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“Yeah, but Ava didn’t know anything about the ribbon.”
“That one was for me.” We were quiet for a moment. “You’re sure he didn’t touch her?” I’d told Louise that he hadn’t, but I still worried that Drew had lied. “Maybe you should get her checked out.”
She vigorously shook her head. “That would involve state-mandated reporting and TJ’s not willing to do that.”
“TJ’s a fucking bastard, Nessi.”
She cringed. “I know, but I have no choice.”
“That’s bullshit and we both know it.”
“I can’t leave him. I’m stuck. My parents love him. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for years. I never even got a job after college. I can’t support us. I have nowhere to go.”
“You don’t have to go anywhere. You get the house, and he pays you alimony and child support.”
She made an apologetic face.
“What about Ava?” I asked. “After everything I’ve learned while looking for her over the last few days, I know he’s made her life hell.”
It was her turn to flush. “I know, but things will be different from here on out.”
“Will they?” I knew I should back off, but I’d needed my father to defend me when I was a kid, and he hadn’t. I refused to sit back and let the same thing happen to Vanessa’s kids.
“I know I’ve let TJ railroad me, but I have negotiating power now,” she said, her jaw firm. “He needs me for his political career.”
“You’ll be the dutiful wife if he backs off with the kids?”
“Exactly.”
I sighed. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Nessi.”
She gave me a half smile. “I don’t, but fake it ’til you make it, right?”
I smiled back. I didn’t believe her, but there was nothing I could do about it. They weren’t my mistakes to make or solve. “Yeah, but if you ever need help kicking the bastard out, I’m your girl.”
Grinning, she shook her head, then reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope. “Compensation for everything you did.”
I took the envelope and then gasped when I peeked inside to see a five-thousand-dollar check. “Vanessa. I don’t feel right about taking this.”
“I hired you to find my daughter and you did. You probably deserve more than this, but this was all TJ agreed to.”
So much for the negotiating power, but I bit my tongue. “Thank you. It was my honor to find her.” But I sure planned on depositing this check ASAP before TJ changed his mind.
“Maybe you can help more people,” she said. “Thankfully there aren’t many kidnappings, but there are plenty of other strange mysteries and happenings around here. I’m sure people would pay you to solve them.”
The idea sparked a light in me I hadn’t felt in months, but it quickly guttered out. “I have a job at my father’s firm. I’ll stick with that for now.”
“If you change your mind, you can use me as a reference.”
Vanessa left right after that. I knew I needed to talk to Malcolm, but I wasn’t sure I could deal with seeing him face to face, so I called him instead.
“What happened to Danny Sylvester?” I asked.
“Haven’t you heard? He killed his brother.”
“That’s the rumor going round. How is their father handling it?”
“Not sure. Haven’t seen him since we left the warehouse, and I told him I’d take care of his son. He thought I meant the first one.”
