The Wife Stalker(34)

She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry. I get a little carried away when I’m upset. It helps to center me to try and reframe things in a more palatable light. What I mean is that the delusion that you are responsible for what happened . . . that’s a myth, and you don’t have to atone for something that isn’t your fault.”

She was, however, still blaming him for canceling their honeymoon to Paris, a move that had seemed unnecessary. No amount of persuading on her part had convinced him, and she was afraid to push too hard. So now they were stuck here because Leo was afraid to leave the children, even though he’d gotten the courts to agree that Joanna was a risk to the kids and couldn’t come near them. But just in case Joanna still tried to see them, he’d told Rebecca not to answer the door for anyone, no matter who, if he wasn’t at home. The worst part was that Stelli and Evie were still moping around. Stelli, especially, was a problem, talking back to Piper and refusing to listen to her. Something had to be done.

“Leo, I’ve been thinking.”

“Yes?” He glanced at her then back at the road.

“I know Joanna is legally required to stay away now, but the children still hope they’ll get to spend time with her. We both know that she’s unstable. What if she had done something worse? I really don’t believe that that was the first time she hit Stelli. I just saw a bruise on his arm that looks like it’s a few weeks old.”

His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “I could kill her.”

She thought back to one of her clients in California, when she’d had her counseling practice. “I know a man who suspected his ex-wife was hurting their kids. The children would never admit it—they rarely do—but it was going on for years, and finally he was able to prove it when the daughter broke down and admitted it. It was subtle abuse, pinching and grabbing, but it wreaked havoc on their emotions, and the kids suffered for a long time.” She was exaggerating slightly, but the story was based in fact.

“That’s horrible.”

“Yes, it is. Joanna’s been acting so erratically since I met you. She’s not willing to accept that we’re together. And what if she decides to take the children and disappear forever? We really need to make sure her access to them is permanently severed. You need to use all your connections in the legal community to make sure that happens.”

“It’s in the works. What happened at the beach is now on the record, which helps, of course. But we don’t need to talk about this now, my love, on our way to get married.”

“It’s just been weighing on me that the kids need to accept that they won’t see her anymore. For their own good, we need to make it clear to the children that she’s never coming back. And that will make it that much easier for me to adopt them.”

He looked over at her, surprised. “Really, you’d want to do that?”

“Of course. I’m going to be your wife, and I very much want to be their mother.” If that was what it would take for them to be a real family, she could put aside her reservations about motherhood.

Piper said no more, but she was glad he was pleased with her idea.

One thing was for certain: come hell or high water, she needed to get Joanna out of their lives for good.





24

Joanna




I sat in my car, where I’d been parked since dawn, fighting the urge to run up to the house, bang on the door, and insist that they let me see the children. I knew that would be a huge mistake. I haven’t been able to sleep at night, and I can’t stop crying. I don’t remember ever crying so hard. How could Leo be so heartless to take Evie and Stelli away from me? Five days ago, the three of us were playing in the sand together, and now there’s a court order against me. I have no idea when I’ll see their sweet faces or hold them in my arms again.

I looked at my watch. Almost eight o’clock. They would be leaving for school soon. I knew I should start the engine and pull away, but I desperately wanted just a glimpse of them. When I saw the front door open, my heart began to race. I couldn’t catch my breath, and I told myself again that this was a very bad idea—if they saw me, it would only give Leo more ammunition—but I was rooted to the spot and couldn’t move. Before I could think, Piper emerged with the children. Stelli’s backpack fell from his shoulder, and she ran over to pick it up, shooing them both into the SUV. I started the car and hurriedly drove away before they could see me, cursing Piper for stealing my life, and headed to my appointment with Celeste. By the time I reached her office, my heartbeat had slowed to normal and I felt a new resolve come over me. She would help me figure out a way to fix this.

As soon as I sat down, I blurted out, “They’ve gotten a protective order against me, and now Leo is trying to get sole custody permanently. They’re launching a full-scale investigation.”

Celeste leaned forward. “So, for the immediate future, Leo has sole custody? Are you able to visit the children?”

“No! They’re painting me as a child abuser. I can’t go near them. And she’s trying to cut me out of their lives entirely. They’ve changed the number to the house phone, so I can’t call the children, and if I try to go anywhere near them, I risk losing them permanently. Leo’s cell phone number gives me a recording—I think he must have changed his number, too. They’ve even turned Rebecca, the nanny, against me. We used to be so close, but when I text her now, she tells me she can’t be caught in the middle. Leo’s the one who signs her paychecks, after all.”