Love, Alabama (Alabama Series Book 2)

by Susan Sands

  “Don’t ever think about leaving me or our marriage, Sadie. I would never allow it—I’m not kidding.” His eyes had become dark and threatening then and she’d shivered, understanding her position.

  She’d loved him; not so much anymore, now that he’d begun to reveal his true self to her. But she had been completely besotted in the beginning. The disappointment in finding out one’s husband wasn’t as advertised was a confusing thing that hit in waves over time. But Tad had no idea how she felt. In fact, he had no idea her IQ was about fifty points higher than he believed it to be. So, Sadie supposed she’d deceived him in some ways, too.

  Today, she’d made a horrifying discovery and was on her way to take steps to protect both her daughter and herself from the fallout that would inevitably come once she turned over this information. She would confront her husband, but not until all was in place to ensure her safety and Sarah Jane’s future.

  She wasn’t jealous. Her husband’s sickness had nothing to do with her. He had the problem. Sadie had come to recognize this as a bigger issue than she wanted to handle alone, so she’d sought help awhile ago from the town’s newest therapist, Sabine O’Connor. Her realization had come in waves as things had gone from bad to worse in her marriage.

  Sabine had saved her from feeling as if her life had ended. Sadie’d managed to sneak away to discuss all this with the counselor outside of her office in Ministry so Tad didn’t find out. They’d met in the next town at the office of a friend of Sabine’s. It was the only way to keep their sessions on the down-low. The very last thing Sadie needed was Tad knowing she’d sought counseling.

  But today’s discovery was the very last straw. Today, things would change for good for Sadie and Sarah Jane, but mostly for Tad. It might take a little while for him to realize it, but she wanted to be protected from his anger when he did.

  She arrived at Ben Laroux’s office and parked in the back, in the employee lot off the street where no one passing by could see. She recognized his car, relieved he was there. Ben’s office was a little too close to the courthouse and municipal buildings for her comfort, but there wasn’t anything she could do about that. Tad was likely either at his own office or wandering around another of Ministry’s buildings sticking his nose in where he likely wasn’t welcome. Of course, no one would do anything other than pretend that he was. The men would shake his hand and slap him on the back and the women at the desks would flirt with him. It was like stepping back to the sixties around here when administrative assistants were all women and called secretaries. Wretched Southern small town politics.

  Sadie was pleasantly surprised to see a male administrative assistant when she entered Ben’s office. Maybe not everyone in Ministry was stuck in decades past.

  Sadie approached the desk of the young professional who was typing at a rate that would have fried her fingers. “Hi there, I’m Sadie Beaumont and I don’t have an appointment, but I really need to see Ben. Is he available?” she asked.

  The bespectacled man raised his eyes from his keyboard, focused, and smiled. “Let me check.”

  He clicked a button on his headset. “Mr. Laroux, Ms. Beaumont is here asking to see you—she says it’s important.”

  He listened. “Yes, sir.”

  “Ms. Beaumont, Mr. Laroux is finishing up some paperwork, but has asked me to seat you in a conference room in the back. Will that be alright? I’m Chase, by the way. So nice to meet you.” Chase held out a hand.

  Sadie took it. “Thank you, Chase, that would be lovely.” She paused just for a second. “Chase, could you do me a small favor? Please don’t tell anyone you saw me here.”

  Chase made a show of crossing his heart with his fingers. “I’ll take it to my grave, Ms. Beaumont. You have my word. Plus, you’ll have attorney-client privilege. We are the souls of discretion around here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have a job.” Then, he leaned forward and whispered, “And I really like my job and want to keep it.”

  Relief flooded through Sadie as Chase showed her back to a very comfortable conference room with wood floors and a beautiful, huge mahogany table with at least sixteen chairs surrounding it. There were richly framed oil paintings along the wood-paneled walls.

  “This is lovely,” she said.

  “I know. Looks more like we ought to have Christmas dinner here instead of a miserable old meeting, doesn’t it?” Chase laughed. “Can I get you coffee? Water?”

