Sarah shrugged. “Okay. If that’s the way you want to do it. Phillip asked me to tell you that he misses you. That he made a mistake. That whatever you want, he will do. He said he’d made promises. He didn’t tell me what they were, but he wanted me to tell you that he will keep them.” Vicki’s face was like an impenetrable fortress, but the sadness in her eyes gave her away.

“But that’s not all, is it?”

“No. I had gone to his office to collect the copies of my identification papers, passport, et cetera. His new secretary was unable to find my ID or any of my financial papers—”

Vicki held up a hand, a slight sneer on her face. “Oh, wait. Let me guess. He told you I stole them?”

“He mentioned it was a possibility. That you had been upset when he fired you.”

“Oh. So now he fired me?”

“Look. I don’t want to get in the middle of whatever is going on between the two of you—”

“And yet here you are.” A mottled flush of emotion was rising in Vicki’s cheeks. “I worked my ass off for that man, looking out for your family interests. Twenty-eight years, and this is my thanks? You come down here, accuse me of stealing your precious papers, act as a go-between for a two-faced lying bastard who you shouldn’t trust any farther than you can throw. And you expect me to open my home to you? What else did he say?”

“He said . . .” Sarah’s mouth tasted as if she’d downed a lukewarm glass of rancid milk. “That you are having an affair with Kevin, my ex.”

And just like that, the last traces of lingering sadness in Vicki’s eyes were replaced with white-hot anger. “Really! How fascinating. And you believed him?”

“I don’t know. For your sake, I hope not. Kevin is a psychopath. He can charm the birds out of the trees, but once he has them in his hand, he will snap their necks and laugh about it. Please do not trust him. Your life and safety depend upon it.”

Vicki shook her head, bitterness drawing deep grooves on her face. “You are something else. How dare you come to my home to spew the poison that son of a bitch whispered in your ear,” she spit out. “We are done here.” She turned angrily, took a few steps down the hall, then returned to the door. “You would think, after all I’d been through with that man, he would know me better than that. You tell that putz he doesn’t know dick about love.” She was furious, but Sarah could see tears lurking behind the rage. “Wait. Better yet, tell him you found me bent over the kitchen table and getting fucked from behind. Yeah. Tell him that.” Vicki pivoted and stormed away from the entryway door.