Chapter 6
_____________________________________
Thursday, December 9
I got to the pit around 8:00 a.m. on Thursday. The weather was warmer that morning, around seven or eight degrees. Joe was there. As usual, we were the first ones on site.
“Day six. I wonder, will Leo end this today? How long can he sustain all this? Lesser men would have walked out days ago. I’m thinking of their attack last night. Only made him more determined. I wonder what he’s drawing on to continue? I guess we’ll never know. With every window that can be reached by the robot beat out, and the temperature hovering around zero degrees Celsius nearly every night since this started, and with a northerly gale blowing four of the last six nights, bringing the temperature to a couple of degrees below freezing . . . I’d say it is close to hell, if ever there is such a place.”
“Dutch, that kind of sums up the situation Leo is in.”
“Joe, how did you sleep?”
“Not good. Every time I closed my eyes, all I kept seeing was smoke rising. And bangs going off in my head. I must’ve woken up eight or ten times. I saw that green house in my head a hundred times last night. And every time I saw it, it was on fire. I hope they don’t try that again. They couldn’t get in the first time. Their chances of getting in after their first try most likely will be futile. What about you? You sleep well?”
“Joe, I sleep well every night. I get eight to nine hours of sleep. I need that much sleep. If not, I start to go downhill. But this standoff is starting to cut into it. I’m not used to these early mornings. Last time I was getting up this early I was still working on the Terra Nova FPSO. The good old days.”
“Dutch, it was only five years ago that you worked offshore. The way you talk, it’s like it was forty years ago.”
“Well, Joe, it bloody well feels like it. Since I got this damn back injury, time is flying. Five years seems like twenty-five.”
“Dutch, what does FPSO stand for? I’ve always wondered.”
“It means floating production, storage and off-loading vessel.”
“Okay. I may have heard it before, but forgot.”
“We had another name for it. Floating piece of shit offshore. We weren’t allowed to say it when we were aboard the boat. The higher-ups on board used to get mad at us for saying it. And the crowd in the Scotiabank building downtown. We said it anyway. We didn’t give a fuck.
“Joe, turn on the radio, put it on VOCM. Guaranteed they’ll have something on about the failed assault on the house last night.”
“Why? You think there was a reporter around that late?”
“Guaranteed that fellow from the Telegram was down by Uncle Tom’s. Joe, as I lay in bed last night after I went home, I started thinking that I couldn’t believe what we saw. Man, that was like war. It had all the makings of a military action. The flash bombs, the smoke bombs. The blue flame flashing from the fired gun.”
“Yes, Dutch, it was wild.”
“We only saw it. I wonder what it was like for Leo to live through it?”
“I know his nerves are not shaky this morning. But I pray he is okay. I can’t wait to talk to him. I know he won’t have some story to tell.”
“Joe, as I’ve said many times since this started, he’ll write a book about all this. It will most likely be a bestseller in Newfoundland and Labrador. And he’s the fellow to write it. He has the smarts to do it.”
“Dutch, when we went to school he was a brain. Always in the top three for marks in the whole class, in every subject. It was common to see him get the highest mark in two or three tests in a row. He’ll have no trouble writing his story about all this.”
“Be all right for him to make a few dollars on this. At least that will be the only good thing to come out of all this. I’ve seen nothing any good so far, other than what I would call training for the SWAT team members. Sure, Joe, if you tried to write a screwed-up story concerning police, wouldn’t this be that story? You couldn’t have written anything better. Police arrive to arrest a man on a domestic dispute charge, and here we are six days later with the man in question still not arrested. Sounds like a Newfie joke.”
“You never know. That’s probably why they brought in cops from the other provinces. To let the rookies experience what it is like to be involved in the real thing.”
“This standoff could be the basis for a manual on how not to detain a person. Or extricate them from a house. Should be mandatory reading for all new recruits, and also for the most senior leaders of all police forces in Newfoundland. And Canada, for that matter.
“Here we are, day six. Tomorrow will make it a full week. Seven days. I say it almost every day: who ever thought that we would be here two days, three days, four days, five days—and now the sixth day of this standoff? And with their major takedown that didn’t go as they had planned.
“Let’s dart into Vincie Crane’s and grab a coffee and the newspaper.”
“Dutch, the paper is probably not delivered on the Shore yet.”
“Okay. Keep an eye on the van that delivers it. It will pass here in the next hour or so. It’s white, a Chevy, I believe.”
