“I can point you in the direction of a good practice range—indoor, outdoor facility. I’ll give you the address so you can check it out. May I see some ID?”
Mimi gave him her driver’s license and paid with a credit card.
“You won’t be able to take the gun with you today. There’s a waiting period. That’s the law. But I’m sure that I’ll be calling you in no time. In the meantime, check out the practice facility.”
“Okay then. Thanks for everything, and I hope to hear from you real soon.”
“You will. I hope you won’t need the gun before we get clearance.”
“We both hope so,” Mimi said, grinning. “Bye now.”
Mimi walked out of the store and headed for her car. As soon as she settled behind the wheel her cell phone rang. She looked at the number and answered it right away.
“Hey, Brenda, what’s up? Did you tell, Victor?”
“He didn’t come home last night. Now I’ve lost the venom I had to confront him.”
“The right moment will come. It may not be now. Just don’t let on that we’ve met. You may need to formulate some kind of plan in the event he goes ballistic.”
“Maybe you can help me.”
“You’re the psychologist.”
“I know, but I need my best friend’s help.”
“I’m sorry that I had to lay that in your lap yesterday, Brenda. But I feel better that you and I have no secrets. Why don’t we get together on Monday, when Victor goes to work? It’s too risky, our being together on the weekend.”
“Let me check my calendar. I’ll get back with you.”
“Sounds good. I’ll wait for your return call.”
“Thanks, Mimi. Thanks for everything.”
“You’re welcome, Brenda. Thank you.”
Mimi terminated the call. Within seconds she pulled up John Carroll’s name from her call log and dialed. She felt good about her immediate accomplishments—sharing her secret with Brenda and having enough nerve to enter a gun shop and purchase one. She collected her thoughts when she heard John’s voice on the line.
“Mimi, you all right? Don’t tell me that fool had the nerve to contact you again?”
“Nothing like that, John. I’m feeling pretty good right now. I finally talked with Brenda. She knows everything.”
“What did she say? How did she react?”
“She wanted to be angry with me for waiting all these years to tell her. She even pointed an accusing finger my way. Those were natural reactions. I didn’t expect any more or less. Well, maybe I wasn’t quite ready for her to admit that she wanted a divorce from Victor.”
“Why wouldn’t you? You laid the worst kind of news on her… about her husband no doubt, and that the young lady who befriended her daughter is actually her sister.”
“It seems she’s been in a miserable marriage for longer than I could even imagine. It was almost as if this was the final nail in the coffin…the one thing she needed, explosive enough to give her the ammunition to walk away. I felt so sorry for her.”
“What is she going to do?”
“Ask Victor for a divorce.”
“From all I’ve seen and heard about Victor, that might not be an easy feat. I don’t believe he’s going to let Brenda walk out of his life. She’s the person who’s carried him. Sure, he makes good money as a director, but she’s the real powerhouse in that family.”
“That’s true, but I believe Brenda will find a way out. But I’ve got another surprise.”
“Don’t make me wait. Maybe that wasn’t a good statement, considering our past.”
“You’re crazy, John. Remember that is our past. Anyway, I purchased a gun.”
“For what?”
“Do you really have to ask that question?”
“Yes. Mimi, I hope you aren’t going to do anything foolish. Even Victor’s sorry ass isn’t worth a trip to prison.”
“I didn’t purchase it so that I can put a cap in Victor’s ass. It’s more to scare him in the event he decides to continue to harass me. Now if push comes to shove, he just might find himself in the morgue.”
“Do you have the gun on you?”
“No, they have to check me out first. I hope to hear something in a few days to a week.”
John was silent. “Mimi, think about all you stand to lose going up against Victor—your husband, your daughter, your family, and my friendship.”
“Thanks for including yourself in that scenario.”
“Mimi, I’m concerned and you’re scared. If it means that I have to spend a few days at your place to make