“Do you have the cash? The diamonds?”

He wanted to laugh but did not. “Sure.”

His answers went into her like some sort of key. She laughed to herself but it was as if she dragged the mirth from a place unconnected to reality. “You bastard,” she said.

“Me?” He let the question hang. “Did you know he was mine?”

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

“How could he be yours? We never even had sex.”

He let out his bitterness. “Yeah, don’t remind me. I wasn’t good enough for you. David was, though. He shows up in town and you jump in bed and fuck his brains out.”

“That’s not what happened.”

“That is what happened!”

“Matt. I’m sorry.” In her small voice. “I didn’t know.”

“You’re lying. We were close enough for you to get pregnant. You knew he was mine the day you learned you were knocked up. Certainly you knew when he was born. He looks just like me. Plus, you’re at least as smart as me. Had you any doubt, you would have had him tested.” He paused. “Did you?”

She was a long time answering. “Yes.”

“So you did know the truth!”

“Yes.”

“And you didn’t tell David?”

“How could I tell him?”

“Wasn’t he suspicious? No, he wouldn’t have been because I was just some guy you met and dated a few times. I wasn’t your boyfriend for a year and a half.”

“Where is Jimmy? I want to see him.”

“No,” he said flatly.

She feared him then. “You won’t let me see him?”

He did not know what he felt. Minutes ago—love. Seconds ago—hate. And now his old friend—confusion. He didn’t want to just give her Jimmy back. He wanted what had been taken from him back. But where was love sent for repair when it was torn to pieces? He knew his problem. He still wanted her to heal him when she was the one holding the scapel.

“You don’t care if I die on the table,” he muttered.

“What?”

He studied her face. She had tried to hide it with makeup, but one eye was bruised. “He hits you.”

She nodded. “I must have been out of my mind to leave you for him.”

That helped. He had imagined her saying the identical words for over a year. But she probably knew that. She was no fool. The fact he had gone to all this trouble to hurt her told her that he was still obsessed with her. Yet he could not move slowly with her and get to where he wanted to be. They couldn’t leave the park until they reached an understanding.

“Leave him,” he said suddenly.

She did not hesitate. “I’m going to leave him.”

“No. Leave him now, today. I have our son. I have the money.”

“But everyone thinks you’re dead.”