Read The Greatest Gift for Free Online Page B

his wife took the two kids and left him. Demanded a divorce. He was such a mess he had no choice. They decided to settle this out of court to save money. The pastor and his ex agreed that she got the house and he kept his insurance policy. A big one too.”
    “So? Isn’t that normal when people split up? They split the assets.”
    “That wasn’t the strange part.”
    Susan pushed her glass to the side. “Go on.”
    “So instead of naming his kids on the insurance policy he named my niece as his beneficiary.”
    “Elizabeth ?”
    “Yes.”
    “How do you know this?”
    Connie gave her empty glass to the waitress. “Can I get another?” Then she put a couple of fingers over her lips. “My friend was the lawyer for his ex and gave me the info after he heard Elizabeth went missing.”
    Susan shook her head, lifted the glass to her mouth and put it back down. She stared at Connie. “What does this mean?”
    “It could mean a lot of things. It could mean maybe one of the pastor’s kids or the ex had something to do with Elizabeth’s disappearance.”
    “Why don’t you go to the cops?”
    “I can’t. Not yet. I have to think this over.”
    “Why?” Susan asked.
    “If word leaked out, my friend would lose his job and perhaps his partnership. I haven’t seen the document, either. I only know because he had a few in him one night and he told me.”
    “This sounds crazy.”
    “Oh, and my brother time traveling and talking to Jesus isn’t crazy?”
    Susan winced. “I don’t know what’s crazy and what’s not.”
    “Well, I know I’m not crazy. I might be the only one in this hick town who’s thinking rationally.”
    “You have to go to the police with this.”
    “Not until I’m sure. I need to find out a few things. I don’t want to come across as some crazy person. You saw what happened to that woman Allison.”
    She looked from side to side to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation. “The pastor could be the only one who knows where my brother is. I don’t want to upset or anger him. If I find out he’s lying, I’ll go to the cops. I love my brother despite what you think.”
    “I love him too,” Susan said.
    The waitress returned with another glass of wine, and Connie took a big gulp. “Yeah, I know all about your love. What do you know about real love? If you loved him so much, why did you leave Northport? Women like you are a dime a dozen in this town. Maybe he wasn’t making enough money for your snooty lifestyle? Was that it?”
    Susan smiled. “You are one pent up, frustrated woman, aren’t you? You don’t know anything about me. You don’t know what’s in my heart, what Michael and I share, how much I care about him. You have your own issues, and the biggest one is you. You’re so bitter and lonely after your husband left you that you can’t be happy for anyone unless they’re miserable with you. I’m sorry you’re unhappy with your pathetic, lonely life.”
    Susan took three quick sips of the wine, her eyes never leaving Connie’s. She released the top part of the glass before she could break it.
    Connie drained her glass and stood. “I’m leaving.”
    “Go ahead, go back to your big, fancy home with the high ceilings and chandeliers and the twenty big bedrooms. It must be so cold and lonely in that mansion of yours. How does it feel walking around all those empty rooms?”
    Connie stopped and turned around. “I don’t live there anymore.”
    “What happened? Did you relocate to the Taj Mahal?”
    “Not that it’s any of your business, but our house was a short sale. The only stinking rich person at this table is you. I’ve lost everything.”
    Before Susan could think of a response, Connie continued. “Are you thrilled now that my wonderful life is as miserable as you say?”
    Susan felt a surge of guilt. She drank the rest of her wine in three gulps. She stood. “I’m sorry. Don’t leave. We’re both worried about Michael. We both love him.