Cracks in the Sidewalk(79)

“Hurry up, Daddy,” Kimberly whined. “I’m hot.”

“We’re not going anywhere, so you can take that stupid jacket off!” Jeffrey screamed. He turned and stormed out of the house alone. Kimberly wailed about how she wanted to go to Grandma’s house. Kelsey began to think about what style bridal gown she would wear.



Jeffrey drove around for fifteen minutes, fuming. None of it made sense. If Liz was dead he would have been notified, unless she died and they somehow managed to keep it a secret. The McDermotts, he reasoned, could be shrewd enough to try something like that. Sure, they’d trick the poor dumb husband into thinking his wife was still alive, then get some pig-headed judge to order weekly visitations.

Clever, real clever. They’re probably looking to alienate my kids, take them the way they took my store. They think they’ll get away with it because they’re so high and mighty. They figure me for an idiot, aschnook who can be tricked into believing their dead daughter is still alive. I’ll bet they’re laughing at me this very minute—well, no more!

Without signaling, Jeffrey made a sharp U-turn and headed for the McDermott house. He screeched into the driveway, climbed out of the car, and angrily marched to the door.

“Where are the kids?” Claire asked when she saw Jeffrey standing alone.

“They’re not coming!” he said. “I’m here to see Liz.”

“She’s sleeping, and I don’t want—”

“I don’t give a crap about what you want!” Wild-eyed, Jeffrey jostled Claire aside and headed for Elizabeth’s room. Before she could stop him, he slammed the bedroom door open.

Charlie heard the commotion and came running. He entered the room just as JT grabbed Elizabeth’s shoulders and began shaking her.

“Wake up!” Jeffrey screamed angrily. “Wake—”

In an explosion of anger, Charlie threw his right arm around his son-in-law’s neck and yanked him away with a force that propelled both of them backward into the wall. The nightstand went flying and a sprawl of medicine bottles scattered across the floor.

“I’ll kill you if you touch my daughter again!” Charlie shouted.

“Are you crazy?” Jeffrey screamed, driving his shoulder hard into Charlie’s chest. “She’s practically dead! You’re keeping her alive, but she’s a vegetable!”

Charlie punched Jeffrey to the floor, then jumped astraddle his chest and began hammering his face with blows. He hit him again and again, bouncing his head against the floor, bloodying his nose.

“Stop it!” Claire screamed. “Stop this craziness!” She rushed to Elizabeth’s bedside and eased the blanket up around her daughter’s bared shoulders.

Her voice halted Charlie’s barrage and allowed Jeffrey to break free. Scrabbling to his feet, he screamed, “You broke my nose, you idiot—”

“That’s not all I’m going to break if you don’t get out of here!” Charlie answered. “Get out and don’t ever come back, or so help me I’ll—”

“Oh, I’ll get out,” Jeffrey said mockingly. He turned toward the door with his hand clasped to the rush of blood cascading from his nose. “But take a good look, ‘cause you ain’t never gonna see me or my kids again!”

“I’m warning you!” Charlie roared.

Jeffrey hesitated, gave Charlie a look that promised the worst was yet to come, then turned and walked away, kicking aside a stray medicine bottle.

Claire still hovered over her daughter.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “Daddy and Jeffrey had words, but that’s all over now so don’t you worry.” She smoothed back a lock of hair that had fallen across Elizabeth’s face.



Eleven messages waited for Judge Brill when he arrived at the courthouse on Monday morning—five from Jeffrey Caruthers, three from Noreen Sarnoff, two from Dudley Grimm, and one from his sister-in-law, Ida, saying that she and Harold planned to come for a visit. Sam Brill pocketed Ida’s message, then spread the others across his desk. What now? he wondered as he began to dial Dudley’s number.

“The McDermott family is asking for a restraining order to keep Jeffrey Caruthers away from their daughter,” Dudley explained.

“Last I heard the man had no interest in even seeing his wife.”

“Well, apparently that’s changed, because yesterday he stormed into the McDermott house and attacked Elizabeth in her bed.”

The image of Jack Wallner immediately flared in Sam Brill’s head. “Was anyone hurt?”

“No, but Charles McDermott had to forcibly eject him from their house.”

“Not good,” the judge mumbled. “Not good.” He said he’d have a conversation with the other side and get back to Dudley.

Judge Brill called Noreen next. “Counselor, are you aware that the McDermotts want a restraining order against your client?”

“For what?”

“They claim he attacked their daughter.”

“That’s not true, Your Honor. The only thing my client did was try to discover the truth, which to the best of my knowledge is not considered a crime.”

“During this supposed quest for truth, did he attack his wife?”

“Attack, no. He did, believing her asleep, give a gentle shake that was intended to simply wake her.”