Truth Be Told. Barbara McMahon

telling April and Eliza the full story tonight,” she said.

      Maddie didn’t move. It seemed as if she held her breath.

      “I went to the bank. McLennon is president now. The son of a bitch should be in jail. Instead he has a prestigious job and is doing who knows what. You should have believed me, Maddie. I never meant to interfere with your chance at happiness. But he hurt me badly. And I got no support from the one person I thought I could count on. You. But that doesn’t excuse what I did. I lied initially, out of anger at you. I’m sorry. And more sorry that when I told the truth to the sheriff, he wouldn’t believe me. No one did. I’m sorry if I got you into trouble. And I’m sorry as hell that Eliza and April got shunted away like I did.”

      “Nnnnoooo,” Maddie uttered.

      “I wanted to let you know that I’m telling the others. Actually, I already told the new sheriff. I don’t think he believes me any more than you did, but he covers it better. Doesn’t matter, I know the truth, and I’m going to do my best to expose it to the world. I should have come back sooner.”

      Maddie nodded, her expression sad.

      “I hope he wasn’t the love of your life. I heard he dumped you after my accusations. I think you’re better off. He’s scum. I don’t know if he’s abusing any other girls. It could be that I was an isolated incident.”

      Maddie looked distressed again. She shook her head. Her eyes were wide with emotion.

      “Anyway, I thought it only fair to warn you. I expect Eliza and April will have some questions.” Jo took a deep breath, looking at the woman who had been the only mother she’d ever really had—until that fateful day. April had shared a lot of fond memories last night, many of which Jo had forgotten. It had been a good experience, one that made up for the overwhelming, indelible imprint of that last encounter.

      Maddie had been strict, but she’d had three wild girls to care for. All had railed against their fate that had put them into foster care, and Maddie had taken the brunt of their anger. Yet she’d been loving, helpful, supportive. She’d been the one to come to school events, not Jo’s mother. Maddie had stayed up with her when she’d had a miserable bout of flu. Her mother had been in jail that time.

      But the facts were as they were. Maddie was not her mother, and when Jo had needed her most, Maddie had let her down.

      The grip on Jo’s hand tightened. If she hadn’t known Maddie was recovering from a serious stroke, she’d have thought the woman had been in strength-training, so painful was the hold.

      Jo eased her hand out of Maddie’s, patting the back of her hand.

      “I said I was sorry earlier. I wanted you to know I meant it. I should never have retaliated like that. I had no idea of the ramifications. I know a lot more about the law now, though, and have to say the investigation Sheriff Halstead did was lousy. I suspect he was in league with McLennon.”

      Maddie nodded, reaching out again to touch Jo. “Bbbaaaa,” she tried. A sound almost like a kitten made, but Jo couldn’t understand.

      “I’d better be going.”

      Maddie shook her head frantically.

      Jo looked around the hospital room. The woman was probably going stir-crazy confined here. She could stay a little longer.

      Taking a deep breath, she nodded and changed the subject.

      “I’ve done all right for myself, Maddie,” she began. “I wanted to make something of my life, not end up like my mother. So I went for an education. It took me a little longer than most to realize the value. I didn’t graduate from high school until I was almost twenty, but made up for it in college. I have a degree in criminology. I’m good at my job. Did Eliza or April tell you I work for the Los Angeles Police Department? Once I made detective, I opted for Vice, to curtail as much drug traffic as I can. My team and I are good at what we do and have caught a bunch of dealers.”

      Maddie nodded, her gaze never wavering. She reclaimed Jo’s hand with her left one, as if anchoring Jo in the room. She said something, but Jo couldn’t understand it.

      “Say again?”

      Maddie struggled, but the sounds didn’t make sense.

      “I’m not too good at this,” Jo said.

      Maddie squeezed her hand and shook her head.

      Jo studied their linked hands. Her own hand was tanned and strong, Maddie’s frail and birdlike. Would she recover completely as Eliza swore? Or was this the beginning of a gradual decline ending in death?

      Jo looked up at her face again. “While I’m here, I’m going to do my best to set the record straight for everyone.”

      Maddie took a deep breath, then nodded.

      “I’m sorry things ended the way they did,” Jo said, tears gathering. Her heart was sore and the regrets spilled out.

      Jo spent an hour with Maddie, telling her about her job in Los Angeles, how she’d ended up there, glossing over some of the experiences she’d had that would shock the gentle Maddie.

      She longed to ask her about April being her granddaughter, and about Maddie’s own daughter. Jo knew from April that both she and Maddie were happy to have the truth known. Not many people outside the family knew—Cade and Jack and Sam only—but April wanted the world to know. Maddie had not objected. The question now was how to release the information to cause the least amount of gossip.

      Jo rather thought it should be handled while Maddie was semi-isolated in the hospital, so it would be old news by the time she was out and about again. But that call was April’s and Maddie’s.