“You own a condominium on the Isle of Palms? Who is this person?” She pointed to the codicil.
“Marci was your dad’s secretary. I believe she lives in the condominium.”
Elaine’s eyes grew large. Her cup slipped from her hand and shattered as it struck the floor, sending coffee and shards of china flying across the kitchen. She placed her hand on the table for support.
“Daddy had…Daddy had a mistress?” A sob caught in Elaine’s throat. She sank into the chair next to Amy. “No. He couldn’t have. Not Daddy. Not my daddy.” She looked into her mother’s eyes. “It’s not true. It’s not true,” she wailed. “Not Daddy. Please tell me it’s not true.” She buried her face in her hands and began to cry, her entire body shaking with each sob.
For a moment, Amy stared straight ahead, her eyes hard. The spineless excuse for a man had left it to her to tell his dirty story to his children. She should not have to do this. At that moment, she hated Jack and wished she had never known him. Then, she began to cry too. She wrapped her arms around her daughter, hugged her, and rocked her back and forth for several minutes.
“I’m so sorry, sweetie. I’m so sorry. I never intended for you to know. I never dreamed I would have to tell you.”
Finally, Elaine looked up. She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. “You knew?”
Amy nodded. “I did.” She looked down at the table, briefly, before returning her gaze to Elaine. “But I knew nothing about the condominium until this morning.”
“How long, Mom? How long was the…the affair?”
Amy sighed. “He bought the condominium fifteen years ago.”
Elaine began to cry again. “I can’t believe it. He loved you, Mom. He did. He told me so.”
Tears were streaming down Amy’s cheeks too. “He did, Elaine. At one time. Maybe always. I don’t know.”
“When did you find out about them, Mom?”
Amy hesitated. She had not planned for the discussion to move in this direction. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “About a year ago. I caught them together. I filed for a divorce.”
“When?” Elaine pulled away and looked into her eyes. “When did you file for divorce?” Her eyes held Amy’s.
“Your father was served…the morning of his accident.”
“So he killed himself?”
“I don’t know that.”
“But he did, didn’t he? I always thought there was something else. He was a good pilot. He would have landed that plane if it had been in trouble.”
Amy wrapped her arms around Elaine again. “I think you’re right, sweetie. I’m afraid you’re right.”
Amy had told Elaine the entire story by the time Zach and Amber arrived home—how she had discovered the affair, how she had confirmed it, how people who she’d believed to be her friends had deceived her, conspiring to maintain Jack’s secret.
“You can’t trust a man,” she said bitterly.
“What about James?” Elaine’s eyes grew wide. “What about Drew?”
“You’ll have to decide about James. But Drew?” She scowled. “He’s one of them. You warned me. Barb warned me. I just didn’t listen. Even Jason Cooper warned me.”
She stared at the table for a moment. “Besides, I saw him trying on engagement rings with some woman this morning.” She looked at Elaine. “You have never trusted him. You were right.”
“We’re going to find out for sure, Mom.”
“What do you mean?”
Elaine pinched her lips together before taking a deep breath and then speaking. “James has a friend, a private investigator. He’s checking on Drew. We’ll know all about him. Finances, everything. We’ll know if there are other women.”
“His meeting.” Amy looked into Elaine’s eyes. “Tell me what you find out, Elaine. No man will ever play me for a fool again.”
***
Classes began on Thursday and Drew was in his office early, checking email before his first class, when Cathy knocked at his door.
“Ms. Barrett, how are you? Come in.”
Cathy closed the door behind her and crossed the room to Drew’s desk. She saw her mother’s photograph beside his computer, set at an angle so that Drew would see it whenever he moved his eyes from the monitor.
“Dr. Nelson, have you talked with my mother?”
Drew turned from the monitor. “Not in a day or two. I would have called yesterday but I was…preoccupied. Is something wrong?”
Cathy nodded. “It’s really bad, Dr. Nelson.”
She told him what had happened. When she finished she looked closely at Drew. “You knew all of this, didn’t you?”
“Your mother told me that she had filed for a divorce. She told me the reason. I knew that Jason Cooper has a niece who no one talks about. The rest of it, no.”
“I knew none of it, Dr. Nelson. I would never have even thought…they seemed so happy.”
“Parents often find it important that their children see them as a happy couple. Your mother knew nothing at all about the condominium?”
Cathy shook her head and wiped her eyes. “For Mom, I don’t think that is the worst. I mean, she’s so angry about it, but…Dr. Nelson, Dad bought it fifteen years ago. That’s half of their marriage. And, you know, he must have known the woman longer than that. Buying her a place to live wouldn’t be the first thing you would do, would it?”
“I wouldn’t think so.”
“She’s upset that people who she thought were her friends knew all about it and didn’t tell her. Not a single word. She blames them as much as she blames Dad. She blames all men, I think.”
“She’s really been hurt and she’s looking for an explanation.”
“Can you call her, Dr. Nelson? She needs to know you care.”
“I’ll call right after class.”
As he gathered his notes and his text book, Drew wondered how Amy’s marriage could have gone so bad. Was her husband an absolute cretin, he wondered. Or was Amy really difficult to live with? Had she done something so bad that she pushed him into another woman’s arms so early in their marriage?
