Lighthouse Road (Cedar Cove #1)(52)

“We should inform the police,” Kelly said.

Grace explained what she’d learned earlier. It wasn’t against the law to disappear.

“We have to let the authorities know, anyway,” Maryellen muttered.

“We can have posters printed up, too,” Kelly suggested. She stood and started pacing.

“No.” Grace adamantly opposed that idea. If Dan was coming back, and she suspected that eventually he would, he’d be furious if she allowed his face to be posted around town. “Your father wouldn’t want that.”

“Too bad. Then he shouldn’t have left.”

“I’d prefer to wait.” Grace pleaded for time.

“How long?”

“One more day is all I’m willing to give him,” Maryellen said, narrowing her eyes.

“If your father hasn’t returned in another day or two, we should probably contact the authorities,” Grace announced, knotting a tissue in her hand. “Other than that, I don’t feel there’s anything we can do. Your father has chosen to leave. He went of his own free will—”

“We don’t know that,” Kelly protested.

“It happened before,” Grace reasoned. “He returned when he was ready.”

“And he will again.”

She nodded. “We’ll just have to wait.” Hard as it was, she couldn’t see doing anything else.

“I don’t know where Dad is, but I’m positive that he’d never leave you for another woman,” Maryellen said softly.

Grace hugged her daughters and reluctantly let them go. She stood on the porch, both arms wrapped around her as they drove off to their respective homes. She was alone now, totally and completely alone.

Her daughters refused to believe that Dan had found another woman, but she’d suspected it for a very long time. She didn’t want to believe it, either, but couldn’t think of anything else to explain his disappearances.

Olivia knew the minute they met for their aerobics class that Wednesday. Grace didn’t need to utter a word.

“Dan?”

Grace nodded as they walked toward the gym.

“When?”

“The last time I saw him was Monday morning.”

“No word since?”

“None.”

Olivia exhaled. “Are you all right?”

Grace bit her lower lip. “Do I have a choice?” Dan was determined to punish her for a list of sins she didn’t even know she’d committed. The last laugh, however, would be hers. Grace had no intention of continuing this charade of a marriage.

Dan’s latest disappearing act was the end. She was getting out. Dan might well return, and when he did, she’d have him served with divorce papers.

This was the end.

Ten

Cecilia had never been prouder of anything. The test paper had a huge A scrawled on the front and Mr. Cavanaugh, her algebra professor, had written Well Done! in bright red pen across one corner. She’d aced the test. After class Mr. Cavanaugh, who had to be in his late fifties, asked if she’d talked to a counselor about her next quarter’s classes. She told him she hadn’t and he suggested she take more math courses, since she showed aptitude in that area.

Cecilia had been giddy with joy ever since. The first person she thought to tell was her father, who spent most of his time at The Captain’s Galley, on one side of the bar or the other. She’d see him soon enough, she decided. Cathy Lackey came to mind next, but it might sound as though she was bragging and Cecilia didn’t want that. Feeling slightly deflated, she headed home, picking up her mail in the lobby.

She automatically tossed the envelopes down on the kitchen table and shrugged off her backpack. That was when she saw Ian’s letter. Funny how a little thing like a letter could throw her for a loop. Cecilia stared at it a full thirty seconds before she reached for it and carefully tore it open.

April 12th

Dear Cecilia,

Andrew got a letter from Cathy this week and she wrote that the two of you recently got together. I assume you have the car by now and hope you aren’t too stubborn to drive it.

Ian Randall was a fine one to talk, Cecilia mused. Her husband was more stubborn than any man she’d ever met. But since she’d been driving his car for nearly a month, she couldn’t very well complain.

I realize you’re probably upset with me over the way I acted when you came to see me at the hospital. I don’t blame you. My only excuse is that I was in a lot of pain. I was mad as hell about being so stupid. It was my own carelessness that caused the accident. Andrew should never have told you; it wasn’t necessary for you to know.

Cecilia disagreed. She was his wife and he’d been hurt. She was grateful Andrew had called her.

We’ve had our differences the last few months, but after our “date,” I had real hope we might look past all that. Then I had to go and blow everything. I’m genuinely sorry, Cecilia.

It damn well took him long enough to apologize! Nor did it escape her notice that he hadn’t mentioned the lovemaking. If he was willing to ignore it, then so was she!

I know you don’t have a computer, but I’m including my e-mail address at the end of the letter in case you find a way of contacting me. Hearing from you would mean a great deal.

Andrew said you and Cathy have become friends and started connecting with some of the other Navy wives. I’m glad. The Navy isn’t so bad, you know. There are a lot of good people here.