his efforts with bodyweight exercises, had lost tremendous muscle mass, but overall he was in surprisingly good health. The nurses trimmed his beard, tended to his cuts, and pumped him with antibiotics to fight off possible infection. He was feeling woozy from the medication, but alert enough to give multiple statements to the police, who were reeling over the death of their fallen brother. It would be a long time before Seabury recovered from Simon Fitch.
The media was on the story. Already the headlines were juicy, and online, PSYCHO TEACHER OBSESSES OVER FIRST WIFE LOOK-ALIKE was getting plenty of shares.
But Nina wasn’t focused on what people were saying. This was a time for her family to heal. And the best treatment for Glen was seeing his children again. Maggie had hugged her father so hard Glen pleaded with her to let go. She brought A Wrinkle in Time with her, thinking her dad might want her to read to him at his bedside.
“You’re so much bigger,” Glen said. “I missed so much. I missed you all so much.”
The tears fell freely. Maggie, biting her lip, trembling with emotion, couldn’t find the words.
“I tricked you, Bunny.”
“Bear,” Maggie reminded him, struggling to speak while a sad smile crested her lips. “You’re supposed to call me Bear. Remember?”
Glen’s laugh was tinged with sorrow. “I forgot. I keep forgetting that.”
Nina rested her hand on Glen’s bony shoulder. So much of him was gone, both physically, and emotionally. They’d all recover, even Dr. Wilcox—all except for Hugh, and Detective Wheeler, and Emma. Maybe Allison. Or maybe she did get away.
“It was the worst thing, lying to you like that. I wanted to tell you … but I … I couldn’t.” Glen made his confession with his eyes shut tight, those never-ending tears rolling down his cheeks. “I didn’t mean to let any of you down.”
Maggie broke into a sob, eventually clearing her eyes with the back of her hand.
“You … didn’t let me down, Daddy,” she managed. She took a big gulp before she could say more. “If you didn’t tell me to make nice with … with him … Ben and I wouldn’t have thought to look at the house … and … and…”
Maggie couldn’t finish; instead she went back to hugging her father again. They all enjoyed a group hug.
What would have happened? Nina wondered. Without Maggie and Ben, she might never have thought to look for Daisy at Simon’s house. Glen could have been left for dead. Eventually, Simon would have shown his true colors. Most likely, at some point he would have killed them all, Nina was sure of it. Glen hadn’t failed them. He had saved them.
“Daisy’s the real hero,” said Glen, brightening as a tender laugh escaped him. “Thank God for her sense of smell.”
“And her loyalty,” added Nina. “She wouldn’t leave without you.”
“You could have left the house with her and nobody would have known I was still in the basement.”
Glen laughed again, this time with notes of astonishment and awe. His survival had been so tenuous. One event linked to another, starting with Dr. Wilcox, who led Nina to Teresa, then to Hugh … Hugh, who knew who Simon really was … Maggie, who unwittingly clued in to something being amiss with the rental property … Daisy, who had found Glen … Connor, who had stayed vigilant.
It took everyone Glen loved most to save his life and the lives of his family.
Connor wiped away tears. The nurses and doctors were giving the family space to reunite.
“Dog of the year,” Connor said, barely holding it together. “I love you, Dad.”
And then Connor fell to pieces, and so did Nina, and Maggie cried even harder, as the nurses, keeping their distance, got teary-eyed as well.
Eventually, everything and everyone settled. The kids, still numb, took off to get something to eat, leaving Glen and Nina alone for the first time.
“How are you feeling?” Nina asked. It was a loaded question, but what else could she say?
Glen closed his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief.
“I … I just feel so guilty and ashamed. It’s my fault.”
“Stop … this won’t do us any good.”
“But I’m responsible.”
“No you’re not, Simon is,” she said, with a lack of conviction.
Glen wasn’t entirely wrong, Nina thought. He had done things—terrible things—that had made them vulnerable to Simon. He had stripped his family of security and lied for years about his job. She had accepted Teresa’s version of their affair, but still …