“I don’t think they knew each other.”
Molly flounced away, something that Raven had only just noticed her doing. Looking at her grandma, Raven asked her how that was even possible.
“I don’t know, to be honest. This gets stranger and stranger daily, don’t you think?” Raven told her that she didn’t know what to think. “Me either, if you want the truth of it. But I do know one thing. It will turn out well for them and the rest of us. Of that, I can always be sure with this family.”
Raven hoped so. This was going to be a true test of them trusting her again, she thought. She’d not just helped Chandler along, but the rest of them as well. Since Gunner had only paid her dad a quarter for his home, she thought that it was working out very nicely. If they would let her do this.
Chapter 4
Merriam tapped her foot when the second hand went past the twelve again. Where was he? She had given specific instructions on not just what she wanted to speak to Roger about, but also what she wanted him to do for her. These people in here were not treating her like she was an Addington, and she wanted them fired from their jobs. Also, he’d better be working on getting her home—to her home—so that she could take care of this nonsense of him thinking that he had her permission to divorce her and sell the house.
“Moron.” She looked around to make sure that no one heard her. Addingtons didn’t call people names when they were out in public. Unless, of course, she wanted the world to know what sort of idiots she had to work with. Roger had better get his act together, or she was going to come down on him like a load of bricks. She might just have to beat him with one of them. Merriam wasn’t opposed to having him killed, or even killing him herself. Things were not pleasing to her.
When her mother-in-law sat across from her, Merriam ignored her. It was difficult to do at the best of times. With her just going on and on about things right now, in that loud, I-don’t-care-who-hears-me voice, it was harder. Finally, having had enough, she turned to her.
“Will you please shut the fuck up? I have no reason to be speaking to you, and I find that I don’t want you coming around at all. Now, where is Roger? He was supposed to be here five minutes ago.” Holly said that he wasn’t coming. “Of course, he is. I demanded for him to show up, and he had damn well better start listening to me.”
“I don’t think he cares one way or the other if you ever see him again, Merriam. I do, however, come bearing gifts. None that I think you’re going to care about, but I have them all the same. Look. I have an ultrasound picture of the newest grandbaby.” Merriam didn’t even bother looking at the small black and white photo. “I have several copies, just in case you were to have a pissy fit and tear it up. The doctor said that both mom and baby are doing very well. He did tell her that it was going to be a big baby. Not like you think it is big at eight pounds, but more like eleven or twelve pounds. Like a small turkey.”
“Why do you think that I’d care about my stupid daughter breeding another child? I suppose I should be thankful that she’s married this time. But it won’t last. He’ll leave her as soon as I’m out of here.” Holly asked her why she thought she’d be getting out of jail. “I’m an Addington. People such as I do not go to jail like a commoner. I swear to you, Holly, you are the dumbest person alive who has money. I should make sure to add that to my list of things to do when I’m out of here. To put you in a nursing home so that you’ll not be out spending your money like you’ve only just found out you have it.”
“I think I’ve done all right with managing my money, Merriam. I did tell Roger to make sure you signed a prenup so that you’d not try to take him to the cleaners when he finally got some sense in his head about you. You always were too uppity for me.” Holly laughed. “I don’t even know where you got the stick up your ass. You came from nothing at all. Not to mention, you murdered your entire family for no other reason than you could. We’re finding out a lot about you as a child, did you know that? For instance, your sister said that you were nothing more than an easy person. I don’t think she meant that in the nicest way. She was referring to how many of the town’s men and boys you ‘entertained.’ It seems you weren’t all that picky about getting a little something from them. Was it worth it?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. And I would appreciate it if you kept your lies to yourself. I’ve no time for your stupidity today. Where is Roger?” She told her again that he wasn’t coming. “He told you that, but I know him much better than you ever will, Holly. He was my husband for nearly thirty years.”
“Yes, well, he has been my son for his entire life. I think that is longer than you knew him. However, I don’t think you’d recognize him now. He’s wearing jeans and T-shirts. You should see him in the yard playing with Molly. They have such a good time. Today they’re going pumpkin hunting.” Merriam looked at Holly, not believing the things that she was saying. “I have a picture of him. See?”
She took this picture. There wasn’t any way that her husband, an Addington, would be wearing anything other than an impeccable suit and a silk tie. Holly told her that they were in the back yard of Sawyer’s home. He was the man at the grill.
Merriam could only stare at the face of the man she’d been married to for so long. He looked twenty years younger—happy too. In fact, happier than she’d ever seen him. Merriam thought that he’d lost weight, and had a lovely glow to his face. Even with his hair all mussed up, she thought that he looked better than he ever had.
Handing the photo back to Holly, she turned her nose up to her. “He’s too thin. And if he thinks I’m going to allow him to wear those sorts of things when I get out of here, he’d better be rethinking his lifestyle. I won’t tolerate it.” Holly only laughed as she put the picture away. “Why do you think my wanting to keep the Addington name pure is funny? My goodness, you’d think that you of all people would be thrilled someone is finally taking this name and making it more than just a laughingstock. Addington means something because of me.”