“I wonder how many people actually witnessed what we saw last night? Be interesting to talk to a few around the harbour today to get a feel for how many actually saw it.”
“Well, there was no one here with us last night. And this is one of, if not the best, spots in the harbour to view Leo’s house. So, I’m betting very few saw it.”
“Well, Dutch, it wasn’t really late.”
“No, but you look at how many people have to get up and go to work in the morning. Most of the harbour works in St. John’s. So most people were in the sack early. We seem to be the only two who are on the go late every night. So you would be surprised how many people missed that last night.”
“Too bad, as we’ll never get to see anything like that again in our lifetime. That is, unless they try the same thing again tonight.”
“Joe, I hope for Leo’s sake that they don’t try something like that again. I don’t ever want to see what I saw last night. I had a knot in my stomach when that was going on, a knot that would kill a moose. I can only imagine what you were feeling, you being closer to Leo’s age, and someone who beat around with him.
“They tried it and it didn’t work. So why would it work the second time?”
“Good point.”
“They have to come up with something better than that. They’re racking their brains as to why this great master plan failed. I guess one of the generals that they brought in from the Maritimes came up with that idea. I’d love to be down to the town hall this morning to hear them discuss what went wrong last night. And to hear what they’re planning for next. I’d say they huddled around the table like General Schwarzkopf—‘Stormin’ Norman’—and Colin Powell and their team when they were devising a plan to defeat the Iraqis. To drive them out of Kuwait. A plan that was flawless.”
“Well, the plan last night wasn’t flawless. It had many flaws in it. And we’re not privy to what exactly went wrong. We’re only looking at this from afar.”
“I guess they’ll have to bring someone else in from Nova Scotia or New Brunswick to come up with another plan. Plan number two. Hope it’s better than the one last night. Why couldn’t they leave this to the RCMP members here in the province? Even to the cowboys in Ferryland. The rest of Canada always thinks us Newfoundlanders can’t do anything on our own. ‘Quick, send help down to Newfoundland and Labrador, they need it.’ I say fuck off, Canada, and leave us the fuck alone, we can fix our own goddamn problems. They ruined our cod fishery.”
“Yes.”
“Ottawa deserves all the credit for that. Actually, Mulroney, to be exact.”
“Dutch, I’m a big Tory. Have been all my life, and will die a Tory. But I have to agree with what you just said.
“I wonder what they’ll come up with today to try tonight? You mark it down, they’ll try something. And it will be different than last night’s plan.”
“But Joe, the question is, what?”
“I have no idea, Dutch. I’m not an expert in getting people out of houses who don’t want to come out.”
“And it seems they aren’t, either. If they had talked to a few local townspeople when this all started, we wouldn’t be here now. I said that earlier in the week, Joe. They jumped the gun. And when it all got going they couldn’t stop it. It’s like a runaway train. The longer it’s going, the harder it is to stop. And the million-dollar question is, what will end this standoff? Who knows? Not me.”
“Me neither, Dutch.”
“Joe, you see that car coming up the top road?”
“Yes.”
“That’s the Telegram reporter that’s been hanging around Uncle Tom’s all week. Guaranteed he’s coming up to ask us about last night’s assault on the house. Joe, say nothing. We agreed when this started to say nothing to the media until this is over.”
“Dutch, don’t worry. I won’t open my mouth. Where did he park?”
“He’s close to the rim of the pit. He’s walking up the road there now.”
The reporter walked up to the side of Joe’s SUV. Joe wound down the window.
“Hello, men. How are you doing this morning?”
“Good, mate, and you?”
“Fine, thanks. I hear from a few of the locals that there was a lot of excitement over at the Crockwell residence late last night. I missed it. I had to leave around seven last evening to get my story in for today’s edition. Some of the locals down the road there suggested that I come up to talk to the two of you. They said that the two of you were most likely here last night when it went down.
“So, is it true? Were you here and did you witness the assault?”
“No comment.”
“Come on, boys. Give me a break, give me a little tidbit. Please. Something for me to start my story for today.”
“Sorry, we’re not saying anything until this is over.”
“Why?”
“Well, why? We’re both good friends of Leo’s. And we’re not adding anything to this story until it’s over.”
“Everyone in this community is some guarded when it comes to talking about one of their own.”
“Yes, we are. We are tight-knit. We’re not adding anything to this story. The cops seem to be doing a good job on their own.”
