Baltimore 03 - Did You Miss Me?

months, tops. Life doesn’t always behave the way you expect.’
    ‘That’s true. What brought you out here eight years ago?’
    ‘Daphne and Simone needed me.’
    ‘Because Daphne got cancer.’ The word made his stomach clench.
    ‘She said you knew. Yes. When I came down eight years ago she was nearly broken. And that wasn’t enough for those damn Elkharts. They wouldn’t have rested until she was in the ground.’
    ‘They wanted her to die?’ he asked, incredulous.
    ‘They didn’t care if she did as long as they got their way. Rich people play dirty.’ She looked around her. ‘But Daphne got the last laugh.’
    ‘Must have been one hell of a divorce settlement.’
    ‘It was.’
    Joseph gave a hard nod. ‘Good for Daphne.’
    ‘The settlement made a difference in the broad sense, but it also allowed Daphne to cut all ties with the Elkharts. She didn’t have to put up with their bullshit or sacrifice Ford to pay for his education or her doctors or . . .’ She clamped her mouth closed.
    ‘Are you saying that Elkhart divorced her and wouldn’t pay for her health care?’
    ‘You should ask Daphne these questions.’
    Joseph studied her a moment. She met his gaze so squarely that he wondered if her ‘running on’ had been calculated, that these were things she wanted him to know. Questions she wanted him to ask Daphne.
    ‘And I will,’ Joseph said. He gestured to the small office. ‘But first I’d like to talk to you some more, privately.’ She followed him into the office and Joseph closed the door, shutting them in. ‘Daphne’s under attack,’ he said baldly. ‘We don’t know who’s responsible, but we’re not sure it’s only the Millhouses. This threat on the barn wall is personal. It’s written in blood, for God’s sake. And this is the second time we’ve seen it.’
    Maggie drew a sharp breath, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.
    ‘The more personal information I have on Daphne’s past, the better I’m prepared to protect her. Tell me about the divorce. Please.’
    ‘What a nightmare. Okay then, the divorce. The court probably wouldn’t have allowed Travis to do what he threatened, which was to leave her destitute, but Daphne didn’t know that for sure at the beginning. Travis made a horrible situation even worse for her. He told her she’d be left with nothing, that he’d get custody of Ford. She’d been an Elkhart long enough to know what influence their money bought.’
    ‘But he cheated on her with his secretary.’
    ‘Yes. And with hundreds of other women during the twelve years they were married. Except this time she caught him in the act. So he set her up to look like she was having an affair as well.’
    ‘With who?’
    Maggie grimaced. ‘Let me explain before you get bent outta shape. It was Scott.’
    ‘The Scott who’s standing with her right now?’
    ‘Yes. Daphne met him when she first married Travis. He stabled the Elkharts’ horses. She missed my horses and spent whatever free time Nadine gave her down at Scott’s. Scott was one of her true friends during the years she lived with the Elkharts. Later, when Ford was old enough, he started training the boy to jump. Scott was one of the best trainers around, but poor. He grew up with money but his dad left him and his mother destitute. He used his contacts with his old school friends, like Travis Elkhart, to build his business, but he never made much money.’
    ‘So what happened?’
    ‘What did she tell you about her split with Travis?’
    ‘That she caught him having sex with his secretary during lunch.’
    ‘Hm. What she didn’t tell you is that she never visited Travis in his office, but that day she did because she was rattled to the core and Travis’s law office was only two blocks away from her ob-gyn. She’d started walking and ended up there.’
    Joseph stared at her. ‘No way.’
    Maggie lifted a shoulder. ‘It was not a good day, by all reports. She walked in, saw them, walked out. She did what she always does when she’s upset. Went to the barn.’
    ‘Why? Why horses?’
    Maggie looked away. ‘That is something you’ll have to ask her.’
    ‘All right, then. I will. So she went to the barn. And?’
    ‘Scott found her there, crying. He did what anyone would do. He held her, not realizing that snake Travis’d had one of the PIs that worked for his law firm following Daphne for months. Travis couldn’t divorce Daphne unless he could prove she’d been