Chapter 7 - What Their Father Was Hiding)
Robert left Shannon's house without explaining.
That irritated her more than if he had simply admitted he knew something.
"Dad."
He stopped at the front door.
"You recognize the company."
"I said I don't know anything."
"That's not the same thing."
Robert rubbed his forehead.
"Shannon, it's late."
"It's eight-fifteen."
"I need to talk to your mother."
"About Fiona?"
"About several things."
"Does one of those things involve my house?"
His silence lasted one second too long.
Shannon stepped closer.
"What happened?"
"Nothing happened."
"Then why are you acting like this?"
Robert glanced toward the driveway.
"I don't want to say something before I know the facts."
"Then tell me what facts you're missing."
He shook his head.
"Tomorrow."
"Dad."
"Please."
Shannon hated the word because it sounded too much like all the other requests that had kept her quiet.
But Robert looked genuinely shaken.
She let him leave.
Fiona returned with the children forty minutes later.
She carried shopping bags.
Shannon noticed immediately.
Not groceries.
Clothes.
"Did you go shopping?" Shannon asked.
Fiona looked at her.
"Is that illegal now?"
"No."
"Good."
She walked toward the stairs.
Shannon followed.
"Did you use my card?"
Fiona stopped.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
Fiona turned slowly.
"What is wrong with you?"
"I'm asking."
"You're obsessed."
"Did you?"
"No."
"Okay."
Fiona took another step.
Shannon said:
"I called Desert Title."
Fiona froze.
Barely.
But enough.
Then she turned.
"And?"
Shannon studied her face.
"They wouldn't tell me what you paid them for."
Fiona laughed.
"So you admit you're investigating me."
"You used my credit card."
"I paid you back."
"No, you didn't."
"Then add it to your precious spreadsheet."
"What were the documents?"
"Divorce stuff."
"What kind?"
"None of your business."
"Did they involve this house?"
Fiona's eyes narrowed.
"You're paranoid."
"That's not an answer."
"No, Shannon. I did not steal your house."
"I didn't say you did."
"You were thinking it."
Actually, Shannon hadn't been.
Not exactly.
The idea sounded absurd.
Still, Fiona had supplied it herself.
"I want you to show me what the payment was for."
"No."
"Then your thirty days becomes fourteen."
Fiona stared.
"You can't change the deadline."
"It's my house."
Something dangerous flashed across Fiona's face.
Then it disappeared.
"You love saying that."
"I've barely said it for eighteen months."
"Maybe that's the problem."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Fiona stepped closer.
"You think because you signed some papers and got lucky with a mortgage rate, you're better than everyone."
"I worked for the down payment."
"So?"
"So I bought the house."
"While I was raising children."
Shannon almost laughed.
"What does one have to do with the other?"
"Everything came easier for you."
"No. It came differently."
"You don't understand responsibility."
That sentence stunned Shannon into silence.
Fiona saw it and continued.
"You go to work. You come home. That's your life. You have no idea what it's like to have three people depending on you."
Shannon's voice became very quiet.
"Four people have been depending on me."
Fiona's face tightened.
Before she could respond, Noah appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Mom?"
Both women stopped.
Noah looked uncomfortable.
"Eli can't find his medicine."
Fiona immediately turned.
"I'll come."
She walked upstairs.
Shannon remained below.
The conversation followed her into the night.
Not because of Fiona's accusations.
Because of the receipt.
And Robert's face.
At 11:30, Shannon searched through old emails.
She found another strange detail.
Four months earlier, Robert had sent her a message asking for a copy of her homeowner's insurance declaration page.
At the time, he'd claimed an insurance agent wanted to compare rates.
Shannon had sent it without thinking.
Now she searched the attachment.
It contained the property address.
Mortgage company.
Policy number.
Shannon sat upright.
She called Robert.
No answer.
She called again.
Nothing.
At midnight, Elaine called instead.
"What did you say to your father?"
Shannon closed her eyes.
"Hi, Mom."
"He's pacing around the house like someone died."
"Ask him."
"He says he needs to sleep."
"Then let him."
"Shannon."
"What?"
"Are you really giving Fiona only thirty days?"
"Yes."
"She has children."
"We've covered this."
"Your father thinks the agreement is reasonable."
That surprised Shannon.
"He said that?"
"Yes, and I don't understand what has gotten into both of you."
"Maybe facts."
Elaine exhaled sharply.
"I won't be spoken to like this."
"Then we can talk tomorrow."
Before ending the call, Shannon asked one question.
"Mom, have you ever heard of Desert Title Document Services?"
Silence.
Shannon sat straighter.
"Mom?"
Elaine's answer came slowly.
"No."
It was the second bad lie Shannon heard from a parent that night.
May you like
By morning, she was no longer wondering whether her family knew something.
She was wondering what they had all agreed not to tell her.
