Page 65 of Cougar Point

“Are you making any headway on the ransom?” It’s gone from two million to ten because he probably asked for proof of life. Look how well that worked out.

“I’ll get it. Now, leave me alone.”

I leave him in his denial. He’s from a different world and I can’t show him the way back to mine. He has to find it for himself. I just hope when he comes to his senses it won’t be too late.

The last threatening phone call has me worried that it’s already too late.

FORTY-FOUR

Ronnie and Rebecca are in the kitchen when I walk in with Jack. He seems to come to a decision and turns to face me.

“I’d like to talk to my daughters alone.”

“No way,” Ronnie says. “Sit. Talk. Now.”

Rebecca takes him by the arm and leads him to the table where he sits and puts his head in his hands. “I guess you’ll want the truth.”

“Damn straight. Everything. Now!” Ronnie says. I’ve created a monster. I’m so proud of her.

Jack takes a deep breath and begins. “Your mom is filing for divorce. She’s been unhappy for some time now and she gave me an ultimatum. Change, or she would leave me. I didn’t know what to do so I called her bluff. That’s why she wanted to take you to the resort. She was going to tell you.”

The sisters stare at him in disbelief. Or they believe but are hurt and disappointed and fighting back accusations. I’m not one of the family so I ask, “What did she mean by ‘change’? Change what?”

For a long moment I don’t think he’s going to answer. It’s none of my business, but I know Ronnie would have asked if she wasn’t so shocked by his revelation.

“The usual stuff,” Jack says, like that’s an answer.

Rebecca shakes her head. “What was the ultimatum, Dad?”

Ronnie says, “We’re waiting, Dad.”

“It’s not about money,” he says. “Well, not entirely. We’ve reached a point in our marriage where we’ve become comfortable with each other. Or at least that’s what I thought was going on when we stopped talking. We stopped spending time together. Stopped almost everything. She wants me to be someone I haven’t been in a very long time. We don’t even sleep in the same room anymore.”

I cringe. I hope he doesn’t bring up their sex life again. He doesn’t.

“She wants me to retire. Sell the business. Stay home. Spend more time as a family. Go on vacations. I told her we go on vacations, but she said what we do isn’t a family vacation. She’s right. We go and I spend my time on the phone running the business. It has grown too much for me to handle alone. I was making a place for my daughters to take over the company.”

“He’s making excuses, Rebecca,” Ronnie says.

Rebecca nods. “I know it will be hard for Dad to slow down, but it sounds reasonable that Mom wants you to be home. You deserve a retirement. You and Mom.”

“Well, you know I could never do that. Retire. I’d go crazy. Can you imagine me without my job. What would I do? I don’t have any hobbies or talents like your mom does. I don’t believe in charity work. I’ve fought for everything I have. No one handed me anything. You girls are where you are because of our hard work and sacrifices. Your mom and I have given you everything you wanted.”

The sisters are quiet but they never take their eyes away from Jack’s. I say, “So you told her you would never retire.”

He nods and looks away from his daughters. “She would never divorce me. Or that’s what I thought. When I found outshe’d talked to an attorney, I woke up and realized I love her too much to let that happen. I wanted to make things right. I tried to talk to her but she put me off. Said she had to have time to herself. That’s when she took you to the resort. I guess she was going to discuss it with you. Get your opinion. I was scared she would leave me. And then I got angry. I received a phone call the morning she went missing. I didn’t recognize the voice but it wasn’t disguised like the one Rebecca received. The man’s voice said they had taken my wife. He said ‘they.’ He warned me not to tell the police or call anyone, but I thought it was a prank until Rebecca called me and asked if her mom was here. Then you came home—alone—and told me what had happened. By then it was too late. I’d called the sheriff. After you showed me the note you found at the resort I knew who wrote it. I called the sheriff again and he sent Sergeant Lucas to talk to me. I told Lucas what happened. I gave him Vinnie’s name. He was familiar with Vinnie. He said he would find him.”

His face stiffens and he’s having trouble with his words. “I made a terrible…mistake. Decision. When you called your sister, I panicked. I had already been talking with SergeantLucas. And then you two show up.”

He means me and Ronnie. I think he should have been more worried when he talked to Lucas. At least we are doing something.

He says, “I called Lucas and asked him what I should do. He said to try to discourage you from getting involved. But of course I knew you’d keep at it. How could a daughter of mine not?”

Ronnie asks, “What did the caller say exactly?”

With a distant look in his eyes he says, “The first call was a man who asked if I knew where Victoria was. I don’t have time for foolish pranks and so I told him not to call here again and was about to hang up. Then he said she wasn’t at the resort. Shewas with them. Don’t call the police. That kind of stuff. He said he’d stay in touch.”

“Nothing else?” I ask.

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