Raven pulled back the door to her house on a lake in Baltimore and smiled at Mari. “Hi, sweetie. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Are you? I invited myself. I’m barging in.”
“The Gentileschi sisters never feel that way about each other. Come inside and give me a hug.”
Mari entered the new house. Raven brought her to her chest and her arms banded around her. After a big, comforting hug, her sister took Mari’s coat and while she hung it up, Mari went to look out the windows at the lake. It wasn’t frozen, and waves crashed angrily against the shore. “I haven’t seen this place before.”
“Because I just bought it. I’m planning to have a housewarming for us all at some point. I’m very happy here, especially with the studio I built. I’ve been finishing pieces for the show.”
Raven had told her that she’d knocked down a wall between the two bedrooms and turned the space into an artist’s dream. She’d installed a wall of windows facing the water and put in skylights.
“The living room has a great view.” She turned. “I like the décor, too.” Soft gray leather couches and white leather accent chairs had been placed in front of the fireplace made of gray stone. “It’s light and airy, which isn’t usually your style.” She crossed to a sofa over the whitewashed distressed wood floor and sat.
“Yeah, I know. Time for something different, I guess.” Raven joined her on the couch. “You look like hell.”
Mari touched her face
self-consciously. “I know I do. I’ve gone between numbness and
crying jags for two days and nights, so I finally sought you
out.”
“I’m glad you called.”
Mari caught sight of the colorful drawings Raven had put up on the walls, whimsical things like fairies, and normal things like dolphins with diamond eyes. “I’m interrupting your work.”
“I’m done for the day.” At Mari’s skeptical expression, Raven said, “See—I have on real clothes, not painting attire. And my hair is damp. I already took a shower.” She zeroed in on Mari. “And as I said, even if you were interrupting, I’d want you here.”
“It’s why I felt I could call.” Raven and Mari were only two years apart, with Evvie between them. And Mari adored this sister. A rebel at heart, Raven always watched out for Mari at home until she left when she was eighteen.
“So, the law professor broke your heart. Fuck him.”
“How did you know?”
“Sister intuition. Besides, I’m an observer. All artists are. Your eyes are puffy. You didn’t comb your hair this morning, and your clothing looks like you’ve been living in it.”
“I’m a mess. But I meant how did you know it was because of Jordan?”
“Because I was skeptical that the friends till school’s over deal would work out.”
“It didn’t. We made love over the weekend. It was beautiful, Raven. The memory brings tears to my eyes.”
“So what’s the problem? The student/teacher thing making your relationship unethical?”
“Now that, I could deal with.” She sighed and felt her eyes moisten. “I found out he’s still married to Yvette’s mother.” She explained the details.
“Do you think he’s being unfaithful to Elise by sleeping with you?”
“It’s not that, though technically I guess he is. But she’s got a long string of men in her wake. I probably could have found a way to deal with that. He has reasons for his legal situation.”
“Are they reuniting?”
“No. He kicked her out. He was so angry and mean. I’ve never seen him like that.”
“I’m out of guesses, honey.
What’s the problem?”
“He had an affair with a grad student when he was teaching at the
Sorbonne. I’m not...special.” She told her sister what she knew
about his past.
“Do you think he’ll leave you like he left that woman?”
“I didn’t think so.” She drew in a heavy breath. “The fact that he’s married is heavy and distasteful, but somewhere in my mind, I keep going back to the cheating he did.”
“You’ve always had a bugaboo about infidelity.”
“Because there’s something you don’t know about my past.”
“So you said, mysteriously, that day at your house.”
She bit her lip. “Arturo cheated on me when I was pregnant with Lilly.”
“Ah. So that’s why you went to live at the palace after Lilliana was born.”
“Yes. I lied to you girls. Said I needed more help, that Arturo was with me, but he wasn’t. I left him home.”
“Everybody thinks you two were romantic love personified.”
“I thought so, too.”
“Then his cheating must have been hard.”
“At first it was. But Mamá and I talked a lot. She got me to see we were kids when we got married. I had Lilly at eighteen. She believed Arturo when he said he wanted a fling before our baby was born.”
“Much as I hate that he hurt you like this, Mamá was right.”
“I finally understood. And Arturo groveled really well.”
A quirk in Raven’s mouth. “I love seeing men on their knees.”
