No Safe Secret (20 page)

“Says the doc is an asshole. Again, her words. The sons are pricks, still her words. According to her, and I have no reason to doubt her, the doc beats the crap out of his wife. Said Molly tried to act like it wasn't so, but she knew. Said the twins were abusive, too. Verbally. She told us about the dinner party, but she left before the action started. When I told her the wife was missing, she smiled. Said if she was missing, it was because she wanted to be. Said she was too smart for the doc, and he hated that. Made fun of her because she didn't have a college degree. Sally said he always referred to her as ‘that waitress from the dump.' ”

“That's it,” Bryan said slowly. “I've been trying to remember what it was he said that kept nagging me. He said Molly was working as a waitress when he met her.”

The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together. He would bet his last nickel, as always, that Molly had carried that brown paper bag from Lou's around with her for a very long time.

“The doc's story on the kid's car checks out. Barry's Automotive. Said it's been ready for days, and no one's picked it up. The mom and daughter dropped off the car for a tune-up,” Craig said, his hands crossed over his broad chest.

“At least he's telling the truth about something,” Bryan said dryly. “Before I forget, Craig, I met a girl today, actually she's a lady, a very nice lady. She owns All Night Fitness. Her name is Becky. I told her you were looking to join a gym. Said you needed to meet someone. Go there, ask for Becky, and tell her Bryan sent you. Don't ask. Just do it.”

His cell phone went off. “Detective Whitmore.”

“Hey, one of my guys remembers that woman. Ron. Said she sat in the first seat behind him. Thought she was a man at first, but when he saw her face, he knew better. Said she was pretty but paranoid, if you know what I mean? Dropped her off at some storage facility where they store classic cars. Said she went inside, and that's the last he saw of her. That help?”

“You can't imagine how much it helps. I owe you one. You get pulled over, tell them to call Bryan Whitmore.” He hung up. Both Craig and Rodriguez shook their heads.

“Don't say a word,” he warned, grinning.

He relayed the bus supervisor's information to one of the patrol cars in the area. “Check the place out, and I'll meet you there in twenty minutes.”

“You two keep an eye on the doctor, watch his place. If you see anything funky, I don't have to tell you what to do.”

As soon as Bryan left the station, his cell phone rang again. “Whitmore,” he said. He was tired, and it was starting to show. He was always courteous when he answered his phone.

“This is Officer Edwards. I have a woman here at the storage house who says she's got video footage of your victim leaving the lot.”

Hot damn!

“I'm on my way.”

M
olly was hot and sweaty and wanted nothing more than to take a hot shower. She needed to cleanse the filth from her body, and not just the physical kind. She needed to cleanse the images she'd just witnessed from her soul.

She asked God for forgiveness as she drove out of Blossom City. Words that prior to now had crossed her mind, but only just now spewed out of her mouth like a geyser. But, in a sad way, she felt as though she'd been purified.

Confronting Marcus had been the worst. His life choices had left him in a wheelchair, and his lack of parental guidance and education had turned him into nothing more than a dirty bag of rot. He used to be so handsome, and now he was barely recognizable. She felt no pity for him when she recalled what he'd done to her. He certainly hadn't felt any pity for her.

She hated him, truly. This was something she would have to live with, but she could. She had for decades.

But what freed her the most was knowing she hadn't killed any of those bastards. She had spent her entire adult life thinking she was guilty of a horrid crime, murder, or, at the very least, maiming those worthless bastards. And when she saw Marcus in the wheelchair, she'd at first felt guilty, believing she'd crippled him when she ran into them, but she hadn't. He had done it to himself. And the others. In a sick way, justice had been served. When she found out that all but one of her attackers had been killed in that car accident, she thought that Lady Justice had exacted her revenge.

And then there was Dr. Kevin Marsden. He was still alive. And living quite luxuriously, she was sure. But with only Marcus as a witness to what had happened that night twenty-one years ago—and she knew he would never come forth unless he were forced to, and even then he would probably lie—she had her hopes pinned on the dress she had worn that night. The dress she had sworn to burn a dozen times. But something always seemed to stop her. And now she knew why that was. Again, in mysterious ways, Lady Justice was at work.

