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“God, this is bad timing, but when is it ever good timing?” He ran his hands through his hair and said, “I want a divorce.”
* * *
Delta’s parents had decided to close the grocery store early for a family emergency, so they were at her parents’ house, where Mom fixed spaghetti and meatballs, Owen’s favorite. They were all still trying to figure out how to tell him about his father when the local news came on . . . and Tanner’s death was one of the lead stories.
“. . . prominent West Knoll physician Dr. Tanner Stahd died as a result of his injuries from a vicious attack earlier this week . . .”
Owen, who’d been playing with Legos, looked up at the screen, frowning. “What did they say?”
Mom swept in, “Come in the kitchen, Owen. I need help serving up.”
“But . . .”
Delta was already searching for the remote, which seemed nowhere in sight. She gave up and headed for the television, but couldn’t immediately find the OFF button. Her father said a shade too heartily, “I want the biggest meatball. You’re going to have to fight me for it.”
“Were they talking about Dad?” Owen asked.
“They were saying some things.” Delta nodded. “I told you there was an accident. A terrible accident.”
“Is he dead?” Owen asked, his voice rising in horror.
“I’m afraid . . . so.” She reached for him, but he ran into the kitchen and grabbed his grandmother, who held him close.
Delta was turning to follow after them both, when Lester Stahd’s voice boomed across the airwaves. She swiveled back to the television to see him in an interview with Ellie on the patch of ground just outside the hospital that separated the parking lot from the main building.
“. . . killed my son. I have proof,” he was saying.
“What kind of proof?” Ellie asked him.
“She was always after the money. Everybody knew it, even my boy . . . my boy knew it, too.” His voice cracked. “But I don’t count on the police helping to put her away. I have to sue her myself and hope the D.A. brings charges.”
“Lord,” Dad said, wiping his hands over his face.
Delta stared, glassy-eyed. Tanner’s father was shredding her reputation. He truly believed she was guilty. That she’d married his son for the financial support and prestige.
“Do you know a good lawyer?” her father asked, his voice quavering a bit.
Delta stared at the television, unable to completely turn it off. It was fascinating, like watching a deadly snake devour a live animal. It was horrible, and impossible to unsee.
“Amanda,” she said, heading for Owen, who had lifted his tear-streaked face from the comfort of her mother to reach an arm out to her.
“Is she . . . will she do a good job for you?” her father asked.
She swept up her boy and held him close, his little arms wrapped tightly around her neck. Burying her face into him, she said, her voice muffled, “She’s one of the best criminal defense attorneys around.”
And once upon a time we were friends.
Chapter 19
Amanda finally listened to Delta’s message.
The call had come in at about 6:30, but Amanda had let it go to voice mail and then purposely hadn’t checked it till nearly 9:00. She’d known it was from Delta; she’d had her number in her call list since high school. She’d purposely ignored today’s call. Years had passed, but Amanda still felt raw and competitive about her onetime BFF. If Delta was reaching out to her, it had to be about Tanner, and Amanda just didn’t feel like going over it with the wife.
But . . . she was also eaten up with curiosity. That fact alone made her force herself not to listen to the call before it was time. Discipline. Amanda lived by it, an aspect of her character she’d sorely lacked when she was younger. Purposely, she’d switched her phone to SILENT, then gone to visit her brother at Woodview Village, the retirement community where he’d lived for the past five years. Her parents had abdicated responsibility for him almost from the moment they all learned that the automobile accident that had nearly taken his life had stolen his ability to mature into an adult. His brain had suffered irreparable harm and left him at about a fifth-grade level of understanding. Amanda’s parents had left her the house and grounds with the understanding that she was to take care of Thom. She’d done so with resentment for five years.
Her parents had magically disappeared from her life and Thom’s. After Mom realized Amanda wasn’t going to be the darling of stage and screen, she’d lost interest in her. She’d had even less interest in Thom, so she’d talked their father into moving to Palm Desert, where he worked as an estate lawyer for all the retirees in the community and she got to be the queen of the desert, apparently. They’d basically severed their relationship with their children, and so Amanda and Thom were on their own, and Amanda was the parent.
Fine. She didn’t like them any more than they liked her.
