Waves of Reckoning (The Montclair Brothers)

by Terri Marie

  “Oh my!” She raced towards the phone, but Tyler was faster. He picked it up and held it behind his back.

  “I’m not here to hurt you, but I want you to tell me where my father is.” Tyler wanted to scream at the woman but didn’t.

  “I’m not comfortable giving you that information! You’ll hurt him and that’s not going to resolve anything.” Angelique closed her pink robe tighter around her chest.

  “I’m angry, but I’m not stupid.” Tyler knew her fears were justified and that he’d probably flatten the guy, but that was just fine by him. “Just relax and sit down. Like I said, I’m not here to hurt you.”

  Tyler pointed to a chair, and Angelique walked over and sat down, never averting her eyes from his.

  “I have a post office box. There’s no address I can give to you. It’s on the lake, but set back in the woods. Sebastian said it was abandoned when he discovered it, and I believe him. Tyler, I’ve told you everything I know, so you coming here isn’t going to make me remember more information.”

  Tyler sat down on the corner of the bed. He glared at Angelique. If she tried to leave the room, he’d stop her. “If you’re as remorseful as you say you are, then you’ll stop defending him.” He could feel his temper getting the best of him.

  “When the trial is over, I promise to take you to him. I’m not defending what Sebastian has done. He’s your father, and he shouldn’t have deserted you the way he did. But on the other hand, I love him, and I can’t let you hurt him.” Angelique looked Tyler in the eyes.

  “Hurt him? But it’s perfectly okay that he caused such damage to us?” Tyler got up and paced in front of the door.

  “None of it’s okay. I chose to stay with a married man who had children. I was selfish, and I put my wants above Natalie and you boys. Trust me, no one knows how wrong I am more than me. You’re trying to make me tell you why Sebastian did what he did…why he hid himself for all these years. I just don’t know those answers.”

  “Does he have a phone?” Tyler felt like he was going to ring her neck.

  “No, there aren’t any phone lines running to the cabin. The only way to talk to him is to go there and knock on the door.” Angelique stood up and walked towards him. “He’s not the same strong man that you remember.”

  “He was never a strong man. He’s a damn coward for what he did!” Tyler raised his voice, making Angelique back up. “How far is this cabin from the estate? Don’t lie to me.” he growled.

  “Roughly two miles, but you wouldn’t know it was there even if you walked right past it.”

  “Oooh I’ll find it,” Tyler smiled. The more calm this lady became, the more it was pissing him off. “He’s about to get that knock on the door. Better yet, maybe I’ll just knock the damn thing down!” Tyler turned around, twisted the knob, and slung it open. Without closing the door behind him, he headed towards the parking lot and stopped mid-step. There sat Jacob on the hood of his car, Sean was blocking the driver’s door, and Vincent stood between Tyler and his Mercedes.

  “Going somewhere, Bro?” asked Vincent.

  “Damn it!” cursed Tyler.

  “We’re having a sleepover at Sean’s house tonight, and you’ve just been cordially invited.” Vincent hooked his arm in Tyler’s and began to pull him towards Sean’s SUV. Jacob climbed into the backseat, so Tyler was sandwiched between him and Vincent.

  “Why don’t you guys back off and let me do what I need to do?” asked Tyler, his voice full of despair.

  “Because what you need to do is wait. We’ve waited for almost two decades, Ty, so it’s not going to make a difference if we hold off for a few more days,” Vincent calmly explained. The car doors locked and Tyler knew there’d be no way of opening them. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes. Getting to his father would be difficult, but storming through the fence of his brothers, would be impossible.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Vincent took his phone out of his pocket and sent a text to Renee, letting her know that they’d found Tyler and he’d be with them for the night. He knew his brother was ready to explode, but no matter what, he wasn’t going to let Tyler out of his sight, even if he had to keep his eyes pried open. It was going to be a very long night.

  Sean pulled into the garage and shut the door before unlocking the SUV. Tyler stormed inside the house and walked to the kitchen. He sat down at the table, and Vincent could tell his brother wanted to kill the three of them. But he knew, if the situation was reversed, Tyler would do the same thing for them.

