The Fiend by Margaret Millar Read Free Book Online Page A

parked across the street, in an old green car he probably borrowed from one of his so-called pals. He won’t use his own, naturally.”
    â€œHow do you know it’s Sheridan? Did you see him?”
    â€œNo, he’s got the windows closed. But it couldn’t be anyone else. There’s nothing across the street except a vacant lot. Also, I called his apartment and he wasn’t home. When you add two and two, you get four.”
    â€œLet’s just add one and one first,” Mac said. “Do you see anybody in the car?”
    â€œNo. I told you, the windows are closed—”
    â€œSo you’re not sure that there’s even anyone in it?”
    â€œI am sure. I know—”
    â€œIt’s possible the car stalled or ran out of gas and was simply abandoned there.”
    â€œNo. I saw it at noon, too.” Her voice broke, and when she spoke again, it sounded as if it had been pasted together by an amateur and the pieces didn’t fit. “He’s spying on me again, trying to get something on me. What does he hope to gain by all this?”
    â€œYou know as well as I do,” Mac said. “Mary Martha.”
    â€œHe can’t possibly prove I’m an unfit mother.”
    â€œI’m aware of that, but apparently he’s not. Divorces can get pretty dirty, Kate, especially if there’s a child involved. When money enters the picture too, even nice civilized people often forget every rule of decency they ever knew.”
    Kate said coldly, “You’re speaking, I hope, of Sheridan.”
    â€œI’m speaking of what happens when people refuse to admit their own mistakes and take cover behind self-righteousness.”
    â€œYou’ve never talked to me like this before.”
    â€œIt’s been a long day and I’m tired. Perhaps fatigue works on me like wine. You and Sheridan have been separated for two years and you’re still bickering over a financial settlement, you haven’t come to an agreement about Mary Martha, there have been suits, countersuits—”
    â€œPlease, Mac. Don’t be unkind to me. I’m distracted, I’m truly distracted.”
    â€œYes, I guess you truly are,” Mac said slowly. “What do you want me to do about it?”
    â€œTell Sheridan to get out of town and I’ll settle for eight hundred dollars a month.”
    â€œWhat about Mary Martha? He insists on seeing her.”
    â€œHe’ll see her over my dead body and no sooner. I won’t change my mind about that.”
    â€œLook, Kate, I can’t tell a man that simply because his wife no longer loves him he has to quit his job, leave the city he was born and brought up in and give up all rights to his only child.”
    â€œHe’s always loathed this town and said so. As for that silly little job, he only took it to get out of the house. He has enough money from his mother’s trust fund. He can well afford to pay me a thousand dollars—”
    â€œHis lawyer says he can’t.”
    â€œNaturally. His lawyer’s on his side.” She added bitterly, “I only wish to God my lawyer were on mine.”
    â€œI can be on your side without believing everything you do is right.”
    â€œYou don’t know, you don’t know what I’ve gone through with that man. He’s tried everything—hounding me, holding back on support money so I’ve had to sell half the things in the house to keep from starving, following me around town, stand­ing outside the door and ringing the bell until my nerves were shattered—”
    â€œThat’s all over now. He’s under a court order not to harass you.”
    â€œThen what’s he doing parked outside right this minute? Waiting to see one of my dozens of lovers arrive?”
    â€œNow don’t work yourself up, Kate.”
    â€œWhy can’t he leave us alone? He’s got what he wanted, that fat old gin-swilling