“Hi, Cole.”
A woman in a black dress, with long brown hair and lips painted red sat near him.
“My name is Diana,” she said. “I knew your mom. She and I were talking about things before she was hurt. I wanted to see how you were doing.”
Cole shrugged. “I’m fine.”
Diana smiled. “Of course. I know your mom was interested in having you meet your uncle. I see he’s here. How are you two getting along?”
Cole’s eyes found his uncle. He was sitting in the corner, talking to Ollie’s partner, Sam who was looking around the room as if she were searching for someone. A moment later, Sam placed a small plate down and left Drew to head into the kitchen. Cole remembered thinking she was pretty the day he met her. “He’s okay.”
Diana nodded. “You know if you’re afraid of him I can help. I’m always here to help you.”
Cole shifted away from her a little. “Why would I be afraid of him?”
Diana smiled. “With everything you’ve been through, it would be normal.”
It was true, he had been afraid of his uncle. He was a big, powerful looking man. Cole expected the fast hand, the quick fist. It hadn’t come. And last night, Cole started to wonder if his uncle was telling the truth.
“We’re fine,” Cole said. “I’m gonna go.”
Without looking back, he got up and went out back.
Drew watched as Cole escaped to go out to the back yard. Kid was holding up about as well as anyone had a right to expect, but he knew he had a long way to go.
Not too many people came by. A few childhood friends stopped in, but most didn’t stay long. Kelli had always been the quietest out of all of them. She didn’t make friends easily. Because their father had been a cop, a few older police officers came in. None seemed shocked that their father hadn’t bothered to show.
Ollie was here, staying clear of Drew, mostly following Ashley around. His mother, the sheriff, put in an appearance, making sure to give her condolences to both Ashley and Drew where others could see her. Sam came with her grandmother and the two of them were floating around here somewhere. Drew decided to go look for Sam.
He found her and Rose standing in the kitchen. Rose was looking out to the yard, crying.
“Do you really think we should say something?” Rose said. “I feel so horrible, but at this point…”
“I’ll talk to Drew,” Sam said. “But not today. He and his family don’t need me to bring that up right now. Not after all this time.”
“Bring what up?”
When Drew came into the room, Sam couldn’t help but jump. “Drew. I didn’t see—”
“I get that,” Drew said, leaning against the doorframe. Rose avoided making eye contact. “So tell me what it is me and my family don’t need brought up.”
Sam positioned herself between Drew and her grandmother. “It’s nothing you need to hear right now.”
“What has you so worried?” Drew said. “Starting to wonder if you were wrong about me the other night?”
Sam shook her head. “No. Drew that’s not…”
A loud sob from Rose cut Sam off. “This is my fault. Be angry with me, not my girl.”
Drew closed in his eyes, took a breath, and calmed himself down. Opening them, he looked around. “Follow me.”
He led them into a back room used by Lilly as a home office. He flipped on the lights and waited until Sam and Rose followed him in. “We’ll talk in here. Cole seems to hear everything.”
Sam turned to Drew the moment the door closed. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Cole.”
Drew regarded her coolly. “I’ll be the judge of that.”
Sam repositioned herself as a buffer. “Drew—”
“No,” Rose said. “He’s right. You said so before, he has a right to know. It might as well be now.”
Drew deliberately stepped around Sam. Slowly, he put his hands on Rose’s shoulders. “It’s okay. Just tell me.”
Rose continued to cry as she nodded. “I suspected.” She finally got out. “I never believed you’d fallen down the stairs or gotten hurt on a swing set. It wasn’t the first time you showed up to school hurt, and it wasn’t the last. I knew you were being abused.”
“It was one of those non-secret secrets. A lot of people knew. Nobody did anything.”
But Rose just started to shake her head. “I did do something. Or at least I tried to do something. I talked to the principal of the school. He said we didn’t have any proof. I told him that as mandated reporters, we had to call even if we just suspected abuse. So I called.”