  Jacob sat in the chair beside him. “Ty, you need to get past the urge to beat the hell out of that man. He’s pathetic, and maybe you need to think of him that way. In reality, why does he even deserve to look at us again? Why should he even get the chance to explain himself?”

  “Because he drove our mother to kill herself, and then left us to deal with the aftermath. We were kids!” Tyler yelled.

  “Hey Vinnie,” began Sean. “What if we bring our father into the office? We can put him on a flight.”

  “No!” argued Tyler. “I want to see him in his little cabin in the woods. If he even steps foot inside of our building—”

  “Okay, okay.” Vincent lifted his hand to stop his brothers. “We’ll go to the cabin after Robert goes to prison. The jury shouldn’t be out for long on this one. Between now and then, Ty, you have to control yourself.”

  “I’m going to bed,” announced Tyler, as he pushed back his chair and stormed off. “I can’t even stomach talking about that sad excuse for a human being anymore today.” The bedroom door closed loudly.

  Vincent knew that Tyler’s breaking point was near. Controlling him until the trial was over with would be one thing, but trying to accomplish that afterwards, would be impossible. Watching Tyler walk out of the kitchen, Vincent looked up at his brothers. He kept his voice low so it wouldn’t filter into the bedroom.

  “He’s going to blow,” warned Jacob. “Even Robert didn’t make him this angry.”

  “Yeah, I know,” agreed Vincent. “No matter what it takes, we’re going to have to help him get a grip on the situation. Remember, he has years of pent up resentment, and when it fully unleashes, he’s going to be like a bomb.”

  “You guys get some sleep,” offered Sean. “I’ll stay out here so I can keep an eye on the bedroom. One of you two can swap places with me in a few hours. That bedroom window is stuck shut, so there’s no way he can get out of it without making lots of racket.”

  Vincent nodded and walked to the other spare room. As he passed Tyler’s door, he could hear his muffled voice. Hopefully he was talking to Renee and she’d calm him down a little. He left his door cracked so he could hear any commotion. It shouldn’t be too hard because sleep wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Tyler lay in the bed fully clothed. He’d like to take off to Castle Lake right now, but that’d be out of the question until Robert’s fate was decided by the jury. Hopefully they hate him as much as everyone else does. He didn’t know what was wrong with him. He felt compelled to confront the man who’d disgraced his family and abandoned his children. Robert was a tyrant, but Tyler would much rather be harmed physically than go through the anguish that was filling him right now.

  He felt like the ground beneath him had crumbled and he was falling. Normally he would find comfort in his brothers’ presence, but looking at their faces just reminded him of everything they’d gone through. Having to tell his younger siblings about the death of his parents was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. Jacob and Sean had looked up at him like they were lost. Immediately afterwards they’d been separated. Vincent thought he was being sent away as a punishment. Tyler could recall that scene like it was yesterday.

  His phone vibrated in his pocket. Renee. Tyler felt his chest get tight.

  “Tyler, are you okay?” she asked in a soft voice. He could tell she’d been crying. Guilt was overtaking him.

  He had to pause for a minute to comp
ose himself. “I’m so sorry, Renee. I don’t know what happened to me…”

  “I’m here for you, okay? You’re going through a lot right now, so I just wanted to tell you that we love you.”

  Tyler thought about his baby and Brian. He had a beautiful family, which also included his brothers, and that was something his father couldn’t take from him. “I love you guys too, but I’m not feeling very talkative right now. I just need some quiet time to think. My head feels like I have a million thoughts racing through it. Just know that my crazy behavior doesn’t have anything to do with you or Brian.”

  “I know it doesn’t, Baby. You don’t need to worry about us. We’ll stick by you for the duration, and I’m so sorry you have to deal with this. I can only imagine how much your heart is aching right now.” Tyler heard her softly blowing her nose.

  “Renee, I don’t want you to be upset over this. I promise not to do anything crazy. When I go to see my father, my brothers will be with me. Nothing bad is going to happen.” Tyler had no idea if he could keep that promise.

