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Specifically, the Speakmans. If Rodarte found out about Griff’s deal with them, he could ruin it, and it was the only thing Griff had going. Beyond that, Rodarte could do irreparable damage to the couple’s reputation. Speakman might be as crazy as a loon, but he seemed like a decent enough guy. He was respected for his community service and for giving away barrels of money to charity.
And it made Griff queasy to think of Laura Speakman being subjected to Rodarte’s violence as Marcia had been. Given half a chance, Rodarte would hurt her and not think twice about it. He’d already noticed her, spoken of her in terms that enraged Griff.
Noticing Ellie’s look of concern, Griff relaxed his stance and smiled. “I didn’t come here to worry you. I just needed a sounding board, and you’ve always been a good one.”
She got up and took his hand again. “More than anything, I want you to be happy, Griff.”
“Happy?” He repeated the word as though it was of another language. Happy seemed an unattainable goal.
“Have you got a job yet?”
“I’m looking into some things. One will open up soon.”
“In the meantime, what are you doing for money?”
“My lawyer sold all my stuff. There was a little left after he paid the fines and such. What wasn’t sold he put in a warehouse. I cleared it out a few weeks ago. Sold a few things on eBay. I’m doing okay.”
She pulled her handbag off the peg near the back door and took a fifty-dollar bill from her wallet. “Here.”
He staved her off. “Ellie, I can’t take that.”
“Yes you can. I insist. It’s part of my Hawaii money.”
“Hawaii money?”
“After years of my pestering him about it, Joe’s finally consented to take me to Hawaii later this summer. I’ve saved some spending money. If you don’t take this, I’ll buy fifty dollars’ worth of tacky souvenirs I don’t need and will never want to look at again. Take it.”
He took it. Not because he wanted to or needed it but because she wanted to give it to him, and she needed him to accept it. “I’ll pay you back.”
They heard the car at the same time. She looked up at him, gave him a very weak smile of reassurance, and turned to face the back door as Coach came in. “Whose car—”
That was as far as he got. Seeing Griff in his kitchen stopped him in his tracks. His sparse hair had gone grayer. He’d put on maybe ten pounds, but he was still as solid as a brick wall, not fat. There were more squint lines extending from the corners of his eyes, showing up white against his perpetually sunburned face. Otherwise he looked much the same as he had the day he’d brought Griff to this house almost twenty years ago.
Griff registered all this within the span of a second, which was only as long as Coach stood still before continuing on his lumbering way through the kitchen, past the living room, and down the hall. The slamming bedroom do
or echoed loudly through the house.
It was a while before Ellie spoke. “I’m sorry, Griff.”
“I didn’t expect him to be glad to see me.”
“He is. He just can’t show it.”
Griff didn’t have the heart to disabuse her. “I’ve gotta go.”
She didn’t argue. At the door, she looked at him with concern. “Take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
“I never got an opportunity to tell you this, but when all that happened five years ago, I hurt for you. What you did was wrong, Griff. Very wrong, and you have no excuse for doing it. But I couldn’t have hurt more for you if you’d been my own flesh and blood.”
“I know that.” His voice was dangerously rough.
“Don’t get discouraged.” She patted the back of his hand. “The best for you is yet to be. I’m certain of it.”
