Chapter 17
I HATE DRIVING AN UNFAMILIAR CAR, AND MY FATHER’S LUXURY VEHICLE has more bells and whistles than I’m used to. But I don’t have a choice. My things are all at the lake house and I didn’t feel especially welcome at the apartment, which I understand with Liliana ready to give birth shortly.
I wonder if the cops have been back out to the lake, and I wonder if they’ve made any progress on Simon’s case.
Maybe they’ll find some ex-con who had been hiding out in the woods and saw him as a robbery target.
That could’ve happened. The thought that it was one of the neighbors is too scary, too far out to contemplate. My phone rings and startles me.
I glance at the screen. Unknown caller. I stab the decline button with a shaking finger. I guess Alex hasn’t sorted this out yet. I need to ask him. Though I hate to.
The tall, metal gates whir and open with a shudder.
As I round the bend, I see a small, older car in the driveway behind Sunny’s vehicle. And I wonder who it belongs to. My heart hammers with fear that the loan sharks have tracked me down. I park on the side of the road, not wanting to box in the unknown vehicle.
In the foyer I slip out of my boots, hang my jacket in the closet.
Sunny appears in the arched doorway.
“Pleasant trip, Emma?” She raises her perfect eyebrows.
“Yes. It was interesting,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Come into the front room. There’s someone here to see you.”
The loan sharks? Or maybe the detective? But I don’t think that was his car in the driveway. I step into the room and there, sitting on the sofa, his elbows on his knees, is my ex-husband.
“Ben?” My mouth drops open.
“Em. Hi.” He smiles that boy-next-door smile. “It’s nice to see you.”
I can’t seem to catch my breath. “How did you find me?”
His gaze cuts to Sunny and my anger flares.
She did this. She tracked him down and told him where I was.
She’s standing near the dining room door, arms crossed over a beige cashmere sweater, blond hair pulled back into her signature ponytail.
“I’ll leave you two to talk.” She turns on her high heels and disappears farther into the house.
“I can’t believe this, Ben. What the hell are you doing here? I told you we were done. I told you to leave me alone.”
He stands and steps toward me, but I put my hand up and he retreats.
“I know and I’m so sorry. I wouldn’t have come, wouldn’t have bothered you unless I was desperate, and you won’t take my calls.”
“Why the hell should I? None of this is my problem.” I rub my flaming cheeks with my palms. “Go to the police. I told you that a million times.”
“They said they’d hurt Sarah. They sat outside her office building.”
“Jesus, Ben. Call the police.” I don’t want my ex-sister-in-law hurt.
His eyes flash with terror. “I can’t. That would only make things worse.”
“Does your sister know what’s going on?”
“I can’t tell her. She would hate me. My parents, too. No one understands what I’ve gone through.”
My stomach turns when I think about his mistress and the sports betting that got him into this situation to begin with. How could I have been taken in by this man?
“I can’t help you! Go to the police.”
He paces, massages the back of his neck. “They know you have money, Em. They won’t let up. If you could just lend me some. Just ten grand. That’s what they want by Friday.”
“I can’t believe you have the gall to ask me.
Why don’t you go to your girlfriend? Ask her for the damn money.
” My pulse pounds in my temples. I shake my head, my gaze on the hardwood floor.
I need to talk to Alex. But I need Ben to leave, too.
And I think of my ex-sister-in-law. She and I always got along well.
I’d never forgive myself if something happened to her.
“All right.” My eyes meet his. “I’ll give you a check for ten thousand dollars.
And that’s it. Don’t you dare come back or bother me again, or I damn well will call the cops.
” If it weren’t for Alex’s offer, I wouldn’t do this.
My hope is, get Ben out of here and back to Albany.
Talk to Alex and hope that he settles the rest for good and all.
“I won’t, Em. Promise.” His eyes light up with hope.
“What will you do to get the rest? Because you’re not coming back to me for it. I will go to the police if I hear from you again. I swear it, Ben.”
“Understood. I’m looking into other options. I’ll … I’ll leave you alone after this.”
“You better. Because I honestly don’t care what happens to you.”
His face reddens. Too bad.
“I promise, Em.”
I know what his promises are worth, but again, I hope that Alex takes care of this and if not, I will go to the police and let the chips fall where they may.