***
Drew reached her on his third call. “Amy, how are you?”
“Are you calling on your own or did Cathy talk with you?” Amy snapped.
Drew paused. “Both. I haven’t talked to you since Saturday. Cathy did come by my office this morning.”
“Then you know how I am. I’m upset. I’m hurt. I’m angry as hell. You didn’t have to call to learn that. You’re a psychologist.”
Amy was practically shouting and Drew held the telephone away from his ear.
“Is there anything I can do to help? I’d like to see you. Tonight…”
“You want to analyze me? Explain that I shouldn’t be angry with my lowlife husband? Help me understand that I should not be upset with those other men,” she spat out the word, “who deceived me all of those years?”
“Amy—”
“Maybe my feelings reflect some issue from my childhood. What do you think? My father paddled me when I was five, so I hate my husband? My sister and I argued, so I don’t like my husband’s friends?”
“Amy, I love you.”
“Any idea how many times Jack told me that? He said it last January, the morning before I caught him in bed with that tramp.”
“Amy, maybe we should talk later, when—”
“When I’ve calmed down?” she shouted. “It will be one hell of a long time before I calm down, Dr. Nelson.” She snorted. “You are just like the others. After all, you are one of them. I was told that you would understand, that you’d explain to me how you…you people, take care of your own. Was it one of your own who I saw you with yesterday at Butler’s, buying a ring? You think you can make me understand that? I’m not one of you people, and I never will be. Now leave me alone.”
The line went dead.
Drew sat, thinking of the photograph of the wildflowers that hung on the wall across from his desk. He wished he were ther
e, in Colorado, lying in that field, feeling the cool morning air, watching the sun peek above the mountains. He sighed. He could list any number of reasons for Amy’s anger, but the intensity of her feelings stunned him. It was not simply anger. It was rage.
He thought of the diamond ring he had looked at that morning. She’d seen him in the store and thought that he and Anna…
He shook his head. He had toyed with a plan to give it to Amy near Valentine’s Day. How could she think that he was buying it for another woman? Did she not know him at all? Why she’d have to be crazy to think that he’d…
He stared at his desk, tapping a finger. “I’m rushing into this,” he said. “I need to back away.”
The GPS
It was the first Saturday in months that Amy was not a factor in Drew’s plans. In fact, he had no plans. He went for a morning walk on the Battery. The cold air and the stiff breeze felt good. He walked down the street for breakfast.
When he returned home, he read for a while, then he reviewed for class on Monday. When he logged on to email, an advertisement from a dating site popped up. It had been appearing for weeks, but this was the first time he had been tempted to click the link. He resisted the temptation, though, noting that he knew the address should he want to check it later.
Late in the afternoon, he called Jody to tell him about Amy.
“So that’s why you’ve been in the dumps. She really blasted you, huh? One of the members of the wicked male gender.”
“I’ve never known her to be like that, Jody. She was growling at me, shouting. I simply called to ask how she was, see if I could do anything.”
“She’d had quite a shock, I take it.”
“So it seems.” Drew leaned back in his chair. “She’d discovered the affair, but not the extent of it, and certainly not how well-known it was. She feels as if someone should have told her.”
“You would think that in all that time someone would have told her something.” Jody coughed. “I’d be angry with the entire group. Nothing wrong with that.”
“Why did she take it out on me?’
“Come on, my man. You’re a psychologist. Her husband was a devil. You’re a potential husband. All husbands are the same. If he had been a saint, you’d be wearing a halo. He was Lucifer, so it’s pitchforks and horns and…” Jody chuckled. “Besides, you’re one of them.”
“That’s so unfair.” Drew sighed. “I know you’re right. I was hoping for something else. Any advice?”
“Give her some time. Call her in a week. Take her out. Don’t bring up her husband or her reaction. She’s a good person. She’ll come to her senses.”
“Is she, Jody?”
“Is she what?”
“A good person. Or is the Amy I encountered this week the real Amy? I don’t want to deal with that. How can I know?”
Jody sighed. “I can’t say. We all are capable of acting badly, given the right stimulus.”
“Di wasn’t.”
Jody cleared his throat. “Of course she was, Drew. She may never have had the occasion, but we are all capable of it.”
“But—”
“If you’re looking for a saint, Drew, you can stop searching. You won’t find one.” When Drew did not reply, Jody continued, speaking slowly. “People will behave strangely when they are under a lot of stress. I am guessing that’s the case with Amy. If so, she’ll feel sorry once things settle down.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
Jody chuckled. “From what Cathy tells me, she will get to see the mistress tossed out on the street. That should bring a little satisfaction.”
***
The next Wednesday Drew heard the telephone ringing as he reached his office after class.
“Dr. Nelson, this is Tim Lovett in Security.”
“Hi, Tim. How are you?”
“Fine. I’m doing fine, sir. Listen, Doc, one of our officers found a man breaking into your car a little while ago. Seems to be a private investigator. We’ve called the city police, but I thought you might like to talk with him first. He seems to have been planning to place a GPS monitoring device in your car.”
