CHAPTER 5
The Ringo Effect
Who said life is fair?
CHAPTER 5
Upstairs in Dahlia’s bedroom, she and Penelope drink bourbon from the mini bar and dissect the situation.
“When did you find out about all of this?” Penelope asks, gazing around the room at framed photos of Dahlia, Richard and the kids spread out atop every surface. On the dresser, the chest of drawers, night stands and dressing table.
“When I went to the bank,” Dahlia said. “Not last week. It must have been the week before. Everything was crammed inside his safe deposit box. Along with those pics of the kiddies on a thumb drive.”
“And you had no idea about this, Dee? Another woman? Kids? I mean, you know how we do, girlfriend. We pretend not to know but we know.”
Dahlia shakes her head. “I swear Penny. I didn’t. I mean, I’d think about him out here fooling around sometimes but he never gave me any reason to be suspicious,” she said. “Never.”
“How old was Richard? Seventy? And he was out here having babies?”
“How do you like that?” Dahlia said. “And all her life he called Maya ‘the last button on Jacob’s coat’. Do you know how crushed my baby will be if she ever finds out that she’s not his last button?”
