Page 44 of The Me I Left Behind

But didn’t they all?

She didn’t blame him. That was a tough night, to say the least—but all that was in the past. “What time is the movie?”

“We might miss it at this point.” He fished his cell phone out of his jeans pocket and glanced at the time. “I think she’s mad at me, Mrs. Oliver.”

“Oh?” Carol being mad wasn’t a good sign.Poor kid.“Don’t you think it’s about time you called me Maggie?”

His eyes widened, but he said nothing.

“Tyler?”

“My mother always taught me to say Mrs. and Mr.”

Maggie nodded. “I see. Well. Come on into the kitchen, let’s wait for her there. How about a pop or something?”

“Sure.” Tyler glanced up the empty stairs. Still no Carol.

In the kitchen, Maggie pulled a canned drink out of the refrigerator. “Root beer okay? I have other flavors in the garage fridge.”

“This is great. Thanks.” He laid his cell phone face down on the kitchen island and sat on a tall bar stool.

Maggie leaned in, her elbows on the island, facing Tyler. “I respect what your mother has taught you, Tyler, but you’ve been around for a few months now, so calling me Maggie is fine with me. In fact, I prefer it, if you don’t mind. Especially since Mr. Oliver and I are getting a divorce.

Tyler took a drink and nodded. “Okay.”

“Good.”

“Carol told me you all were splitting up.”

He looked uncertain, like he questioned whether he should have mentioned that. Maggie studied him for a few seconds. “I’m glad she talked to you about it. That she has someone to talk to. Is she upset?”

He shook his head. “Doesn’t seem to be—about the divorce, I mean. She’s really mad at her dad, though.” He paused, jerking his gaze away from hers. “Really mad.”

I wonder how much he knows?“Yes, I know.” She paused for a moment, then said, “Tyler, that night… I’m sorry youwitnessed what you did, but I am thankful to you for getting Carol out of there. You were very brave.”

He stared ahead, glancing briefly at her. “She was really upset that night. Worried about you.”

“I’m sure she was.” Maggie jerked a quick nod. “I’m sorry I haven’t thanked you before now.”

“I don’t think any of us wanted to talk about it.”

He met her gaze then, and Maggie understood. “I think you are right.”

“I’m glad we tripped the house alarm, and then called 9-1-1, and that the cops came fast.”

Yes, so am I.“You did the right thing.”

What Tyler didn’t know—what none of the kids knew—was that Max had slipped out the back before the police officers got inside and found her upstairs. He would have been jailed and charged, had they gotten to him, but Max was slick. Always was. He’d parked his rental car on the next block, apparently drove straight to his waiting charter jet, and was off to Los Angeles, and then Australia—where they couldn’t touch him.

Bastard.

She’d contemplated pressing charges—but Julia warned her that nothing would come of it. If anything, they might use the threat of pressing charges as a bargaining chip in the custody settlement. An arrest warrant could keep him out of the states.

And honestly? Anything that would keep Max out of the country was fine with her.

There were so many times over the past months where she’d repeatedly replayed the scene in Carol’s bedroom over in her head. Had he intended to kill her that night? If he had, it would have made his life easier. Right?

Tyler spoke again, halting her spinning thoughts. “I try to calm her down when she gets upset about him.”