“Try not to worry.My sisters and I are here, and Penny’s fiancé lives next door.We’ll do everything we can to keep you safe.”After leaving her with those less than optimistic words, Barbara headed toward the stairs.
With a heavy heart, she went back to their private living room.Wyatt, Ethan, and Theo had joined them earlier in the night.They were worried about their safety, concerned about what Steve McGibbons would do next.
“Is Anne all right?”Penny asked.
“She’s worried but doing okay.I don’t know what will happen in the next few days, though.She could be in an even more uncertain position once Theo’s lawyer takes the documents to wherever they need to go.”
Katie picked up her cup of coffee.“She could always stay here for longer.”
“It’s better that she doesn’t stay any longer than necessary,” Ethan said as he sat beside Diana.
His fiancée nudged him in the ribs.“That’s easy for you to say.Anne doesn’t have any family she can stay with.”
“I agree,” Penny said.“It’s not as if we live in the same city as her former boss.Sapphire Bay is one of the safest places she could have chosen.”
“If it weren’t for me, that would probably be true,” Theo said.“As soon as Steve sees the documents I’ve sent to my lawyer, he’ll know who gave them to me.”
Barbara saw the concern on Theo’s face.“We can’t do a lot about that.All we can do is keep Anne safe.”
“On that worrying note, I need to go home.”Wyatt stood and looked at Penny.“Make sure all the doors and windows are locked before you go to bed.If you need anything, you know where I am.”
Ethan picked up his coffee cup.“I need to leave, too.John wants to have an early-morning meeting about the counseling sessions in the village.”
“He doesn’t want to stop them, does he?”Diana asked.“Mom said there was an incredible response to the questionnaire he sent out a couple of weeks ago.”
“It’s more a matter of prioritizing the ones that are the most important.Unless we employ more staff at the medical center, we can’t provide as many therapy sessions as we’d like.”
Barbara saw the worry on Ethan’s face.With more people arriving each week, the range of support services Sapphire Bay needed was growing.“What about the county?Can they pay for more staff?”
“They’ve already given us extra funding.Their hands are tied as much as ours.I’ll see everyone tomorrow.”
After Diana and Penny left with their fiancés, Barbara turned to Katie.“It looks as though we’re on clean up duties.”
“Not me.I cooked dinner.”
Theo cleared his throat.“I can help.”
Katie picked up her coffee cup.“What a great idea.And don’t worry about Anne.She doesn’t seem the type who scares easily.”
“She’s probably right,” Barbara said as Katie left the room.“If I was in Anne’s position, I’m not sure I would have traveled to Montana to see you.”
“You wouldn’t have needed to.As soon as McGibbons asked for the invoices to be paid from his business account you would have refused to do it.”
“If I’d done that, I would have been fired and your story might never have been written.”
“And I’d still be working in New York.”
“If that had happened, you wouldn’t have started the radio station or met me or my sisters.Do you regret writing the story?”she asked softly.
“McGibbons was the Mayor of New York City.He had to be held accountable for what he’d done.The worst part is what happened with my parents.We had a huge argument after I published the story.Since then, we’ve barely spoken to each other.”
Barbara picked up some plates.“Maybe you could try calling them?”
“That’s what a friend told me.I’m not sure it will make a difference.”
Barbara walked into the kitchen.“You won’t know until you try.Has your lawyer told you what his next steps are?”
“He has a meeting with the Department of Internal Affairs, the IRS, and other people tomorrow.He thinks it’s unlikely McGibbons’ lawyers will continue the defamation case after they see the new evidence.”