“The first day this standoff started, a woman and her husband welcomed me into their home for coffee and sandwiches. They told me to come back anytime during the day for a refill or to use their washroom. Some of the nicest people I have ever met.”
“You want a coffee? Hop in, I’ll bring you to my house for a free java. But you’ll get nothing out of me on my friend Leo. Listen, I’ll give you the shirt off my back. Or my brother Joe’s, for that matter. But we will not incriminate one of our own.”
“I promise I won’t use your names.”
“I heard that before from the media. A reporter promised me one time that they wouldn’t use my name in an interview I did. And lo and behold, whose name was attached to the story when it broke the next day? Mine. So, I learned my lesson with the media.”
“Come on, boys. Please. Do you know how hard it is to get someone to talk about Leo?”
“I’ll tell you why no one is saying anything. Because everyone in this community knows him and respects him. So that’s why no one will say anything.”
“Can I quote you on that?”
“No!”
“They say it was wild over there last night.”
“No comment.”
“Okay, I get the hint. I may track the two of you down when this is over.”
“If you wish.”
“Can I have your names?”
“No. You have a good day, sir. I have to wind up my window now, I’m getting cold.”
We watched the reporter walk back to his vehicle and drive down the top road to Uncle Tom’s.
“Dutch, wasn’t he some persistent?”
“Joe, they’re all like that. Actually, he was good. Some of them you can’t get rid of. Well, he wasn’t too bad. He took the hint when we gave it to him. You wait and see, he’ll be back sometime today to torment us again. He’ll get about the same amount of information that he just got.”
“Okay, let’s go to Vincie Crane’s. Let’s move. The newspaper is definitely in by now.”
We went to Vincie’s and Joe got our coffees. When we got back to the pit I told Joe I’d been talking to Jeff on the phone while he was in Vincie’s.
“What was Jeff saying, Dutch?”
“Not a lot. He couldn’t believe what I told him about their attack on the house last night. Said he can’t wait to finish school tomorrow afternoon for the weekend. Said he’ll be like us, here nearly full-time.”
“Could be over by then.”
“The rate it’s going, I don’t know. I wouldn’t bet on it, Joe.”
“Too bad more people from the harbour never saw what we saw last night.”
“Yes. Too bad the TV cameras weren’t here to see what we saw.
“They’re never around when you want them. They’re like the cops. When you need one, there is not one to find. And when you don’t want one, you’re kicking them from under your feet.
“Joe, I can hardly see Leo’s, the fog is so thick. And can you smell the salt water? I love that smell. One thing I missed when I lived in Toronto. When I used to return from Toronto, the second you got off the plane in Torbay you could smell that salt air. It used to make me smile. Late in the year to smell the ocean, but I guess with the temperature after warming up, and the fog . . .”
“Dutch, I noticed that when I came out this morning that the temperature had risen.”
“I hope this lifts. If not, we’re not going to see much across the harbour today. This scope and these binoculars might be good, but they haven’t made them yet that lets you see through fog. Any idea where we can go that puts us closer to the house?”
“Dutch, we could go down by Uncle Tom’s, there by the old school.”
“But there’s always a big crowd down there. And getting a spot is not easy. People down there have their spots and are keeping them, much like us here in the pit. And also, that’s where most of the media is hanging out. And I don’t want to go anywhere near them.”
“Same with me, Dutch.”
“Shag it, we’ll stay here. The fog will lift sometime today. If not today, it will lift tonight when it gets dark. Fog lifts most times at dusk or dawn.”
“The cops are some lucky. They have had a good week weather- wise. They could be here in much worse weather. Imagine if a big old northerly wind started blowing, with snow. Sure, Leo could walk out the door and continue up the road and the cops wouldn’t even see him. Wouldn’t that be priceless. With all those eyes on the house, and Leo strolls away unnoticed.”
“You said it.”
“What a joke that would be. Watching him like a hawk for almost a week, and he walks off, due to weather. And when they enter the house, no Leo. ‘Jesus, I wonder where he is?’”
“I’d tell them to check George Street. Might be down there having a beer or two. ‘Drop into Shamrock City first, might be there for happy hour. If he’s not there, he might be over at O’Reilley’s. Probably would have strolled over to the Sapphire Pub, nice and close to home, only for you closed it, for no good reason.’”
“At least Leo will get a bit of comfort with this weather.”
“I know he has not punched some week. I’m half thinking he may have mild hypothermia. Especially since they cut the power.”