Drew looked to Sam. None of this made sense to him. “I don’t understand. If you called, you did your job.”
Rose was crying even more now. Sam came forward and put her hand on Drew’s arms. “It was me.”
“What?” Drew turned to Sam, looked her up and down. “What are you talking about?”
A single tear fell down Sam’s face. “Nana called to get an update and was told it was unfounded, but they gave her the runaround when she wanted to know who had gone out and what they found. She realized they hadn’t done much of an investigation.”
Drew shook his head. “I don’t remember being interviewed by a social worker.”
Sam sighed. “It’s not surprising. Nana wanted to talk with the supervisor. She was told he’d get back to her within twenty four hours.”
“And?” Drew prompted. “Did he?”
Sam shook her head. “No, but that night, she went home and found someone sitting on her couch, watching TV. Waiting. Someone who made it very clear she needed to drop it.”
Drew looked to Rose who simply couldn’t or wouldn’t look at him.
“It was my father, wasn’t it?”
Sam nodded. “She was terrified. I was so young. My parents still lived here in Ember Falls. He made Nana believe if she pushed it any further, something bad would happen to my mother and me.”
Drew backed away from them, turned and went to the window where he could make out Cole sitting alone on the back porch.
“I know you must hate me,” Rose said. “But I believed him. I really believed he would hurt my daughter and my granddaughter. I know you probably find that hard to believe…”
Drew crossed over to her, took her hand and led her to a small chair. He got her to sit and knelt down in front of her.
“No,” Drew said. “I find it very easy to believe.” He waited until she looked at him. “And I’ll tell you something else. I don’t know if this will make it easier for you or not, but he would have done it. I’m certain of that. There was probably nothing you could’ve done to help me and my sisters, but I know without a single doubt in my mind that if you had tried and he found out, he would have done whatever he said he would do. So you may not have been able to help my family, but you kept your family safe.”
Rose nodded, wept and looked into his eyes, searching for forgiveness.
Slowly, Drew pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry that happened to you. You don’t have to apologize for protecting your family.”
After letting Rose cry in his arms, both he and Sam stepped out of the office to give her a few moments to collect herself. They moved back into the main living room, but found a private corner.
“You were wonderful to her in there,” Sam said. “Very gentle.”
Drew didn’t look at her. “I don’t normally kick around old ladies. Not unless it’s a real special occasion.”
Sam stepped into his vision. “I was going to tell you. I just didn’t want it to be today. And yes, I thought you would have been angry. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you were. I’m glad you aren’t.”
“Angry?” Drew snapped in a whispered tone. “I passed angry when I found out my sister was brutalized and murdered. And what your Nana just told me may not have surprised me, but it most certainly did piss me the fuck off. I don’t blame her. I wasn’t lying to her, but don’t think for a moment I’m not angry.”
Drew look
ed across the room, saw Ollie. It only took a moment for Ollie to sense Drew staring at him. They locked eyes.
Drew decided it was time to deal with Oliver Miller.
Sam saw the two men playing a game of blink. When Drew stepped forward, she grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?”
Drew didn’t answer. He pulled away and strode over to Ollie who was putting down a small paper plate with pigs on a blanket in it. Drew moved to within an inch of Ollie, leaned in. “I need a word with you. Outside. Now.”
Drew didn’t wait for an answer. He headed to the back through the kitchen and slammed through the door. Ollie followed a moment later, both Ashley and Sam on his heels. The General followed closely behind them, watching and waiting.
“This isn’t the time or the place for this nonsense,” Ashley yelled. “You don’t have to go. My brother’s an asshole.”
Ollie ignored her. He pulled out his side arm, handed it to Sam who refused to take it at first until Ollie pressed it in her hand. Ollie thundered down the porch ready to fight, until he saw a pair of wide eyes from under the deck.
“Cole,” Ollie said. “Go on inside with your aunt and Sam. Your uncle and I need to work things out.”
