To Love and Protect (21 page)

It didn't take long for Shelley to find her coworkers shared her disbelief.

"No way," was Jack's response when Shelley soberly explained to her colleagues why Geri would not be coming in as scheduled for the day. In fact, it looked like she wouldn't be coming in ever again.

Dave shook his head in slow motion. "I absolutely am stupefied," he said. "Geri? Threatening you? It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe it's not supposed to," Shelley said quietly. "Believe me, I just feel sick about the whole thing."

"Well I hope you're not feeling guilty about any of this," Joan said. "We all loved Geri. Or who we thought was Geri. But what she did was inexcusable."

"Not to mention downright freaky," Jack added.

"I don't know about you,” Dave said, "but I'm really not in the mood to work today. However, the show must go on.”

Shelley actually felt otherwise. Work was the only thing that would take her mind off of recent events. "I'm sorry to put a damper on things for everyone."

Dave reached over and squeezed her hand in an unusual physical display of support. "You have nothing to be sorry about, Shelley. The truth is we've all been worried for a while about you. At least now, it's over. I'm shocked that Geri's the one behind it all, but you're not the one who did something wrong, you understand that?"

Shelley gave a weak nod.

"Look on the bright side," Jack said. "At least you'll be able to bring Floppy home with you tonight."

Shelley managed a smile. "I know." She paused, her smile fading fast. "I just keep hoping – expecting – to find out that Geri didn't do this."

"We all do," Dave agreed, "but someone's responsible for what happened. And from what you told me about last night, there really isn't much room for doubt."

Shelley found out how true that was when Matt called her at work later in the afternoon. "I don't know whether you'll consider this good or bad news," he began, "but we found something that makes a pretty rock-solid case against Geri."

Shelley felt a chill on the back of her neck. "What did you find?"

"We checked Geri's phone records, and a call was made from her cell phone to your home at exactly the same time you received that threatening call."

Now the chill traveled the length of Shelley's body. "Oh. Well then, I guess that doesn't leave much to chance, does it."

"No," Matt said quietly, as though he understood the depth of Shelley's conflicting feelings. "It doesn't."

"Did you find anything else out?"

"We did piece a few more things together. The message on your truck, for example. If you remember, Geri found it when she went outside to get your lunch. I think it's pretty obvious that she found it when she put it there. Plus I talked with one of your assistants earlier just before I got you on the phone."

"Jack?"

"No, Joan. I had her check the clinic work schedule going back a month. It turns out that the two porch incidents happened at times when you were scheduled to work, but Geri wasn't."

Shelley felt something switch inside of her with Matt's latest revelations. It was as if she could no longer deny the truth to herself, incomprehensible as it was.

"And the only fingerprints found on that message from the other night were Geri's."

"So now what happens?"

"Well, Geri's mom came by yesterday afternoon to bail her out of jail. I think she's going to be staying with her mom until her court date."

"How bad might it be? What kind of punishment could she be facing?"

"It's hard to say for sure. Her record's clean, so she'll be considered a first-time offender, which is definitely in her favor. I doubt she'll get actual jail time − unless you personally pressed for it at the court hearing − but she will get some kind of sentence. It might even just be counseling. How would you feel if that's how it turns out?"

"You mean that she only has to get counseling and she'll still be
able to come and go as she wants?"

"Right."

Shelley sighed. "Okay, as long as she stays with her mother or something. I don't want her life ruined over this, but I don't want to still be watching my back, either. I know her mom lives in Connecticut, so at least there would be some distance if she went there. It's just such a shame, really. She's such a bright, smart girl. I really thought she was going places. She had it rough growing up. Her parents divorced when she was young, and her mother struggled to make ends meet for her and her brother. But she was a go-getter. I don't know how she worked full-time here while taking a full load of classes, but she did. That's why I just don't understand."

"Shelley, you have to let go of it."

"You're starting to sound like some kind of New Age guru," Shelley joked weakly.

"Well, I'm not ready to switch over to tofu and long hair just yet. But I hate to see you doing this to yourself. It doesn't make sense. I know it doesn't. But you have to accept it and move on. Look at the positive side. You're back home, your cats were back last night, and as of this morning, your dogs are, too."

Shelley smiled as she recalled the happy, energetic reunion that unfolded when Matt dropped the dogs off before she came into work. "You're right. I guess I just keep wondering what it could be that made Geri hate me so much."

"Probably the fact that you're seeing such an incredible guy."

Shelley found herself laughing despite her heavy heart.
"It must be."

"You'll probably never know the answer to that. Maybe it's some kind of jealously thing, or maybe she's been an unstable person all along, and she just hid it really well."

"Maybe," Shelley said quietly. "Well, I guess I'd better get back to work. But thanks for calling and letting me know what's going on."

"How about dinner tonight?"

