Joanne poured everyone a paper cup of iced tea, and then they looked to Carla.

"Rick called Jeff's lawyer back again, and told him the account couldn't be the only one Jeff had, because the one he had instructed the lawyer to close was Nora's household account, the only one she had, and she would need it to pay the household bills. That Jeff never used the account. He just made monthly deposits. Rick said the other lawyer seemed surprised at that, and said he'd call him right back."

"And did he?" Tiffany asked.

"Yeah. About ten minutes later," Carla said, grinning. "He told Rick that it was all a mistake, and he'd fax Paul Williams immediately that the account was to remain open. Rick told him he wanted Jeff's name off the account."

"Did he agree?" Tiffany asked.

"Oh, yeah, he agreed. Then he said that Rick should know that Jeff was under no obligation to put any more money into the account until a hearing."

"The bastard!" Rina said. "So he's going to play hardball, is he?"

"Yep," Carla said.

"It's worse," Nora told them quietly. "The kids' college funds have disappeared. They weren't on the list of stuff faxed to Rick. Jeff started an investment account for each of the kids when they were born. For college, he said, and he was always so proud of himself for looking ahead like that. You know how the market was after 'eighty-seven, and into the nineties. Jeff's a smart investor. Every Christmas he would show the kids and me their year-end statements. He said he didn't want them to come out of school with debt, like so many kids today. He said his father had done it for him, and he wanted to do it for his kids. That's why Jill was able to think of law school. There was more than enough money in each account, and now those accounts are gone."

"You're sure?" Rina asked.

"We called Jill up at school. I hadn't planned to tell her over the telephone about the divorce, but I didn't have any choice under the circumstances. She said her father had come to her about six months ago with some papers to sign. When she asked what they were, he said they had to do with the changes in the tax laws with regard to her account, and since she was of age, she had to sign the papers herself because he couldn't. She had no cause to distrust him."

"Nora hasn't had a chance to talk to J. J. yet, but Rick thinks he pulled the same or a similar stunt with him too," Carla said.

"My God," Rina said softly. "He's been planning this for months." She turned to Nora. "So what's Rick going to do now?"

"He's thinking about it. It has to be what's best for Nora and the kids," Carla said. "He doesn't want to make a mistake. This lawyer Jeff has hired is a pretty big-name, recognizable divorce attorney."

"Tell him not to take too long," Rina said acerbically. "So, what are you going to do while Rick is thinking?" she asked Nora.

Nora sighed. "I'll have to call my mother and tell her. Dad left her very well fixed. I think she'll help out until we get this straightened out. Of course I'll pay her back. She's not going to be happy to have her life disrupted, I'm afraid."

"Where does she live?" Rina said.

"In one of those elegant, perfectly manicured little retirement communities on the Carolina coast," Nora replied. "Dad moved them down before he died. It's a life-care community. He wanted her taken care of when he wasn't around to do it. I've been taking the kids down twice a year to visit. She never really liked Jeff. She'll be surprised, but not particularly devastated."

And Margo Edwards, Nora's mother, was indeed surprised by her daughter's news, but not because of the divorce. It was the timing that she found curious. "I thought he would have done this ten years ago," she said.

"What on earth would have made you think that?" Nora demanded of her parent.

"Well, other than the illusion that his marriage created for all to see, it was obvious he didn't love you anymore," Margo responded. "Didn't you realize what was going on, Nora? Of course I never told your father of Jeff's infidelities. It wasn't really necessary that he know unless, of course, he had divorced you while Dad was alive. Then I would have said something."

"I'm surprised you kept something from Daddy," Nora said. "He did rule the roost in our house."

Margo laughed. "There were a lot of things I didn't discuss with your father, Nora, and he only thought he was in charge, darling. A wise woman lets a man believe that, and she picks her battles carefully." Then she sighed. "At least the house is in your name. Is it paid off?"

There was a long pause. Nora swallowed hard, and then she said to her mother, "The house isn't in my name, Mom. Nothing is in my name."

"Jesus Jenny!" Margo Edwards swore volubly. "The lying SOB! When you bought your house Jeff had the ten percent for the down payment. Your father gave him an additional ten percent so the mortgage would be smaller. It was done on the proviso that Jeff put the house in your name. I put that idea in dad's head so you would always be safe. And I was there when your father brought it up to Jeff, and he agreed he would do it in exchange for the additional ten percent. You're sure the house is in his name?"

"Yes, Mom, I'm certain. But it is paid off," Nora said.

"How much money do you have in the bank?" Margo asked.

"It's the end of the month. Probably not more than fifty dollars," Nora replied.

"No, honey, not your household account. Your other accounts. CDs. You know."

"Mom, I've got a bank account for the house. Jeff puts money in it once a month, and I pay the bills. I don't have any other bank accounts, or CDs."

"Why not?" Margo's voice had suddenly hardened.

"Where would I get the money from?" Nora said helplessly.

"I used to take money out of my household account and squirrel it away," Margo said. "Why didn't you, Nora? I didn't think you were that stupid. A woman has to think of herself."

"Mom, Jeff gives me just enough money each month to pay the household bills. If I run over the previous month's amount by more than five percent, I have to show him the bills, and justify every expenditure. I am allowed one credit card, and before I use it I have to tell him what I'm buying and why. He's always been a bear where money is concerned. But he has always kept us comfortable. I have had no cause for complaint until now. I thought people got married till death did they part. My grandparents did. You and Dad did. Jeff's folks did."

