pose. Beside her husband, Sarah visibly shrank in her seat,

and it reminded him of how Lisa would try to hide. Jeff's

wife was outwardly strong, but in rare moments of

vulnerability, she had often slunk into the background as if

she could disappear. Narrowing his eyes, Riley settled back

into his seat, seeing the situation for what it was. There was

no love lost between husband and wife—was this what

Lexie had meant? Was Elliot a bully? If he was, why was he interested in a small child? Money had to be the only motive. After all, he had been put away on charges of

embezzlement.

"You are welcome to visit any time you want,"

Riley offered. "I will cover all costs for you to visit,

including hotel stays and transport." Abilene was little

more than three hours away, but Riley didn't want to leave

anything open to chance.

"The child would be better off with her aunt," Elliot

insisted.

Riley picked up on the single word "child", not

Hayley, or Lexie's daughter, or "my niece". No, he used the

term "child", and it sounded cold and calculating. "Not as part of an experiment with a man who

believes he is married to another man and carries on

unspeakable acts behind closed doors." Elliot was on a roll,

and despite feeling like jumping up and breaking Elliot's

nose Riley had a sudden inspiration.

"I would like to talk to Sarah on my own." "That won't be possible," Elliot said immediately. Riley was determined to see what Sarah would say

if she was away from her domineering husband.

"Nevertheless, it is what we will be doing," Riley said

slowly.

"I'll be fine, Elliot," Sarah began. Elliot dismissed her defense with a shake of his

hand. She subsided into silence once more but sat on the

edge of her seat as Jim stood and indicated the door. "I think we should leave the father and aunt alone to

talk."

He was leaving no room for maneuver, and while

Elliot appeared to want to argue, he really had nothing left

to say. Soon, with the attorney leaving also, only the two of

them remained in the room. Riley moved around the desk

and arranged a chair so he sat at a right angle to Sarah. "Don't let him do this," Sarah breathed, and looked

over her shoulder, clearly scared Elliot was going to rush in

at that very moment.

"Do what?"

"He doesn't want Hayley. He just wants control of

whatever trust fund you establish for her."

"I thought it might be that," Riley offered gently. "Lexie never had a single bad word to say about

you, Mr Campbell-Hayes. She said she thought you had

grown up well, and Hayley would be happy with you." "Riley, please."

"Riley then." They sat in silence a moment longer. "He's not long out of prison. Is that what scares

you?" He tried to be as gentle as he could in what he was

saying.

"No." She looked like she was about to cry. In that

instant, with her defenses lowered, Riley could see Lexie in

her eyes. "It scares me I waited this long for him to come

home and then realized I want to leave him."

"I have the money to help you—"

"It's not about money, Mr—Riley. It's having the

strength to leave him. All those years he was behind bars I

could stay married, and it didn't matter. But now he's back.

He's not the same man. I mean… he is the same. He's still

overbearing, but he has nightmares. I want him to get help,

but he is fixated on Hayley and the money he knows she

will have."

"Thank you for your honesty." Riley so wanted to

be the grown-up here. He couldn't, though, when all he

wanted to do was go home and grab Hayley and never let

her go.

"I won't fight for custody. I only came to make sure

you understood this is not my idea or my wish. I won't

bring Hayley into our house no matter what Elliot wants to

do."

"But you'll be okay? With Elliot?"

"I don't think he is a bad man. He just sees what

others have and wants it all. Mr Campbell-Hayes, I know

who I married," she finished cryptically and then stood. She

left the room and pulled the door closed behind her, and for a second, Riley waited. He needed to take everything in and hoped that somehow she would break free from Elliot and make a stand. The door burst open, and Elliot was there

with a taut, furious expression on his face.

"I don't know what the fuck you said to her," he

spat, "but one way or another, we'll get what is ours." "Mr Anderson—"

"Fucking fags." Elliot spun on his heel and stormed

out of the office and down the corridor. Riley followed him

just to the end to make sure he really left the building.

Sarah stood with the lawyer and just shook her head.