The girls laughed at the innuendo, then Mari sobered. “When he died, I kept thinking I could have had those six months with him if I hadn’t run back home.”
“Again, you’re not going to like this, but maybe you should learn from that.”
“You mean you think I should accept what I found out about Jordan’s real background?”
“No. You should deal with it with him. And if you want to know what I’d do, I’d dump him for lying to me about both things. But you’re not me.”
Mari sighed. “Can I stay for a few days? Lilly’s coming home Sunday morning. I don’t want to be alone anymore. I promise I won’t get in your way.”
“Of course you can stay. Would you like me to call the others?”
“No. I’m not up for negotiating their opinions.”
“Won’t Brie worry where you are?”
“She’s still in the Caribbean with Dante.”
“Did I know she was going?”
“No, it was spur of the moment.”
“Then it’s just you and me, kid. What do you want for dinner?”
* * *
Mari went to bed early and Raven sat in front of the fire like she did every cold night and took out her sketch book. She opened it to her portraits and leafed through them. Many of her sisters, some of a girl she worked with in her art therapy volunteering. A few of Mamá. She came upon the last—of the man who owned the gallery where she would exhibit her work in a few months. Blake Parker. She’d done this one in color, to capture his unusual green eyes, which she still hadn’t gotten right. She fiddled with them, choosing different colored pencils, but, finally giving up, she leafed to a blank page.
Jordan Dubois’s hair was a remarkable feature. She sketched out the shape of it on his head, then added golden and dark tones, with a bit of curl in the front. And when she’d seen him, it was longish. Next, she added his lagoon-blue eyes. And when he’d looked at Mari the night Raven had met him, there was a sparkle in them. She sketched that in, too.
Setting aside the pad, she sipped some dry red wine and her gaze fell onto the fire. Men! There had been a lot of them in her life, mostly her teen years. By the time she turned twenty, she’d become choosy. She also hadn’t found one who interested her. Mari had, the other girls had, but Raven, as usual, would be different and probably remain single all her life. She’d yet to encounter a man who could handle all that she was.
* * *
“Hi, Papa.” Yvette was animated over the video call. “I’m having so much fun with the king and queen.”
He forced a smile. “I’ll bet you are.”
She told him about the festival with its unusual food, fun games and rides she and Lilly went on. He was glad she was there, having fun, since he went through the three-day retreat like an automaton.
“Papa, the king and queen let us eat with them every night. And we’re sleeping in Mrs. Moretti’s room. You should see this whole place. It’s got forty rooms.”
“I hope to see it someday.”
He told his daughter a bold-faced lie. He knew very well that wouldn’t happen now.
Lilliana eventually joined Yvette on the call. “Mama went to Aunt Raven’s for the rest of the week. She must be lonely for me.”
So that’s where she was. He’d driven past her house more than once, and saw no lights on or sign of life.
“What will you do, Papa? Are you lonely?”
“Yes, chérie. I’m very lonely. But don’t worry about me. Have fun with Lilliana’s family.”
When they finished the call, he dropped down on a chair and thought about the days to come. What the fuck was he going to do the rest of the week? The rest of his life? He’d planned on being with Mariella for both.
* * *
At home on Saturday, freshly showered and wearing a bit of makeup, Mariella pulled back the sheer curtains and looked through the opening at the deserted road with a light dusting of snow. Still no Antonio. Still no Lilliana. She’d asked the bodyguard/chauffeur to drop Yvette off first, but Lilly objected.
Mama, you haven’t seen her in a week. Don’t you want to?
Yvette was on the video call to her. Her darling face fell. Papa could pick me up at your house.
Mari didn’t know how to avoid a meeting with Jordan. Besides, she had to face him Tuesday for class, so she should get it out of the way privately. Still, her heart beat like a drum at the thought of facing him.
Maybe you should learn from that. Raven had said the words about Mari wishing she’d had those six months with Arturo.
Then, Friday night she and Raven were lying in front of the fire, their legs up on either side of the brick, like they used to do at the palace when they were little, and Raven broached the subject.
Do you still love him?
You don’t get over love easily. Or ever sometimes.
All right, my last piece of advice. Meet with him. See what he wants to do. Find out if you can deal with a man who’s married, so first talk about that.
Elise said she’d ruin him with the affair if he tried to divorce her.
