Corrupted (21 page)

“What?”

“What was Doreen's ex-husband like?”

“He was a carpenter, but he didn't like to work. He could never hold a job. He was a loser. A jerk. I wasn't surprised when he left because he was so immature.”

“Did he have anger issues?”

“Yes.” Declan mulled it over. “He had a tendency to yell. He was hot-tempered, like her. When they fought, they yelled a lot. Used to drive me crazy. It was nonstop drama, the two of them.”

“Was he ever physically aggressive to Richie?”

“I don't think so.” Declan frowned. “Why? You think he abused him?”

“It's possible, isn't it? The psychiatrist reminded me that kids who are physically aggressive have been aggressed upon. In other words, Richie is a bully because he probably gets bullied. Maybe his father abused him and Doreen.”

“I can ask her about it.”

“What about your becoming Richie's guardian?”

“I'll back down, if she'll agree to let him see a lawyer and a psychiatrist. And now, if she'll agree to see a psychiatrist, too.” Declan lifted an eyebrow, straightening up. “I'll take you back to Jim Thorpe, go see her, and come back to the inn.”

“That's a lot of driving for one night. You can stay at your house if you want. You don't have to come back.”

“Please.” Declan smiled, a little sadly. “I'm coming back to you tonight, if I have to crawl.”

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Bennie woke up on top of the bedcovers, realizing she'd fallen asleep in her clothes. Bear snored at the foot of the bed, and the lights in the bedroom were on. Declan's parka was thrown on a side chair, and she heard the faucet running in the bathroom. The bedside clock read 5:17, so he'd been gone almost all night. She shifted up in bed and took a sip of warm Diet Coke, in case he kissed her. She would still have crappy breath, but at least it would be carbonated.

Declan came out of the bathroom, still walking in a slightly stooped way, as if he shouldered a physical burden. His skin looked pale, making his five o'clock shadow more prominent, and his eyes met hers, anguished and bloodshot.

Bennie sat up. “It looks like it went badly.”

Declan crossed to the bed and sat on the edge, placing his hand on her leg. “Sorry I woke you. I tried to be quiet.”

“That's okay. What happened?”

“It started out okay. More like old times. We put the boys to bed together. We sat in the kitchen. We ate, we talked. I was able to reason with her. I told her I was worried about her and her emotional state. I told her I was on her side, I would help her. That we were family.” Declan paused, pursing his lips. “We were able to come to terms on Richie. She told me she would put me back on the visitors' list. She'd let me get him evaluated. She even said she'd let me hire a lawyer.”

“That's great.”

“That's what I thought. She said I could hire any lawyer I wanted. Except you.”

“Fair enough.”

“She blames you—rather, she blames Jason—for Richie's being in River Street.” Declan held up a restraining hand. “I know it's ridiculous. I know she's in denial. I'm on board with you. I think it's the other way around, that Richie is the one to blame for Jason's being in River Street.”

Bennie felt her hackles rise, but kept that to herself.

“I told her I thought her ex abused Richie, and she said she doubted it. She never saw it, but she says he did have anger issues. I told her
she
had anger issues.” Declan paused. “Then she got angrier.”

“Which is to be expected.” Bennie knew he saw the irony, so she didn't need to point it out.

“Yes.” Declan nodded. “She's sensitive. She doesn't like to be criticized by her big brother. I knew it wasn't going to be a picnic. I didn't think she would react that badly, though. I've been underestimating the extent of her problem. In fact, I didn't think she had a problem. Now I do.”

“She yelled?”

“Yes. I told her about us. She wasn't happy about that. Don't worry. We agreed to disagree.” Declan patted Bennie's leg. “I don't need her permission to see you.”

“Good.” Bennie liked that he'd stood up for her and their relationship, even though they were just at the beginning.