“Rest assured, Dutch, he’s in a small room in the basement with a little heater of some sort.”
“I pray to God he is.”
“This is not as hard on Leo as the cops would like to think it is. Or we might think.”
“I hope for Leo’s sake what you say is true. Sure, the other night it was minus five with a northerly blowing. Imagine being in that house then. Be like sleeping in our garages with the windows open.”
“Dutch, the reporter is coming back.”
“What . . . you serious?”
“He’s coming up the top road. Identical car.”
“Hang on, Joe, let me have a look. Joe, that’s not the reporter, that’s Ronnie Dunne. His vehicle is the same as the reporter’s. I noticed that when the reporter was here earlier.”
“Wonder if he is coming up for a yarn?”
“Probably is. I haven’t seen him since this all started. Actually, he hasn’t even called. That’s strange for Ronnie.
“No, he kept going. Probably never noticed us. Well, Joe, he’s half blind, and with this fog I can see why he missed us.”
Brenda and Sharon drove up, parked, and got in with me and Joe.
“Good morning, girls. I was talking to Ann Marie last night after the attack on Leo’s.”
“Wasn’t it wild? It was wild from Irish Town. Ye must have had a good look, also.”
“Well Sharon, where do I start?”
“Now Dutch, before you start, slow the fuck down. I can hardly understand you when you get excited.”
“That’s why Boggy put the nickname Double Dutch on me.”
“I always wondered where you got that nickname.
“Anyway, from our vantage point here it was wild, like a war movie. We thought the house was on fire. There were times you could see very little of it. And those noisemakers. How fucking loud are they! Joe’s SUV was shaking every time one went off. Ann Marie said you got a rush.”
“Dutch, rush? That’s an understatement. Dutch, when the first one went off I hit the deck.”
“What?”
“I collapsed on the deck, I got such a fucking scare.”
“You serious?”
“Yes! I hardly remember hearing anything after the first one. Someone walked me out to my car on the side of the road. I was shaking like a leaf.”
“I hope I never witness anything like it again. Humans should not have to go through anything like that. What we saw was not human. I think it was criminal. It was full-blown war. Too bad the media never got it on camera. Joe and I believe Leo fired twice.”
“What?”
“Well, the last two bangs we heard were not as loud as the other bangs. And when we heard those last two bangs we saw a blue flash twice. It was the only time we saw any flashes. I don’t believe any of the devices that the cops inject into buildings in situations like this ignite a flash. Poor old Leo will be deaf by the time this is over. How fucking tough is he. Not many men would have endured what he went through last night. I’ll say it again, probably for the tenth time since this started, they picked the wrong fellow to go to war with.
“I can’t wait to hear what kind of spin the cops will put on their failed attack last night.”
“Dutch, don’t worry, they’ll have their spin on it.”
“Sergeant Boyd Merrill will be worth listening to today or sometime tonight on the tube. Seems like he has been contradicting himself since this started. I’ve seen better spokesmen than him, especially for police forces. The young female officer the RNC uses for PR is excellent. To the point, with a great vocabulary. Well, how can he put a good spin on this situation? With it taking them this long to get a man out of a house.
“Anyway, I’m gone for lunch. I’m not rushing back this afternoon. There won’t be anything happening around Leo’s today. They’ll be racking their brains for a new strategy for tonight. See you later, folks.”
“Bye, Dutch.”
I ended up having a much-needed nap until suppertime. Annie fed me and I left for the pit around seven. Joe was there already.
“Joe, what time did you come back up?”
“Right after supper. Here since around six thirty.”
“Anything happen over to Leo’s since I left?”
“No, and I was back and forth here all afternoon.”
“I said that, didn’t I. After the big event last night, I said there wouldn’t be a thing moving over there today. Wonder what’s on their plate for tonight?”
“I guess time will tell.”
“John Deagan can’t believe that this standoff is still on the go. He also can’t believe that we’re in the pit the best part of six days and nights. I asked him to come for a look and a yarn. Said that’s what he won’t. Not as long as he has a book to read.”
“Dutch, he does some reading.”
“Joe, I read a book or two a week. John easily reads three or four a week. Every time I walk into his house he has a book in his hand. Could be eight o’clock in the morning or twelve at night. I used to go to the library with him. Years ago, when we used to go swimming at the Mews Centre, I’d get two or three books, maybe four. John would get ten or twelve. Browse them all, pick out what was worth reading, and most likely read four or five of them in a week. A very knowledgeable fellow.