She smiled and gave Ace a fluff between the ears. She couldn't wait for Kristen to meet him. She loved animals, and Tanner was such an ass that he would not agree to the kids having a pet growing up.

Tanner. Holden and Graham. She would have to deal with all of them when she returned, and she would.

First, she was going to contact her friend and old roommate, Sarah Berkovitz, to see if she could recommend a good divorce lawyer. Then maybe when life settled down, they could renew their friendship. Molly decided she would like that. Other than Sally, she had no real female friends.

The women she saw occasionally at the gym were just people she saw once a month. In ten years, she'd never really allowed any of its members to befriend her, and a few of them had tried. Tanner didn't like her having friends, didn't like it when she left the house. She would've loved to work for Gloria, even if it was just part-time. The homey smells, the environment, not to mention the food—all were so appealing to her. Trips to Gloria's were always the highlight of her week. Besides her daughter. She'd sent her a text message when she'd calmed down. She couldn't talk to her yet, but she'd been thrilled when Kristen answered her right away, telling her how much fun she and Charlotte were having and how much she missed her. She missed her, too, but Kristen needed to experience what a young woman her age should.

Sadly, Molly had missed out on so many things, but she was still fairly young. Her life was ahead of her now, and she could pursue anything she wanted. Maybe she would take Gloria up on her offer.

What she couldn't do was stay in that house that held so many bad memories. As she'd done in Blossom City, she would exorcise that house—from her past and her future. Something told her that when Kristen left for college, her life as an adult woman, an adult mother, would truly begin.

She checked the gas gauge and saw that the tank was nearing empty. She stopped on the outskirts of Haines City, at a Flying J's, a reputable truck stop. She filled up, checked her oil, fed Ace, and walked him in an area exclusively for animals, where he attended to his private business. Inside she paid for her gas and handed over an extra twenty dollars to use the showers they offered to truckers.

Unsure of what to do with Ace, she stuffed him inside her suitcase, leaving room for him to peek out. She pulled the suitcase behind her, but no one said anything about a cat's peering out. Inside the women's showers, she let Ace roam for a few minutes, then he curled into a ball and fell asleep on top of the suitcase.

As she scrubbed herself clean with the fresh-smelling body wash provided in a mounted container, she relished the feeling of soap suds running down her body. Using the shampoo in the container, she washed her hair, then washed it a second time. She lathered conditioner into her hair, massaging it all the way to the ends. She thought she might cut her hair. Tanner demanded she keep it long. It was heavy and too much work. As soon as she could, she would get one of those new haircuts that were short in the back and angled sharply on the sides. It would look good on her, she thought, as she rinsed the conditioner out of her hair.

When she returned to Goldenhills, she would not be the same woman who had left. She'd shed that pitiful skin in Blossom City. She often wondered how such a dreadful, ugly city wound up with such a pretty name. There wasn't the first hint of a blossom, unless you considered the orange trees. Maybe that's where its name originated. It didn't matter anymore, she thought, as she let the warm water cascade down her back and legs. She couldn't remember when she'd enjoyed taking a shower this much. That fancy tub in the master suite couldn't hold a candle to this single-stall public shower. At least that is what she thought. Perhaps it was because, in a sense, this was the first shower she had ever taken as a free woman, as someone with no guilty secrets needing to be hidden.

She scrubbed down one more time just because she could, and let the hot water wash the last two days away. She would feel hot and grimy later, but right now, she felt as fresh and clean as a hothouse daisy, which happened to be her favorite flower.

Molly removed a pair of jeans and a red T-shirt from the luggage, Ace making it known she was disturbing him with a super loud “meow.”

Hurrying so she could get back on the road, she dried off with the towel they'd provided with the shower fee, dressed, and felt almost human. Until she looked in the mirror. She took her makeup kit out of the luggage. Blush and mascara, then a swipe of peach lip gloss at the very least, added a bit of color to her face. She combed out her hair and pulled it back in a ponytail.

She bought two hot dogs, a bag of pretzels, and a large Coke before she left. When she was back on the interstate, she munched on the food and cranked the radio up to a station that played happy tunes. For the first time in her life, she felt that the burden of guilt had been lifted, as though an angel had brushed it away. The emotional release brought tears to her eyes.

Happy tears. Like the radio station.

