Page 79 of The Banned Books Club

“We don’t have one, either,” Leo volunteered, speaking for himself and Ida.

Peggy reached into her purse and pulled out a key she showed them. “Sheldon gave me this years ago when they were going to be gone and he needed to me to take care of the hamsters—before they became class pets at school. But it hasn’t worked for months.”

Gia knew why. Margot had mentioned that her in-laws would let themselves in at will, even if she wasn’t home. Usually, it was to leave food or return something Sheldon or the boys had forgotten at their house, which was a nice thing, but the invasion of privacy made Margot uncomfortable. Gia would’ve simply asked for the key back, but Margot had been afraid it would start an argument, so she’d prevailed upon Sheldon to change the locks. She’d been proud of that win, since he hadn’t wanted to do it. He’d seen no need for it, thought she was being ridiculous. But she’d said he’d grown tired of her complaints. “Maybe they lost a spare and had to change the locks,” she suggested.

Peggy dropped it back in her purse. “Regardless of the reason, this key no longer works, and I need to get in.”

Gia had broken a window, but if they hadn’t noticed that yet, she wasn’t about to make them aware of it. She intended to impede their search, draw it out as long as possible, to give her sister time to think things through and, hopefully, come back before this situation got any more out of hand. “I wish I knew how,” she said. “Have you tried calling Margot?”

“Many times,” Peggy replied. “So has Sheldon. Even the school has tried. The boys didn’t show up for class this morning, and Matthew had a book report due.”

Gia had her sister’s phone in a drawer in her bedroom, but that was her little secret. “It’s not like Margot to let him miss something like that.”

“Exactly,” Peggy said. “Something’s wrong. I hate to say this, but...I think she’s run off.”

“Run off?” Gia echoed, her stomach cramping as she realized that it was probably already too late to have this end peacefully.

Peggy pursed her lips, moving them only slightly as she said, “I think she’s leaving Sheldon and taking the kids.”

“Why would she do that when he treats her so well?” Gia knew even as she said it that she was going too far, and the hostile expression on Margot’s in-laws’ faces told her they’d picked up on the sarcasm.

“Hedidtreat her good,” Ron insisted. “He’s worked his ass off to support her and those boys!”

Gia couldn’t help coming right back at him. “She never asked him to be the sole breadwinner. That washisidea of what a marriage should look like, not hers. If you ask me, she needed to work, needed an outlet where she associated with other adults on occasion and she could earn a little money of her own. But he was determined to retain absolute control—of her and their finances.”

Peggy’s eyes flashed with anger. “You know where she is, don’t you? You’re behind this. You’re the reason she finally got the nerve to go.”

Gia felt her jaw drop. “I had nothing to do with it! I didn’t even know she was going to leave. And I don’t know exactly why she did,ifshe did, but it could be because of the affair he’s having with his ex-girlfriend, right? Have you heard about that?”

“What affair?” Ron asked, grimacing to show his skepticism.

“Youhaven’theard?” Gia asked. “He’s been seen all over town with Cece Sonderman. Everyone’s talking about it.”

Peggy touched her husband’s arm to let him know she wanted the floor. “I’ve heard those rumors, too. And I’ve spoken to Sheldon about them. He’s assured me that he and Cece are only friends.”

“And you believe him?” Gia scoffed. “You think he’d tell you if he was cheating?”

Peggy’s glower darkened. “My son has never been a liar. He’s not a cheater, either. And Margot needs to believe that. That’s why we have to find her—to tell her she’s making a big mistake. So...where is she?”

Gia threw up her hands. “I don’t know!”

“She can’t just leave!” Ron said.

“I guess she can, since it looks like she has,” Gia said. “But there must be a good reason for it. No woman—not someone like Margot, anyway—takes her kids and runs away because it sounds like fun.”

Rob’s eyebrows knitted into one long, scruffy gray line. “You have no idea what you’ve started.”

His threatening tone sparked Gia’s temper. “I haven’t started anything! But I know my sister. She would not have left unless she felt she had no other choice—and if you try to make this all her fault or hurt her in any way, you’ll find out very quickly that she’s got family to support her. It’s between her and Sheldon. It has nothing to do with you.”

Peggy gritted her teeth. “It haseverythingto do with us,” she argued. “Those boys are our grandchildren. She’d better bring them back, or she’ll have hell to pay!”

She whirled around to leave, and Ron followed her out without so much as closing the slider behind them.

“Oh, my God,” Leo said. “This can’t be happening. Not right now.”

Gia closed and locked the door. “I know, but it’s about time Margot fought back. Now that she’s left Sheldon, we’ll help her through it. I’m not going to let that bastard get away with anything else.”

He hardly looked comforted. “You think the marriage is over?”

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