"Why didn't you tell me this, Nora? Why didn't you tell me that your husband is a control freak? This borders on abuse, darling, and you have been standing there, and taking it. I don't understand it!" Margo was now sounding exasperated.

"I was only doing what you did, Mom," Nora said. "Jeff always said you had set me a wonderful example of how to be a good wife."

"Good grief!" Margo said. "Listen to me, Nora, although frankly it's a little late for me to tell you this, but I will anyway. Your father was raised by his grandparents, who had been raised in the Victorian era. He thought a wife should be meek and mild, and defer to her husband. That was the kind of wife he wanted, and I loved your father dearly. So I gave him that kind of a wife. But I was never that kind of a woman. Ever! Your father never controlled me the way Jeff has obviously been controlling you, darling. If I thought Dad was going in the wrong direction, I would cajole him into turning about. You know how he always wanted to invest in so many crazy schemes he was sure would make him rich, yet he never did. It was because I convinced him otherwise, and I did it in such a way that he always believed he had come to the conclusion all by himself. And when those schemes blew up, he would brag about how astute he had been to avoid it all. Don't you remember?"

"I do," Nora said slowly. "But Jeff is different than Daddy. Daddy had a sweet nature, Mom. Jeff has always been bound and determined to have his own way. Once I loved him dearly too."

"I never liked him," Margo said, "but then, you knew that, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"There was something about him, but I could see that nothing I would say was going to change your mind, and Daddy thought he was just the right man for you. I tried to show him otherwise over the term of your engagement," Margo said, "but that was the one thing in which I failed. I am sorry, darling."

"Oh, Mom, didn't you always say I had to learn the hard way?" Nora half laughed.

"Well," Margo responded, and her voice was brisk, "now the question is, what are we going to do? Do you have an attorney?"

"Carla's husband, Rick. Jeff has some big-city divorce guy," Nora told her mother.

"Who?" Margo was instantly alert to danger.

"Raoul Kramer, I think his name is," Nora answered.

"Certainly isn't stinting himself," Margo said dryly. This was not good. Raoul Kramer was a vicious divorce lawyer who always got his clients exactly what they wanted. He was ruthless, and was apt to make mincemeat of that nice Rick Johnson. Still, there was no need at this point to frighten Nora. "Tell Rick to call me tomorrow, darling, and I'll send him a retainer for you. I know he'd do it for free until it's settled, but no need for that. And give me your bank account number. I'll wire you ten thousand dollars to keep you going, Nora. And Nora, if you need more before a preliminary hearing, I want you to call me immediately."

"Mom…" Nora's voice cracked.

"Oh, shut up!" Margo said. "Now, darling, I have to run. There is a very delightful gentleman waiting to play tennis with me."

"You have a boyfriend?" Nora had never heard her mother speak of another man.

"I haven't decided yet, darling. One thing I do know. While I do enjoy sex, I am simply not of a mind to marry again, and break another man in," and she laughed at her daughter's small gasp. "Nora, I may be past seventy, but I do enjoy a good bang now and again. Gotta run, darling. Taylor is beginning to stamp his feet." And the phone went dead.

Nora put the portable down. She had learned more about her mother in this one phone conversation than she had in all her life. She was rethinking her parents' marriage, but then, no matter what Margo had said this afternoon, she had never said that she and her husband had been unhappy. Nor had Nora seen any evidence to the contrary. What a jerk I've been, she thought. Jeff was right. Dumb! She had been dumb, and now she had to live with the results of her stupidity. She stood up and, walking from the kitchen, went out the door and across her back lawn to the Johnsons' house. It was after five, and she knew that Rick would be home. "Hello!" she called as she walked into Carla's kitchen.

"We're in the family room," Carla called back.

Nora joined them, accepting the glass of wine Carla handed her. "I just talked with my mother," she began. "I'll give you her number, Rick. She wanted to send you a retainer. Says she knows you're a good guy, but you should get paid something. You can tell her anything you want. I've just discovered something I never knew."

"What's that?" Carla asked, curious.

"My mother is cool," Nora said with a smile. "When we got finished talking she told me she was off to play tennis with a gentleman. And that she enjoys a good bang now and again."

Carla shrieked with laughter, and even Rick grinned.

"Omigod! If my mother ever said anything like that to me, I think I would die," Carla said, but she was still giggling.

"I know. I would have never expected it from Mom," Nora admitted. Then she continued. "She's wiring me some money so I can keep going, I feel terrible having to have asked her, but I had nowhere else to turn."

"Jeff's name is off the account," Rick said quietly. "At least your moneys will be safe. Nora, I have to tell you that I don't think much of a guy who would try and cut his wife off without a penny."

"My mother says my dad gave him ten percent of the house's down payment so we could put twenty percent down, but on the proviso the house was in my name," Nora told Rick.

"Any paperwork on that?" Rick asked anxiously.

"You would have to ask my mother, but I suspect no. Dad was trusting. I guess that's where I get it from." She drained her wine and stood up. "I've got to go home. J. J. and I are having supper together before he goes to the movies."

When she had gone, Rick Johnson looked at his wife. "This isn't just going to be messy. It's going to be nasty. Jeff wants to put the house on the market so it can be sold before school starts next autumn. Seems there's a co-op in town he and his next wife want to buy outright, without a mortgage. I suspect that's where the kids' college money has gone to as well. And don't you tell Nora that. I'm trying to keep her calm and strong for what's going to come. When Raoul Kramer gets a wife like Nora on the stand, she suddenly becomes a gold digger who has been leeching off her husband's hard work for years. Judges don't like women like that."