  “No thank you; I’m fine.”

  “Well, have a seat and get comfy. Mr. Laroux will be here momentarily.”

  Sadie lowered herself onto the surprisingly comfortable upholstered chair and tried to relax. At least she didn’t feel like a sitting duck out in the waiting area where anyone might walk in and recognize her.

  She still clutched a zippered sleeve of information that was tantamount to her visit. She’d chosen Ben because he was good at what he did. His reputation was spotless and character beyond reproach. And he was Emma Laroux’s brother, so he would have even more motivation to make certain this information was handled appropriately.

  The door opened and Ben walked inside. He was a really handsome guy. She’d gone out with him a few times in high school, but they really hadn’t hit it off. He just wasn’t her type.

  “Hello, Sadie. This is a nice surprise.” He kissed her cheek.

  “Hey there, Ben. I’m so sorry to barge in here like this, but I have something very important that I know you’ll want to see.”

  “Oh. Okay.” He looked at her closely for a second. “Sadie, is everything alright?”

  Tears filled her eyes. Darn it, she wasn’t going to cry; she wasn’t.

  So, she took a deep breath and gathered up her wits. “This is very hard for me, Ben, and it’s going to come as a big surprise, but Tad is a really bad person. He’s not just a bad person; he’s done some super bad things. And I needed to bring this information to someone I can trust.”

  Ben’s gaze was solid and unwavering. “You can trust me, Sadie. What’s going on?”

  She pulled out the folder, unzipping it carefully. “Tad left his safe unlocked. I don’t think he meant to, just didn’t turn the knob enough to make sure it was locked and I just pulled open the door. He’s been locking himself away inside his office lately almost every night and snarling at me if I ask him about it or what he’s up to.”

  “So you got curious.”

  She gave a weak smile. “I knew he was up to something. He’s always been a little secretive—so then, after I found the photos, I kept snooping. That’s when I found his journal. Believe me, I wish I hadn’t.”

  *

  Ben had been surprised at learning Sadie was in his office asking to see him, and he also knew she wouldn’t have just stopped by for an innocent chat. As he scanned the photos they’d spread out on the conference table, Ben tried to control the bile that rose up in his throat. Emma’s image smiled back at him in some, away from him in others. But some—well, those made him want to kill Tad Beaumont. Emma appeared drunk or drugged in one grouping. Her Miss Alabama crown askew on her head as if holding on for dear life.

  “I’m sorry you have to see these. I knew he had some kind of hang-up on Emma. I thought it was because they used to date, but I had no idea he had this kind of sick attachment.” She slid the journal toward Ben. “This might explain a lot of what has happened over the past several years.”

  Ben began to read handwritten notes in Tad’s near-illegible scrawl. “Emma Jean Laroux is so hot. Today’s the day I ask her out. Today’s the day she becomes the lucky girl that all the girls wish they could be. I have big plans for the two of us.”

  “He obviously started writing in this journal back in high school when he met her,” Sadie said, without emotion.

  “Sadie, I’m so sorry. Are you alright?” Ben wondered how she could discuss this kind of betrayal as if it were someone else besides her husband and father of her child.

  “I knew something was wrong, Ben. This has been going on quite awhile;
I’ve even been in counseling because of his awful behavior. This just proves everything I’ve been suspecting—that he’s really reprehensible or very sick—or both. Either way, it’s not something I want to live with or hang around and hope it gets better, even if he turns over a new leaf. I’m out.”

  He could tell Sadie meant it, and that she was pretty much over Tad Beaumont already. He looked at the hundred or so-plus pages and asked, “You’ve read all of it?”

  “No. I just found this today, but I read parts of it that you’ll want to see. Parts that Emma needs to see. It won’t be easy, but she has to know if she doesn’t already.”

  “What are you going to do now? Divorce Tad?”