Slowly, Cole started to move.
Drew pointed to his nephew. “No. Stay where you are. You hear every damn thing anyway. Might as well hear this first hand.”
Cole came out, but didn’t head inside. He watched and waited.
“You really think he needs to see this?” Ollie said.
Drew glanced at Cole. “Yeah, he does. He needs to understand something about being a man.”
Ollie shook his head. “And you’re the one who’s going to show him?”
Drew turned to Ollie, stepping closer. “I’m going to be the one to try. And you’re going to help. You wanna hit me?”
Ollie grinned. “You bet your ass I do.”
Drew held his hands by his side. “Fine. Go ahead. Lord knows, I’ve got it coming. But before you do, I need you to listen.”
Drew forced himself to look in Ollie’s eyes. “I was an ass to you. I was a bully and I made your life hell. I’m not going to make excuses, but I was angry all the time and I took it out on you. It didn’t help that you were always hanging around my sister. You told me the other night that you’re not going away. Did you mean that?”
Ollie, who was taken aback but still ready to fight, nodded. “You better believe it. I care about your sister. And Lilly and Cole.”
“I know you do,” Drew said, his voice lower. “I know you care and you stayed when I didn’t. I had my reasons, but they don’t matter anymore. I’m back. And I’m telling you I need you to stay.”
Ollie frowned. He allowed himself a quick glance to Ashley who seemed just as confused. “What?”
Drew stepped forward. “I. Need. You.” Drew said it slowly, clearly and sincerely. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I need your help to keep my family safe. My sister trusts you and trust doesn’t come easy. She doesn’t trust me. That’s my fault and I’m trying to earn her trust, but it’s going to take time. She trusts you.”
Drew looked over to Ashley. He knew she’d been waiting for him to leave again. To hurt her again.
“I’m telling you I’m sorry for everything I did to you,” Drew continued. “I know that doesn’t make it alright, but it’s all I can do. I’m not the same asshole I was back then. My sister thinks I’m still an asshole, and maybe I am, but I’m not the same one I was back when we were in school. Give me a chance.”
Drew held out his hand. Waited.
Ollie looked at it. His hands were still balled into fists, but the fight had gone out of him. It was too bad since Ollie was looking for a reason to punch Drew. Doing it now would make him the ass.
Ollie believed Drew meant what he said. With a sigh, Ollie looked towards Cole. The small boy was waiting, absorbing each moment. Drew was making a point to the kid. He wasn’t perfect. He made mistakes. But a man owns up to them, apologizes and does what he can to make amends.
Now it was Ollie’s turn. A man, a good and decent man, accepted sincere apologies and gave second chances.
Ollie took Drew’s hand and shook. “Jesus, Drew. You could have just bought me a beer at some point.”
Drew smiled. “I’ll get to it.”
They turned to go in. Drew spotted Ashley standing on the back porch, her arms folded and shaking her head. “I still think you’re an asshole,” she muttered.
But as she turned to go inside, she smiled.
Sam managed to get Drew alone. “That was one hell of a show. I won’t ask if you meant it, because I know you wouldn’t have said it if you didn’t, but you and Ollie should probably have a real conversation.”
Drew nodded. “We will. I’d like to have a real conversation with you soon too. Maybe a little more.”
Sam grinned. “We’ll see. I’m going to take Nana home. I’ll call you soon. Take care of your family.”
Drew watched her walk off the porch to her car where Rose waited for her. He turned to find Ashley behind him, her arms folded and an eye brow arched.
“Planning on bopping Ollie’s partner?”
Drew rolled his eyes. “You have such a way with words, Ash.”
“Is she why you’re staying?”
“Jesus, Ashley, can you give me a break?” Drew said. “Out of all days, today. I decided I was staying before I even got back. It has nothing to do with Sam. It has to do with what Kelli wanted for Cole. And wanting to make things right with you.”
