"We have to find her. There's no way she left on her own!" Sean screamed at detective Bill Allison.
"Sean, I know you are upset. I get it. Divorces are difficult. But her attorney told is she left the paperwork with you to finalize the divorce and took off on her own. She's an adult and can disappear if she chooses to. We are closing this investigation." The destructive said. "Look man. She gave you everything. Be thankful. That usually isn't the case."
"I will find her and when I do, you're going to be accountable if something happened to her. Do you understand me?" Sean said, looking into the detectives eyes.
"If you weren't so emotionally distraught right now, I'd take that as a threat. And I don't like to be threatened sir." Detective Allison said, walking to and stopping only inches from his face. "It's been a month. She's gone. She took some of her things with her. She picked a bag. She left signed divorce papers. She had been saving the attorney's retainer. She's gone. She left because she wanted to. And by the way you are behaving, sir, I'm beginning to understand why."
Sean sneered at him. "I'm going to find her." He said.
"Best of luck then, sir." Detective Allison said.
++++++++++++++++++++
"Everything is out, Max. Thank you again. I can't tell you how much your lending me this room helped when I really needed it most." Billie said, handing him the key. She had stayed the full month and managed to save enough to pay Paula almost two months rent in advance.
"You're welcome, my dear. I wish you the best. Tell Paula I said hello." Max said. She smiled and nodded and took her guitar and bag to the car where Paula was waiting.
"Max says hello." Billie said as she closed the door. Paula blushed just slightly enough for Billie to notice but just smiled and said nothing. They made their way to the house. Billie handed Paula 800 dollars and told her she would get the rest soon to cover the first two months.
"Relax. You can pay me weekly if you want. No worries. I know you're good for it." She said.
She handed Billie the keys and walked her inside. The house smelled clean and were new throw pillows on the couch and a vase of fresh flowers on the counter in the kitchen with a sign that said "Welcome Home." Billie looked at Paula.
"I may have had it cleaned and bought you some groceries and new bedding. Nothing crazy. No big deal. It's my way of telling you I appreciate all your hard work at the diner and you being willing to help take care of this house. It's nice to have someone around to help me." Paula said. Billie hugged her and let the tears fall. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her.
"I will never, ever forget this. Thank you." Billie said.
"What's your real name?" Paula asked.
"Billie. Billie Westfield." she said. "It was Conley but I am going to change it back when my divorce is final." She said, looking down. "He's after me. He reported me missing. I think he is going to try to find me and kill me." Billie said. Paula looked at her intently. "Years of abuse. Physical, mental, sexual. Years." Billie said, not wanting to say much more.
"Nothing is going to happen to you. You are safe here. And your secret is safe with me. My first husband... let's just say he passed away at a young age due to natural causes. The natural cause was the gun I shot him with while he was raping me after he killed our daughter." Paula said. Billie put her hand over her mouth.
"Oh my god. I am so sorry." Billie said.
"I'm not. I'm surprised you didn't hear about it already. I'm known as a kind of black widow around here. Three dead husbands. One I killed. One died in a car accident, racing and one died in his sleep. And a daughter that was taken from me when she was only 15 years old. She tried to stop her daddy from beating me to death and he hit her over the head and knocked her into a table, killing her instantly in a drunken rage." Paula said. "That was decades ago but it still feels like yesterday."
"I had no idea. I'm so sorry, Paula." Billie said, wiping the tears from her face.
"I told you all that so you would understand that I know where you've been. And I'll be damned if I let a thing happen to you. You were brave to leave and come here. That takes guts and helluva lot of self respect. I'm proud of you." She said to Billie.
"Thank you." Billie said.
"Now get settled in your new place. Make it your own. Enjoy it. Breathe." She said with a smile before closing the door behind her.