Drew told Jody that he would have to skip lunch, and he headed over to security. Tim met him as he entered the office.
“The guy thought he was really cool—parked off campus, waited until the parking lot was full, carried a book bag so that he would look like a student. He popped the lock and started rummaging around inside. He didn’t notice Officer Bateman at the gatehouse. He saw it all.” Tim laughed. “When Bateman reached your car, the guy was leaning over the seat, feeling around underneath. Said he’d lost his keys and that a friend brought him the slim jim he’d used on the lock.” He shook his head. “Might have worked, but he’d placed the GPS on the roof, in plain sight. And Bateman recognized your car.”
“Couldn’t he have attached the device in a wheel well?”
“It seems to be a hybrid of some kind—tracks where you go, records what you say. Otherwise, yes, he could have attached it to a magnet, bent over, and popped it against the metal. It would have been quick, unobtrusive. He likely would have gotten away with that.”
Tim picked up his keys. “I’ll take you back. His name is Jeffery Pendarvis. Claims to be a licensed private investigator, although he’s not carrying a license.” Tim snorted. “If he is licensed, then he ought to know that he can’t go around breaking into automobiles.”
Drew recognized the man’s name. He was rumored to do work for several of the less-scrupulous attorneys in town.
As Tim unlocked the door to the holding room, Jeffery looked up.
Drew pointed at the man. “I recognize you, Mr. Pendarvis. I’ve seen you parked across from my house.”
Jeffery did not respond.
“You know who I am?”
He nodded. “You’re Dr. Andrew Nelson.”
“Have we ever met?”
Jeffrey shook his head. “I have a photograph.”
“Who hired you to place the tracking device in my car?”
“I can’t divulge—”
“Can it, son. You’ll tell the police. You might as well tell me. Maybe if you answer right, I won’t press charges.”
Jeffery looked at the floor. “All I can tell you is it’s about one of the women you’ve been dating. I can’t tell you any more than that.”
“One of them?” Drew shook his head. “You mean Amy Barrett.”
Jeffery drew circles on the table with his finger and did not respond.
Drew’s heart began to pound and his breathing became rapid. He placed his hands on the desk and leaned over, his face close to Jeffery’s. “You broke into my car. What else have you done? Broken into my house? Followed me around town? For how long?”
Jeffrey shuffled his feet under the table and gave a deep sigh. “You won’t press charges if I tell you?”
“I said I’d consider it. It’s your best option. Take it or leave it.”
Jeffery rolled his eyes to the ceiling, as if pondering his chances. “Fine. A friend obtained some financial information. You drove away last Sunday leaving your gate open and the house unlocked. I slipped inside. I hacked your computer.” Jeffery shrugged. “It was not entirely legal, but—”
“Not entirely? Not at all.” Drew reached out, grasped his chin, and pulled Jeffery’s head up so that he could look him in the eye. “Find anything interesting? Will Ms. Barrett get her money’s worth?”
“If your girlfriend is looking for a sugar daddy, well, you have a ton of money.” He stared into Drew’s eyes. “Beyond that, my employer might be interested in knowing about that other woman—the one you were shopping for jewelry with last week. They might be interested to know about the dating site you visit—the one for old folks, people your age. Some of those women are hot as fire, you know, definitely elevens on a scale of ten.” He smirked. “They might want to see who you’ve been looking at, talking to, touching, maybe—and these women claim to be your age.”
He shook his head, laughing. Then he looked back at Drew. “Who is Rachel? I saw the email. You’re meeting her for dinner on Saturday. There are women’s clothes in one of the closets. My employer might wonder whose they are.”
“You’re disgusting. I accessed that site seven months ago. Rachel is—”
“Could be, but I don’t know it’s true. My client won’t know. Anyway, it’s my experience that when someone asks for my services, they have their suspicions and they are looking for proof, not explanations.”
He lifted his cuffed hands off the table. “I don’t have to report any of this, you know. Make these go away and you can just be a rich, boring old man.”
Drew glared down at him for a long moment. “This is beyond belief. How dare you break into my house, my car? How dare you go through my closets, look through my computer?” He waved his hand, dismissing Jeffery. “Report anything you want. I really don’t care.”
The city police arrived. “What about him?” an officer asked.
“I don’t care about him either. Do what you want.” Drew stormed off, not waiting for a response.
“How dare she?” he said to himself. “She despises Jason Cooper, so she takes a play from his book. Even hires his PI—she fits in just fine.”
***
“Mom, have you talked to Dr. Nelson?” Elaine’s voice was shaking.
Amy had been shopping. She placed her bag of groceries on the kitchen counter and switched the telephone to her other ear. “No, why would I have?”
“He hasn’t called?”
“I told him to leave me alone,” Amy snapped. “I’ve not heard from him in over a week. What’s wrong, Elaine?”
Amy heard Elaine take a deep breath. “Jeffery Pendarvis, the investigator who James hired, remember?”
“You told me about him.”
“The police found him at Dr. Nelson’s car this morning, trying to install the GPS.”
“Oh.” Amy didn’t understand why Elaine sounded so upset. Jeffrey was a PI. Weren’t they allowed to do things like that?
To Fall in Love Again Page 21
