“Let me get dressed and put my shoes on, then I’ll help you before I go open.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Any time. Don’t be such a stranger.” Felix grinned as he headed up the stairs. “Be right down.”
Luke finished his coffee and set his mug in the sink. When Felix returned, they walked across to Luke’s house like they’d done a million times as kids. “How’s the store going?”
Felix’s dream had always been to open a book and game store here in Hawthorn Hills. While Luke had gone to university forcriminal justice, Felix had studied business at the community college.
“It’s going great. We’ve got a weekly game night forPathfindercampaigns on Tuesdays if you want to play while you’re in town.” Felix grabbed onto the ladder as Luke ascended and started scooping leaves and clumps of snow from the gutter.
“Pathfinder?” He’d been out of the loop for so long. The last tabletop role-playing game he’d played had beenDungeons and Dragons 3.5in high school.
“Yeah, it’s everything we used to love aboutD&Dbut they have more pre-written campaigns. Grace and I play with Joe every week.”
Luke grinned. “You and Grace, huh?” He couldn’t keep the teasing out of his voice as he looked down at his friend. “When did that finally happen?”
Felix rolled his eyes as Luke descended the ladder, and they moved it further down the yard. “We’re just friends, Luke. Nothing’s happened.”
The flush on Felix’s cheeks couldn’t just be from the chill. He’d had a thing for Grace since they were in high school, but she’d friend-zoned the poor nerd. Luke decided teasing the man preventing him from falling off a ladder was a poor life choice and let it go.
“Tell me about this game then.”
Chapter 4
Maggieleanedagainsttheback wall of The Busy Bee and took a breath of the cold air. The kitchen was hot, and she needed to step away to make this phone call. She left her coat open so she could cool off a bit, then dialed the number at the top of her now very short contacts list: Alex.
It rang three times before Alex’s assistant picked up. “Steele and Richards, how can I help you?”
“Hey Christian, it’s Maggie Watson—” She tripped over her tongue and almost used Sean’s last name but stopped at the last moment. “Is Alex there?”
“Hi, Maggie! She is, let me patch you through.”
Her insides trembled with nerves as she waited for her lawyer to pick up.
“Maggie! How are you?”
“I’m doing well, thanks. How are you?”
“Oh, about the same. I’m afraid I don’t have much of an update for you.”
Maggie bit her lip. “Oh?”
Alex sighed, and she knew it wasn’t going to be good news. “Your husband is refusing to sign the divorce papers. And he’s trying to have you declared missing, but I already spoke with the police chief and gave him the bare bones of the situation.”
She grimaced, even though Alex couldn’t see her. That would not bode well for Sean or herself. “What exactly did you tell him?”
A shuffle of papers echoed over the line. “That any report to that effect would be a false one and not to take it seriously unless it came from me or my office.” A pause. “We got your back, Maggie. Don’t worry.”
Maggie breathed a sigh of relief but her nerves still didn’t settle. “Even though he’s one of them?”
“The chief saw the protection order,” Alex’s voice was gentle. “Sean is not to contact you, even by email. I notified the judge that he’d reached out, but I’m pretty sure he got off with a warning there. You’ve signed your share of the paperwork, and even though I feel you should take him to the cleaners, I understand just wanting a clean break.”
“I don’t want the house. Or anything in it.”
“I know, but legally he owes you half. Anyway…” They’d had this discussion before, and Alex knew how it ended. “All he needs to do to keep this out of court is sign and you’ll be free. And trust me, he doesn’t want to go to court, which I’ve told his lawyer. Because it won’t be pretty if it does.” She could hear the shark’s smile in Alex’s voice. Maggie had heard from her midwives that Alex was a lion in the courtroom, and she’d been thrilled to get assigned to her. “I’ve said all I can say without disclosing the abuse, as you requested.”
Maggie breathed deep in an attempt to get the churning in her stomach to calm down. She’d documented the bruises and injuries herself, only going to a clinic when absolutely necessary. Even though she knew she couldn’t go to the police, she’d startedplanning for her escape the first time he raised a hand to her. It had taken far longer than she liked to get away, but Alex had all her evidence now and she trusted her. Sean had been a detective on that force for ten years and if she aired that dirty laundry, she was certain he’d kill her.
