Lost and Found (16 page)

Richard glared at Maggie. “When did you phone Diane?”

“When you were talking to the two deputies.”

Richard pressed his lips together so hard they formed a thin white line and
the way he
shook his head
,
Maggie knew he was irritated.

Diane slid off her dark glasses and squinted at Richard. “What’s going on
,
Richard?” And she asked in a way that was all cop.

He held up his hands.
The
alpha he
-
man refused to be cornered. “Nothing for you to get involved in
,
Diane.” It was amazing
to
watch him lock up
the
stony wall around him.

“Richard
,
tell Diane the truth.” Maggie didn’t give him a chance to reply
.
She
stepped forward, closer to Diane. “Dan called yesterday. Then I found a truck registration in Dan’s name signed over to Richard. Then two deputies showed up this morning about this very same truck being reported stolen by Dan from Seattle
,
yet it was discovered in the bottom Buckhorn Lake. They sent divers down and they said it’s the same truck. And Richard also said we are not divorced. But the divorce was already done up
,
just waiting to go before a judge…before we met in his lawyer
’
s office to finalize details, even though I don’t remember. And then he took it upon himself to move my things from my house and give the key back to my landlord. How can he do that?” Her breath
ing
had
escalated
to heavy pants during
her rant. She closed her eyes for a minute to slow her breathing. Had she made any sense? When she opened her eyes
,
she brushed her hair back from her forehead and realized both Richard and Diane were staring at her
as if
she’d lost her mind.

Diane shook her head and studied the ground as if trying to figure out what to say. When she looked up at Maggie
,
she opened her mouth to speak and paused. She turned to Richard, “I didn’t realize Dan was back in town. When did he get back
,
Richard?”

“A few weeks ago.”

Diane nodded. Her arms remained crossed
as she continued to
lean against her SUV.

She
stared at Diane
and
then
at
Richard. Whatever passed between them
,
Maggie was dying to be let in.

Diane relaxed her arms and stepped away from her vehicle as if nothing unusual had happened. “Maggie, how about a cup of tea
,
and some girl talk?”

“What? That’s it
,
just tea? Diane
,
aren’t you going to question Richard
about
what he’s doing with Dan?”
She
jabbed her entire hand at Richard in disbelief. What was Diane doing?

“No
,
I’m not. I’m more concerned about you
,
and I’d like a cup of tea.” Diane put her arm around Maggie’s shoulder
,
and directed her inside.

Maggie hesitated and glanced over her shoulder at Richard. His face held not a flicker of emotion. A master with secrets.

Maggie yanked open the screen door, Diane on her heels
,
and an unsettled Daisy hurrying to her side
before turning to
paw at Diane.

“Is Dad still outside?” Ryley slumped in a kitchen chair.

Before Maggie could answer, Ryley jumped up and fidgeted as if he
was caught doing
something wrong.

Diane squeezed Maggie’s shoulders and spoke up. “Hey champ, why don’t you go hang out with your
dad?
I’m going to have some tea with your mom and catch up.” Diane
ruffled
his hair as he darted out the door
,
snatching
the
coat he’d dropped on the floor and looking a lot like a boy given a reprieve.

“He’s scared of me.”

“Who?” Diane set her shades on the counter.

“Ryley. Didn’t you see how nervous he was
?
He can’t stand to be in the same room with me.”

“Maggie
,
you need to give it time. You’re just starting to rebuild your family. And you
have
to know you weren’t there for him when he needed you.”

Maggie lowered herself in the chair Ryley abandoned.
“Richard said the same thing.”

“I didn
’
t say
it
to hurt you. You’ve overcome some major hurdles. And lived through ugliness no one should have too. Right now
,
this is about all of you.
You
know you checked out on Ryley
,
and he knows it. And you need to give Richard some credit. He pulled it together and saw what was happening to his kid
.
I tried to tell you Maggie, but you wouldn’t hear me. Richard did.” Diane rummaged the cupboards as if she owned the kitchen. “Give it time. You all need to ease up on each other. Why don’t you start by giving yourself some credit for what you have done
?
You moved back home and
got
off those damn pills.”

Diane lit the burner and set the kettle on the flame.
She
then sat in the chair across from Maggie. She reached across the table and squeezed Maggie’s clasped hands. “Six months ago
,
I read the riot act to Richard. He was in the same place you were. But he opened his eyes and sobered up to be the support Ryley needed. And don’t forget Maggie—Richard’s the one
who
came through for you too. So why are you still harping on this divorce?”

