Wrath (Faith McMann Trilogy Book 3)
Page 23
The wind had settled down, and the sky was a deep shade of blue. No rain. No thunder or lightning, a peaceful day.
Faith looked out at all of Craig’s friends, old and new, people who had gathered today to pay their respect. Most of Faith’s immediate family, she noticed, had dry eyes. They had been mourning Craig for months, and they were all cried out. Her family was strong and resilient, and that’s one of the things Craig always used to tell her he loved most about them. The tears would come later on their own terms. Today they would celebrate Craig’s life. Talk about all the wonderful things he did, and recall the happy memories.
Dad sat in his wheelchair in the front row next to Mom.
Beth Tanner would not be in attendance today, but Faith had visited her in the hospital more than once. She was expected to fully recover.
Kirsten Reich, Eva, and other members of her group were there. Colton sat beside his wife, Bri, and his two daughters. Bri and kids had returned last night from Florida. Colton and his family had some work to do, but Faith felt certain they would pull through.
She nodded at Detective Yuhasz sitting in the back row with his two daughters and grandchildren. Detective O’Sullivan had come. Same with Judge Lowell, who had decided not to reverse his original decision as long as Faith agreed to return to anger management classes.
Marion Carver, advocate for antitrafficking, and her daughter, Emily, were seated in the third row next to Miranda.
Faith cleared her throat. “Thank you for being here today. Many of you never got to know my husband, Craig, but trust me when I tell you he was a wonderful husband and father. His children meant the world to him, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t have done for them.” Faith stopped to unfold a piece of paper. “Hudson and Lara wrote a few things about their father that they asked me to read. ‘Our dad was a hard worker,’” Faith began. “‘He was honest and he cared about people. He was proud of us, too. He always asked about our friends, and he made us laugh every single day. He was our best friend.’”
Faith wiped a tear from her eyes, grateful when people who knew Craig from work and golf and all the other things he enjoyed in life came up to the podium to have a word.
Twenty minutes later, since Beast had declined to speak about Rage, Little Vinnie stepped up to the podium. His hands shook as he held his crumpled notes in front of him. Then he cleared his throat. “Rage was a scrawny little thing when she came to live with my son and me,” he told the crowd. “She’d been dealt a tough hand when it came to life. She was beaten and abandoned, betrayed by the people she loved. And yet, despite all of her hardships, it didn’t take me long to see that she was as beautiful inside as she was outside.” He put a hand to his heart. “Rage might not have been born into a life of love and laughter, but that’s exactly what she gave to all of us who knew her best.” After a short pause he added, “Rage loved life. Although she would never have admitted it, she loved people, too. She wanted a happy ending, not for herself but for everyone around her. Rage loved life even when she was complaining about it.”
He waited for a bit of laughter to subside.
“Rage had a son at a young age. One of her deepest regrets was giving him up for adoption. But then she met Sue and Danny, and she loved them almost as much as she loved her son. She died in peace knowing he was in good hands.”
Little Vinnie paused again, swallowed, then said, “Rage enjoyed the little things in life like sunflowers, ladybugs, and pickles.” He smiled as he remembered her joy in most things. “Rage was unselfish. She always wanted to help people in any way she could. As an example, one day at the grocery store she talked to a teenager standing in front of the store with a cardboard box filled with kittens. He was going to take the animals to the pound if he didn’t find them homes.” Little Vinnie wagged a finger at the crowd. “I can tell you this, I didn’t get any shopping done, but you can bet every kitten had a home by the end of the day.”
He shook his head. “I don’t mean to take up too much of your time. Rage wouldn’t like that. But I have this sudden need for all of you to know how special she was and how important it was to her that she help Faith find her children.” He wiped his eyes. “Lara and Hudson, Faith McMann’s children. That’s all she talked about. Every news report reminded us of the odds of a happy outcome, but Rage didn’t care about odds. She never once doubted that Lara and Hudson McMann would find their way home.” He nodded. “A true miracle. Just like Rage.” Little Vinnie nodded at Faith, letting her know he was finished before turning the podium back to her.
Apparently Faith’s family wasn’t done crying after all. Everyone was a mess, and tissues were being passed down every aisle. “Some of you didn’t know Craig and some of you didn’t know Rage,” Faith told the crowd, “but after hearing these stories, you can see how their lives crisscrossed. I knew Craig for thirty years. He was handsome and smart. He made me laugh. Craig was the father of my children. He was my best friend. He was my person.”
