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“Bitch.” I growled.

Joy snorted. “That was my thought, too. Then one morning, we woke up to the words ‘Marry Me’ spray-painted on the inside of the garden wall. Mr. Smythe called the police. A spray can was left at the scene. I knew they were mad at me when they had me taken in for questioning and fingerprinted.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” If Joy hadn’t been on my lap, I would have jumped out of the chair.

She sighed. “Yeah, it was pretty awful.”

It took everything I had to continue tracing soft patterns on her back. I wanted to fly to London and beat the shit out of that fucker, Mr. Smythe. “Tell me what happened next, baby.”

“I told the police everything that had happened, starting with the posy. The detective that I talked to seemed to believe me in the end, but Mr. and Mrs. Smythe had everything packed up for me by the time I was released from the station. Mr. Smythe must have talked to the detective and felt guilty because he was waiting for me outside the station with a check that included the entire two and a half months left on my contract, along with a wad of cash and a business-class ticket back to the States for the next day. He dropped me off at a posh hotel downtown.”

“He left you there, even though he finally believed there was a stalker after you? Are you fucking kidding me?” I roared. I couldn’t remember being so pissed.

Joy nodded against my chest, her fingers digging deep into my shirt.

“The worst part was he didn’t say he was sorry.” She lifted her head and stared at me. “Graham, he didn’t even look at me. I could see he was still unsure whether or not to believe the detective. I still think he thought I did it all, even though my fingerprints weren’t on the paint can.”

God, tears were filling her eyes, and it was killing me.

“I didn’t even get to hug Lionel and Susie good-bye.”

After everything that happened, Joy still hurt at leaving the children. She had such a big heart.

I cupped her cheek, and she nuzzled against my palm. “I’m so sorry, baby. That must have killed.”

She nodded and took in a deep breath. “It did.”

“Then what happened?” I asked quietly.

“I’d been at the station from early in the morning ‘til late afternoon. I was hungry, but I didn’t want to do room service. I didn’t want to stay in that nice room paid for by him. You know?” She looked at me with those big blue eyes awash with tears.

I nodded. “I know.”

“I decided to go out. There was a fish and chips place I liked on St. Anne’s, close to the park where I took the kids. I took the tube. That’s their word for the subway.”

I couldn’t believe she’d gone that close to the Smythes’ house when she’d been stalked. “No. Say it’s not true.”

She bit her lip, then gave a small nod.

“Jesus, why?” I groaned.

“Don’t you think I’ve asked myself that question a thousand times?” The question burst out of her. “I think it’s because I knew I was going home, and I thought the whole thing was over. That’s the only reason I can think of for being so damned stupid.”

I sucked in a deep breath. “Okay, so you took the subway. Then what happened?”

“I got my fish and chips and decided to eat it in the park. I know, I know. Stupid, stupid, stupid. But in my defense, it wasn’t dark.”

“Yippee.” I couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

She looked up at me, hurt.

“I’m sorry, baby. That was out of line.” I picked up her hand and placed it against my heart, needing the connection.

“No, you’re right.”

“No. The last thing you need is someone Monday morning quarterbacking you. Tell me what happened next, baby.”

Her bottom lip trembled, but she nodded. “It was when I was going to throw my finished dinner in the trash bin that I saw somebody coming up behind me. He wasn’t big. Not like you or my brothers. But he was still bigger than me. He jammed me against the trash bin, his face against mine. He said he knew I’d betrayed him.” Her lip quivered. “He was crazy, Graham. Just plain crazy.”