“So you want them.” He tapped a pencil on his desk. “I wouldn’t recommend you go into this unless you play to win. Any halfhearted effort would likely backfire right into the mother’s hands. Your chances of winning are slim, unless…”
“Unless what?”
“You’d have to do what your husband hasn’t—sic a P.I. on the mother, find witnesses. You could do that and turn the information over to your husband, for that matter, but I don’t know if luck will be with you. You said the hearing will be scheduled within the next thirty to sixty days. Time’s running out, and those kind of investigations take time.”
“But I could try.” If she could find the funds to pay for it. What she had left from her loan would only cover Murphy’s fees. Still, she was the wife of a superstar, surely her credit was good?
“And maybe you’d hit pay dirt right away,” he said. “But there’s more.”
“What?”
“You’d have to discredit them both. If you want the court to look at you instead of the father as an alternative to the mother, then you not only have to file, you have to get both mom and dad out of the picture. As far as the court is concerned, third-party custody is a last and not desirable resort. If the ex doesn’t do it first, you’d have to show evidence of some substantive reason the father is unfit. Something like that photo you mentioned of him sleeping with a minor. With the allegations of abuse against the mother coupled with serious accusations against the father, you’d have a chance.” Murphy leveled his eyes at her. “Are you willing to do that?”
Her mind whirled through possibilities. Bet on Jon, and take a chance Belinda would win? Or bet on her instincts, fight with all she had and destroy Jon’s case, his career—his life. She hesitated, asked a few more questions, then hurried home.
The next few nights were sleepless, but after several days of agonizing, her mind cleared of everything except one crystal thought.
She’d made a promise to Melanie.
On the day before the store opened, she laid out her strategy with Murphy. When Grand Opening Day dawned, he prepared her petition and recommended a private investigator.
Now, two weeks later, the petition remained unfiled. She didn’t want the court informing either Jon or Belinda. Surprise was her ally.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
TWO WEEKS later, Lil pushed aside the crisp curtains framing Merry-Go-Read’s bow window. Behind her, Mrs. Beadlesworth, the only customer left after the noon rush, browsed the store. Bright sunshine painted the scene outside, although the temperature hovered between cool and warm. In front of St. Andrews, tulips jostled for room between the yellow hats of daffodils and lilac shrubs foamed with clouds of buds. She hoped it would be as pleasant four days from now, on Melanie’s birthday. The day she’d see Jon for the first time in three months.
Lil’s heart sped up. Jon was returning for the party Sunday. And Monday would bring the custody hearing and the decision that would effect the rest of their lives.
Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, Lil moved toward the rear of the store. “Do you need any help, Mrs. Beadlesworth?”
“No thanks, dear.”
Lil slipped behind the counter, jostling a vase of yellow roses. Exasperated, she caught them up before they spilled. She’d take them home, but that would hurt Seamus’s feelings. Twice since the opening, he’d replaced the bouquet.
Since she’d started work on the store, Seamus stopped by daily, often bringing lunch from the Rooster’s kitchen. Since Jon had left, he’d never once implied I-told-you-so, and his companionship was as easy as always. Occasionally, though, she felt the draft of a more powerful emotion. She hoped she was misreading signals. Because she didn’t feel that way about Seamus. Because, stupid as it was, she still loved Jon. She set the roses back with a thump. Not that he’d given her roses or anything else.
She sighed and picked up a few scattered petals. This weekend, she’d tell Jon what she planned. She hadn’t wanted to give him time to stop her, but she didn’t want him blindsided. Her stomach curdled. She should no longer care what he thought, but she did.
Mrs. B pushed up to the counter, dropped an armload of books, then wandered off to peruse a shelf of DVDs. Like Mrs. B, most of the customers were local, although busloads of tourists on their way to Kesibwi stopped by on the weekends. The store was a minor tourist attraction. The store was a success.
Mrs. B returned, adding a movie to her pile. “You’ve done a wonderful job, Lil. Joey and I are looking forward to some of those book signings you’ve lined up.” Another bonus. With her famous name, she was attracting some stellar children’s authors. The woman plucked a calendar Mari had designed off the counter. “Although Joey misses his piano lessons. How clever. May I have one?”
