Secrets of the Riverview Inn by Molly O'Keefe

Author:Molly O'Keefe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Molly O'Keefe

9

Josie wasn’t in the older women’s cottage. She wasn’t trying to use the broken cell phone in their rooms. The kitchen was empty.

Delia wanted to scream. She wanted to fist her hands in her hair and howl at the moon. Josie had gone looking for a phone, Delia shook her head in worried disbelief.

Her house of cards was in ruins at her feet.

“Found her!” Gabe’s voice echoed through the empty lodge.

In the upstairs hallway Delia whirled outside their rooms toward the empty room where Patrick Mitchell usually lived. She ran down the hallway and turned left to see Gabe standing in the threshold propping open the door with his foot.

“She’s inside,” he said. “Dad’s gotten lax about locking his door since there haven’t been any guests.”

Delia nodded, rage and fear a fist in her throat that she could barely breathe around. She pushed open the door farther, and Gabe left, a soothing pat on her shoulder as he walked away.

“Josie?”

Her little girl sat on the bed, a slice of moonlight around her. Her eyes in the half-light were eerie. Glowing with hurt and indignation. The room smelled of anger, of explosive emotions, and Delia knew with one wrong move their relationship—such as it was—would blow into a million pieces that she’d never be able to get back together.

What did the divorce books say about this?

“I called Dad,” Josie said, a gauntlet thrown down between them.

Delia’s head spun. They’d have to go. Now. She wanted to grab Josie by the arm and drag her from this place. Run and run and run.

“What did you say?” she whispered in a voice that barely sounded like her own.

“That I’m building a fort and it’s snowing and I miss him and you got a job.”

She tasted blood from where she bit her lip. “Did you tell him where we are?”

Josie shook her head. “Gabe came in and I hung up.”

“You shouldn’t be in here, Jos.”

“I wouldn’t have to be in here if you’d let me use the phone.”

“I told you. Dad’s in—”

“Dad said that was bullshit. That you’re a liar and a—”

“Watch your mouth!”

“Liar! Liar, liar, liar!” Josie leaped off the bed and threw herself against Delia, pushing at her and slapping her legs. “I hate you! I hate you!” she screamed.

“Stop it, Josie. Stop it.” Delia tried to grab her daughter’s hands. But Josie was quick and a year of anger gave her superstrength and Delia’s legs stung from her daughter’s fists.

“I want to go home. I want my Daddy.”

“Jos, your father is in—”

“Why do you keep lying to me? Dad said he’s not in any trouble. That he wasn’t at a convention. He’s waiting for me, Mom. He misses me.”

“I’m sure he does. But we still can’t go home—”

Josie shoved again and Delia toppled against the closed door. “Why? Why are you saying that?”

Frustration and fear bubbled over and spilled across the room. “Because your father is a bad man, Josie!” Delia cried. “He’s hurt a lot of people.”

“Who?”

“Well, those families in the van who died in the desert.

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