Leann Sweeney - The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon

Finn said, “I—I wasn’t really being intimidated.”

But Karen and Bob didn’t seem to hear him. Color blossomed on Karen’s cheeks. “You’re a grown man and yet you’re still stuck in the past, believing I favor—”

“You do favor. You favor Tom and you favor Finn. Me and Charlie? We’re just dirt on your shoe.” Bob looked at me. “I have a twin brother. Did anyone tell you about him?”

I didn’t get a chance to reply because Bob stood and threw his napkin on the table. “I only took what was rightfully mine.” He pointed at his mother. “I will again, too.”

“Rightfully yours?” Karen said, her anger building. “How can you say—”

Someone knocked.

Karen rose, but Bob made it to the door in a flash. My guess, he was relieved by the distraction. I feared Rory Gannon was about to make another appearance, but the voice I heard say, “Why, hello there,” was female.

Hilary Roth had arrived.

Karen hurried through the dining room and out to the small foyer to greet the new arrival.

Tom leaned back in his chair, his face to the ceiling. “More trouble,” he said. “Just what we need.”

“It’s my mother, isn’t it?” Finn said as the murmur of greetings spilled into the room. He stood. “I don’t want to talk to her.”

“I don’t either. That’s why you and I are heading out the back door and going to my house.” Tom looked at me. “Would you mind running interference?”

“Sure. Go on,” I said.

They disappeared through the kitchen and I went to the living room.

Bob was smiling broadly at Hilary, all the resentment from a few minutes ago gone.

“Finnian,” Karen called. “Your mother would like to talk to you.”

I motioned Karen aside as Bob and Hilary chatted. I whispered, “Finn isn’t quite ready to talk to his mother. He and Tom left.”

“Oh. I see.” She patted my arm. “It’s not your fault, so don’t look so guilty. Hilary is not the monster those two make her out to be. Please give her a chance by staying for a while and getting to know her. Maybe Finn and Tom will listen to you once you understand her better.”

“Sure. I can stay,” I said, forcing a smile. But I wanted to be home with my fur friends, not here playing a game of “Get to Know the Ex-wife.” I’d give Karen fifteen minutes and then I was out of here.

Karen said, “Can I fix you lunch, Hilary?”

Hilary wore a ruby-red sweater and black slacks, the colors complementing her dark beauty. “No thanks. I ate while I was trying to reach my attorney. Unfortunately, he cannot help Finn here in South Carolina.”

“Finn’s not in jail,” Bob said. “The way he talked, sounds like he might not need a lawyer after all.”

Hilary said, “The deputies told me he was gone when I went to the police station. That doesn’t mean he won’t need a lawyer in the future, though.”

“He’s not guilty of anything,” Karen said. “Not one thing.”

Hilary said, “Your belief in Finn warms my heart.” She turned to me. “They told me he left with Tom and with you, Jillian.”

“Yes, we did leave together,” I said.

When I didn’t add any more information about Tom or Finn, Hilary addressed Karen. “No one was home at Tom’s house, so I figured he brought Finn here. Can I see him now?” Hilary walked toward the dining room. “We need to talk. I need to tell him how sorry I am for—”

“He’s not here,” Karen said. “At least not right now.”

Hilary halted. “Oh.” She looked crestfallen.

Bob said, “You know how stubborn Tom can be. You staying in town?”

Guess he’d gotten over his hurt feelings where his family was concerned. Especially since someone as lovely as Hilary was around to divert his attention.

She said, “I found this wonderful little B&B. Reasonably priced with fantastic food.” She pulled a tissue from her pocket and dabbed under her nose. “It’s been nice to have such a comfortable place to stay under such stressful circumstances.”

“Yes, well, Nolan was a troubled man,” Karen said, “though as you told me not long ago, you had no idea how troubled until he was released from prison.” Karen looked at me. “Mr. Roth used to be a police officer and Tom’s partner. Poor Tom was forced to turn him in to the authorities.”

“Forced?” Bob said. “Tom ruined Finn’s family because he was jealous.”

I wanted to sock Bob Cochran in the mouth about then. I’d had about all I could stand of this self-serving man-child. Instead, I said, “I’m not sure you completely understand, Bob.”

“Really? And you do after knowing my brother for how long? A year, tops?” Bob said.

Hilary rested a hand on Bob’s arm. “Please. Don’t blame Tom, and be kind to Jillian. She has been so kind to my son. Nolan fooled me. He fooled a lot of people. Now that they’ve cleared Finn, I believe they should start looking at who Nolan was doing business with.”

“Drugs again?” Karen said.

Hilary nodded solemnly. “I tried to tell the police chief as much. But they seemed fixated on Finn and even Tom. He does seem to have been in a fight. Do you know how he got so banged up?”

“He won’t tell me,” Karen said. “But I’m sure it has nothing to do with Mr. Roth’s demise.”

“Oh, of course not. Because Tom can do no wrong,” Bob said.

Karen leveled one of her famous steely stares at Bob. “It could have been that terrible man who came here last night.” Karen turned to Hilary. “Knowing you, it’s impossible to picture you with Mr. Gannon. He’s a frightful person.”

Hilary paled. “Rory? Here? Oh my goodness. Nolan must have called him before— Oh, this is not good. Did Finn talk to him?”

She sounded frightened—and who could blame her? But I didn’t want to listen to a rehash of Rory Gannon’s visit, so I decided it was time to leave. I said, “I have quilts to finish for Christmas orders. I did enjoy lunch, Karen. Thanks for having me.” I sidled past Hilary and Bob, muttering my good-byes to them.

Once I reached my van and started the ignition, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Why do Southern-raised women like me have to be so darn polite? And why did I want to slug all three of those people?

On my way home to get a much-needed dose of kitty and puppy love, I called Tom’s landline. When he answered, sounding gruff and as agitated as I felt, I said, “I’m headed home. You can drop Finn off anytime.”

Tom said, “Sorry if I sounded rude, but I didn’t even look at the caller ID. I thought my mother or Bob was calling, hoping to get me back over to Mom’s house for the reunion. Someone needs to tell my mother there’s no such thing as time machines.”

“What are you talking about?” I said.

“She wants things to be like they were before Hilary decided to sleep with my partner,” he said. “Everything went downhill after Hilary hooked up with Nolan.”

“Five years ago? What did your marriage problems have to do with Karen and Bob’s issues?” I pulled into my driveway, relieved not to see a beat-up blue sedan hanging around the neighborhood.

“Long story,” Tom said.

“I wish you’d trust me enough to tell me. What’s this something Bob believes rightfully belongs to him?”

Tom lowered his voice. “Finn’s in the kitchen, about ten feet away. He doesn’t need to hear this. Can we talk later?”

“Promise?” I said, wondering if later would ever happen.

“I swear,” he said.

“Good. Now, I know a dog who needs a visit to the nearest tree. When you drop Finn off, maybe we can have some alone time.”

We said good-bye and soon Yoshi was racing for his favorite white oak, dried leaves scattering in his wake. When he came running back up the lawn, he checked out the van, sniffing the air for any hint of Finn. We went inside the house and I squatted to pet him. He was such a darling dog, but even though he enjoyed my company, he obviously missed Finn.