“We can look at anything and make it simple,” Vince said. “Even murder. Every one of them can be boiled down to this: Either somebody didn’t get what they wanted, or someone wanted exactly what they got. Disappointment or desire.”

“Or both.”

And the result was ultimately all the same: lives broken and the death of dreams. Marissa’s life had held a wealth of promise, now gone. She would no longer have the chance to make the world a better place by creating art or by raising a wonderful child. Milo Bordain, who had been a driving force in the community and instrumental in raising funds for half a dozen charities, would leave a void in those positions. Mark Foster, a bright light in his field, had given up his future trying to protect a secret. And Darren Bordain, who had known nothing about his lover’s attempt on Gina’s life or his mother’s murder of Marissa, was left emotionally devastated without the two people most important in his life.

Bruce Bordain, who had effectively set this all in motion by cheating on his wife and destroying the dreams of a young woman, would walk away unscathed.

“How’s Anne?” Mendez asked.

A smile tugged at one corner of Vince’s mouth. “Remarkable. Beat up, cut up, but incredible. But I told her if somebody tries to kill her one more time I’m locking her up for safekeeping.”

“She’s had a rough few days.”

“She’s more worried about Haley, but Haley will be all right. Between the two of us, we’ll make sure of it.”

“You’ll adopt her?”

“Absolutely,” Vince said. “We’ll get a jump start on our family with Haley Leone.”

Mendez grinned and clapped him on the back. “Congratulations.”

“I’m a lucky man,” Vince said. “How about you?”

“I heard Steve Morgan moved out. He told Sara he never had an affair with Marissa. Marissa wouldn’t have him because of Sara and Wendy. But he would have done it, and that’s what counts.”

“And what are you going to do?”

Mendez stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged as he leaned back against the car. “Listen when she wants to talk.”

“One step at time.”

“Yeah,” he said ducking his head. “I think maybe I’ll go take one now.”

Chapter 104

104

Anne watched Haley playing in the grass with the kittens that had moved into Casa Leone. There was nothing quite like a near-death experience or two to make one appreciate the simple things in life.

“But why did any of this have to happen?” Wendy asked. “Why do all these bad things have to happen?”

They sat side by side on the patio sofa, Anne with her arm around Wendy’s shoulders. Sara had brought her over hoping she could stay for a few hours while Steve moved out of their house.