Ashley scowled. “You think I don’t want to believe you? Dammit, Drew, it hurt when you abandoned me. Not a word. Not a single word to say goodbye. I was so worried about you. You never returned my letters…”
“You wrote letters to me?” Drew said.
Ashley furrowed her brow. “You’re telling me you never got them?”
Drew shook his head. His eyes studied his shoes. “I figured you guys believed I was guilty.”
“Oh Jesus, Drew,” Ashley said. “You’re such a moron.” She placed her hand on his heart. “I never believed that. I knew you wouldn’t hurt Molly. How could you think that?”
Drew didn’t know what to do except shrug. “You have no idea how bad it was for me in there. I was scared and alone. I had nobody. When I got out, both you and Kelli had left Dad. I figured you were safe and better off without me.”
Surprising both Drew and herself, Ashley leaned in to hug her brother. “You are an idiot. How could you think that? You’re my brother. I love you.”
Drew wrapped his arms around his sister, hugged her back. “I’m back. I’m staying. This time, you can count on me.”
It took a while to clean up once everyone left. Ashley was a little easier around Drew the rest of the night. She still gave him a hard time in whatever way she could think of, but that was just Ashley. If she wasn’t busting his balls, he’d have to check her for a pulse.
The General was using Lilly’s office for some business and Ashley was watching TV. Drew found it amusing to see Cole and Lilly, each sitting on opposite sides of the sofa, each with their own book. Lilly’s book had the image of a man and a woman on the cover, locked in a passionate embrace, mere moments before they are about turn up the heat. Cole’s book had a picture of a zombie about to munch on some poor soul.
What did it say that if he had to choose, he’d prefer Cole’s book over Lilly’s?
Satisfied everyone was content on their own to decompress, Drew made his way up to the apartment over the garage. He wished he had his workout gear, or even his gaming system—something to do so he could just forget. There wasn’t even anything on TV like a game that would let him yell at the screen like a moron.
Drew found his mind thinking about Sam. Maybe he’d go for another run in the park and get lucky enough to bump into her again. Might be worth a try.
He got up to get changed when someone knocked on the door. Maybe Sam had come to see him? Drew went to the door, opened
it, and was hit in the face by someone’s fist.
Chapter 10
The Dump Site
Drew’s head snapped back. He stumbled, tripped and fell on his ass. He prepared to get up and fight when he saw his assailant smile.
“You offered earlier,” Ollie said. “And the fact is, I’ve been waiting for years to do that to you.” Ollie offered his hand.
Drew scowled, but took it. “So I did. You get the one. Next time I kick your ass.” He let Ollie pull him up. “You come back here just to sucker punch me or is there something else I can help you with?”
Ollie decided not to tell him part of this was a test to see if Drew really could hold his temper. “I thought I’d take you up on that beer. I figured maybe you could use a distraction and I wanted to talk to you. If you’d rather be alone, I’ll understand.”
Drew shook his head. “I was thinking about going for a run. Beer sounds better, but since you popped me one you can buy the first round.”
Ollie grinned. “Deal.”
Before long, Ollie had driven them to Dover’s pub. It was a local place Drew remembered passing hundreds of times as a kid. He always noticed despite the fact it was real close, his dad never went in. Drew used to think when he was old enough; he’d go in and find out why. Since Drew left Ember Falls just after turning eighteen, he never got the chance.
The bar itself was nice enough. Homey, without turning up the redneck factor. He and Ollie took a seat in the back. In a few moments, a curvy blonde came over. “Hey there Ollie, who’s you’re buddy?”
Ollie didn’t balk at being called Drew’s buddy as he introduced the waitress as Stacey. She giggled, clearly either not connecting him to the Molly Winters case, or she didn’t care. Maybe, Drew wondered, more than a few people didn’t automatically assume he was guilty.
“I meant what I said,” Drew said. “I am sorry for how I used to treat you. I wanted to get that part out of the way. It wasn’t just for show.”
Torn Away (The Torn Series Book 1) Page 13