“Yes, it does. Thanks to you, my husband’s last name is now associated with a murderer, kidnapper, as well as a crazy fucking bitch that should never have been allowed out of her home to infect wonderful people like her daughter, her granddaughter, and the one on the way.” Holly stood up, and Merriam just sat there. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to stand toe to toe to the old bitty, but she was chained to the floor. “I only came by to tell you that Roger, my son, is happier than he’s ever been. No thanks to you. Also, Raven and Molly are nearly shining brighter than the sun because someone loves them. Again, no thanks to your interfering. I won’t be back either. And you should simply give up on Roger coming here. He won’t. Nor will Raven again. You’ve burned those bridges quite nicely.”
“I didn’t want to see you anyway. The sooner that you’re gone, the better it will be for me. At least the people here know what my needs are and attend to every one of them.” Holly just laughed like she’d just heard the funniest joke ever told. “Will you keep your voice down? You sound like a braying jackass when you laugh like that. Have you no shame?”
“I do. I’m ashamed that I ever called you my daughter-in-law. As for my laughter? I suppose you of all people know what a braying jackass sounds like. Your family had a couple of them, I’m to understand. You killed them, too, by setting fire to your family home. If I remember correctly, their names were Jack and Jill. Isn’t that right?”
Holly knew entirely too much about her, and that pissed Merriam off. Where the hell was she getting this sort of information? All her family was dead, thanks to her. There had to be someone out there that was spouting off things they knew nothing at all about.
Merriam was taken back to her cell without seeing Roger. Tossing things around after the cop left her, she sat down on the mess she’d made.
There wasn’t a single person catering to her every need. They barely acknowledged her at all unless she made
a huge fuss about something. All that usually got her was the night guard coming by her cell every three minutes, it felt like, and banging on her bars until she was awake.
Merriam had to eat white bread with the rest of the people in here. Sandwiches with the crust still on them. Nasty meat sandwiches that didn’t have any kind of garnish on the plate, unless she counted the bag of baked chips that she never ate.
Being treated like everyone else was something that she’d not experienced since she’d left home. Well, not right after leaving home. She’d had to lie, cheat, and steal her way into the position where she’d meet Roger. Christ, he’d been such easy prey for her. A man with money, and not a single prospect for a wife. At least there weren’t any prospects for one after she put her claws into him. Not another woman around would dare go near him for fear of her. All it took was for her to mess up the faces of a couple of the women to make sure they understood that Merriam was going to get him. Once she did, she had him dangling at the end of her line, everything that she ever wanted fell right into her lap. But, she supposed, even that didn’t go right.
He’d wanted children. Merriam told him that she wanted several too, but deep inside, she knew that she’d never have a child. Never allow one to stretch out her body and make her flabby. But no matter how much she’d tried to rid herself of Raven, the child just wouldn’t let go. So, without her consent, not only did she have one, but Merriam couldn’t have had a more disappointing child fall from her if she’d tried. Raven. Even her name sounded like something that a commoner would call their child.
Roger had been lavish with his gifts to her, however. He’d not only given Merriam a tennis bracelet with a dozen diamonds on it, but also dozens of roses, as well as a whole year at her favorite spa. She’d loved it, and had even considered having a second child for him.
Since there was a nanny to take care of the brat, Merriam went about her life without much change. Then, when she felt like she looked like she had before Raven had messed up her body, she went to the club, planning to show off not just the spa card she’d gotten, but also the bracelet.
“Oh, you know why he got you that spa membership, don’t you?” She told Meggie, one of the women she used to hang out with, that it had been a gift for having a child. “No. It’s to get you into shape again. My husband actually told me that there is this group of golfers that he hangs out with that talks about that sort of thing. What to give a wife when she has a child. What to give a mistress when you’re breaking it off with her. Things like that. A spa gift is right up there on the top of the list for all kinds of things. He just wants you to be in shape so that you’re ready for the next kid to pop out for him.”
“That’s ridiculous. I’m in the best shape of my life.” She wasn’t, however. The girdle that she had on was pinching her in a way that she wasn’t sure she could even eat. “He’d better not be doing that to me. I swear to you if he is…. Well, you might not see him around for a while.”
After lunch, not only did she confront Roger, who, of course, denied it, but she also threw a great many of his treasures at him. Damn the man, making her look like a fool. Well, he’d never done that again, and she made sure that every time she was late or suspected that she might be pregnant, she took care of it immediately. There was no way she was going to be the talk of the club again. She was an Addington, for Christ’s sake.
Sitting in her cell, she picked up her blanket. There was no point in asking for a fresh one. They’d just toss it at her in the cell she was confined to and tell her that she wasn’t getting another one for a week. At home, she had demanded clean sheets daily, as all Addingtons should.
Merriam was lonely. Of course, she’d never admit that to anyone but herself. She was used to being the center of attention everywhere she went. It made her feel better than others when she was able to pick up the tab for lunch or dinner when out and never look at the amount. She didn’t leave tips for people who had the privilege of waiting on her. That made her feel superior to everyone that she was with. If the staff wanted extra money, then find a job that paid better. It wasn’t her responsibility to pay people for a job they chose over a real one.