  “Just remember that you’re going to have a beautiful son or daughter. There’s nothing important enough to risk you getting to watch our baby and Brian grow up. When you go see the bastard, hold us in your heart. Hold onto your family, Tyler. Get some sleep and I’ll see you at the courthouse tomorrow, okay? We love you.”

  “I love you guys too. I’ll see you in the morning.” Tyler hung up the phone and stared at the wall. On it was a picture of him and his brothers on the day they’d been reunited. He let his head sink into the pillow; his mind was racing with images of him grabbing his father by the throat.

  Chapter 4

  Vincent startled awake at five the next morning. Sean must have stayed awake all night. Still fully clothed, he got up and walked into the kitchen to put some coffee on. There sat Jacob reading the newspaper.

  “Did you get any sleep?” asked Vincent as he pulled the coffee out of the cupboard.

  “Just a couple of hours, but that’s okay. Sean needed the rest.” Jacob eyed the coffee and smiled. “Man, I could use some of that right now. Maybe the full pot.”

  “Do you know if Tyler slept?” Vincent put the grounds and water into the coffee maker and then sat in a chair at the table.

  “According to Sean, the guy tossed and turned all night. I’ve heard the same thing since I came out here. I don’t think he slept.” Jacob shook his head and then folded the paper back up.

  “That’s not good. Tyler already isn’t thinking clearly.” Vincent sighed as he got up and took two mugs out of the cabinet. “He’s in bad shape, and a lack of sleep is going to make everything worse.”

  A few minutes later, Vincent poured the coffee and handed a full mug to Sean. He watched his brother take a sip.

  “Wow, Vinnie. Don’t ever become a barista. This tastes like shit.” Sean put the mug down.

  “No it doesn’t.” Vincent took a small drink. “Okay, yes it does. I’m going to get in the shower. Damn, this is gross.” Vincent laughed and headed to the bathroom.

  The hot shower felt good. He hadn’t realized how tight the muscles in his shoulders and neck had become until they started to loosen up under the hot water. He wasn’t looking forward to sitting through the closing arguments in Robert’s trial today. Vincent hoped the creep would act out, and be kept away from the courtroom. Just the sight of the guy made him want to knock his teeth down his throat. If he got this angry, he could only imagine how it must feel to Jacob, Renee, and Brian, his shooting victims, not to mention the families of the people Robert had killed. After his shower, and shave, he wrapped a towel around his waist and went back into the kitchen. Sean had gotten up and was talking with Jacob.

  “Good morning, Vin,” smiled Sean. “This coffee tastes like shit.”

  “So I’ve heard,” he laughed. “Sean, I need something clean to wear. I’m going to raid your closet.” Vincent walked into Sean’s bedroom. He was thankful that he and his brothers wore the same size. Tyler was the tallest, but the variation in height was barely noticeable. He chose a dark gray pinstriped suit and a black and gray tie, put his black loafers back on, and took a seat in the kitchen.

  “You better not be wearing my boxers…” warned Sean.

  “I love you, my brother, but I wouldn’t go there.” Vincent winked and looked over at Jacob. “Are you feeling good about today?”

  “Yeah, he’ll get convicted, but the relief of putting Robert behind us will be the best part. Oh, and I made a new pot of coffee. Want some?” Jacob laughed and went over to the cabinet.

  “Tyler hasn’t poked his head out of the bedroom yet. Do you think I should get him up?” asked Jacob.

  Vincent was about to reply when Tyler walked out to the hall and went inside the bathroom. He listened as the shower turned on.

  “Normally he’d come out here and make some kind of wise-ass remark about a lumpy bed or something,” began Sean. “He’s worrying me.”

