Laughing, I'm glad to see you came here to post. You need this board now more than ever.
Dick doesn't have any power over you. You have to dig deeper my friend and do not allow him to destroy you further. Right now, it's your darkest hour, but we don't know what the future holds for you and your family. We all have to have faith and hope that God will turn this around for your little family. Do not lose hope in his good will.
It may appear that he's won, but in days to come, it will come back to bite him on the @ss. What goes around comes around.
Now, we need to find a way to help you. Since you sense that the town is against you, it's time to pull up stakes and get the h@ll out of Dodge. If the children are going w/him to CA, it's time for you to think about relocating to some place else and starting over where people do not know the history of this nut and you. It's time to focus on you and get you back on level, solid ground so that you can be there for your children.
Laughing, it's not over by any means. The last chapter has not been written and it will not be written for a long time. Stay strong and know that we are all here for you.
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.
