Page 97 of The Banned Books Club

“Because Sheldon’s finally realized she’s gone for good, unless he can find her, and he can’t find her. He’s reached maximum frustration and fury and has been getting increasingly threatening and aggressive.”

“He has?” Leo asked.

Gia hadn’t been showing them the stuff Sheldon had been sending her, but today he’d texted her a Halloween gif featuring the Grim Reaper cutting off someone’s head. “He is,” she confirmed. He certainly hadn’t sent that to her as a joke.

Ida’s eyes filled with concern. “Should we go to the police? Get a restraining order against him?”

“We might have to,” Gia said. “I haven’t done that so far because I want to hear what he has to say just in case some small piece of it turns out to be meaningful—something I can pass on to Margot, if I ever get the opportunity.”

“Did you hear Sandra Richey tonight, when she came with her kids?” her mother asked.

Sandra was Ida’s hairdresser and had been in business for so long she had quite a long list of clientele. “No,” Gia replied. “What’d she say?”

“His folks are hiring a private investigator.”

Shit. “That makes me nervous,” she admitted. “See? Margot is smart not to leave a trail for Sheldon—or anyone he hires—to follow.”

“It’s probably for the best,” Leo concurred.

Fresh tears slipped down her mother’s cheeks, but she nodded. “I’m exhausted. I’d better get to bed.”

Gia cleaned while Leo helped Ida up the stairs. She’d just finished and was about to go to bed herself when a vehicle turned into the drive. She couldn’t see the make or model or who was driving it—the headlights were glaring through the kitchen window, blinding her—but it was easy to guess when the lights flashed brighter and the vehicle just sat there.

Gia picked up her phone and punched in 9-1-1 in case she had to call for help. And she almost pressed Send when Sheldon revved his engine, then popped the transmission into Drive and the truck lurched forward as if he’d smash right through the wall.

He slammed on his brakes at the last second only to back onto the grass and spin out, leaving deep ruts through their front lawn.

Determined to get a video that showed his license plate number so she could use it to get a restraining order, Gia ran outside. But the only thing she captured was his red taillights as he rocketed away. “You bastard!” Gia yelled. “No wonder she left you!”

Since it was Edith’s birthday, Cormac had agreed to meet his sisters and their husbands for a drink at Vivian’s, a local restaurant, while Sharon watched the kids. Cormac was tired. He’d been up late last night at a Halloween party with Tyler Jenkins and some of his other buddies, and he had to work in the morning. So he wasn’t really excited about going out again. But this was the first time they’d all be together since they’d realized that their father had indeed molested Gia, and he felt they could use the chance to smooth over some of the cracks that’d developed in their relationships.

So far, most of the conversation had revolved around his niece and two nephews. Cormac ordered a beer and simply listened until Dan started telling him he thought their Corkie was getting another cyst. Cormac told him to bring the dog to the clinic so he could take a look, then slid over to make room at the table when Ruth showed up. No one had told him she’d been invited to join them, but it was Edith’s birthday—she certainly had the prerogative to invite who she wanted—and he considered Ruth a welcome addition when she brought up Gia almost straightaway. He was far more interested in a conversation that involved her than any other topic.

“Have you heard the latest with Gia?” Ruth asked.

Louisa sent her a baleful look. “Whatever it is, please tell us it has nothing to do with our dad...”

“No, nothing to do with him,” Ruth said.

“Then what’s the latest?” Edith asked.

Ruth lowered her voice. “She’s trying to get a restraining order against her brother-in-law.”

Cormac hid his surprise. He knew better than to say anything about Gia—or show much concern in front of his sisters.

Fortunately, Louisa responded the way he wanted to respond himself. “Why would she need a restraining order? What’s he been doing?”

Ruth sent Cormac a tentative smile. He could tell she was trying to read how he felt about this information, probably because she’d heard from Edith that he’d been sleeping with Gia. Over the past couple of years, Ruth had made it obvious that she was attracted to him—so obvious it sometimes made him uncomfortable—so he conjured what he hoped was a neutral smile, trying to walk the thin line between being nice and giving her false hope.

“I guess he’s furious about Margot running off and won’t believe they don’t know where she is,” she replied as she returned her gaze to Louisa. “So he keeps harassing them.”

At this point, Cormac couldn’t resist speaking up. “In what way?”

“Damaging their lawn. Texting threatening messages. Shooting up their garbage can—”

“He shot up their garbage can?” Victor broke in.

“Well, no one actually saw him do it,” she said. “But Sammie told me Gia’s convinced it was him. She saw him peel out on their lawn last night.”

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