Prodigal Son (36 page)

“Guilty, your honor,” he said, after each count of murder in the first degree. “We find the defendant guilty of eleven counts of murder
in the first degree,” which included his own parents. And then the judge asked him about the charge of the premeditated attempted murder of Margaret Higgins McDowell. “Guilty, your honor.” There was shouting in the courtroom, as the judge rapped his gavel and then thanked the jurors. And a moment later, they left the courtroom.

The judge set sentencing of the defendant for thirty days later, and Maggie already knew she didn’t have to be there. She hadn’t had the stomach to look at Michael after the verdict. He had stood silently through all the guilty charges. And there was no expression on his face. Maggie watched him walk out of the courtroom, with deputies on either side of him, and she felt absolutely nothing for him. He was a stranger to her. And Peter felt just as little for the man who was his twin, and had murdered their parents.

They left the courtroom with police protection, and sat staring at each other in her kitchen when they got home. Maggie couldn’t think, couldn’t move, couldn’t eat, and didn’t want to. Twenty-four years of her life had just ended. She had two wonderful children to show for it, but she knew now that her marriage had never existed for Michael, and it no longer existed for her either. And her children had lost their father. All she wanted to do now was pack and leave, and never see this house again, or anything to remind her of the life she had lived in it.

She went upstairs to pack, while Peter called the airlines for a flight to London the next day.

Before they left, on the following morning, Peter went to the cemetery to visit his parents’ graves. He wanted to say goodbye to them and apologize for not being a better son, and not protecting them from Michael. Peter knew he wouldn’t be back here again. And
he thought they would understand it too. He hoped they would forgive him for what he hadn’t been able to do for them.

He walked down the hill to the police car where Maggie and Bill were waiting for him. Jack Nelson had volunteered to drive them to Boston. He felt as though it was the least he could do to show his support.

None of them spoke on the ride to the airport. They were lost in their own thoughts, and there was nothing left to say. Justice had been done.

Jack hugged her when she got out of the car at Logan Airport, and he told her again how sorry he was. He shook hands with Peter and Bill, and then he left them, and they checked in. They had two hours until their flight to London, and Maggie couldn’t wait to leave. She wanted to get as far away from here as she could.

They bought magazines, and stopped for something to eat. Bill was texting Lisa to tell her they were leaving Boston. They had talked late the night before about the verdict. She no longer believed their father innocent, so the verdict didn’t come as a shock to her. It was a sad coming of age for her. And she was relieved that it was over for all of them. She could never feel the same way about her father again. It was a huge loss for her.

When Bill got up to get another cup of coffee, Peter looked at Maggie across the table. She had looked uncomfortable in her skin since the day before. Everything that had happened was so ugly.

“I just want you to hear something from me,” Peter said gently. He looked at her, and he could see that she was numb. “This may be the wrong time to tell you, but I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life making up to you for what you went through. My brother is a monster, and you didn’t deserve any of it. You may have meant nothing
to him. But you mean everything to me.” He was looking at her intently, and she could see that he meant it. She smiled and reached across the table for his hand.

“I love you too. I’m sorry we all had to go through it. It can’t be any easier for you.”

“I’m not the one who got poisoned,” he said, as they stood up to walk to the gate and catch their flight. And with that, he put his arms around her and kissed her. It was over. Michael couldn’t hurt either of them anymore. They stood in the airport and kissed as Bill saw them and smiled. He stood at a distance from them, and sent a text to his sister. He had promised he would if anything happened while they were away. She and Ryan had been hoping for this since Courchevel.

“The eagle has landed,” he texted to his sister with a broad grin. She got it immediately, gave a long slow smile, and forwarded it instantly to Ryan in L.A. Ben was sitting next to him when he got it. They were eating breakfast before school, and Ryan laughed as he read it to him.

“What does that mean?” Ben asked him, looking puzzled. “What eagle?”

“I think Dad just kissed Maggie,” Ryan explained.

“Awesome,” Ben said with a grin. From Boston to London to L.A., the news was out and they approved.

Bill tapped them gently on the shoulder then. “Come on, you guys. Let’s not miss our flight. You can do that on the plane.”

“Right,” Peter said, still holding Maggie. She was smiling broadly, as Peter looked at Bill and laughed, and the three of them walked through the terminal arm in arm to catch their plane. They had lived through it. They had survived. They had suffered enormous losses, and in the losses had been blessed with enormous gains.

PEGASUS • A PERFECT LIFE • POWER PLAY • WINNERS • FIRST SIGHT • UNTIL THE END OF TIME • SINS OF THE MOTHER • FRIENDS FOREVER • BETRAYAL • HOTEL VENDÔME • HAPPY BIRTHDAY • 44 CHARLES STREET • LEGACY • FAMILY TIES • BIG GIRL • SOUTHERN LIGHTS • MATTERS OF THE HEART • ONE DAY AT A TIME • A GOOD WOMAN • ROGUE • HONOR THYSELF • AMAZING GRACE • BUNGALOW 2 • SISTERS • H.R.H. • COMING OUT • THE HOUSE • TOXIC BACHELORS • MIRACLE • IMPOSSIBLE • ECHOES • SECOND CHANCE • RANSOM • SAFE HARBOUR • JOHNNY ANGEL • DATING GAME • ANSWERED PRAYERS • SUNSET IN ST. TROPEZ • THE COTTAGE • THE KISS • LEAP OF FAITH • LONE EAGLE • JOURNEY • THE HOUSE ON HOPE STREET • THE WEDDING • IRRESISTIBLE FORCES • GRANNY DAN • BITTERSWEET • MIRROR IMAGE • THE KLONE AND I • THE LONG ROAD HOME • THE GHOST • SPECIAL DELIVERY • THE RANCH • SILENT HONOR • MALICE • FIVE DAYS IN PARIS • LIGHTNING • WINGS • THE GIFT • ACCIDENT • VANISHED • MIXED BLESSINGS • JEWELS • NO GREATER LOVE • HEARTBEAT • MESSAGE FROM NAM • DADDY • STAR • ZOYA • KALEIDOSCOPE • FINE THINGS • WANDERLUST • SECRETS • FAMILY ALBUM • FULL CIRCLE • CHANGES • THURSTON HOUSE • CROSSINGS • ONCE IN A LIFETIME • A PERFECT STRANGER • REMEMBRANCE • PALOMINO • LOVE:
POEMS
• THE RING • LOVING • TO LOVE AGAIN • SUMMER’S END • SEASON OF PASSION • THE PROMISE • NOW AND FOREVER • PASSION’S PROMISE • GOING HOME

Nonfiction

PURE JOY
:
The Dogs We Love
A GIFT OF HOPE
:
Helping the Homeless
HIS BRIGHT LIGHT
:
The Story of Nick Traina