“I was getting ready to leave, but I went upstairs. I told her I had to use the bathroom. That wasn't the real reason.” Declan swallowed hard. “Let me back up a minute. On the way over to the house, I remembered something. It was what was bothering me about the way she was yanking Mikey around. I remembered why it bothered me. He broke his arm, playing ice hockey. He's only had the cast off a month ago. It had to hurt him, yanking him around that way. It was the same arm, his right. So I went upstairs to see him. To check him out.”

Bennie was starting to get a bad feeling, but she didn't interrupt Declan.

“I turned on the light in the boys' bedroom. They didn't wake up.” Declan's voice softened, pained. “I looked under his shirt. There were bruises on his chest. On his arm, too, there were bruises. But the boys, they're always getting banged up. The two of them, they're always coming up with bumps and bruises.” Declan clenched his jaw. “She told me they fought with each other, typical boy stuff. Or from hockey. I get that, I played on the pond out back. I played in school, too. I was always getting banged up on the ice. I believed her.”

Bennie cringed, though she said nothing.

“But the bruises on his arm were in a row. Like he'd been grabbed or pinched.” Declan hesitated. “It's what they tell us to look for in child-abuse cases. There it was, on my own nephew.”

“I'm so sorry,” Bennie said, reaching for his hand.

“Wait, it gets worse.” Declan cleared his throat, blinking. “So then I go look at Albert. Examine his chest, his legs. I see the same thing. Little red bruises, sometimes in a row, sometimes not. That's not what happens when you get hit with a stick or fall on the ice. They're not hockey injuries.”

Bennie didn't say anything, sickened.

“Then all of a sudden, Albert wakes up. He's happy to see me. He hugs me.” Declan's lower lip trembled, but he remained in control. “They're such great kids. Smart, happy,
good
. They listen to her. They don't deserve that treatment. No kid does.”

“I agree,” Bennie said, gently.

“All this time, I figured the twins were covered. They were the favorite, and Richie was on the outs. I worried about Richie.” Declan sighed. “So I asked Albert, ‘Did Mommy break Mikey's arm?' And he said, ‘Yes.' I couldn't believe my ears. I said to him, ‘Al, did she do it on purpose?' And he said, ‘Yes.'”

“Oh no.”

“And then—” Declan stopped talking and hung his head, unable to continue, and Bennie reached for him, holding him close. They embraced in the silent room, hugging each other, then Declan let her go. “I wanted to take the boys home, that minute. I wanted to call the cops. I wanted to call you. I wanted to go downstairs and
kill her
.”

Bennie shuddered. “What did you do?”

“I told Albert not to tell her what he told me. I told him to keep it a secret from his mother. If she knew what he said, she'd retaliate.” Declan shook his head. “I wanted to confront her, but I didn't. She would just deny it. The boys would be in danger. So I didn't say anything. I said good-bye and I told her I'd see her for Christmas. Then I left and went to the lawyer's.”

“He was in?”

“No, I called him. He met me at his office. He's a good guy. I've been there all night.”

“Oh boy.” Bennie's heart went out to him. “You could've called me. I would've been there in a second.”

“I want you as far away from this as possible.” Declan pursed his lips. “She already thinks you're behind it. I don't want to play into that. I don't want to make this about you. It isn't about you, or us.” Declan touched her arm. “Can you understand? That's why I didn't call. I knew you'd come.”

“You were right.”

“I appreciate that you want to help, but this is about my family. It's about those boys and their safety. And Richie's, too.” Declan shook his head. “I never thought he'd be safer in River Street than he is at home. God knows what she's been doing to him. She must be making him keep the secret about the twins. No wonder he hates her.”

“So what are you going to do?” Bennie asked, horrified.

“I don't want to take her children away from her. I would never do that. The boys are hers and so's Richie, I know that. But I want them safe and I want her to get the help she needs.”

“Right, totally.”

“So the lawyer and I worked out an agreement, like a temporary custody agreement. One, she has to agree to a psychiatric evaluation on herself and the twins, and two, the twins have to have a physical exam. She has to give permission for that.” Declan started to count off on his fingers. “Three, she has to agree to have psychiatric treatment for six months. During that time, I would take the twins. She could see them whenever she wanted to, at my house. Four, depending on what the psychiatrists say, she could take them home on visits. Supervised in the beginning, then unsupervised, until they transition back to living with her. Fifth, she also has to agree to let Richie get help from a psychiatrist and a lawyer.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Bennie said, proud of him.

