Because he hated having distance of any kind between them, he pulled the folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her.

“What’s this?”

“Read it.”

He watched as her eyes skimmed over the single sentence and widened with shock. “Oh my God! Is he for real?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Has he called?”

“Twice so far. I haven’t accepted the call. Yet.”

“Owen, your mother would not want you to do this for her. She and Charlie are perfectly content the way they are.”

“How can I live with being the reason they aren’t able to get married?”

“You are not the reason.”

“You know what I mean.”

“He wants you upset and riddled with anxiety waiting for the phone to ring. You’re not going to give him the satisfaction.”

“I’m tired of running in fear from him. What if I take the call, see what he wants and buy my mother’s freedom in the process?”

“What if he says something that sets you back twenty years? Have you thought of that?”

“He doesn’t have that kind of power over me anymore.”

“Doesn’t he?”

Owen sighed deeply, filled with feelings of defeat that he’d thought were in the past. “I hate that he does. I hate it more than anything.”

“I know, honey, and that’s why I don’t want you to talk to him. You’ve been so unburdened since the trial ended. I can’t bear to see you go back to how you felt before it.”

“And I can’t bear the idea of my mom not being able to move forward with Charlie because of me.”

“Owen…”

“I know it’s not technically because of me, but I can do something about it.”

After a long pause, Laura pushed herself up to one elbow to look down at him. “What if I take the call? His note doesn’t say it has to be you.”

“No way. Not happening.”

“Why not? He’s nothing to me. He can’t hurt me.”

“You don’t know him. You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

“Sure, I do. I was here when your mother arrived on the island after he beat the hell out of her. I’ve witnessed the wounds you carry with you. Don’t tell me I don’t know what he’s capable of. I do know, and I’m not intimidated by the idea of taking a phone call from him.”

“I can’t let you do this. It’s just… I can’t.”

“Would you do it for me? If the shoe were on the other foot?”

“Yes, but—”

“No buts. I’ll take the call. I’ll see what he wants, and I’ll take care of it.”

“Laura…”

“I’ll take the call, Owen.”