8
Abby had left dozens of messages on Tanner’s phone, asking to meet with him. She said they needed to talk. He wasn’t as sure about that, but he did want to hear her side of the story. He couldn’t help the fact that he was curious.
The press seemed somewhat happy with his statement at the moment, so he took the opportunity to meet with Abby at the inn. Since there were still several of his friends staying there after the fundraiser, it wouldn’t look strange for him to be there.
He hoped.
“What do you think she’s going to say to you?” Maddie asked as they pulled up in front of the inn.
“It sounds like she wants me to hear her side of the story.”
Maddie wasn’t a woman who got jealous. She didn’t need to be. She knew that he adored her with his entire heart, but that didn’t mean she was fine and dandy with him meeting his ex-wife after she’d been questioned by the police.
“She’s going to ask you for help,” Maddie said. “She’s going to ask you to get Sam off of her back.”
“She has to know that I would never interfere in a police investigation.”
His statement made Maddie laugh.
“How many times have you said stuff like this? And then Abby shows you that she’s only interested in Abby.”
“You have a point,” he conceded. “But I’d like to think she wouldn’t expect me to squash a murder investigation.”
“Then she’ll want you to solve it.”
Now that didn’t sound out of the realm of possibility. It would be just like Abby to ask for a favor that large while he was running a damn campaign.
“I’ll be prepared for that request. I don’t have a problem asking Jason, Logan, and Jared to look into this.”
His friends had their own law enforcement consulting agency, and for the last several years had also been working for private individuals as well.
The two of them entered the inn and headed upstairs. Abby and Marty had booked a suite that overlooked the back patio, with a sitting area in addition to the bedroom and bathroom. His son Chris was sitting on the small sofa with his mother, his wife Ella letting them inside.
Abby had obviously been crying and Chris was there to comfort his mother. Their relationship hadn’t been great after Abby had left Springwood for a few years. Strained. That’s the word Tanner would use to describe it. Chris, however, had more patience than his sister Emily. His daughter barely acknowledged her mother except on birthdays and holidays. Apparently, Abby had tried to interfere in Emily’s marriage, trying to break up the couple because she didn’t like her daughter’s husband. It had been a real shitshow at the time. Ugly words had been exchanged with Tanner trying to mediate without getting too involved.
The story of my life with Abby since the divorce. Don’t get too pulled into her bullshit.
Despite their issues, Tanner didn’t want anything bad to happen to his ex-wife. He fully admitted that he didn’t truly understand how her mind worked most of the time, but he never rooted against her. He wanted the best for the mother of his children.
He wasn’t sure that she could say the same for him, however. At least, he wouldn’t bet the farm on it.
Abby jumped up from the sofa when she saw him, rushing to give him a hug but then stopped short when she saw Maddie.
“Oh, you’re here, too. Okay.” Abby’s attention turned back to Tanner. “Thank god, you’re here. We need to talk. Sam thinks I’m a killer.”
“Calm down, Abby. We will talk. Sam is a good cop. He won’t rush to judgment or let anyone pressure him to make an arrest before he’s ready.”
“I need your help.”
He didn’t even glance at his wife, but he could feel the I told you so vibes just from standing next to her.
“Why don’t you tell us what happened last night?”
Abby was already nodding before he finished speaking.
“I will. I’ll tell you everything—“ His ex-wife’s gaze swung to Maddie, and then to Chris and his wife. “Can we do this…alone? I’d feel better if I wasn’t airing my personal details to everyone in town.”
Tanner was going to refuse but Maddie spoke before he had a chance.