“I thought of it myself.”

“You'd be a hell of a lawyer.”

“Thank you.” Declan smiled briefly. “I'm trying to offer her something she'll go for. Something that's temporary.”

“How would you do that, with work?”

“I'm going to take a two-month leave of absence to get the boys settled. After that, I think it will be fine. My shift ends at three. I live in the district. They're busy after school. They usually have practice. Albert wrestles with a club team. I can get them anywhere they need to go.” Declan frowned. “The lawyer said we have to deal from a position of strength. So if she's not going to agree, I'll take her to court to become their temporary guardian. Then I'll have the power to accomplish all of this myself.”

“I agree with the lawyer. It's the same thing as with Richie. You go to court only if you have to, and you prepare for that eventuality.”

“Right. So we set everything up for tomorrow morning.” Declan checked his watch. “Three hours from now. I came back to say good-bye.”

“Oh, wow.” Bennie tried to wrap her mind around it.

“I know it's a disappointment. Believe me, it isn't what I wanted for this week. Christmas is coming, and I wanted to spend it together. But it can't wait. I'm afraid for those kids. She could be getting worse. I can't let it wait, not another day.”

“Oh, absolutely, I'm with you. I agree. You can't wait.”

“I packed the truck. I don't know if I'm going to get back here this weekend. I don't know what's gonna happen in court.”

“Of course, and you can't know. You won't know.” Bennie touched his arm. “This is emergency litigation, like with Jason. You have to drop everything.”

“I keep thinking back through the years. Times when she told me that they fell on the ice or got in a fight. I haven't been going over like I used to.”

“You didn't know.”

“I wish I had; I should've thought of it.”

“You couldn't have.” Bennie squeezed his arm. “It's unthinkable.”

“I tell myself, the past is the past. Now I know and now I have to do something about it. You can't unknow what you know. Believe me, I wish I could.”

“I understand.”

“So I have to go. I paid our bill. I canceled my room, starting today. I paid for your room through Friday. You can stay through Christmas if you want.” Declan hugged her briefly, but Bennie could tell that his mind was already elsewhere.

“You didn't have to do that.”

“I wanted to. It's the least I can do.”

“No, it's not. You didn't have to.” Bennie reshuffled her schedule in her mind. “I probably should get back to Philly anyway.”

“Do whatever you want.” Declan rose, reaching for his coat. “I have to leave now, so I can get home and change if we have to go to court.”

“You want me to come with you? I'm free and I can help.” Bennie got up, getting ready for him to go.

“No, thanks. I'll call you as soon as I can. Next time you see me, I could be a father of two. Sorry,
three.
” Declan patted Bear, who lifted his head from his paws, sensing change in the air. “The boys still believe in Santa Claus. I didn't get all their presents yet. I don't even have a Christmas tree.” Declan crossed to the door, and Bennie followed him, managing a smile.

“You can do it.”

“Thanks.” Declan kissed her softly, but absently. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” Bennie said, watching him hurry down the hall.

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Bennie woke up to the sound of Bear's barking and someone knocking on her door. She threw off the covers and got up, glancing at the clock. It was 9:15, and the morning sun poured through the windows. She hustled into the bathroom and grabbed a terrycloth bathrobe to cover her nakedness.

“Hush!” Bennie said to the dog, who quieted enough so she could hear someone talking through the door.

“Ms. Rosato, I have a message from the front desk. Sorry to disturb you.”

“Coming.” Bennie opened the door to see the young hotel clerk who had helped with the printer and computer setup. She held a manila envelope and offered it to Bennie.

“This fax came from your office. I wouldn't have disturbed you, but your receptionist said that it's important.”

“Oh, thank you.” Bennie came fully awake, hoping it was an order from the Superior Court in Jason's case.