"Sounds good. I'll be home around six."

"I'll be by around seven. I want to take Carly out into the yard tonight for a bit when I get home."

"That's great! I still can't believe how well she's recovering. I didn't want to say anything when it first happened, but sometimes an animal just isn't the same after so much physical and emotional trauma. But it sounds like she's back to her old self."

"She is. I'm anxious to have her back on patrols with me. It's like my buddy's missing right now."

Shelley smiled. "I'm sure she'll be sitting beside you in the car before you know it."

So much had happened in the past couple of days that Shelley almost forgot about her apprehension over Matt's job as a police officer. It was a fear that had started to consume her as she felt herself growing closer to Matt while increasingly worrying about his safety.  But maybe, just maybe, she thought, if things finally slowed down and sanity returned, she would be in a better position to conquer her fears about losing Matt like she had lost Ted.

Uh oh, Shelley said aloud as she pulled her truck into her driveway later that day and immediately spotted Marge's station wagon. It was a clunker that was hard to miss.

"Can I talk to you?" Marge asked, suddenly seeming less childlike than usual. But she certainly had a lot of practice dealing with adult issues in the past few days, thought Shelley. "Sure, Marge."

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about what Herb did to you – sneaking up and spying on you like that."

"You don't need to apologize, Marge. It wasn't something
you
did."

"Maybe," Marge said cryptically. "But then again, maybe if Herb was happier with me, he wouldn't have done something like this."

"You can't start thinking that way. Someone who does stuff like that – they're going to do it no matter what, do you understand what I mean? You can't make this into something being wrong with
you.
There's something wrong with Herb." Shelley paused. "I mean, that's not to say he can't get help and eventually be okay. Sort of."

"I don't think I have time to stick around for that."

Shelley's eyes popped opened. In fact, so had Marge's eyes, now that she noticed. Gone were the dull, lifeless orbs that Marge usually squinted out of. Instead, there seemed to be a spark of life that hadn't existed before. Or maybe it was the freshly shampooed hair that for once didn't cling to the side of Marge's face.

"Where are you going?" Shelley asked.

"I have family in New Hampshire, and I think I'm going to take the boys up there for a while."

"What about their school?"

"I already looked into that. They'll be able to start at the public schools there. I think we all need a change. And now that I drive, I can look into getting a job. Maybe at some place that sells plants."

"I think you'd be great at that."

Marge smiled, revealing her brown tooth still intact. "Really?"

"Sure. Maybe this is just what you need, Marge. A fresh start."

"That's what I've been thinking."

"And ... what about Herb?" Shelley finally managed to ask.

Marge sighed. "I don't really know. My sister said let him stay busy making license plates the next few years."

"Making license plates?"

"In jail."

Shelley hesitated before replying, "Oh."

"Herb can do what he wants. He always has. But he's not good for my self-esteem and inner child. And especially not for my climb to the top of the pyramid of self actualization.”

Shelley raised her eyebrows. "I see. Where did you learn all that stuff?"

"My therapist. Well, she's only going to be my therapist for another session or two since I'm moving, but I think I'll continue seeing someone in New Hampshire. And I have you to thank. You're the one who suggested I talk to someone, and you were right. Now I'm learning to put
my
needs first ... to work on
my
issues ... to explore the ways my family messed me up from the day I was born. They didn't mean to, of course, but all families do that."

Uh oh, thought Shelley − she may have created a monster. But it was still a step up from the meek, put-upon Marge, so she had to be grateful for that. "Well, I wish you the best, Marge. But it sounds like you’re already on your way to bigger and better things. When are you leaving?”

"This coming weekend. I'm piling the boys and some luggage into the car, and I'll have movers do the rest of the stuff in the next few weeks. I don't expect Herb and I will be married for much longer, so we'll probably sell the house at some point down the road."

"You're divorcing Herb?" Shelley asked, shocked at how quickly Marge was making a new life for herself.

"He's divorcing me," she said, casting her eyes downward before looking back up with renewed strength. "But it's probably just as well. It wasn't a good marriage." She paused, adding, "Was it?"

"No, Marge, I don't think it was. You deserve someone who will be good to you."

It was with a feeling of satisfaction that Shelley watched Marge drive off in her station wagon on the way to a new life. Of course, there wasn't much satisfaction in watching her pummel the daffodils on the side of the driveway as she momentarily lost control of the steering wheel, but Shelley reminded herself that she needed to concentrate on the bigger picture at hand.

"A happy ending," Matt agreed as Shelley described her conversation with Marge over dinner at the Hearth and Kettle Restaurant. As was befitting the end of a beautiful fall day, the restaurant, always homey and sweet-smelling, was further enhanced with Indian corn on the doorway and fall centerpieces on the tables made of miniature pumpkins and colorful gourds.