Her house had been her pride and joy. Having people over so that they could look at the things that had been collected by past generations of Addingtons gave her a sense of pride that she couldn’t explain. She supposed that it had something to do with the fact that they were wealthy enough not to have to sell off heirlooms when they were broke. There was an endless supply of money, and she used it to her advantage over others as often as she could.
Looking around the cell, she was depressed to see that nothing had been done to it while she’d been gone. Once a week—only once a week—they came in and tidied up. That only meant that they emptied her trash can and ran a quick mop over the concrete floor. The toilet that hung from the wall was her responsibility. Merriam had no more idea how to clean a commode than she did how to make a bed. Those things were done for her because of who she was.
Wondering what she was going to do now, Merriam decided that she was going to continue with her list of demands from Roger. First and foremost, he was going to go back to the way things were when she was in charge. He had no doubt tasted a little freedom with her gone, but she’d be nipping that in the bud as soon as she could. There would also be no more time spent with that bastard child of Raven’s. He obviously thought that playing in the dirt was going to be all right with her.
“Think again.” Picking up her pencil and paper, she began writing things down that she needed. Better treatment, while she was stuck here, was at the top. Also, he was going to visit her regularly. What would people think if he were to just abandon her like he seemed to think that he could? “Again, Roger, think again. I won’t allow that.”
When lunch was brought to her, Merriam told them, for the millionth time, that she wanted a nice garden-fresh salad with the dressing on the side, a glass of wine, as well as some fresh, not frozen, fruit. Like always, they simply walked away, leaving her a sandwich again, along with the ever present bag of chips and two bottles of water. This shit was getting old.
~*~
Chandler wanted to tell Molly that he was going to find them a house on his own, but almost as soon as they pulled up in front of the mansion, no other word for it, he could see that Sasha loved it. He did too, but it was nothing that he could afford right now. If ever.
“Mom bought all of my uncles homes.” Chandler asked Molly when she’d done that. “I don’t know when, but I know that you get to pick the one that you want first. She said that she got this amazing deal and that you and Sasha would be happy being close to everyone. I like it too. I can’t wait until I can watch Pip for you.”
“We’re going to go see her after this. I guess she’s a tiny little thing.” Molly and Sasha wandered ahead of them as Molly told Sasha about Pip. About how much she liked practicing with her because she was going to be a big sister soon. Chandler took the closed door to the right of where they’d gone and stood there staring at the room.
It was an office made for a man who liked to read. There were windows all around the room, and floor to ceiling shelves. A ladder on each side of the room slid along the top so that he could even get books from the very top of the shelf should he need too. The desk that was there was huge too. Something that a person could have sex on should they want.
Shaking that thought out of his head for the moment, Chandler walked further into the room. There was an envelope on the desk with his name on it, and he picked it up, recognizing the handwriting as his brother’s. Opening it, several keys fell out, and he bent to pick them up as he read the note.
“Chandler, I love this house for you. Several reasons come to mind. In the back of the property, there is a secondary entrance and a really nice building that you can use as your office for your practice. You’ll have to take a run out there and see what I mean about how it’s p
erfect. Also, you’re within walking distance from not just our home, but Mom and Dad’s too. Molly is most excited about that part. She’s head over heels in love with little Pip.” He wondered again what they’d name the child when they took her in but continued reading instead. “Raven had Molly take you to the house because she figured that you’d not be upset with her. I want you to know how happy I am that we can do this for you and the others. As soon as we can convince them, we’re going to see about getting Mom and Dad a better home as well. The house we grew up in is falling apart around their ears. Did you notice that Mom puts out pans to catch the leaks when it rains still? Not good.”
He had noticed that, and had thought the same thing—that they needed something not just smaller, but also newer. Mom was still cooking on a stove that only had one burner, and it was difficult for her to make a meal now with all of them there. Chandler sat down at the desk and read the rest of the note.
“I want you to know something that I hope you already know. That I love you. I don’t think we say that to each other enough. But buying these houses for you and the others, we’re not doing it so that you can feel as if we’re ashamed of you, or that we’re trying to make you take something that would make you feel as if you owe us anything. We’re doing this because we want you safe, happy, and not in debt for the rest of your life.
“Go to college, Chandler. Fulfill your dream of being a veterinarian. The house is yours whether you go to college or not, but you don’t have to worry about money or anything else so long as we have it. Not for any other reason than we love you all.”
He was still sitting there, thinking about what Sawyer had said when Molly and Sasha joined him. Handing her the letter from his brother, he asked Molly to show him the bedrooms. They were on the second floor, and she told him that she’d already picked out the one that he should keep for her when she came to visit him. Chandler loved this kid.
Chandler: Bishop’s Snowy Leap – Paranormal Tiger Shifter Romance (Bishop's Snowy Leap Book 2) Page 5