“Sometimes I used to doubt that he was reading everything he said he read. But over time I would end up getting a lot of the same books. Sure enough, every time I questioned him on a given book he knew it, hands down.
“Anyway, John wasn’t the only fellow I spoke to when I was home. This story will blow you away. I could not believe it when it was told to me. I heard a big rumour when I was home for supper. I heard that the cops might flood Leo’s house tomorrow night.”
“What?”
“I said I heard a rumour that the cops are planning on flooding Leo’s house.”
“What do you mean, flooding his house?”
“Apparently there is talk, strong talk, that they’re bringing over the Witless Bay volunteer fire department to assist them in flooding the house.”
“Holy fuck. Leo will go nuts. We think we saw war last night. He’ll come out through the roof. Well, wait until the first gallon of water hits the house. You tell me they’re going to blatantly destroy Mrs. Crockwell’s house in order to get Leo out of it?”
“That’s the rumour.”
“Well, if that’s true, what has the RCMP become? Where are they going to get water to do this?”
“Joe, there’s a fire hydrant right in front of Mrs. Crockwell’s house.”
“Yes, but I’d say that’s frozen, with the recent cold weather we’ve been having.”
“Joe, it’s not that cold. It would have to be a hell of a lot colder for it to freeze. I know a little about hydrants from being on council. It has to be, like, minus fifteen for three or four days straight for them to freeze.”
“Well, I hope for their sake that it’s frozen.”
“That would be the best thing to happen. If I was still on council and this request came in from the RCMP to use the town’s water supply to destroy this woman’s house, I would flip. And if the other councillors went along with it, I would be on the phone to all media outlets in minutes. I would do everything in my power as a councillor to stop it.”
“Why would the RCMP go to the council?”
“Joe, it’s the town’s water supply. They would have to get clearance from the council, to cover the town’s ass in the case of a lawsuit. And if they destroy that woman’s house with water, rest assured there will be a lawsuit. And so there should be. Who gives the RCMP the authority to destroy a person’s house in their pursuit of upholding the law?”
“Dutch, you have a few good points.”
“Joe, if they do it I can see all three being sued, the RCMP, the Town of Bay Bulls, and the Town of Witless Bay. They can’t sue the volunteer fire department; they’re volunteers. So they’ll have to sue the Town of Witless Bay. It’s their fire department. Actually, it’s Bay Bulls’s also, we subsidize it. It’s a regional fire department. There are members from Bay Bulls and Mobile. And there may be one or two members from Tors Cove.”
“When is this supposed to happen?”
“Sometime after dark tomorrow night.”
“Well, if that rumour gets out you won’t move up here. I still don’t believe it. You tell me they’re going to use volunteers from Bay Bulls and Witless Bay to help destroy the woman’s house? That will go over well with Leo. I wouldn’t want to be a volunteer fireman when Leo gets released after all this is over. I’d be pretty nervous. If I was a volunteer fireman and saw Leo coming towards me, I think I’d run in the opposite direction.”
“I would, too, Joe.”
“Dutch, I still don’t believe they’re going to do that. That is the most cockamamie thing I have ever heard.”
“Joe, it’s going again.”
“What? What’s going?”
“The robot. I guess we’ll settle in for another bit of entertainment. Listen to it. Same old song. Over and over and over. Leo must be some sick of listening to that. I know I am. It’s leaving, Joe.”
“That was a short visit.”
“Joe, I’m calling it a night.”
“What? Already?”
“Joe, I’m burnt. My back is killing me. And I’m so sick of looking though the scope and the binoculars. I’m burnt out, been at this all week. I’ll be at Tina’s if anything goes down. Call me, okay?”
“Definitely.”
When I got home and turned on the TV, the National was just coming on. I watched it, waiting to see if there would be an update on the standoff. The phone rang. It was Ann Marie. I told her I was home at Tina’s, watching the news.
“Dutch, what are you doing home so early?”
“I’m burnt out from looking through the scope and the binoculars and my nerves are gone from what I saw last night.”
“You mean when they attacked the house.”
“Yes. Exactly. I can’t get it off my mind. I’m actually a bag of nerves since I saw it. I can only imagine what kind of shape Leo is in. He has got to be in hard shape, the poor bastard. I can’t imagine living through what he went through last night. Ann Marie, it was like war, plain and simple. What went on there last night should not be allowed to go on in a civilized society.”
