The New Husband(73)

What would happen to him? I wondered. “Very bad” covered a lot of ground. The footsteps. They were getting closer. Was it Connor? Simon? Mom? I focused on the sound.

“Dad,” I whispered again. “Someone’s coming.”

I opened the closet door a crack and slipped out, crawling on my hands and knees. I managed to keep the cell phone where I could see it, making sure I didn’t lose the call as I slithered over to my bed. I heard a knock.

“Maggie?”

It was Mom.

For the first time, I noticed the number. The area code was 802. Wherever that was, I knew that’s where he was calling me from. I climbed into bed and pulled the covers over me. I put the phone under my pillow and kept it by my head, feeling the hum, the buzz of electricity, a little reminder that my father was right there, keeping me safe, keeping our secret safe.

“Honey?” It was Mom again, from behind the closed door. “May I come in?”

I took in a deep breath, but my heart was racing anyway.

“I’m fine,” I answered, realizing too late that wasn’t her question.

“Maggie?” Mom was confused, and the door was opening. I turned my head to see my phone peeking out from beneath the pillow. That’s how close we were—me, Mom, and Dad—to being together again. All I had to do was move my pillow and she’d see I was talking to someone from the 802 area code.

Very bad for me.

Can you keep a secret? I trust you. Only you.

I shoved the phone farther under the pillow.

Mom entered my room, looking around, surprised to find me in bed. Then she saw my face and her expression turned to worry.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” She came in and sat down beside me. “Are you not feeling well?”

“Nothing,” I said, sniffling.

She touched my shoulder.

It hurt, real physical pain, not to talk to my father. It took everything I had to keep myself from pushing the pillow away, to make sure he was still on the phone, to scream out, “MOM! MOM! It’s Dad! He’s alive! He’s okay!”

But I couldn’t break his trust. I couldn’t bring myself to give up his secret—our secret.

“You’re crying,” Mom said, stroking my hair, her hand only a few inches from the phone.

“I was just … just thinking about Dad,” I said, giving her a half-truth.

“Oh Mags,” Mom said, in that mom voice. “I know this is so difficult for you.”

I swallowed hard, forcing my eyes to meet hers. She leaned on the bed, her fingers brushing against the pillow where I’d hidden the phone. My stomach clenched and released. She shifted position, her hand moving closer to the phone. I took in a breath and held it.

“Do you need to talk? I know I haven’t been as available to you as I should be.”

I need you to go, I was thinking.

“I’m fine,” I managed. “I just want to be alone.”

Mom felt my forehead, looking a bit puzzled. She knew I wasn’t acting like myself.

“Okay,” she said, concern in her voice. “But if you want to talk, I’m here. I love you.”

“Love you, too,” I said, watching her go, unable to wait for her to get out of sight before I started to reach under the pillow.

When the door clicked closed, I put the phone to my ear. “Dad, are you still there?”





CHAPTER 40


Glen couldn’t speak even though he heard Maggie repeatedly ask for him.

It had been painful and wonderful to talk to his daughter, to hear her beautiful voice, but hearing Nina’s, not having prepared for the possibility, made it impossible to utter a single word. His throat closed. The emotions came hard—guilt, regret, self-hatred, all of it pouring down on him in an avalanche of grief.

“That’s her voice,” he finally managed.

“You’re still there!” Maggie exclaimed.

“Your mom. I heard her voice.”

“She’s not in the room anymore. She’s gone. It’s safe to talk.”

“God, I love you all. I miss you all so much.” Tears stung Glen’s eyes.

“Please let me tell Mom,” Maggie said, whimpering her plea. “I can’t keep this a secret.”

Glen checked in with Simon, who was standing next to him, holding the Taser to his neck.

Simon hit Mute on the phone. “Won’t have to. Not long,” he said in a low voice. He hit the Mute button again.

“You won’t have to keep it secret for long,” Glen said. “We’ll tell them soon.”

He knew he’d have to embellish a bit to make the conversation sound natural, but he couldn’t deviate from the main message. If he did, Simon would jolt him—fast. He had threatened repeatedly to drive to the house and end it for everyone if Glen tried to warn Maggie in any way. He’d do it then and there, he vowed. Glen took him at his word.

Simon hit Mute again.

“You gotta get somewhere safe,” he instructed.

Mute off.

“But I have to get somewhere first. I have to get somewhere … somewhere safer.”

Simon pantomimed putting a phone to his ear and mouthed the words “Nina” and “Connor.”

“And when I do, you can tell Mom and Connor that I’m all right. Tell them I’m alive and well. Maybe I can even call, like I’m doing now.”