so urgent, why are we wasting
it camped out in this church with you spending every morning
listening to the confessions of little old ladies?”
“My post here is temporary. It’s also
been useful.”
“What did Orion tell you this morning?”
“That’s private,” Wendell’s voice grew
stern. “But you’re right. The sooner Helen is up to
speed on what needs to happen, the better.”
Chapter 11
I woke with a start. Johnny was
perched on the side of the bed watching me.
“You’re back.”
He smiled. “I am.”
I reached for his hand and nestled it
against my belly. “I think they woke me up. Not on my
bladder this time. Where were you all morning?”
“Clearing out some space at the bungalow in
Downey. Crevan and Alex are in dire need of a little respite
from his mother.”
I cringed. Our mother.
Would she suddenly start showing up here, hounding me to build a
relationship with her without Crevan’s constant supervision?
“She knows better than to come here,
Helen. I promise.”
“That obvious, huh?”
“More than obvious. I had the same
concern, which was why I stopped by the penthouse before I came
home and explained to her that we’re still concerned with the
friendship between Lyle Henderson and her husband, and that it’s
really best for everyone if she continues to maintain her
distance. I think I got a little more insight into why Crevan
in particular needs some space where she’s concerned.”
“Do I want to know? Let me
guess. She’s replaced that king sized bed in the master
bedroom with twin beds, no bunk beds so Alex and Crevan
aren’t actually sleeping together anymore.”
Johnny chuckled. “No, but when Aidan
threatened to cut off her monthly allowance, Alex explained the
laws of community property, and that she’s entitled to half of
every dime of interest the family fortune has accumulated in over
forty years. He recommended a good divorce lawyer, which sort
of freaked Crevan out.”
“Ouch. Going after the family funds
won’t sit well with Aidan.”
“It’s probably the one thing that would
force him to confront Kathleen no matter where she is.”
“Then why is moving her to the bungalow a
good idea?”
Johnny smiled, more of a smirk really.
“Because your brilliant husband impressed upon her the necessity of
maintaining the status quo right now, and that even if Aidan
cancels her credit cards and freezes her bank account, we’ll make
sure she wants for nothing in the meantime so that Aidan has no
reason to confront her.”
I groaned. “So now I’m supporting her
financially?”
“It’s for a good cause. If we finally
figure out if Lyle Henderson was involved in your abduction as an
infant or more recently, it all ends. Kathleen can make nice
with her husband, and everything goes back to normal again.”
“Do you think that’s what Kathleen really
wants?”
Johnny shrugged. “I’m not so sure
anymore, but once this business with Henderson is resolved, we
don’t care if she divorces Aidan and bilks him for half his
wealth. She’ll have half a dozen of Darkwater Bay’s most
ruthless fighting the good fight for her, going through Aidan’s
finances with a fine-toothed comb sorting out what she’s entitled
to and making sure she gets it.”
The animosity I felt every time I thought of
Aidan Conall flowed through my veins. “I wish she’d get more
than half,” I said. “After forty years with that asshole,
she’s earned all of it.”
“David called when I was on the way
home. Filled me in on this business with Jeremy Noel. I
hate to say it, Helen, but I’m concerned that Wendell was
intentionally less than forthcoming when he identified the man as
Noah.”
I waved his concern aside. “He barely
spent two seconds in the room, Johnny. Even Lucero admitted
that Dad didn’t stick around to hear what the guy had to say.
Lucero, on the other hand,
it camped out in this church with you spending every morning
listening to the confessions of little old ladies?”
“My post here is temporary. It’s also
been useful.”
“What did Orion tell you this morning?”
“That’s private,” Wendell’s voice grew
stern. “But you’re right. The sooner Helen is up to
speed on what needs to happen, the better.”
Chapter 11
I woke with a start. Johnny was
perched on the side of the bed watching me.
“You’re back.”
He smiled. “I am.”
I reached for his hand and nestled it
against my belly. “I think they woke me up. Not on my
bladder this time. Where were you all morning?”
“Clearing out some space at the bungalow in
Downey. Crevan and Alex are in dire need of a little respite
from his mother.”
I cringed. Our mother.
Would she suddenly start showing up here, hounding me to build a
relationship with her without Crevan’s constant supervision?
“She knows better than to come here,
Helen. I promise.”
“That obvious, huh?”
“More than obvious. I had the same
concern, which was why I stopped by the penthouse before I came
home and explained to her that we’re still concerned with the
friendship between Lyle Henderson and her husband, and that it’s
really best for everyone if she continues to maintain her
distance. I think I got a little more insight into why Crevan
in particular needs some space where she’s concerned.”
“Do I want to know? Let me
guess. She’s replaced that king sized bed in the master
bedroom with twin beds, no bunk beds so Alex and Crevan
aren’t actually sleeping together anymore.”
Johnny chuckled. “No, but when Aidan
threatened to cut off her monthly allowance, Alex explained the
laws of community property, and that she’s entitled to half of
every dime of interest the family fortune has accumulated in over
forty years. He recommended a good divorce lawyer, which sort
of freaked Crevan out.”
“Ouch. Going after the family funds
won’t sit well with Aidan.”
“It’s probably the one thing that would
force him to confront Kathleen no matter where she is.”
“Then why is moving her to the bungalow a
good idea?”
Johnny smiled, more of a smirk really.
“Because your brilliant husband impressed upon her the necessity of
maintaining the status quo right now, and that even if Aidan
cancels her credit cards and freezes her bank account, we’ll make
sure she wants for nothing in the meantime so that Aidan has no
reason to confront her.”
I groaned. “So now I’m supporting her
financially?”
“It’s for a good cause. If we finally
figure out if Lyle Henderson was involved in your abduction as an
infant or more recently, it all ends. Kathleen can make nice
with her husband, and everything goes back to normal again.”
“Do you think that’s what Kathleen really
wants?”
Johnny shrugged. “I’m not so sure
anymore, but once this business with Henderson is resolved, we
don’t care if she divorces Aidan and bilks him for half his
wealth. She’ll have half a dozen of Darkwater Bay’s most
ruthless fighting the good fight for her, going through Aidan’s
finances with a fine-toothed comb sorting out what she’s entitled
to and making sure she gets it.”
The animosity I felt every time I thought of
Aidan Conall flowed through my veins. “I wish she’d get more
than half,” I said. “After forty years with that asshole,
she’s earned all of it.”
“David called when I was on the way
home. Filled me in on this business with Jeremy Noel. I
hate to say it, Helen, but I’m concerned that Wendell was
intentionally less than forthcoming when he identified the man as
Noah.”
I waved his concern aside. “He barely
spent two seconds in the room, Johnny. Even Lucero admitted
that Dad didn’t stick around to hear what the guy had to say.
Lucero, on the other hand,
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