Page 124 of When the Smoke Clears

“I’m not there. I’m in San Antonio.”

“Is anyone else at the house?” he asks, his tone remaining calm and insistent. This is exactly why my number is the primary, because I’m usually the one there. For once, I’m not.

“I don’t know. My husband might be there.”

“I’ll dispatch the fire department immediately.”

“Thank you.” I hang up before the man says anything else, dialing Alan. I haven’t decided if I care if he burns to a crisp inside the house or not, but auto-pilot directs my actions.

The phone rings three times before he answers. “Did your daughter try to burn my fucking house down, Stephanie?”

His question catches me off-guard, but I don’t have a chance to respond before he continues in a condescending tone. “She and her boyfriend threatened me, you know. If she thought I was going to sue her for every penny she has before, she’s in deep fucking water now.”

I open my mouth to respond, but he continues to spit anger down the line. I’m not convinced he even knows or cares if I’m still on the phone. “She’s going to jail, Stephanie. That little slut is going to jail. Murder. Arson. The judge will throw the book at her. She’ll never see the light of day again.”

Alan’s always had high standards for Maci, commented on her clothing choices, how much time she spent out, her attitude. But he’s never said such a disgusting thing about her. Not to me. Even the night they argued in our kitchen and she pulled a knife on him, he still pushed for the police and talked about her needing psychiatric help. Never something like this.

“I could have died! I probably have lung damage from smoke inhalation!” He’s roaring now. “It’s nothing but sticks now, Stephanie. There’s nothing left!”

Serves him right.

I wonder briefly if Kathryn did, in fact, burn his clothes? Has she kept our conversation under wraps?

Suddenly, the last ten years of bullshit that I’ve put up with rains down on me.

“You stupid prick. You have no idea what you’ve started. It’s too bad you didn’t burn to death in that house. You think this isn’t over because you’re not done with Maci? No. This isn’t over because I’m not done with you.”

I hang up before he can respond. I’d much rather he were bacon right now.

Chapter 46

Maci

“Youguysarecomingtoday right? Ihaveto get photos of Vivi in front of the gingerbread house.”

Sammi and I are seated in The Big House living room, with Viviane playing on the floor. She stands and walks along the edge of the couch between the two of us every few minutes before finding a toy to distract herself with.

Sutton is with the ranch hands and Justin is taking the opportunity to sleep in.

“So you picked up my brother’s nickname for her,” Sammi says to me with a grin. Their faces are strikingly similar, and also completely different.

My cheeks heat. “I guess I did.”

“We’ll try to stop by. We’re supposed to drop by some friends of ours today, too.” Viviane stands again, finding her mom with a toothy grin, and Sammi brushes her dark hair from her eyes.

Andi pads in from the kitchen with coffee in hand, tucking herself onto her chair under the reading lamp.

“You want to sit with Memaw?” she coos down at Viviane.

Viviane looks up at her with a smile but goes back to banging her toys together.

My phone rings and I’m surprised to see Stephanie’s name. I wish I had a clearer idea of where things stand with us, but that hasn’t happened yet. We do need to discuss Alan, though. “Sorry, I need to take this.”

Sammi and Andi wave me off and I answer the phone as I head down the hallway to the front door. “Good morning.”

“Maci, where are you?” Stephanie’s voice is tight, but in a different way than usual. She’s not quite breathless but obviously concerned.

“I’m at Sutton’s ranch.” My tone is questioning, and I look around the acreage for a sign of something.

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