“Well fucking bravo, asshole.” Tom smirked at Ten.
What Ronan would give to smack that smile off Tom’s face. “Tell us what happened with Anita.”
“Fuck you!”
“Fuck me?” Ronan chuckled. “That’s hilarious. You just admitted to sending the letters. At last count you sent three to me and Ten. Two to Cope and Jude and one each to Carson and Cole. That’s seven counts of criminal harassment, not to mention seven counts of stalking. That would equal twenty years in prison for the harassment and thirty-five years for the stalking charges, and that’s just here in Massachusetts. You could also be charged federally since you used the United States Postal Service as your means of transmitting the letters. At your age, that means dying in prison. Fuck me? I don’t think so! If you don’t want me to slap the cuffs on you right this second, I suggest you talk.” Ronan stood up and reached into his back pocket. He grabbed his handcuffs and tossed them on the table. “Your choice, Tom. The easy way or the hard way. I don’t give two fuckswhichoption you choose.”
His eyes burning with rage, Tom walked back to the table and took his seat, turning his attention to Fitzgibbon. “You’re serious about jail time?”
Fitz nodded. “The one thing Ronan left out was the fact that you harassed and stalked two members of law enforcement which kicks in the special circumstances statute which gives more prison time to offenders who stalk and harass cops, firemen, lawyers, and judges, to name a few. If you end up in front of a stern judge, you could very easily add another twenty years to your sentence. Like Ronan said, the easiest thing to do is talk.”
“Jesus fucking Christ!” A female voice shouted. “I thought you were a tough guy standing up for my honor and all you are is a coward.”
“Hi, Anita,” Ten said, almost sounding bored. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“You really are a piece of shit!” Anita said, materializing beside her husband. Anita was a few inches over five feet. Her hair was a brilliant auburn, while her green eyes sparkled with anger and what looked to Ronan like vengeance.
“Oh, my God, Anita.” Tom’s mouth hung open.
“You deserve to go to jail after rolling over so quickly on our plan. What the hell did I ever see in you?” She turned her attention from her husband and focused on Tennyson.
“Anita, why don’t you tell us what this is about, so we’re all on the same page.” Ten’s voice was calm.
“The reason I came to West Side Magick was to find the daughter I gave up for adoption. I wanted to keep the baby, but my mother wouldn’t allow a bastard in her home. I was able to hold my child for an hour before the adoption people came and took her away. I regretted my choice every hour of every day since.”
“I felt that loud and clear from you during our session. I can feel that now.” Ten paused and when Anita didn’t challenge him, he continued. “You wanted me to find your daughter and I was unable to do that. All of us were. It was our suggestion for you to use a genealogy website to find her and you did. I was so excited for you when you came in for your session after having found her. You wanted to know where she was and I couldn’t tell you because I didn’t know. My gift isn’t all-knowing. Making it even harder to trace your daughter was the fact that she was still alive. Again, I couldn’t have known how she would respond to you showing up on her doorstep. None of us could.”
“All I wanted was a moment with my child. To see how she’d grown up. To hold her and tell her I never wanted to give her up.” Unshed tears glittered in Anita’s eyes.
“How did you find her address?” Ten asked.
“Through the private detective and one of those White Pages websites. I paid a fee and two minutes later, I had my daughter’s address and phone number.” Anita shook her head. “I begged Tom to come with me, but he wouldn’t.”
“I didn’t think it was a good idea for you to barge in on her without warning,” Tom said, sounding sheepish.
“You refused to help me at all!” Anita raged. “When I got to the house, I rang the doorbell and Amelia answered the door. She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen in my life with my green eyes. I told her who I was and she slammed the door in my face. I yelled through the door that my parents made me give her up. That all I wanted was ten minutes of her time. The front door flew open and my heart soared. I thought she was going to let me in so we could talk, but instead, all my daughter did was throw her perfect childhood in my face. She said she was glad I hadn’t raised her and was even more glad that I would never have a chance to meet my granddaughters. I could hear them playing in the house. When I tried to peer around my daughter, she shoved me, telling me to leave or she’d call the cops.” Tears slid down Anita’s cheeks.
Ronan felt like crying himself. He couldn’t help thinking of Lizbet. Of what would happen if her birth mother ever showed up on Jude and Cope’s doorstep. One look at Cope told Ronan he was thinking the exact same thing. “Anita, I’m so sorry.”
Anita shrugged. “I left the house and was crying uncontrollably and called Tom, who was so angry I’d gone to the house. He didn’t want to talk to me and hung up. I’d never been more angry and heartbroken in my life. I hit the accelerator and drove away as fast as I could. I never saw the bend in the road until it was too late. I hit the tree and everything went black. I’ve been with Tom ever since. I loved that old Cadillac and would sit in thepassenger seat wherever he went. That was how I figured out how to use static on the radio to speak to him.”
“Why the letters?” Ten asked.
“I wanted you all to feel my hurt and betrayal. I came home with all four of you. I spent time in your houses with your spouses and children. Your daughter felt me there and offered to help me if she could. I didn’t let her. Her voice sounded like my granddaughters’. It hurt too much to let your child comfort me. I reported what I’d learned to Tom who wrote the letters.” Anita paused and turned her attention to Tom. “I’m sorry I shouted at you and blamed you for my death. My death was my fault. I have to go now, but I’d like to visit you on the radio, Tom, if that’s okay?”
“You’re the love of my life, Anita. Of course it’s okay.” Tears streaked down Tom’s face. The love he still had for his wife was evident.
“Please don’t arrest my husband, Detective O’Mara. He’s a good man.”
“As long as Tom promises he won’t send anymore letters, I can let the charges slide.”
Tom’s eyes widened in obvious shock. “Cross my heart. I won’t write another letter.”
“Before I go, Tennyson. I need you to know that everything in those letters was a lie. Ronan didn’t break his sobriety. That night in the bar with the younger man was part of a stakeout. Cope, I know you didn’t push your husband down the stairs and I know the man you were seeing at night was a shrink. As for you, Ronan, I’m sorry I made you think Ten was keeping things from you and I’m sorry most of all for calling your daughter that word. She is the sweetest child.”
Ronan nodded. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“If there’s anything I can do to help you in the future, please let me know.” Ten offered the spirit a genuine smile.
