Page 114

He took her hand and then he took Shawn’s and they stood up.

“Del.”

“There’s nothing I can do,” he said, close to tears himself.

I lowered my head and stood back so he could walk them out. I was a coward. I didn’t go out with him. I remained in the house and waited. Finally, curious as to why it was taking so long, I opened the door just as Del was waving good-bye to the kids. My body felt like it had turned to stone. He lowered his head and then, instead of returning to the house, he started down the street.

“Del!” I cried after him. He did not turn back. He kept walking.

I started after him, but when I reached the sidewalk, a police car pulled up and two patrolmen and Tomkins stepped out. Tomkins, without so much as glancing at me, went directly to the SUV and got in.

“Teal Sommers?” the policeman who had been driving asked.

Tomkins started the SUV and drove off.

“I said, Teal Sommers?” the policeman repeated with annoyance.

Here we go again, I thought.

“What if I say no?” I asked. “Will you leave me alone?”

“Believe me, young lady, we have a great deal more important things to do than chase after a spoiled brat. Get in the car,” he ordered.

I looked down the street.

Del turned the corner and was gone.

I didn’t know it then, but as far as I was concerned, he was gone forever.

11

The Court of Last Resort

Ao my surprise, the police did not take me to the police station this time. They took me directly home. Now I understood what the driver meant when he said they had more important things to do than chase after a spoiled brat. Daddy had used his political influence to arrange all this.

I saw the SUV parked in front, but no sign of Tomkins. It was only then that I remembered the manila envelope containing all the money had been between the driver’s and passenger’s front seats. I wondered if it was still there. If it was, I might be able to get it back in his safe and have my father believe I had done nothing wrong, but only taken the car without his permission again.

Carson opened the front door for us as we stepped up to it.

“My father wanted me to thank you for him,” he told the policemen without looking at me. It was almost as if I wasn’t there.

“No problem,” the driver said. He glanced at me, and then the two of them returned to their car.

“Just go to Dad’s office,” Carson ordered. He stood back for me to enter.

“Where’s Mommy?” I asked.

“Just go to Dad’s office,” he repeated.

“Thanks, Carson,” I muttered, and walked down the corridor.

I noticed that the maids weren’t working. I heard no vacuum cleaner going, no dishes being washed, no sounds of anyone in any of the rooms. Daddy’s den door was opened slightly. I hesitated, took a deep breath, set my mind on how I would act and plead, and then entered.

He was sitting with his back to the door, gazing out the window.

“Daddy?” I said.

At first I thought he wasn’t going to turn around at all, but finally, he did, very slowly. He looked at me for the longest time without speaking. His face was oddly complacent, calm. His eyes did not have their usual red rage shining on me.