  “Yes. But I’m worried about his reaction. That’s partly why I came to you. I need to protect my daughter and myself. I know Tad will try and destroy my character and do everything in his power to take Sarah Jane from me. He warned me that he would never let me leave him.”

  Ben nodded. “Where is Sarah Jane now?” he asked.

  “I kept her out of school. She’s with my parents. I’m headed there after I leave here. Should I try and get a restraining order?”

  Ben thought for second and shook his head. “I don’t think it would work. Tad wouldn’t allow the order to go through. He pretty much has all the officials and judges under his thumb. Unless we could file it very quickly and very quietly with a judge who wasn’t susceptible to his corruption. Would your counselor give a recommendation?”

  “I think she would be thrilled to. She’s pretty new here and has strong feelings about how Tad’s treated both Sarah Jane and myself.”

  “Has she spoken with Sarah Jane?”

  Sadie shook her head. “No. I didn’t want to take the chance that Sarah Jane might accidentally say something to Tad about seeing her, so I’ve kept my sessions with Dr. O’Connor a secret, even to the point of seeing her over in Cheyneville to stay out of sight of the gossips in town.”

  Smart girl. Ben had to give it to her; Sadie had done a fantastic job of maneuvering this mess thus far. But he was nearly chomping at the bit to find out what else Tad had written in that journal. He took a deep breath for patience with himself. He had to make certain Sadie was safe and well represented here as well.

  “Okay, Sadie. Are you officially hiring me as your attorney to represent you and your interests?” he asked.

  “That’s why I’m here. Well, I’m here for that and to make sure you protect Emma from my husband, too.”

  “Alright, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I need a sworn statement of what Tad has done to make you fear for your safety. Anything you’ve felt threatened by or any reasons you feel like he would be unfit to be near Sarah Jane when this all comes out. Chase will record the information while I ask questions, okay?”

  She sighed. “A-Alright. He seems like a nice young man.”

  He buzzed the intercom for Chase, who moved so quickly that Ben often wondered if he listened outside the door.

  The more responses he heard, the deeper his understanding was of how manipulated and mentally abused Sadie and Sarah Jane had been. And the strategy of how to handle Tad Beaumont was beginning to form. He would need to get with his mother and Emma, just as they’d already planned this weekend; well, like he and his mother had planned. Dealing with a first class cretin like Beaumont was going to require circumventing traditional procedure, because a person who didn’t follow the rules wouldn’t be taken down by doing so.

  When they were finished with the deposition, Ben said calmly to Sadie, “I want you to go straight to your parents’ house and pick up Sarah Jane. Don’t call anyone to let them know what’s happening. Then, I want you to head directly to Evangeline House. I will let my mother know you’re coming.”

  “I don’t want to impose,” Sadie said.

  “You won’t be imposing. We will bring Emma there so we can all discuss this. Sarah Jane can hang with the nieces, so she’s entertained and not concerned by what’s happening.”

  “Sarah Jane loves Lucy.”

  “We need to make sure you’re surrounded by people in case Tad reacts badly to this.”

  “What are you planning?” Sadie whispered.

  “I’m going to make Tad a proposal he’ll be hard-pressed to turn down.”

  “I like the sound of that,” Sadie said.

  “I’m working out the details, but I don’t want you to be alone in the meantime. Evangeline House has at least eight empty rooms, and is built like a fortress. You’ll be safe there.”

  “You’re sure Ms. Maureen won’t mind?”

  Ben nodded. “I’m certain. I’ll call your parents and fill them in while you’re on your way. They’ll have Sarah Jane ready when you get there.”

  Sadie’s phone began buzzing then.

  She jumped, and then looked down at who the caller was. “It’s Tad. What should I do?”

  “Let it go to voicemail.”

  “Will he miss this?” Ben indicated the journal.

  “Probably not until this evening. But he’ll know something’s up when I don’t come home and make dinner.” Sadie’s hands flew up to cover her mouth as if something had just occurred to her. “He can find us with my phone locator,” Her voice held an edge of panic.