 

 

M
olly was so excited as she waited inside the terminal for Kristen's plane to arrive. So much had happened in the months she'd been in France. She'd told her bits and pieces over the phone, but sometime in the near future, before Kristen left for college, Molly planned to sit down with her and tell her all about her past. She had no reason to keep it from her anymore. She had every reason to let Kristen know who her mother really was, and now, since filing for divorce last week, she no longer had any reason to fear Tanner. They would always share a daughter, but that was the only thing they had in common anymore.

 

Tanner had gone insane when she had come home.

She'd pulled into the long driveway in her red Mustang, music blaring and Ace sitting on her lap. The driveway was full of vehicles, two of which were police cars. At first she had thought something had happened to Kristen, but she'd just spoken with her, so it had to be something else.

When she got out of the car, she was welcomed home by Detective Bryan Whitmore. Smiling at the memory of her confusion, she went inside with him.

Tanner had been his usual angry self. Holden was high, and Graham wouldn't even look at her.

“You've had a lot of people searching for you,” Bryan had said, then proceeded to fill her in on the events of the past three days.

“You reported me missing?” she'd asked Tanner.

“No wife of mine leaves me,” Tanner had shouted.

“And that's why we're here, Mrs. McCann. We have reason to suspect that your husband's first wife's death was not, in point of fact, an accident. We're here to protect you while you get your things. You can't stay here now.”

“It's my home,” she whispered, stunned.

“That may very well be, but when your husband learned that you were returning, he filed a restraining order.”

“What?”

“He doesn't want you in his house. Those were his very words.”

“You son of a bitch! I don't need you to speak for me. She's my wife, I can say and do whatever I please!”

Bryan walked across the room and got right in Tanner's face. “No, sir, you lost that privilege when you filed that restraining order.”

Ace had meowed, and the look on Tanner's face when he saw him curled up in her arms was priceless.

“It's okay, Detective. I wasn't planning to stay here anyway as I will be filing for divorce,” Molly said. Again, the look on Tanner's face was priceless.

Once she started, she couldn't stop. “I think you killed Elaine, just like you said you did. Oh, you were drunk when you said it, but you admitted to shoving her down the stairs. She wanted a divorce. I wonder if she despised you as much as I do?

“Detective, I want to report a crime. Twenty-one years ago, I was raped by a boy who is now one of my husband's colleagues. His name is Dr. Kevin Marsden. We went to high school together in Florida. I might have DNA evidence to prove it, too. There is a teal prom dress in my locker at All Night Fitness. You have my permission to remove it from the locker.”

“We've got the dress, Ms. McCann. Forensics is checking it for DNA as we speak. Just get your things, and you can take care of your legal issues later.” He looked at Tanner as though daring him to say anything.

“There is something else,” she said. Hating to betray her daughter's trust, but unwilling to be a part of Holden's crime, she said, “Holden McCann raped a young woman at Racer's. Her name is Emily. He laced her drink with roofies.”

This got Holden's attention right away. “That's a lie!”

Molly walked over and stood right in front of him. “You and your brother have mental issues, deep-rooted, just like your father. I'm sorry, Holden, but I don't believe you. The girl you raped got pregnant and suffered a miscarriage. I will do whatever it takes to see that she presses charges against you, you son of a bitch!”

And the accusations and the arguments continued until Bryan walked her to the door.

 

Now, two months later, with the divorce behind her, and the division of property from the divorce settlement making her quite well-to-do, as well as ensuring that Tanner would have to pay for Kristen's college education as he had paid for Holden's and Graham's, she had gone on her very first real date with Detective Bryan Whitmore. She'd met Marty last week. She was adorable. And now Kristen was coming home. So many changes—some good, some bad—but her daughter was tough, and like her, she, too, would survive.

Holden had been arrested for raping Emily. She'd convinced Emily that pressing charges was the right thing to do, going as far as telling Emily her own story, hoping to coax her into contacting the authorities. She had, and Holden was currently out on bail awaiting trial.

Graham had left Goldenhills when his older brother was arrested. No one knew where he was, and, sadly, Molly thought it was for the best. She would always cherish the memories of the boys when they were little kids, but they had turned into spoiled, mean men, just like their father.