“When I called Joe in the pit he said you were gone home. I couldn’t believe it. You’ve been our on-the-spot man.”
“Well, Joe is doing a pretty good job also. I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Anyway, Dutch, relax. Think positive that everything will work out with Leo and he’ll be okay.”
“Ann Marie, I can only pray for this to end safely. And soon. Thanks for calling. Bye.”
“Bye, Dutch.”
I decided to give my brother one last call before I went to bed.
“Joe, anything happening?”
“No, other than the robot going in and out. The harbour is still silent.”
“I’m heading to bed. You staying there much longer?”
“No, soon heading home.”
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow, around noon. Listen, if that rumour is true about flooding the house, we could be in for a very long night tomorrow night, so I’m not going to rush over in the morning. I may try and sleep in. That way I won’t be as tired if we have to stay late tomorrow night.”
“All right, good night. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes, tomorrow.”
I went to bed. I was nearly asleep when the cell on the nightstand started ringing.
“Hello?”
“Dutch, you in bed?”
“Yes. Who’s this?”
“Brenda, b’y. What the fuck is on the go with you, home in bed this early? Ann Marie told me you went home early tonight.”
“I needed to get away from it all. I’m starting to get burnt out. My eyes are hanging out of my head from looking at that green house. My back is killing me. I still can’t fathom what I saw last night. I said Leo would probably end up with PTSD after last night. I feel like I’m starting to be overcome with something. Brenda, I hardly slept last night. My heart is breaking for Leo. When I get anything negative going on in my life, it depresses me. Them tormenting Leo so much is playing on my mind. I can’t believe what civilized people do to arrest someone. That, last night, was like something you’d see in Detroit or Chicago, not rural Newfoundland. A little rock in the middle of the North Atlantic. They should have left those cops that they brought in from the other provinces where they were. I can’t wait for this to be over to talk to the media. The media will know me when this is over. First thing I’m going to say to the media is we need an inquiry immediately—no ifs, ands, or buts—to investigate what mistakes were made and what went wrong with this whole fiasco.”
“I agree with you, Dutch, because there are definitely mistakes being made daily. Why is this not over? Why has this gone on for six full days?”
“Good questions. Anyway, good night. See you tomorrow afternoon in the pit.”
“You not coming over in the morning?”
“No. Something big is going down with Leo tomorrow night, come dark.”
“What?”
“Brenda, I’m too tired to get into it now. Will fill you in early tomorrow afternoon.”
“Jesus, Dutch. Curiosity will kill me.”
“Bye, Brenda. Thanks for calling.”
“See you in the morning, Dutch.”
I was just falling asleep for the second time when the phone rang again.
“Hi, Chris.”
“Hey, babe. How’s New Hampshire going?”
“Why are you home already?”
“My back is killing me. And I’m starting to get depressed with everything that’s going on with Leo. The attempt to enter the house last night, it was wild. Anyway, that’s enough about me. How’s it going?”
“Going great. We can’t get over how cheap everything is compared to home. I’ll have to buy extra suitcases. The two I brought with me won’t be able to carry everything that I’ve bought already. Stacie and Hollie will be shocked with all the clothes I have for them.”
“How’s the driving going? Any problems with the GPS?”
“Going great. How’s everything with Leo?”
“Same as when you left. Nothing has changed. They had a big attack on the back door last night. That didn’t go as the cops had planned.”
“Chris, hard to believe that this is still on the go since last Saturday. Six full days. Poor Leo. He has to be in some hard shape by now. Every man has his breaking point. I wonder what Leo’s is?”
“You’re probably right. Leo is as tough as nails. He has to be. If not, he would have walked out of that house before now. Lesser men would have, but not Leo. He hasn’t reached his breaking point yet. And his breaking point could be days away. I don’t know if I said this to you, but I have said since day one that Leo will end this when he wants. No one else.”
“How are Bella and Lady doing?”
“They’re great, as always.”
“Missing their mommy?”
“No, they have me with them.”
“Anyway, babe, I have to go. We’re going to bed early. We’re driving down to Kittery in the morning.”
“Tina, you be careful on the highway. Don’t take your hands off the wheel. And don’t speed.”
“I will, promise. Tell Stacie and Hollie I said hi and I love them. And tell them about all the clothes I’ve bought for them.”
“Hate to say this, but I actually miss you.”
“Don’t worry, babe, we’ll be cuddling tomorrow night, please God.”
“Good night. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”