  “Yeah, me too,” agreed Vincent. “We’ll have to stick beside him like glue and make sure he doesn’t try to slip out of the courtroom.” He could just picture them having to chase Tyler down during closing arguments. Vincent couldn’t help but anticipate a tackle in front of reporters.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Tyler put his rumpled suit back on. He could care less what he looked like. The shower made him more alert. He hadn’t slept at all, and his head was pounding. Tyler looked in the mirror at his whiskered face, but he found no reason to shave. It was just one more thing that would zap his energy when he needed every drop he could muster. He planned to flee to Castle Lake the minute the attorneys were done running their mouths today, and once there, he’d get a motel room and wait for the verdict to be announced on the news. Then he’d hit the beach, searching every square inch of woods near it, until he found the son of a bitch. This way, no one could stop him.

  Renee had offered to bring him clean clothes, but Tyler didn’t think he could face her. In order to confront Sebastian, he couldn’t be filled with guilt. There was no way he could get any closure until he made his father face him. If a fist or two happened to fly, it’d be like hitting a random person. Tyler felt no family connection to the man. He’d be attacking a stranger.

  Walking into the kitchen, he sat in a chair but stayed silent. Sean brought him a mug of coffee, which he sipped, but he couldn’t clear his mind enough to start a conversation.

  “Let’s go grab some breakfast,” suggested Vincent. “We can’t sit there without food in our stomachs.”

  Tyler didn’t agree or disagree. He just followed everyone out to Sean’s SUV and took his place in the backseat between Vincent and Jacob.

  At the diner, his brothers placed their orders, and Sean ordered eggs and bacon for Tyler. When the food arrived, all he could do was to push the eggs around the plate with a fork.

  “Ty, you have to eat something.” Sean reached over and squeezed his shoulder.

  Tyler looked up at him and stared. He lifted a slice of toast, took a small bite, and then forced himself to swallow it. It felt like he was trying to force a boulder down his throat. He put the toast back down on the plate.

  “Well, we need to get going,” said Jacob after several more minutes of watching Tyler poke at his food.

  The brothers stood up, but didn’t move from the table until Tyler was on his feet. He knew he’d be watched carefully. The Montclairs’ protective nature wasn’t to be underestimated. They’d learned early on that they didn’t have anyone but each other. Emma and Renee would even throw themselves in front of him, so he’d have to escape through them as well. Looking at Renee and Brian’s faces would be a challenge for him, but he couldn’t expect himself to ever feel whole again without doing what he needed to do.

  Sitting through the closing arguments was killing Tyler. All it did was remind him of such a painful fact; while his brother lay dying, his father hadn’t even bothered to show his face. This filled him with an even greater desire to get u
p north. Looking at Robert with that stupid look on his face, fueled him even more. Tyler could feel his brothers’ eyes on him frequently, but expecting him to play nice with someone who remained a toxic poison to the family, wasn’t realistic. He’d make sure Sebastian stayed far away from their lives. Some people had to give up their children as a selfless act of love, but what his father had done was unconscionable. Who in the hell did he think he was? Did he expect his sons to welcome him back with open arms? Tyler wanted to yell out his thoughts, but doing so in a courtroom would be a bad idea.

  Furrow’s explanation of the evidence took all morning. When he was done, they broke for lunch. Renee tried to get him to eat at the restaurant, but his stomach still felt like it was tied in knots. He managed a smile at Brian, but the expression on the kid’s face let Tyler know that he wasn’t falling for the act. Emma gave him a few glares, as if to say “Don’t you dare run!” But he knew he’d have to have faith that they’d forgive him. He wasn’t the bad person in this.

  When they arrived back in court, Robert turned around and looked at Renee. Tyler’s first instinct was to get up and snap the monster’s neck, but Sean read his mind. He felt his brother’s hand on his forearm, letting him know that his urge wasn’t going to be played out. When he looked at Renee, he was relieved to see that she didn’t falter. She returned his laser-eyed stare with a smile, pissing Robert off enough to be nudged by the bailiff again.

  Knowles spoke a lot longer than Furrow had. The jurors’ faces remained serious and were impossible to read. His arguments were insane. Even hinting that the creep was innocent should be a mortal sin. Tyler’s mind quickly went back to his father as soon as the word ‘creep’ entered his mind. He spaced out after that. The next thing he knew, the judge was giving the jury instructions before they were allowed to begin deliberating. He could only hope they wouldn’t take days to render a verdict.