  Ben had suspected as much. “After you get to my Mom’s house, power it down. Better yet, leave it at your parents’ house and have them follow you to Evangeline House. Howard, my mom’s husband, will be there. He is a retired operative in a branch of secret government ops. He’s pretty badass, so you and Sarah Jane will be in good hands.”

  “Wow. Okay. I guess we can talk about everything when I get back with Sarah Jane. Are you coming over to Evangeline House soon?” she asked, biting her lip.

  “Yes. I’ve got to get busy filing the order of protection on your behalf. If we can get this done without Tad knowing it’s coming until after the fact, it will be really helpful. I believe I have enough proof of his being a threat to pull it off. I know a judge who doesn’t play by Tad’s rules and it drives him nuts because this judge has him figured out.”

  “So, I should go get my daughter now?”

  “Let’s get the paperwork signed, then I’ll walk you to your car.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I’ll wait to hear that you are at Evangeline House before letting this go through. That way, Tad can’t interfere with your getting Sarah Jane to safety.”

  “What do you think he would try to do?”

  Ben frowned. “I don’t know. But even a simple traffic stop is something he might try, and something he has the tools to pull off.”

  Sadie’s hand went to her heart and he heard her sharp intake of breath. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  He really wanted to reassure her but didn’t feel comfortable giving her a false sense of security. Ben believed Tad was more than capable of using any tool at his corrupt disposal to accomplish his goals. “I doubt he would do that, but you never know what kind of lengths he would go to if pushed or threatened with exposure.”

  After she’d signed the paperwork, he walked her to her car outside. Fortunately, she’d had the forethought to park behind the office which wasn’t visible to anyone passing by. There were large trees and shrubs surrounding the old home that Ben had converted for office space, then paved the fenced backyard for parking. He’d left the surrounding green space, which did a lot for privacy, making his office feel very discreet. For an attorney, that could be a very good thing when clients visited.

  Chapter Fourteen

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  Matthew’s arrival last night had been heralded by his mother’s Cocker Spaniel, Daniel, peeing excitedly on his leg.

  Mom was a mess. Her house was a mess. And he had wanted nothing more than to get right back into his car and hightail it back to Ministry.

  “I can’t believe you’re here, Matt.” She’d wrapped him in a big hug.

  He’d felt relieved to see her, but her hair smelled like cigarettes, along wi
th everything else around them. The once-tidy home where he’d grown up was now strewn with newspapers, used food containers, and ashtrays overflowing with cigarette butts. Things were dusty and had a shabby, unkept appearance that he’d never remembered as a kid. Even when Frank had been at his worst, Mom had worked tirelessly to keep a nice home.

  “I’ve ordered pizza for us. Pepperoni, your favorite, honey.”

  He tried not to grimace as she led him toward the kitchen. She’d pulled out paper plates, presumably because all the dishes were dirty and stacked up in the sink.

  She saw the direction of his gaze. “Now, don’t judge. The dishwasher is broken and I’ve been too busy to spend time washing dishes.”

  Or anything else for that matter, apparently. The small kitchen was cluttered and stacked with more magazines, junk mail, and various clutter besides the pots, pans, and dishes. He controlled the urge to shudder.

  It was about eight o’ clock, so he figured Lisa was putting her kids to bed over at her place. “Is Lisa at home?” he asked, picking up a cold piece of thin pizza from the delivery chain in town, noticing the whitened and congealed grease sitting on top the almost brown circles of pepperoni. It took everything he had to push it toward his mouth.

  “Lisa said you should stop over in a bit after you eat and get settled,” she said, reaching for a cigarette and her bright pink Bic lighter.

  “Mom, cigarette smoke really bothers me indoors. Do you open a window or a door when you smoke?”

  She waved her hand as if his words were a mosquito to swat away. “What’s the point if I’m sucking it directly into my lungs anyway?”

  “So, you’re trying to kill yourself and it’s quicker to not ventilate?” He was appalled.