“Certainly. There’s a map showing our delivery area, and there’s also a coupon on the back for your next visit.” Lil rang up the purchases and took the bills Mrs. B held out, then paused. “You know, Mrs. Beadlesworth, I think Joey might find other talents he excels at rather than piano.”
Mrs. B looked puzzled. “Do you think so, dear?”
Lil nodded. “I do. He’s a good—”
The entrance bells tinkled. Lil glanced up and her throat closed. Belinda stepped over the threshold. A white cloak swirled down to her ankles. A vaguely familiar, pale-faced young man stepped in behind her.
“A good—?” Mrs. Beadlesworth prompted.
“Uh, soccer player.” She counted bills into the woman’s palm. “Have a nice day. And don’t forget to sign our guest book.” She kept her eyes on Belinda. Jon’s ex-wife wandered between the shelves, fingering the merchandise. Her companion shifted from foot to foot just inside the door.
Mrs. B exited, and Lil placed both her hands flat on the counter. “Belinda.”
She hadn’t seen Belinda since that day at the resort. With admittedly sophomoric satisfaction, she noted Jon’s ex-wife had gained weight. Her cloak concealed her torso, but overindulgence showed in the puffiness around her face. Lil’s satisfaction was only momentary, though. The white cloak set off Belinda’s dark beauty to perfection. If she dressed like that for court on Monday, the judge would think Belinda was a virginal angel.
“Well, hello, Lil.” Belinda turned in her direction as though surprised, but Lil wasn’t fooled by her air of innocence. “I came into town to see the doctor and thought I’d stop in. You remember Neil?”
The man from the rehab center. Lil nodded at Neil, and he gave her a nervous half smile.
“This your store? It’s very quaint.” Belinda ran a coral-tipped finger along a shelf. “Reminds me of you. So small town. But I’m sure the locals love it. I mean, what do they have to compare it to?”
“What do you want?”
“Want?” Belinda looked at her, rounding her eyes. “Why, nothing.”
High heels tapping, Belinda continued to browse. “I suppose you’ve heard the latest, haven’t you?” she asked, pausing at a display of children’s sing-along music. She pushed a button on the front of the stand, and a ditty from Wee Sing in Sillyville filled the room. “Judge Dougherty has issued a gag order. Says he’ll have the custody case decided in his courtroom, not in the media.”
She wasn’t about to discuss the hearing with Belinda. She kept her voice disinterested. “Did you receive your invitation to Melanie’s birthday party?”
She hadn’t wanted to invite either Jon or Belinda, but of course Melanie wanted her father there, and she’d had no choice under Judge Dougherty’s visitation dictums except to ask Belinda, too. She’d stifled her misgivings with the almost certain knowledge neither would come, although that had been before she’d known the hearing would take place only one day later.
Belinda touched the button again. The music stopped. “Melanie’s party?” She snorted. “I think I have better things to do with my time than spend it with your family.”
Good.
Belinda gave her a look dripping with sympathy. “Don’t let the judge’s
gag order give you false hopes.”
“What are you talking about?”
Belinda shrugged. “I’ll still win.”
She sounded so confident. Lil kept her face calm, although her pulse beat faster. “That’s not your decision.”
“Despite that sniveling social worker poking her nose into every aspect of my business, I think the judge will be more interested in what I’ll have to tell him.” She gave Lil a sly glance. “To show him.”
Lil could only hope Ms. Langlie had thoroughly done her job. Their last visit with her had been only a few days ago. Lil had tried to ferret out information that would remain confidential until the hearing. From what she could tell, Ms. Langlie took the children seriously, but it had become a matter of the children’s words against Belinda’s.
Still, abuse was a serious matter, and Lil would bet the scales would tip in Jon’s favor. But it wasn’t a bet she wanted to take. Not with those photos, real and faked, in Belinda’s hands. So far, the private investigator had turned up some leads, but nothing else. As Ms. Langlie was leaving, Lil had taken a deep breath and had pressed a sealed envelope into her hand addressed to Judge Dougherty, marked confidential. Lil had asked her to include it in her report. After that, there was no turning back.
