at night, to say good night and to talk about our day. When I got back home, she was gone. She left a note that said, This is not working for me anymore. She signed her name, and that was it. Oh, and she cleaned me out, took every last cent in our account and even forged my name and took the money out of my IRA and my 401K. Close to a million bucks. She left me forty bucks in my checking account, plus what I made at the trade show. That was all I had to my name. I never saw her again, never heard from her either until I received papers from an attorney notifying me that she had divorced me.”
“How long ago was that?” Nikki asked.
“A year and a half ago.”
Maggie chewed on her bottom lip as she struggled to come to terms with what Steven Conover was telling her plus what she’d heard from Bella and the Sisters. None of this was adding up in her mind. She risked a glance at Nikki, who seemed to be struggling with the same thoughts.
“What did Sara do, if you don’t mind my asking? Are you sure she has a brother?” Conover asked.
“Yes, I’m sure,” Nikki said.
“Your ex-wife claimed Major Nolan’s military benefits. Right now, we cannot prove that she knew that the major had gotten married or not. The wife, Bella, even though she married the major, didn’t take the time to go over his background. All she knew was he was from Oklahoma, his parents were deceased, he had a sister who confiscated his share of his inheritance. He said her name was Sara. I’m starting to think she was not a blood sister. I think, and this is just a thought on my part, but I think the major’s father was married and was either divorced or widowed when he married the major’s mother, and Sara was his stepchild. Meaning the sister’s mother died or she ran off and left the girl with the major’s father. Far-fetched, but it does make sense. The major’s parents were up in years, suggesting the mother gave birth to him late in life. We think Sara is older than Andy. Do you know how old she is now? Perhaps his first wife had a child, and Sara was that child. What name was she going by when you married her?” Maggie asked.
“Windsor, and she’s thirty-one I’m two years older than she is. I can’t believe this. Sara is a con artist!”
“And this surprises you . . . why?” Nikki asked. “You said she cleaned you out. That should have been a clue for you. I hate to say this, but she played you. Now, please, think. Do you have any idea how we can find her? Places she might go, people she knew, that kind of thing.”
Steven Conover shook his head. His eyes were bright and shiny. Unshed tears, Maggie thought. She felt sorry for him and wanted to make things right but didn’t quite know what to say. Nikki said it for her.
“Mr. Conover, sometimes . . . sometimes things just aren’t what we want them to be. It’s not a perfect world, and none of us are perfect. You said you had a wonderful, magical year. That’s what you hang on to, what you remember, that memory. Time will take care of everything else if you let yourself be open to the world around you. Whatever is meant to be for you will happen. Right now, at this point in time, Sara Windsor is just someone you used to know. If I can, I’d like to make a suggestion. Go to the SPCA and save an animal. Make him or her yours. They will love you unconditionally.
“Now, having said that, perhaps you should get two animals so they have company for when you are working during the day,” Nikki said. “What’s two more dogs? Just two more to love.”
“I have a cat named Hero. He was sitting outside my door one day during a rainstorm. I have to say he is the smartest cat I’ve ever seen. Keeping that cat was the smartest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I just love that cat, and when he nestles in my neck and purrs, I about go over the moon,” Maggie said dreamily as she thought about Hero curled up on her pillow.
“My husband and I have a magnificent German shepherd that is the smartest dog on