The Trouble With Angels Page 0,66

Thom driving Maureen to the airport. Or maybe she was looking to intercept the phone bill.

Maureen liked Thom. All right, that was a mild understatement. He was gentle when she needed a man to be tender. He seemed to know what she needed without her having to say anything.

Breathless, Karen raced back into the house with a handful of mail. There were a couple of Christmas cards and the inevitable bill. The letter on printed stationery attracted her attention next.

Maureen read the letterhead, and her blood froze. The envelope listed the name of the law firm that had represented Brian in the divorce. When she hadn't heard from him following his phone call, she'd assumed he'd dropped the reason for his call. Apparently that wasn't the case.

"What's wrong, Mom?"

"Nothing, sweetheart."

"You don't look right all of a sudden, like you need to sit down or something."

Sitting down didn't seem to be such a bad idea. Maureen found a chair and slumped onto it. Her knees were shaking when she smiled over at Karen.

"Who's the letter from?" Karen asked next. "Dad?"

The kid was no dummy. "No, it seems to be from his attorney."

"You want me to open it for you?"

"No thanks," Maureen said. It took her a couple of moments to gather together the grit to tear open the envelope. She pulled out the folded sheet of paper and stopped when she found her daughter studying her intently.

"Don't look so worried," she said. "It's probably nothing."

"Probably," Karen agreed, but her gaze didn't waver from the letter.

Maureen read over the three brief paragraphs - twice, the second time slowly, absorbing each word carefully to be sure there was no misunderstanding.

"Well?" Karen prodded. "What's he want?"

"It says here that according to the terms of the divorce settlement, he has been assigned certain holidays for visitation."

"So? He's never wanted me for any of them before."

"I know, but apparently he's had a change of heart." Maureen didn't care to speculate what had brought all that about. "It says here that he's coming to pick you up on Christmas Eve and that he'll bring you back to the house early Christmas morning."

Karen's mouth formed into a small O. "Is that all?"

Maureen nodded. Her hand trembled as she folded the letter and returned it to the envelope.

"You don't care if I spend Christmas Eve with Dad, do you?"

"Of course I don't mind," Maureen said, lying through clenched teeth. Brian didn't deserve time with Karen. He'd contributed practically nothing to her upbringing, financially or emotionally. When it came to ranking him as a father, he didn't rate any higher than he had as a husband.

By the time Thom arrived Maureen felt as if she needed to talk to her attorney, Susan Gold, and find out what Karen's rights were in all this. She was on the phone on what seemed permanent hold when Karen let him into the house.

"I'll only be a minute," she said, cupping her hand over the mouthpiece.

Karen and Thom were talking, and her daughter was sending little glances her way as if she'd rather be listening to what Maureen was saying instead of entertaining Thom. Maureen tossed her a desperate plea for patience.

The receptionist came back on the line a minute later and informed Maureen that Susan was in court for the afternoon and would be tied up with this current case until after the holidays. She did promise to relay the message to Susan, however.

"Well, that's just Jim dandy," Maureen muttered, and replaced the telephone receiver. She placed her hands over her face and tried to calm her pounding heart. If there was any way she could get out of this trip, she'd do it. Karen's welfare was more important than anything, even her job.

"Maureen," Thom said gently, "you've had some distressing news?"

"Not really," she said, offering Karen a reassuring smile. She didn't want her daughter to overhear the conversation. "Could you get my suitcase for me, sweetheart?"

"It's too heavy for me, remember?" Karen looked guilelessly from Thom to her and back again.

"Not this time. It's only an overnight case."

"Oh." Karen sounded terribly disappointed.

"I got a letter from my husband's attorney," Maureen whispered as soon as Karen was out of earshot. "He wants Karen to spend Christmas Eve with him."

"And you object to that?"

"No...yes," she revised heatedly. "You'd have to know Brian to understand why this distresses me so much. He's going to hurt Karen the same way he hurt me. He'll build up her hopes, ply her with promises he has no intention