“Well
,
it’s because I don’t know what happened at his lawyer
’
s office. Richard said he told them we reconciled. I haven’t heard from my lawyer, and I don’t understand how he can dismiss my motion for divorce just like that
,
as if…”

Diane waved her flattened authoritative hand in front of Maggie’s face. “Stop right there. You were wacked
out
on prescription meds
,
and I applaud Richard for having the foresight for whatever he did. He stepped up to the plate Maggie
,
and he was there for you, and he loves you. And I know you still love him. Look me in the eye right now
,
Maggie
,
and tell me you don’t.”

Maggie crossed her arms and sat up straight. “You don’t understand
,
Diane
.
He’s
deciding
everything
for me.”

Diane leaned her head back and laughed. “He’s always been like
such a
frickin
’
strong
alpha
and
it’s
nothing new
,
honey. And let’s be honest
,
you needed someone to decide and step in.”

When Maggie tried to interrupt, Diane waved her hand in her face again. “Don’t interrupt. Look, why don’t you call your lawyer right now and find out exactly what’s going on
?
And if in fact your divorce is still on the table, you need to decide what you want
,
Maggie. Do you want to divorce Richard? Cause I can tell you right now
,
if you go ahead with it
,
Ryley will never forgive you.”

She’d been so focused on Richard’s high handed behavior
,
she didn’t stop to look at the bigger picture. “I don’t know what I want.”

“Well that’s honest at least. Call
your
lawyer now
and
find out where things stand.”

“Do you think he’s still there
?
It’s
after 4:00
.
”

“Only one way to find out. Dial the phone
,
Maggie.”

Maggie rose on shaky legs and strode to the phone on the kitchen counter. She hesitated a second. She didn’t know why
.
She
let out a heavy sigh and dialed.

“Peter Sullivan’s office, Marissa speaking.”

“Hi Marissa
,
it’s Maggie McCafferty. Is Peter in?”

There a short pause on the other end. “Hold on
,
I’ll check and see if he’s still here.”

The local radio station filled the dead air as
she
waited.
She
kept her back to Diane and watched Richard through the kitchen window as he walked toward the large shed with his arm around Ryley. The bond between father and son flowed. What kind of person would come between that?

“Maggie
,
how are you?” Her lawyer’s deep voice sounded hesitant.

“I’m good. Listen I wanted to find out what’s going on with the divorce, I mean after that meeting…”

He cut her off before she could finish. “Maggie
,
that meeting was over two weeks ago, and you fell asleep. You don’t remember any of
it,
do you? Did you take something?”

She winced at his candor. “Umm, I’m embarrassed to say I don’t remember the meeting. I did something stupid. I accidentally took a sleeping pill right before I met
with
you.”

“How do you accidentally take a sleeping pill?”

“I mixed it up with one I take for my anxiety.”
She
could feel her
face
heat
up
knowing Diane could hear everything.

“Ahh, I see. Are you still taking them?”

“No, Richard helped me get off them.”

“Well
,
I’m glad for that. Are you back with Richard?”

“I’m staying back at his place, I mean on the acreage.”
She
winced. Why did she keep saying that?

“Have you resumed marital relations?”

Her spine stiffened. “
How’s it
your business if we’ve slept together?”

He chuckled on the other end. “Maggie. Richard announced you reconciled while you were asleep. The laws are clear
.
In
order to file for divorce
,
you are required to remain separated
for a period of one year—with no relations. And since you are now back home living together, you can’t apply for divorce again until you separate for one year.”

“But Richard moved all my things out of my house in town and cancelled my lease and…”

“What is it
you’re
trying to accomplish Maggie? Do you want a divorce? Really? I’m an honest lawyer
,
and I believe if you remain honest and do the right thing
,
you’ll reap the benefits.
You
could go and hire any other lawyer out there
,
and they’ll gladly take your money and file your divorce, and don’t care
whose
lives they rip apart. You two suffered a horrible loss—add to that your drug addiction, which by the way
,
I do know about—I’ve seen it before
,
Maggie. It sounds to me Richard’s trying to look after you, and the advice I’m going to give you right now is to take a step back and evaluate what you really want. What will make you happy
,
and
what about
your son? If being single is what you really want
,
call me, but I warn you. You’ll have to start all over again. Take some honest time, which means not a couple days but a few months. Get some help, therapy and honestly look at your life. You’re angry
,
and as a family lawyer
,
I’ve seen the ugliness in divorce battles. Don’t go that route unless this is truly what you want. And ask yourself one more question, do you still love Richard?”

“Okay, thanks Peter.”

She
hung up the phone
and
then turned slowly around. Diane leaned back in her chair and stuck her booted feet out in front of her. “Well
,
where do you stand
,
Maggie?”