“I had something to show myself,” Lil murmured without thinking.
Belinda approached the counter, eyes glinting. “What exactly did you tell her?”
“The only thing Ms. Langlie is concerned about is the children’s welfare and I told her—” She stopped. She didn’t owe Belinda anything. “I don’t want to discuss this.”
“Okay, let’s discuss something else. Let’s discuss Jon.”
“I’d like you to leave. I don’t think—”
“No, you don’t think. If you’d thought about it, you would have realized a long time ago you couldn’t hang on to him.”
“What’s between Jon and me is none of your business.”
“But I think it is my business. After all, I’d bet mine was the last bed he slept in, wasn’t it?” Belinda smile broke across her face like sun splashing on water. “And—guess what? I’m pregnant.”
Lil felt like she’d been punched.
“Yep.” Belinda pulled her cloak aside and patted her rounded stomach. Lil stared in horror, then glanced at Neil. He shifted, and his eyes wouldn’t meet hers. “I wanted to make sure everything was okay before I told anyone. Then decided you’d be the first to know. I’m looking forward to telling Jon.” She smiled. “And the judge.”
Lil unstuck her tongue from the roof of her mouth. “That baby could belong to anyone.” She flicked another look at Neil. He looked decidedly unhappy.
Belinda’s smile didn’t waver. “I didn’t think you’d be overcome with joy, but let’s not indulge in too much wishful thinking, all right? Delusions aren’t healthy. Well, I just wanted to let you in on my little surprise. So sorry, I can’t stay to chat.” She turned and signaled Neil who snapped to attention. As Belinda reached the door, she looked back over her shoulder at Lil. “We simply must do lunch sometime soon.” She wiggled her fingers. “See you in court.”
They exited in a whirl of white wool, and Lil’s hands worried the hem of her jacket as she tried to make sense of the whole thing, tried to find some loophole, tried to catch her breath and decide what effect this would have on Jon’s petition. A powerful one, she’d think. Her hands stilled as she realized she’d made the right decision.
Through the window, she saw Belinda and Neil step off the curb. As Belinda slithered behind the wheel of a bright red Camaro, Seamus approached, nodded at Neil, then bent down to the driver’s window. Lil frowned. She didn’t know they were acquainted. They exchanged some words, then the engine roared to life. The car screeched off. Thoughtful, she took refuge behind the counter and made herself sort invoices.
Seamus ambled inside. She smiled a tight greeting. Pushing his hat back, he leaned his elbows on the counter, his hands brushing hers. Avoiding his touch, she picked up the bills and tapped them into a neat pile.
He frowned briefly. “Thought I’d stop by and see if you needed anything.”
She pulled a file out and slipped the invoices inside. “Disinfectant.”
His eyebrows went up. “Got a problem?”
“I just want to scrub everything she touched.” Lil put the file back, then looked at him. “I didn’t know you knew Belinda Van Castle.”
Seamus hesitated. “Met her in rehab a few years back.”
“Ah.” Lil waited to see if he’d offer more, but he didn’t. It wasn’t unusual for people around here to know each other, and since Serenity Gardens was the only rehabilitation center within twenty miles, his explanation made sense. It would also explain why he’d know Neil. Still, there was something disquieting about his silence.
Abruptly, he straightened. “Well, if you don’t need anything, guess I’ll be on my way. Stop by the Rooster later. I’ll feed you and the kids a burger.”
“Maybe. It will depend on how much homework Melanie has.”
A muscle twitched in his jaw, and she lowered her eyes so he couldn’t see her own irritation. Seamus’s invitations were increasingly offered with a persistence she didn’t like. After another minute’s uncomfortable conversation, he took his leave. She followed him to the door and watched him through the window, still frowning.
Why hadn’t Seamus ever said he knew Jon’s ex-wife?
***
That night, Lil peeked down the hallway to make sure the lights were doused and no noises came from the children’s rooms before she picked up the phone. It was after ten, but Jon would still be awake.
