Damaged by Lisa Scottoline

Author:Lisa Scottoline
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781250099631
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Mary and John worked through lunch, but all the time, her mind was racing. She couldn’t stop thinking about Anthony’s wounded expression last night or the pained tone of his voice when he asked her where he fit in her life. She knew in her heart that she put him first, but even she couldn’t square that with her taking Patrick, against his express wishes.

She felt more nervous as the papers they needed to file got closer to final. Every time she thought that Anthony was right, she would remember Patrick. How lost and alone he was, and what a sweet child. She flashed on the horrible scene when the police had taken Edward’s body from the house, and then, even worse, when they had taken Patrick.

The sun was falling in the sky outside John’s window, and he was typing the cover letter to file their papers. Documents, Xerox cases, Family Court forms, and empty styrofoam cups of coffee cluttered his formerly neat desk. His hair had been finger-raked into rough layers, and his shirt sleeves had been folded up to the elbow.

Mary sat in the seat across from John’s desk, staring at a draft of their papers without really seeing them. Everything had been set in motion. They were nearing the point of no return. She had to make a decision.

“Okay.” John looked up at Mary with a weary smile. “I think we’re good to go, don’t you?”

“Um,” Mary said, looking up from the draft.

“Is there a problem? Anything you want to correct or change?”

“No, it’s perfect. You’ve done an amazing job. I couldn’t be more grateful.” Mary set the draft down, feeling a wave of guilt.

“But you’re mad at me, aren’t you?” John cocked his head. “Is it because I kept asking about the gun?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Look, this is a tough situation, I know, I’ve been there.”

“Is this what it was like for you, with your brother?” Mary realized that John had never returned to the subject of being his brother’s guardian or given her any details.

“Yes,” John answered, without elaborating. “But don’t worry, we’re in excellent shape. Abby and Susan’s testimony will buttress yours in every particular. That means we hold three aces, including you.”

Mary took the hint that he didn’t want to talk about his brother, but she didn’t feel like an ace.

“You don’t seem very happy.”

“I’m not.” Mary had to come clean. “My fiancé, Anthony, isn’t behind my taking Patrick. I didn’t get to talk to him about it until last night because he was out of town, and I didn’t think he would feel that way. He thinks it’s going to be difficult for me to give Patrick up, when the time comes.”

“It will be difficult to give Patrick up, but you can do it. I thought your plan to get him over the hump made sense. After he gets therapy and programming for his academic delays, he’ll be a great candidate for permanent adoption.”

“When I came in this morning, I was worrying that this wasn’t the right thing to do, that my fiancé was right.

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