Vikki Kearns and Sarah Berkovitz were working day and night to reopen the case of Elaine's death. The last she'd heard, Tanner had hired a high-priced defense attorney. News of this traveled fast. Within weeks, Tanner had to close his dental practice in Goldenhills, and from what she'd learned, his offices in Ocean Orr were next. And he'd thought he was going to garner enough attention to warrant investors in an office in Boston. Hah!

He'd received enough attention, but it hadn't been the right kind. Along with his name opening the evening news with stories of the investigation into his first wife's death, Tanner was also being investigated for arson in the case of his parents' deaths.

She cringed when she learned this, but now nothing surprised her where her former husband was concerned. He was almost as evil as her mother and Marcus. Almost. His saving grace: Kristen.

A voice over the airport intercom announced that Flight 927 from France had arrived at Gate 14.

“You'll like her, I promise,” Molly said, as Bryan squeezed her hand.

“I have no doubts. If she's like her mother, chances are good that I'll more than like her.”

Bryan normally didn't get involved with the people he met while working on his cases, but there had been something about this case right from the beginning that had drawn him in. When he met Molly, he knew she had been placed in his life for a reason. She was good and decent and kind. Everything her ex-husband was not. She'd been through hell and back, more than once, and looking at her now, he couldn't believe she was smiling.

She started waving crazily at a young girl heading toward her. He followed her gaze, and for a minute he thought Molly had a twin.

Kristen was the spitting image of Molly.

“Hey, you,” he said, “I have a question.”

She turned to look at him. “What's that?”

“When you changed your name from Maddy to Molly, before you married Tanner, what was your last name?”

She raised her perfectly waxed eyebrows and swung her newly cropped hair around. “It was Hall.”

“
Sixteen Candles
, right?”

She nodded. “It used to be one of my favorite movies.”

Though he never would have admitted to anyone, and he meant
anyone
, it had been a favorite of his, too. “Same here,” he said, laughing at her expression. “We'll talk more later.” He eyed Kristen running toward them.

She grabbed her daughter and squeezed her so tight, she thought she might break her. But Kristen was tough as nails. “I've missed you so much, sweetie. I can't begin to tell you.” She stepped out of their hug to look at her daughter. Her long legs were even leaner than they'd been when she had left, her skin was golden from days in the sun, and her long hair was streaked with sun-kissed shades of yellow.

“I can't believe you're finally home,” Molly said, and hugged her daughter again.

Bryan remained silent as the two soaked each other up. He could see that Kristen was a good soul, just like her mother. Her eyes sparkled, and her hair looked like spun gold. Marty was going to love her; he just knew it. And if their relationship continued in the same vein, he would love her and her daughter. His gut told him that this was highly probable.

“I'm such a love hog,” Molly said to him. “Kristen, I want you to meet Detective Bryan David Whitmore. Goldenhills' finest. And I do mean fine,” she added, and they all laughed.

Kristen reached in and gave him a huge hug. “I've heard so much about you, but before I tell you all of Mom's secrets, I have to thank you for taking this case. Mom says if it weren't for you, well, you know all the stuff she's been through. I just think it's so cool that you two are dating.” She kissed Bryan's cheek.

“Me, too,” he said, thrilled with her uninhibited display of affection.

“Mom told me you have a daughter. Marty. I can't wait to meet her. Mom says she's fifteen. I've always wanted a little sister,” she blurted out. Then when she realized what she'd said, she backpedaled. “Oh crap, I've stuck my foot in my mouth. Again. I do it all the time, right, Mom?”

She glanced at her mother, who was smiling like a happy child. She'd never seen her mother like this. She'd spent so many years on edge, but Kristen was putting all that bad stuff behind, just like they'd discussed over the phone.

“You're seventeen, kiddo. You're supposed to put your foot in your mouth.”

Bryan stood in the middle and wrapped his arms around both of them. As soon as Marty was with them, he would be complete.

“What's that look on your face?” Molly asked.

“I think he's in love,” Kristen teased. “Oops! Foot in mouth again.”

“I think this is the happiest day of my life,” Molly said. “Except for the day I gave birth to you.” They all hugged, and if anyone were watching, they would know people in this trio were as happy as anyone could ever hope to be.