Maybe Jordan should call her bluff. If he’s her cash cow, I doubt she’d really want to ruin him.
Finally, a car trundled down the street. But it was a black Volvo instead of the limo. Jordan.
When he knocked on the front door, and she opened it, they stared at each other, speechless. After he came inside and took off his coat, he leaned against the wood. The week had not been kind to him.
She said, “There are lines around your mouth and eyes.”
He responded, “Your eyes are red. Have you cried all week?”
“Some of it.” She turned and walked into the living room. He followed. She sat stiffly on the sofa, him on a chair. Their bodies were rigid as, again, they took in the sight of the other. Finally, he shook his head. “Do we have nothing to say?”
“I don’t know, Jordan. I want to see a way out of this.”
“Thank God.”
“But I don’t. Even if I could forgive your lies, if you have me, you don’t have Yvette.”
“I can never let that innocent child live with Elise. The woman would destroy her.” He ran a hand through his hair, messing the now-dull locks. “That’s why I’ve been in this situation for so long.”
“I love Yvette. I don’t want that for her either.”
“So, this is it, right?”
“Yes, I guess. Unless you have anything to add.”
“I—”
A honk came from outside. Mari sighed. “They’re here.”
Leaning forward, he grasped her hands. “I’m sorry, Mariella.”
“Me, too.”
In minutes, Antonio and the two girls walked through the door. Antonio stood back as the children ran to their parents. Jordan caught Yvette to him, and Lillianna jumped into Mariella’s arms. “I missed you, Mama.”
Yvette kissed Jordan on the lips. “Papa. I missed you.”
As they clasped their children to their hearts, their gazes met. There really was no way out of this.
* * *
On Tuesday afternoon, Jordan walked into his empty classroom. He’d come in early before the Ethics class to do some administrative work he’d let go over the break. The space was gloomy today, as the clouds in the sky threatened more precipitation. Switching on the overhead lights first, he crossed to the front table, took out his computer and booted it up. Georgetown was paperless, and all memos were sent on their faculty accounts. Jordan clicked into that email account. An evaluation for the retreat. A notice about next semester’s schedule. The dean asking him for a meeting. And a drop/add form. He did a double take. Mariella Moretti: Drop—independent study with Dr. Dubois. Merde! He leaned back. He should have expected this. She wouldn’t want to be alone with him.
Class members meandered in, greeting him, talking to each other. They set the desks in a horseshoe and took seats. At four, Mariella still hadn’t appeared, but he began class. “Welcome back.” He opened his book to check his records. “Ms. Carrington, I think it’s your turn to present.”
Anna distributed her outlines and gave a brief summary of her topic: the government corruption and the unethical behavior of Congress. At that point, Mariella came to the doorway, then entered class quietly. He glanced over, nodded, and listened to Anna continue. The woman was smart, insightful and creative in her approach.
After the second presentation, Jordan presented the schedule for the next hour of the class. He also gave midterm grades. Most of them were A’s. One B for Ms. Carrington who, despite his efforts to give her leeway, had missed some work. And one C for Walker, of course. “If you have any questions about grades, make an appointment by email to see me in my office. Now let’s...”
His phone buzzed. A text in the middle of class meant only one thing. To the students he said, “I’m sorry. This is from my daughter’s after-school care facility.” He read the message. Please come to Stepping Stones right away.
When he looked up, he noted that Mariella, phone in hand, face pale, had stood. “I got a message about my daughter, too.”
“Let’s go.”
By silent consent, when they got outside, they approached his car and drove to the school building five minutes away. He reached across the console and took Mariella’s hand on the way. He squeezed it, then held on. They said nothing. At Stepping Stones, they held hands all the way inside because they both knew something was very wrong.
At the entrance and to the left was the administration office. Through its glass walls, they could see one little girl sitting with Jane Harrington, the director of the after-school care.
It was Lilliana.
* * *
Lilliana ran to Mari. She hugged her mother. “It was awful, Mama. Yvette didn’t want to go with her mother. She whispered it to me and I held her hand.”
Jordan’s fist curled at his side, he turned to the director. “What is she talking about? Where’s Yvette?”
“Your wife came to pick her up. I asked for identification and documentation that she was permitted to take Yvette. The woman had her passport, Yvette’s birth certificate and a typed and signed note from you. As is policy, I compared the note to the signature you left on file and the birth certificate to one you gave us.”
