in her tracks. "Oh, my God! Laurel!"

  Her sister lay curled in the fetal position on the floor, clutching her stomach and groaning, her face a battered and bloody mess. Maggie rushed inside and knelt beside her. "Oh, Laurel, you poor darling." She snatched a towel from the rack and ran it under the cold water tap, then knelt again and tried to gently blot away the blood, but Laurel moaned and put her hands up and tried to hide her face.

  "No-o-o. Don't lo-look at me. Oh, go a-away, Maggie. I don't wa-want you to see m-me like this." Her lips were cut and swollen, and the words came out mumbly and slurred.

  "It's too late for that. And I'm not leaving this house without you, so don't waste your breath. Anyway, the important thing right now is to get you some medical attention. Here, press this towel to your cheek while I go call for an ambulance."

  "No, don't." Laurel clutched Maggie's arm. "Pl-please, don't do that. Ev-everyone will know. I couldn't bear that."

  "Laurel, you need to see a doctor. Besides, once we call the sheriff, it's all going to come out." Maggie pushed a bloodied clump of hair away from her sister's face and gritted her teeth. "Damn Martin! He did this to you, didn't he?"

  Laurel nodded, then moaned piteously when the action caused more pain.

  "That bastard. That sorry, worthless— That settles it. You're getting out of here, and this time you're going to press charges. And don't you dare tell me you're not. No way am I leaving you with that beast."

  "I—I won't … argue. I told him I was going to di-divorce him. That's why … why he b-beat me."

  "You were finally leaving him? Well thank heaven for that. That's the best news I've heard all year. And don't you worry about Martin coming after you. He'll have to get through me first. I almost hope he tries."

  "He will try. Hel-help me stand up. We have to get out of here be-before he comes back."

  Maggie winced at the pain each movement caused her sister. "Laurel, you really should go to the hospital."

  "No, please. Just take me home."

  Every instinct Maggie possessed urged her to put her sister in the car and bum rubber all the way to Tyler, but she couldn't risk Laurel becoming hysterical on top of everything else. She huffed an exasperated sigh. "All right, you win. But I'm calling Dr. Sanderson. And the sheriff."

  Laurel was in so much pain it seemed to take forever to get her down the stairs and out of the house. Maggie had just buckled her into the passenger seat of the Viper when Martin's Mercedes came roaring up the U-shaped drive.

  "Oh, God. He'll kill me now for sure," Laurel whimpered.

  "Like hell he will. Just sit tight. And don't worry. I'd take care of Martin."

  The Mercedes slammed to a halt a few feet behind the Viper. Martin bailed out and came storming toward them. "What do you think you're doing? You get the hell away from my wife, bitch. You're not taking her anywhere."

  "Wanna bet?" Maggie stepped in his path and raised her hand to his arm.

  Pzzzzt.

  Martin dropped like a stone. Leaning over her brother-in-law's twitching body, Maggie smiled. "You lose."

  "Wh-what did you do to him?" Laurel asked when Maggie climbed into the Viper.

  "Zapped him with my stun gun. If I weren't so anxious to get medical attention for you I would've wiped up the ground with him."

  Jacob, with Lily and Nan walking on either side, was being pushed through the central hall in his wheelchair by Charley when Maggie struggled through the front door, half carrying Laurel.

  "Dear God in heaven," Nan murmured.

  Lily gasped. "My baby, oh, my poor baby!"

  "What the hell happened to you, Laurel?" Jacob barked.

  "Martin happened to her, that's what," Maggie replied for her.

  "Martin? He did this to her? I can't believe it."

  "Well you'd better believe it. And it isn't the first time, either. He's been knocking her around ever since they married."

  "Laurel, is this true? Why in God's name didn't you tell us?"

  Maggie started to ask him why he hadn't seen what was right under his nose all these years, but at that moment Laurel groaned and would have sagged to the floor if Charley hadn't rushed forward and caught her before she could slip from Maggie's hold.

  Sweeping her up in his arms, he headed for the stairs. "I'll put her to bed. Someone call a doctor."

  "Yes. Oh, yes. Nan, would you see to it?" Lily dithered, following in his wake.

  "Don't bother. Dr. Sanderson is on his way. I called him from the car on the way here."

  "Good. I'd go help with Laurel."

  When Nan had disappeared up the stairs, Maggie looked at Jacob. "You might as well know, I also called the sheriff and told him to arrest Martin, that Laurel would be filing assault charges. I expect Sheriff Dunwitty will be here soon to take a statement and photograph Laurel's injuries."

  "Where is Martin?" Jacob demanded.

  "Last time I saw him he was sprawled on Rupert's front lawn, flopping like a fish out of water."

  "He was doing what?"

  Maggie shrugged. "I zapped him with my stun gun when he tried to stop me from leaving with Laurel."

  Jacob shook his head. "How could he have done that to her? How can any man do such a thing to a woman? Do you
know what set him off?"

  "On the drive over here Laurel told me that she found out he'd been having an affair with Elaine Udall. Apparently, the woman came to the house a while ago to warn Martin that I'd found out that she'd been keeping duplicate sets of books."

  "What! Why would she do that?"

  "To force us to sell to Bountiful would be my guess. She doctored the books we saw to make it appear as though the company was teetering on bankruptcy, and Martin gave Bountiful Foods a set that made it look like we're raking in the money. From what I've been able to piece together so far, I'd say the truth of the matter is somewhere in between. We've been hurt, but not so badly that we can't recover. Plus, there's still the question of what happened to the profits that didn't show up on the books.

  "Anyway, from what Laurel said, when Elaine arrived at their house she was babbling hysterically and revealed everything, including their affair. When Laurel got upset and told Martin she was going to file for divorce, he attacked her. I found her a few minutes after he'd stormed out and left her unconscious on the floor."

  "That bastard! The man is an animal."

  "Yes, I know. I tried to tell you that seven years ago."

  Jacob winced and hung his head. "I know," he whispered. "I know." Maggie turned to follow Nan. "Katherine, wait."

  Halfway up the stairs she stopped and gazed down at him in silence. Jacob looked old and sick and utterly forlorn. He also looked riddled with guilt and regret.

  "This is my fault. I should have at least suspected something like this. I realize that now. Instead I dismissed Martin's controlling, overbearing treatment of her as just part of his domineering personality and ignored all the other signs. I guess I so wanted everything to be perfect for her that I turned a blind eye." He rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. "That, and, to be honest, I didn't want to believe that you were telling the truth about Martin all those years ago."

  "I know. Is that all?"

  "Thank you, Katherine, for getting her out of that house and bringing her home to us."