Chapter 39
I wait until the late afternoon, when Jeremy has probably left for his business trip, before I head over to get my car.
I can’t really afford an Uber, but I don’t have much of a choice. I’m low on friends who will give me a ride. After what happened yesterday, I certainly can’t ask Cora. And I’m sure Ezra is in court, and even if he’s not, he’s sick of me right now.
So I head over myself, growing increasingly depressed as I enter my old neighborhood, knowing Teddy is practically within reach, but I can’t see him. And it’s all Veronica’s fault.
I can’t leave my son alone with that witch. If she’s there with him, I’ll… Well, I don’t know what I’ll do. But I’m not going to leave him at her mercy.
The Uber driver drops me off at my Lexus, which isn’t really all that close to the house, since the street was crowded with cars on the day of the party. I get inside and start driving back to my apartment, although I have to drive by the house on the way.
Compared to yesterday, the house looks very quiet.
The garage door is closed, but Veronica’s Jetta is parked in the driveway.
Moreover, Rosita’s car is absent. Teddy doesn’t have any classes after school today, which makes me think that he must be home with Veronica, as I expected. They’re all alone together.
But then a thought occurs to me. Jeremy knows about the temporary order of protection, but Veronica might not.
If I stop by the house and tell her that I’m supposed to pick up Teddy while Jeremy is on his trip, she might very well believe it.
Or better yet, she’ll be happy to get out of babysitting.
Then I hear Ezra’s voice in my ear: Just please, don’t do anything foolish for the next few weeks.
But this will be fine. Veronica has no clue what’s going on. In fact, I bet she’s doing drugs in there. Jeremy is out of town, and this could be my last chance to see Teddy for the next few weeks. I’ll just tell Veronica that I’m supposed to pick him up, and then I’ll bring him back tomorrow.
Except this plan isn’t entirely foolproof. There’s at least some chance Veronica will grab her phone immediately and tell Jeremy what I’m up to, and he’ll freak out. So I need a cover story to explain why I’m there—something I can tell the police, if it comes to that.
I pull into the driveway next to Veronica’s car. I hurry across the walkway to the front porch, my body buzzing with excitement at the idea of seeing Teddy. I might’ve missed his birthday party yesterday, but we can still have a great evening together tonight.
However, before I get to the door, I stop on the lawn. I pick up one of the large stones lining our walkway and dust it off best I can. I needed a reason to show up at the house, and now I’ve got one.
I ring the doorbell, hoping that Teddy will be the one who answers.
But of course, it isn’t him. Veronica is the one who opens the door, looking beautiful as always in her casual jeans and a fitted T-shirt with her silky hair loose around her shoulders.
A wary look fills her pretty features at the sight of me, which makes me worry she’s going to make this very difficult.
“Hello,” I chirp. I’m going for a combination of chipper and casual. “I just came by to bring Teddy something he forgot at my apartment.” I hold up the rock. “This is his new favorite rock. He specifically told me that he wanted me to bring it over here.”
Veronica cocks her head to the side. “Aren’t you supposed to be in jail?”
No, that’s you. I keep the smile plastered on my face.
“That was all a misunderstanding yesterday. But Jeremy told me about this business trip he was taking, and I thought this would be a good time to come by to bring Teddy his rock. And while I’m here, I can take him off your hands, give you a break. Jeremy told me it would be okay.”
I hold my breath, hoping she doesn’t tell me that the business trip has been canceled. But I can tell from the look on her face that he really is gone, and she’s not sure about any of this.
“He told you that?” she asks in a skeptical voice.
“Yep.”
“When?”
“We just talked about it last night, actually. I guess he didn’t want you to get stuck with Teddy.”
As I say the words, I attempt to step through the doorway, but Veronica shifts her body, blocking me. “He didn’t say anything about it to me.”
“I don’t know what to tell you.” I shrug helplessly. “He asked me to do this, and I know Teddy won’t want to miss out on spending the evening with me. And you definitely don’t want him crying for this, do you?” I brandish the rock for emphasis.
I can almost see the cogs in her brain turning. She’s trying to figure out if she should believe me or not. She wants to get rid of her boyfriend’s kid, but she doesn’t want to get in trouble for doing the wrong thing.
Come on, Veronica. Just let me have my son.
“This doesn’t sound right,” she finally announces. “I’m going to give Jeremy a call.”
And then she turns around and goes back into the house, presumably to get her phone. I follow after her before she can shut the door in my face, and I close it gently behind me. Then I hurry after her.
“I’m sure he’s still on his flight,” I tell her, trying to keep the note of desperation out of my voice. “He won’t be able to take the call.”
“It’s not even an hour-long flight,” she says. “I’m sure he’s landed by now.”
Her phone is on the coffee table. If she calls him, he’s going to tell her that I’m lying.
Not only that, but even with the fake rock excuse, I am violating the temporary order of protection by even being here.
Ezra told me not to do anything stupid, and what I have done is very, very stupid. It might cost me custody of my son.
Veronica scoops her phone off the coffee table.
“Wait,” I beg her. “I… You might be right. Maybe I misunderstood. You don’t have to call him.”
She shoots me a look. “Oh, I’m definitely calling him.”
Oh God, why did I come here? Ezra was fixing things for me, and I ruined everything. The second she tells Jeremy what’s going on, he’s going to tell his lawyer. I’ll be lucky if I ever get to see Teddy again. She can’t make this phone call.
But I can’t stop her.
Can I?
I look down at the stone in my hand, which fills my entire palm. It’s a completely ordinary rock, one that wouldn’t excite my son at all, but it’s big. And it’s heavy.
Before I can second-guess myself, I lift it high over my head. And while Veronica is fiddling with her phone, I bring it back down on her skull with all my strength. Strength I didn’t even know I had in me.
Instantly, Veronica drops to the floor, unconscious.
Oh no.
What have I done?