“What is Lilly talking about?”
“I took Mrs. Dubois to the room where the girls were having free time. At first, Yvette hugged her, but then she backed away when Mrs. Dubois tried to coax her to go with her. She and Lilliana held hands and I could see Yvette said no at first. But in the end, she went—reluctantly. Your wife took your daughter—her daughter—out of our care program.”
At hearing the event described aloud, Lilliana started to cry again. “I tried to help.”
Mari held her close. “I know, baby.”
Jordan’s face reddened. “Why on earth would you allow this to happen without phoning me? You said my daughter did not want to go.”
“Because Yvette was reluctant, I did try to call you. There was no answer.”
He hadn’t gotten any calls while he was working at school, but took out his phone anyway. And there it was, a message he hadn’t seen earlier, that hadn’t come through earlier. “I’d like to view the documentation.”
The woman handed him copies of the paperwork. Mariella moved to his side and checked them out. It was all there. The signed note from him saying Elise could take her looked real.
But Jordan said, “It’s forged.”
“How would I know that?” Mrs. Harrington’s voice was strong. She thought she did the right thing.
“I don’t know. In any case, Mrs. Harrington, Yvette’s mother kidnapped my daughter.”
* * *
“Alert the campus police. Call the local police department. They’ll get in touch with the FBI.” Frankie’s voice was professional and calm when Mari phoned her.
Since she was on speaker, Jordan said, “I have to do something!”
“Dr. Dubois, listen to me. This is doing something.”
Seemingly overcome, he dropped down on the chair behind him. Mari said into the phone, “We’ll do what you say, Frankie. Thanks.” She took a seat next to Jordan and tugged Lilliana down with her.
The director went to her desk. “I’ll call the campus police.” She turned to Jordan. “You phone the D.C. police.”
Coat still on, he punched in 911. “I’d like to report a kidnapping.”
Beside her, Lillianna said nothing. Mari put her arm around her daughter. “You okay, baby?”
“Is Yvette?”
“I’m certain her mother will keep her physically safe.”
Mari eased off her jacket. When Jordan disconnected, she said, “Take off your coat. We’ll be here awhile.” She assisted him with his wool outwear. The director’s eyebrows rose, and Mari realized the intimacy of her action.
Excruciating minutes ticked by. All the while, Mari knew Elise could be at the airport now, flying out of the country and taking Yvette with her.
The campus police showed up first, and Mrs. Harrington gave them the information. The local police came next. After introductions, Jordan said, “Elise will take her right to the airport.”
“We called the feds.” The detective from the D.C. Police Department appeared suitably stern. “They’ll get a jump on checking rosters. They can ground her.”
“Tell us what happened?”
the other cop asked.
Again, they recounted the events. This time, Lilliana cried through
her recitation. Mari held her close.
Finally, the local FBI showed up. “I’m Special Agent Deluca and this is Agent Longmire.”
“You have to act fast.” Jordan’s voice was laced with urgency. “My daughter was kidnapped by her mother. She’ll leave the country with Yvette ASAP.”
“We need some information first,” Deluca said. “Tell us what happened.”
Another horrific recitation of the events.
The second agent jotted down notes.
Deluca zeroed in on Jordan. “I assume the statement with your permission is forged.”
“It is.”
“Do you have copies of your custody agreement?”
Jordan’s face blanked.
Mari’s façade cracked a bit.
“We don’t have a custody agreement.”
Deluca’s brows rose. “Excuse
me?”
“We’re still married. I’ve had Yvette with me the last six years,
and it’s been fine with Elise. But there’s nothing written
down.”
“Not even a legal separation agreement?” Longmire asked.
“No, as I said, we didn’t document anything.”
The agents exchanged glances. Deluca finally said, “Then we can’t track them down, Dr. Dubois.”
Jordan shot up out of the chair. “She took Yvette against her will!”
“A parent with joint custody can do that.”
“They don’t have joint custody,” Mari put in.
“They do in the United States if they’re legally married and there’s no agreement stating specific rights otherwise. I’m pretty sure that’s the law in France, too.”
“Yes, in France, with or without a separation or divorce, both parents have custody of their child.” He lifted his hands. “It never mattered that she wouldn’t give me a divorce before. She didn’t want Yvette.”
The agent said, “Apparently, she does now.”