She fidgeted the entire ride here, her nerves getting the best of her.
“Are you okay?” I ask, peering at the side of her head.
She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “I’m nervous. She has no clue we’re coming. What if she sends us away? What if…” Her words trail off, and her eyes well with tears. “What if he’s gone, Ally?”
Grabbing her hand, I squeeze, hoping to reassure her. “Don’t think like that. Let’s not go there until we’ve spoken to his momma. Okay?”
She sniffs, nodding her head. “I just need a minute.”
I offer a smile, allowing her whatever time she needs, turning my attention toward the house in front of me, painted in an earthy taupe tone.
Nina made a stop at the town center when we first arrived, looking up Angela and Steven Whalen. That search came up short.With a quick Google search, we were able to determine that Steven, Ian’s father, passed several years ago. That led Nina to search for Angela under her maiden name. She’d want to fly under the radar anyway, especially if Richard had been snooping around.
And that’s when she found her. Angela Burch resides at 19501 Windemere Lane in the community of South Port in The Communes.
The home’s classic brick façade is complemented by an array of beautiful flowers in an assortment of colors, making it easy to see what draws a person to The Communes for retirement. The neatly manicured lawn leads to a sprawling porch, decorated with cozy rocking chairs situated toward the east. A perfect setup to watch the sun rise every morning with her cup of coffee and The Communes’ paper. Assuming that’s a thing.
“I’m ready,” Nina says, drawing my attention to the front of the cart. At some point while I was lost in the details of the place, Nina moved and is now waiting for me to join her. It’s time.
As we stand on the porch, ringing the doorbell repeatedly, an unsettling silence greets us. Did we make a mistake coming here without notifying Angela?
Nina peers into the house, looking for any signs of life, then sighing heavily, signaling she’s giving up.
“She’s out back,” a foreign male voice calls from behind us.
We twist around to find an elderly man, walking his small dog on a leash.
“She’s always out back this time of day,” he says, motioning toward the back of the house.
A sense of relief washes over me knowing that she’s here, and Nina will get some answers.
We call out our thank yous as we make our way around the side of the house. And just as the man had said, she’s there, sipping sweet tea under the shade of an umbrella.
Her eyes widen with surprise, and the teacup slips from her grip, shattering on the pavers. She doesn’t jump to picking up the broken pieces; her hands are over her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
“You shouldn’t be here, sweet girl. It’s dangerous for all of us,” she cautions, rising from her chair and heading straight to Nina, pulling her into a tight embrace.
“He’s in jail, and hopefully going to stay there for a long time. I won’t allow him to hurt you anymore.”
My heart sinks at the reminder of Richard’s actions and the havoc he has wreaked on their lives.
Angela pulls out of Nina’s grip, looking her over. “You have grown into such a beautiful woman, Nina.” Her smile is wide, her eyes cloudy with tears. “I always knew you’d do great things.”
Nina squeezes her shoulder. “Sit. Let’s catch up.”
And they do. For the next thirty minutes, they talk all about what Nina’s been up to these last twenty-plus years and her plans for the future. The only topic left untouched is Ian. While I expect Nina to let Angela take the lead on that conversation, I’m not entirely convinced she will.
“I’m so proud of you,” Angela says, beaming at Nina. “And I’m so incredibly sorry for what that evil man did to you.”
Nina’s head tilts to the side. “What do you know?”
Angela sighs heavily. “It’s no secret that he forced you to marry him.” Her face turns hard, and she shakes her head. “When I found out you were going to go through with it, I knew he was blackmailing you. You’d never fall for someone like him.”
Nina nods solemnly. “He did. But that’s all in the past.”
“Bull,” Angela retorts sharply. “Even now, he still has a hold over you. I can see the fear in your eyes, Nina Joy.” Her fists clench at her sides, her face flushed with anger, a vivid display of her emotions.
Nina leans forward. “I promise you, I’ll be fine. They’reworking to put him away for life, and I have faith they’ll find a way to do it.” Nina takes a deep breath, and I know what’s coming. “I need to know what happened to Ian. Did Richard do something to him?” she inquires, her voice trembling with emotion.
