Right Where We Belong (Silver Springs #4)(55)

“No.” As she stared toward the Topatopa Mountains, she realized why Gavin sat out on his porch so often. There was a lot more foliage blocking her view; his was better. “I’ve never wanted a man like I want him,” she admitted. “Doesn’t matter that we just met. I’d sleep with him again if I could.”

“Again?” he cried. “You selfish bitch! You’d better not be fucking other guys around Branson and Alia. They’re still my kids. You can’t shut me out that easily.”

“What’d you do with Emma Ventnor’s body?” she asked.

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” he spat.

“The least you can do is take responsibility for your actions and bring her parents the resolution they deserve.”

His voice dropped to a menacing level. “You’re making a mistake, Savanna. I might be powerless right now, but I won’t always be this way.”

“I don’t care,” she said. “I’m past caring. I’m taking control of my life. I will come and go as I please. I will raise my children as I please. I will sleep with any man I please. And I will never have to put up with you or your mother again.”

“Now you’re really pissing me off...”

“So what are you going to do about it?” she asked. “Get out of jail and kill me like you did that poor girl? Where’d you put her body, Gordon?”

He didn’t answer; he hung up.

Savanna had expected to be shaken, upset by the call. But she felt strangely empowered. She was done trying to keep his moods steady, keep him happy, keep her marriage intact. She’d been so upset when he’d broken everything apart, and yet she was quickly coming to realize that he’d done her a huge favor, at least in one way.

Again, she closed her eyes, simply feeling the wind on her face. I’m free. I’m going to be okay. He’s gone.

After a few minutes, when she felt ready, she texted Sullivan. He called me. You can listen to the recording if you want. I did my best, but I didn’t get a confession or any information that could help. Gordon was too smart for that.

She waited a bit longer to gather her thoughts and her strength. Then she called Gavin.

“Any word?” he said the moment he answered.

“Yes. He called. I just hung up with him.”

Gavin’s voice lowered, grew more serious. “How’d it go?”

“It was a total waste of time, as I feared it would be. Sullivan is crazy if he thinks Gordon will ever say anything to incriminate himself. He never tripped up when we were living and sleeping together. Why would he suddenly divulge important details over a recorded line now that we’re apart?”

She heard Gavin sigh. “That’s partly why I was so concerned about Sullivan’s request. Trying to piss off a guy like Gordon is reckless, especially when there was so little chance of success in the first place.”

“Somebody has to do something,” she said. And all of his other victims seemed to think she should’ve known and interceded a long time ago.

“You were thinking of Emma Ventnor’s parents. That’s why I didn’t try harder to talk you out of it. Just in case it would help. So...how’d the call end? Did you manage to make him angry?”

She remembered telling Gordon that she’d slept with someone else and wanted to do it again. She couldn’t repeat what she’d said to Gavin, but it was true. Whenever she thought of Gavin’s hands on her body, she felt tingly and light-headed. “Definitely. But...where are the kids? They can’t hear you right now, can they?”

“No. They’re across the room, putting some change in a prize machine. They saw the sign flip to Open in the ice cream store as we rolled past and decided they wanted to stop here before feeding the ducks,” he said with a laugh. “We were the first ones through the door.”

“It was really nice of you to take them and make it so fun.” She wished she could’ve gone with them. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“It’s no big deal.”

“It is. You’re the first friend I’ve had in a long time. But you don’t have to keep them away any longer. You can come back and go to work. You’ve got to be feeling some pressure.”

“I’m not in a huge rush. I’ll stay at the school a little later tonight, get caught up.”

She stood and gripped the banister as she continued to stare at the mountains. “Are you really moving to Nashville?”

There was a slight pause. “If I want my music to go anywhere, I have to.”

She let her head fall against the support beam. “Of course. I understand. You’re very talented. I like your version of the song you sang better than Keith Urban’s, and that’s a huge compliment because I love the way he sings it, too.”

“Thank you.”

Hearing the smile in his voice, she couldn’t help smiling herself. “Maybe, before you go, you’ll make me a recording of it. As a goodbye present.”

“I could do that.”

“I’d like to have something to remember you by.” Savanna heard her children’s voices in the background as they returned to wherever Gavin was standing or sitting.

“Your mom’s checking on you,” he told them.