She looked down, took a long moment to compose herself. She felt Lara’s hand touch her arm, giving her strength. “He was so very special. He’ll never be forgotten. And I can tell you this with one hundred percent certainty . . . if he’d known Rage, if he had an inkling about all she did to help me find Lara and Hudson, he’d be happy to share this day with her.”
Faith stopped for a moment to collect herself and let the emotions rush over her and through her as she did her best to regain her composure. “Rage and Craig never met, of course, but they meet today, spiritually and in our hearts. They were both well loved. They will be missed.”
EPILOGUE
Faith was one of the last to arrive at anger management class.
After ZZ Top, tonight’s instructor, told her to sign in, he motioned for her to take one of the empty seats at the front of the class.
He spent the first ten minutes talking about setting boundaries, waiting until you’re calm before you talk to a loved one, and removing yourself from any situation where the angry person will not settle down.
She’d heard it all before, but Faith remained still and listened closely.
When the door opened, everyone turned that way. Latecomers were frowned upon. Faith was surprised to see Beast and Miranda. They came to the front and took seats next to her.
Faith smiled up at him.
Beast merely grunted.
“Everyone must have a nickname,” the instructor told Miranda. “Please stand up and tell everyone the name you have chosen.”
Miranda pulled a face, making it clear she didn’t want to be here and certainly wasn’t interested in standing in front of the class.
“Faith,” the instructor said, “do you mind telling our newest member your nickname and how it came to be? Maybe that will help our new friend choose a name she thinks might suit her.”
He obviously had no idea she and Miranda were already well acquainted, but Faith didn’t mind at all. She stood, turned toward the other people in attendance, and said, “On a Friday, a warm November day, my family was attacked by three men. My husband, a wonderful and decent human being, was killed that day. My two children were taken. The nightmare they endured while being held captive is something you and I will never understand. But I do know my family will never be the same.” She paused. “The bastard who started it all, Aster Williams, is alive and well in prison. If he’s ever released, he’ll do what he does best. He’ll find new ways to destroy lives. If his wife and children allow him back into their lives, he’ll have family to greet him.” She swallowed. “I will never see my husband again, never hold his hand, never see him smile like he used to every day when he walked through the door after work. My family, every single one of us, is working hard to get our lives back and find some sense of normalcy.” Her heart pounded, and a tiny light flickered within, bouncing around, refusing to be extinguished. “We’re forever changed,” she said. “I no longer live in a bubble. My eyes have been pried open, and they see everything.” Her hands had become
fists at her sides. “My name is Furious.”
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The world is filled with evil, and you don’t have to look very far to find it. Darkness lurks in many corners. We all like to think the worst crimes happen far away from where we live. But, sadly, that’s far from the truth. Right now, at this very moment, innocent people, including young children, are being lured into some form of human trafficking. It’s happening in my own backyard, and it’s probably happening in yours. Trafficking is the subject of my current work, the Faith McMann trilogy. I was looking forward to getting a break from writing about serial killers. Little did I know that I was about to jump into something much worse, a place where not one single monster was hiding among us, but many. Despite the enormity of this growing problem, awareness is the first step in preventing these crimes. And because I believe good can triumph over evil, I like to think that if the community works together, we can take these monsters down, one at a time.
I am about to begin writing my tenth thriller, the first book in my new Jessie Cole series. Writing a gritty thriller where good conquers evil, where victims don’t just learn to survive but thrive, where readers can find a sliver of light in the darkness, makes me happy. I hope you’ll come along for the ride.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I have been writing for a long time, and, up until a few years ago, it was always a solitary journey. Not any longer. The people at Thomas & Mercer have offered their support every step of the way. I am extremely grateful for Liz Pearsons, the amazing Charlotte Herscher, Robin O’Dell, Sarah Shaw, and so many others. Thank you.
And, Colton Alan Johnson, I can’t end this trilogy without a mention of the little boy who left us too soon. Thank you for being the inspiration for Faith’s brother, Colton, the best big brother in the world.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © 2014 Morgan Ragan
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Theresa Ragan has sold more than 1.8 million books. Under the name T.R. Ragan, she writes thrillers, including Furious, Outrage, and Wrath in the Faith McMann trilogy and Abducted, Dead Weight, A Dark Mind, Obsessed, Almost Dead, and Evil Never Dies in the Lizzy Gardner series. Theresa also writes medieval time-travel stories, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense. She and her husband have four children and live in Sacramento, California. To learn more about Theresa, visit her website at www.theresaragan.com.