The Wife Stalker(79)
“Everything okay?” she asked, coming out of the bathroom. Evie and Stelli were already under the covers.
Leo gave her an apologetic look. “Nightmare. Rain check?”
She pressed her lips together in an attempt to smile. “Sure.”
“There’s not enough room for her, too,” Stelli said.
She swallowed her anger and took a deep breath, afraid of what she might say if she didn’t calm down. Was it going to be like this forever? The three of them together, with her on the outside looking in? Even though the queen-sized bed was small for four, it galled her that Leo remained silent. After it was clear that he wasn’t going to object, she spoke. “I’ll go sleep in one of the guest rooms. It is a little crowded in here.”
Leo gave her a grateful smile. “Thanks for understanding.”
Piper forced herself to say something nice to Evie. “I’m sorry about your bad dream, honey. I’ll see you in the morning. Good night, all.” Before she left, she grabbed the bottle of wine and her glass.
She walked down the hall to the last room on the end and went in. Turning on a lamp, she sat by the window in one of the cushioned armchairs and filled her glass. This was definitely not the vacation she’d envisioned. She may not be the children’s mother, but she was their father’s wife. It was about time he got his priorities in order. She was tired of being second fiddle to the children in her husbands’ lives. She thought about Matthew and Mia.
If Matthew hadn’t let Mia get her way all the time, maybe they’d both still be alive.
52
Joanna
Their car pulled in late this afternoon. As I watched through the slender space between the curtain and the window frame, I could feel every nerve ending pulse, and I held my breath as if doing so might make me invisible. Leo was the first one out of the car, followed quickly by Piper and the children. I almost cried out when I saw them. Leo grabbed a knapsack and suitcase from the back of the Range Rover and followed Piper and the kids into the house. I moved away from the window and sank into a chair, suddenly filled with fear and self-doubt. What if she outsmarted me? I breathed in deeply. I had to think positively, get my thoughts in order, and go back over my plans.
Years ago, Leo had installed cameras outside the house so he could check on it remotely. I’d never deleted the app from my phone, and while it didn’t allow me to see into the house, if I turned on the audio, I could hear what was going on in most of the rooms. I kept the sound turned up all night, so that even when I fell asleep, I would be awakened by anything unusual. I doubted I’d get much sleep anyway. The night sounded a fitful one in the main house, but after the kids were settled in bed with Leo, all had been quiet. I could tell from her voice that Piper had been angry at being kicked out of the bedroom, and though I felt some satisfaction about that, I mostly worried that it might add more fuel to her crazy fire.
The next morning, I heard them as they woke up and had breakfast. After some fancy footwork, Piper persuaded Leo to take them to Gorham Trail in an hour. My heart broke hearing the fear in my poor Stelli’s voice and Leo’s lame attempt to comfort him. I couldn’t believe the way he was allowing Piper to run roughshod over the children. I knew this was my one chance to act. Grabbing my backpack, I slung it over my shoulder and walked into the woods. I pulled out my binoculars as I approached the back of the house and scanned the windows. The kitchen was empty, so I figured they must be getting dressed upstairs. I was debating whether to go in through the garage or the front door when my heart leaped at the sight of Stelli and Evie coming down the stairs to the first floor. They were so much bigger than they had been just a month ago. They already had their outdoor gear on, and when they came out onto the back deck, I realized it was the sign I’d been waiting for.
I ran to them. I could see the shock on both of their faces when they saw me. Stelli stood still, but Evie took a step back.
“Shhh. We’re playing a game,” I whispered. “Come with me.”
Stelli scrambled down the steps and threw his arms around my legs, but Evie, rooted to the spot, looked hesitant. “Stelli, wait.”
But he was already holding my hand.
“What are you doing here?” Evie asked.
“I came to save you from Piper. Come on, Evie.”
She was looking at me with suspicion. Piper had fooled her, that much was clear. “Stelli, you have to come back in the house,” she said, putting her hand out as she moved back toward the French doors.
He’d turned around to look at his sister, so now I stood behind him, my hands on his shoulders. I bent down, holding him, and put my mouth against his ear. “Stelli, Piper wants to push you off the mountain. You need to stay with me.”
He looked at Evie and then tilted his head back to look at me, and I could feel the hesitation in his body. I tightened my grip on him.
“You let him go!” Evie yelled again. “I’m going to tell.” She turned away and ran into the house.
“I don’t think I should go with you, Joanna. Daddy will be angry. Please . . . let me go!” He started to pull away, and I had no choice.
I pulled the stun gun from my coat pocket and gave him a quick zap on his hip. His eyes widened, and then he went limp. I couldn’t understand why Evie had betrayed me, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it. Instead, I hoisted Stelli into my arms and ran into the woods. He was growing heavier with each step. My arms began to shake, and my lungs were burning. I had to slow to a brisk walk when I heard the sound of footsteps and shouts behind me. Taking my eyes from the path, I looked behind me, then tripped over a branch on the ground.