Discombobulate

Chapter Fifty

"What do you mean?"

"Are they looking for him?"

Everyone started talking at once. Denise shifted in her chair. Sammy came up beside her. She pulled a chunk off her grilled cheese and gave it to him. He happily chewed it before laying down at her feet.

She always gave him a chunk of grilled cheese when she made them. It made her heart ache. She missed him more than she wanted to admit.

"Everyone hold on, let me introduce myself. Excuse me for being rude. My daughter usually doesn't have anyone here, so I figured she'd be free." The blonde woman stuck her hand out toward Denise. "I'm Rosa Sullivan, Greg Sullivan is my husband."

Denise reached out her clean hand and shook Rosa's. "I'm Denise Houghton."

"That's why you look so familiar. You've been in the news within the past few months."

"Unfortunately," Denise shrugged her shoulders. "I should probably head out. I don't want to intrude on family matters."

Rosa brushed her worry aside."Nonsense, you can stay here. I'm not going to take long." She plopped down in an empty chair. The questions from her kids started up again. She held up her hands to quiet them.

"I was given a visit last night from a sheriff and a detective," Rosa started.

Denise's stomach churned. She wasn't aware of any of this. She didn't know what happened after last night's situation. She returned home and went to bed.

"Detective Mullen's kid is missing and they think Sullivan might have played a part in it. Have the two of you been in contact with him?"

"Why would I be in contact with him?" Daniel spat. "I hated him and he knew that."

"I don't have his number," Tara added. "I only have yours. I only interacted with him when I was at your house. Why do they suspect he had something to do with it?"

"He probably did have something to do with it. The man is an asshole." Daniel crossed his arms over his chest.

Tara glared at him and turned her attention back to Rosa. "Why does he have a warrant out for his arrest?"

"That was my doing. I've been recording every incident for the past two years. I've been waiting for a way out. This is a perfect time. I submitted a police report. He's wanted for domestic violence."

"Are you sure he'll go to prison? He was the sheriff, you know. A lot of people liked him." Daniel loosened up a bit. He took a bite of his grilled cheese.

"We have to hope the judge does the right thing. This will stall time for Sheriff Winston and Detective Mullen. Hopefully, they can tie him with the kidnapping of Mullen's daughter."

"Why would he be interested in Mullen's daughter?" Tara asked.

"They wouldn't tell me everything about the case. I'm sure they have their reasons. They showed up at my house last night to question him. He left before they came. I don't know him anymore."

Rosa let out a sigh. "That's not the man I married. He hasn't been the same man I originally married for years."

Denise watched Daniel roll his eyes. He took another bite of his grilled cheese.

Rosa stood up from the table. "I have to go. I'm staying at a hotel. I need to find a divorce lawyer. If you kids need me, call me. If Sullivan tries to contact you, if he tells you where he is, call the police station."

She grabbed Daniel's empty hand and she grabbed one of Tara's. "When this madness is all over, I want to try to be a family again. I've missed so much of your lives. It's one of my biggest regrets."