“You can’t promise that.”
“I can. But only if you cut Renee out. You can’t have both of them. After speaking to the detective and staff at the motel she stayed in for the three weeks she was in Sunnyville with Maddox, I can tell you I will do everything I can to be sure she can never put Maddox in danger again.”
“What are you saying?”
“You need to think about what you want. Renee, who has proven time and again that she does not love you or anyone else, especially her son, or to get to know Maddox.”
“That’s an impossible choice.”
“It might be, but didn’t you cut Renee’s father from her life because he was a danger to her?” This was the one argument Mallory thought might get the message across the clearest. Renee’s father, Donna’s first husband, was—still was—an alcoholic who’d been in and out of treatment and jail since the night he wrecked his car with four-year-old Renee in the back.
“That was different?”
“How? Explain it to me, please.”
“He crashed the car while drunk with Renee in the back seat not strapped in.”
“And Renee left a defenseless six-month-old alone while she went out to score drugs.”
Donna sucked in a breath. “But—”
“Don’t. I don’t want to argue about this anymore. Think about what I’ve said. Think about everything you’ve dealt with because of Renee. Then think about that innocent little boy. Think about that boy’s father who will do anything to protect his son including removing the parent from his life who poses a threat. You should be able to relate to that last one easily. I’ve got to go. I need to get some work done. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She hung up before her stepmother could continue the argument. Closing her eyes, she lowered her head and blew out a breath.
They’d gone around and around about this for the last few months. Once they’d worked out her stepsister had written a bunch of lies, and then again after the PI had given them his full report.
Mallory wasn’t heartless; she understood Donna’s love for her only child. She knew it had to be hard to accept the threat that child was to those around her. She’d hate to be in Donna’s shoes. But she hadn’t lied. Shewoulddo everything she could to make sure Renee never put Maddox in danger again.
Especially after speaking to the staff at the motel who told her they had had no idea there was even a child with Renee. Where the hell had he been when she’d checked in? When she’d come and gone from her room, which according to the staff, she’d done regularly. And why hadn’t anyone heard him? He’d been a year old; he would have made noise. When he played or cried for one of the many reasons a one-year-old cried. Unless he had been sedated the whole time.
Which wasn’t a stretch to think when Maddox had been found listless with sedatives in his system. Then there was the receipts from several pharmacies for sedation meds that weren’t in Renee’s possession or in her room. The logical conclusion was that she’d used them all.
On Maddox.
If Donna continued down the path Mallory feared she was now going, she’d have no choice—she’d also make sure Donna didn’t put Maddox in danger by her association with the boy’s mother.
It might seem like an about-face when she had come to Sunnyville to foster a connection between Maddox and his grandmother but she couldn’t allow any more harm to come to the boy. Not if she could help it.
That little boy should be protected, should be able to live without fear of being left alone or drugged or whatever else Renee might do to him if she were permitted to see him in the future.
The phone in her hand rang, making her jump while her heart sank. She couldn’t deal with Donna any more today. Except when she glanced at the screen to reject the call it wasn’t her stepmother calling back.
It was the real estate agent who’d leased her this cozy little garage apartment.
Accepting the call, she brought the phone to her ear. “Hello.”
“Mallory, it’s Mrs. Russell from Sunnyville Homes. I’m just calling to let you know the house has sold but like I told you I would when you signed your rental agreement, I spoke with the new owner and they’re happy for you to continue to lease the apartment. It will require an amended contract though, so if you could pop into the office at some point in the next week, we can get that sorted out.”
“It’s a quick sale then?”
“Oh, yes, Mr. Conners should be able to move in next week.”
“I’m sorry. What? Did you say Conners?”
“Yes. A lovely single father with a young son has bought the place. We were there earlier today. He barely looked at the place before telling me to make an offer.”
Surely it wasn’t Jacob and Maddox Conners. Then again, how many single fathers of sons with the last name Conners were there in Sunnyville? She’d known she would have to get close to the man and his son but this wasn’t the close she had in mind.
