Читать книгу Bad Dad - Alice Shane - Страница 8

Margo wondered if she should tell Lester about the telephone call from Danny’s wife. If she didn’t, it would be tantamount to lying and she hated the idea of engaging in deception. Yet, a white lie – withholding the information – would better serve her interests, give her time to figure out how to deal with this new development. There was no payoff in being a good girl, she concluded. Sometimes you’ve got to protect yourself, even if it means omitting the truth.

Of course, Lester would want to know about Gloria’s death, she thought guiltily. He needed to know. All that hatred and conflict would be put to rest, She suddenly felt riddled with doubt, conflicted over what course of action she should take.

Gloria had hounded him for years, always demanding money in excess of what the courts had generously allocated for alimony and the support of their son. When she launched a suit seeking 50% ownership of Fuller Energy, she alleged their divorce was moot, merely a separation agreement. But Lester had hired an impressive team of lawyers from Cadwallader, Duane & McDowell, one of Philadelphia’s most prestigious law firms, and prevailed. Finally, Gloria faded away, financially depleted, unable to pursue other legal avenues. All became quiet in the war between the Fullers.

And now she was dead, Margo thought, feeling relieved. What a stroke of luck! They were free of her! They could go about their lives unfettered, without Gloria hovering in the background, about to strike at any moment with new demands for money.

Maybe Lester will finally have some peace, Margo hoped – unless the kids conjure up an unpleasant scenario requiring Lester’s full attention.

She wondered if his outrage over Danny’s descent into blue collar life would ever subside. Would he allow Sonny Boy to re-enter his life? Their lives? It was all so depressing! She was unprepared to welcome these intruders – these rednecks, with their Southern twangs, their poverty, their nine-year-old brat. They would surely find Lester fair game from a financial perspective. She could easily lose her place as Number One, with Danny, et al, rendering her less significant, raising legal questions about his right of inheritance, threatening her entitlement to Lester’s wealth, maybe even invalidating their prenuptial agreement. The prospect of being usurped frightened and depressed Margo.

She would not tell Lester about the call just yet, she decided. She would wait. For what she didn’t know. So what if he didn’t know right away about Gloria’s demise. What did it matter? The woman was dead. She couldn’t hurt Lester anymore.

Margo resolved not to give the call another thought, at least for the time being. It would only drive her crazy. For the moment, she would wipe it from her consciousness, not think about it until she was ready to take further action.