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She shook her head. “I’m staggered. You never told me about those twenties.”
“Didn’t I?” he said, smiling. “Do you mind sitting here with Mrs. Foley while I see the purser?”
“Are we to be arrested?” Cheryl asked. “What about my children?”
“When you and your husband disembark tomorrow, you’ll be met. But I’d like to take a statement from you.”
“Would it help Henry? It’s my fault.”
“It might,” Tyler said.
Stormy knew vindication was finally to be hers. Still, she lay awake most of the night, feeling ineffable sadness for the entire Foley family.
Three weeks later,Stormy sat in the courtroom where she’d been convicted, in front of the judge who had sentenced her, and listened to him set her conviction aside and order a new trial. The district attorney announced that, in light of the new evidence obtained via depositions from Henry B. Foley and his wife, Cheryl Foley, his office would not retry Ms. Maxwell.
The judge looked down from the bench and smiled at Stormy. “Ms. Maxwell, Mr. Mangus, I’ll see you in my chambers in ten minutes.”
They both nodded. “I’m free,” Stormy said softly, a little fearful that if she became overly jubilant, she’d awaken and find it was all a dream.
“Only for the next ten minutes,” Tyler reminded her as she accepted congratulations from her attorney and Mrs. Lowery.
The wedding partyawaited them in the hall. Noreen handed Stormy her bouquet and pinned a boutonniere to Tyler’s lapel.
“You two are the most efficient people I’ve ever met,” she teased.
“Only because I never want to set foot in a courthouse again as long as I live,” Stormy told her.
“Am I adopted yet?” Liane asked, hanging on to Tyler’s hand.
“That comes after your mom and I are married,” Tyler told her, swinging her up into his arms.
“Are you and Stormy going to have intercourse now?” Janelle asked.
Tyler sputtered.
Noreen shot a hand over her daughter’s mouth. “You started this,” she told Tyler. “You bought the book.”
“Burn it,” he said, releasing Liane and backpedaling to stand near his parents, who were chatting with Mrs. Lowery.
Sandy touched Stormy’s arm. “Your sister just got off the elevator.”
Stormy went to meet her. “I’m glad you could make it, Nina.”
“Me, too.” She took a breath. “I’m sorry for everything, Stormy. I—You know I have a job now, and Tully and I are seeing a marriage counselor?”
“I heard. I hope things work out for you both.”
“We’re putting Mom’s things in storage and renting out the house.”
Stormy nodded. “Ben told me. He said you’d instructed him to use your part of the proceeds from the rent to repay the advance you took against my income from the trust.” Stormy had wanted to forgive the money, but Ben had wisely talked her out of that. It wasn’t fair to Nina, he said, to put obstacles in the way of making amends.
Nina suddenly burst into tears. “I hate it that you’ll be living so far away.”
“A three-hour drive, that’s all.” Stormy put her arms around her sister. “And I’ll be in St. Augustine often. Don’t forget, Sandy and I have a business to run. Now stop crying, or you’ll have me doing it, and I don’t want to mess up my makeup. I’m the bride.”
Nina smiled through happy tears. “Finally.”
A few moments later, Stormy found herself standing hand in hand with Tyler before the judge, getting married.