As the phone rang, she leaned against the kitchen stool. Tiredness seeped through her bones. The day had sapped her emotions. Listening to eighteen viewings of the new China Blue Eyes video Jon had sent the children hadn’t helped, either. When she’d finally insisted they shut it off, Michael had thrown his usual bedtime tantrum. Excited about her birthday, even the normally cooperative Melanie had dragged her feet. It had taken an hour to get them to sleep. She longed for her own bed, but first she had to tell Jon. Maybe he’d finally realize Belinda wasn’t all about money.
Her stomach knotted as the phone was answered. In the background, she could hear music, voices. “Jon?”
There was a hesitation, then his voice rolled over her. “Hey, babe.”
Memories nearly overwhelmed her. Would have, if he hadn’t been playing the babe game again. Her shoulders slumped.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be right back.” He talked to someone else, then returned to her. “Sorry. Trying to get this video wrapped up before I head out in your direction. I’ll be there Friday night. Too late to see anyone, but I’ll call Roy to bring the kids over to the Sleep Inn on Saturday. How’s it goin’? Everything all right with the kids?”
No mention of the Valentine’s Day email. She could be nothing more than the nanny. “The children are fine. They got your video. They like it.” She forced her voice into routine politeness. Then, as indifferently as she’d report the weather, she let the bomb drop. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I thought you should know. Belinda is pregnant. She says the baby is yours.”
There was a long silence. “Shit.” His voice was barely audible. “Lil, I never meant to—” She heard a world of hurt in his voice and held her breath. Would he give them the opportunity to recover what they’d lost? But he cleared his throat, and the flippancy returned. “Just one thing after another, isn’t it? Hey, guess I’ll be seeing you soon—and thanks. I owe you for the heads-up, babe.”
She stiffened. Any inclination she’d had to spill what she’d done dissolved in the acid that flooded her mouth. Whatever game he was determined to play with their lives, he could play on his own.
She didn’t answer; she just let the receiver fall back in its cradle. After a few moments, she picked up the phone again.
Rousing Murphy from sleep, she made sure he understood her instructions.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
FOUR DAYS later, heart hammering, Jon rang Lil’s doorbell. It was about an hour before Melanie’s party, and the kids scampered around the front yard in a state of high excitement. He scanned the empty street. He’d tried to keep his travel plans secret and so far he’d succeeded. No news hounds sniffed around, not even that fellow Lil called Wart-nose. Likely that jerk and all his fellow jerks were swarming Camden County Courthouse preparing for tomorrow’s hearing.
Early yesterday morning, after a Friday night red-eye from LA, he and Zeke had arrived at Cordelia’s Sleep Inn too tired to wallow in memories, but it hadn’t been long before they’d caught up to him. Roy had dropped the kids with him Saturday. Since then, everywhere they went, from Sin-Sational Ice Cream, where he could see a carousel horse outside Lil’s bookstore, to Memorial Park, where they’d parked the bus on that long-ago day when he’d first met her, he was haunted by her. He hadn’t seen her yet.
Nor did he want to.
After her phone call, he’d wrapped up the video, fell exhausted into bed, then stared at the ceiling all night. Her news about the pregnancy had rocked him, but a hurried call to his attorneys had reassured him. They’d said that short of a paternity test, the court probably wouldn’t allow Belinda’s pregnancy to figure in the decision of Michael and Melanie’s custody. They could worry about the baby later. They all agreed Belinda could be bought. She was dragging this affair out just to make the stakes higher. Lil would see. He’d pass Belinda a hefty check—a very hefty check—on Monday morning, and that would be that.
No, he wasn’t worried about the hearing. Sleep had eluded him because of the memories that had swamped him at the sound of Lil’s voice.
Since he’d left Cordelia, he’d sedated himself with work, hoping frantic activity would render him unconscious at night. Sometimes it worked; mostly it didn’t. Nothing forced Lil from his head. The email she’d sent in February hadn’t helped. After he’d read her passionate pleas, he’d wavered, his thoughts pulled first one way, then the other, playing a tug of war with his sanity. For a time, he’d toyed with the idea maybe Lil was right, maybe nothing had happened on that night he’d spent with Belinda—but the news Lil had dropped on him scuttled that hope.
SING ME HOME (Love Finds A Home - Book One) Page 30