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Brent acco the bell, feeling like a door-to-door sales case full of wares

When Carolyn opened the door she scarcely looked at hi soht a pleasant greeting would have been nice, sooodwill for the children’s sake At thenone of it Brent didn’t warrant a greeting of any kind, so Walker should have been grateful she spoke to him at all

She turned away and proceeded down the hall, talking to him over her shoulder "I’ll be in the kitchen Let me knohen you’re done I put the mail on the table Remind me and I’ll tell you about a call I should have mentioned before"

Walker wondered if she orth the effort it would take to win her back She’d lord it over him from this point on She had all the power and he was the supplicant, begging to see the kids, begging for an audience with the Queen, begging for attention, which she’d decided was undeserved In return for crumbs, she’d want all his pay-checks deposited to her account She’d dole out a few bucks to hie, but a modest sum she’d say was his to do with as he pleased Maybe he’d appeal to the pastor of their church, citing Christian forbearance as a ood

He went upstairs with Brent tagging behind Walker’s ribs still pained hi, which hy Brent was forced to follow hi Walker went into the walk-in closet and pushed through the hangers on his side of the hanging rods With his left hand he pulled out sport coats, four suits, his raincoat, and his leather jacket, passing theh the dresser drawers re underwear, socks, and T-shirts He’d have to borrow a suitcase or go down to the kitchen and find a paper bag to carry all his stuff He went out into the hall and looked in the storage area under the eaves After a grubby search he came up with a duffel into which he jammed the pile of personal items

Idly he wondered ould happen if he just walked away from the entire situation He’d pack the car, cancel credit cards, empty all the bank accounts, and leave the state By the tirasp He pictured her at Saks, priceythe sale and returned her card, looking mystified "I’m sorry, Mrs McNally, but this was declined"

"Declined? There must be a mistake My husband pays our bills in full the first of every month"

"Would you like to try another card?"

She’d pull out her Visa or MasterCard, her e as one after the other was rejected

Without hirind to a halt She didn’t have a di The proble it to his kids He didn’t want Fletcher and Linnie to suffer, which meant he’d be tied to Carolyn for all eternity

BrentWalker’s clothes Meanwhile, Walker went into the kitchen, where Carolyn was unloading the dishwasher, a job she’d always insisted was half his to share He stood and watched her, esture she noticed but refrained fro at her without the filter of affection, he realized she wasn’t pretty anyh thethedeal after all He had wealthy women clients who’d made it clear they were interested in hiht be more receptive now that he was on his own Where would Carolyn find a guy willing to take her on, a pluainst the counter "You said so about the mail?"

"It’s out on the hall table in a ht by"

"Fine What about the phone ize It completely slipped my mind A woh school with She said she was a private eye and she was looking for your dad"

"Dad?"

"That’s what I said She wanted to get in touch with him"