Evan isn’t taking any chances when it comes to his family. As I watch him instruct EJ on how to get down, I find myself wondering if I’m going to get the same chance with Claire. Will we be living in fear for the rest of our lives? Or will this shit end? One thing I know is that if Frannie is still around, we’ll never be safe. She’s fucking deadly and crazy. The shit she’s been doing to us, whether she was threatened or not, isn’t right. Singlehandedly destroying lives as if they don’t matter.
And my daughter? Frannie led her to slaughter and didn’t bat an eyelash. Why would any woman do that? Aren’t women, designed by nature, built to protect children? Just thinking about her standing in my living room, holding Claire against her, cradling her because she’s been sick only to hand her off to a monster who pumped her full of drugs so he could rape her, fills me with rage.
Rape her.
If I had known this when I returned, Frannie would be dead. There wouldn’t be an all-points bulletin out for her right now because she’d be buried six feet under with her husband.
Lawson was going to rape my two-year-old daughter and I’m going to kill him.
Evan and EJ climb back up the rock formation and onto the deck. I think about helping EJ over the edge, but know that he needs to do it himself. Evan isn’t going let anything happen to that little boy.
“Wow, EJ, I don’t think even I could do that.” I motion toward the rocks and earn a big beaming smile from him.
“I’m going to be a SEAL,” he says, and proceeds to make a barking sound causing me to laugh.
“Just like your dad?” I point to Evan to make sure EJ knows who I’m speaking about.
“Yep, and you and Uncle Nate.”
Well at least Nate is sporting the right familial title.
“EJ, why don’t you run and see what kind of trouble you can get into with Mommy.”
EJ high-fives Evan and takes off into the house. I say a prayer for Evan that Ryley doesn’t kill him later.
Once the door is closed, I look at Evan and shake my head. “I want to kill him, Archer.”
“Who?” he asks as we both sit down to face the ocean.
“Lawson. The PI informed me today that day before we “died” Penny had filed a police report against Ted Lawson because he was molesting Claire.” I finish the story, recounting everything I learned today for him. I lost count at how many “mother fuckers” he let out during my recollection.
“I’m going to go see him.”
“Not without me you’re not.”
I shake my head, not wanting him involved. “You have a family to think about. I need to do this.”
Evan looks at me, stone-faced. “We’re a team. I want that fucker to pay for what he’s done. He’s hurt each of us in different ways and needs to be dealt with. He needs to know that his sick lifestyle is going to be the end of his life. And besides, we’re family and family supports one another no matter what.”
“Thanks, Archer, that means a lot.”
“Don’t fucking thank me. You know I hate that shit.”
We sit in silence, watching the ships move in and out of the Sound. The activity at the Naval yard seems normal—no nondescript cars or people moving around stealthily—although tonight might be a different story.
“I don’t know where they’re holding him,” I break the silence, admitting that my plan to see Lawson is flawed. I’m assuming he’s in DC or maybe San Diego, but I don’t know.
“Cara will make sure we get in to see Lawson. She’ll know where he is,” Evan says, confidently. “Maybe Nate can scope out the area and find us a good vantage point.”
“To kill him?”
Evan shakes his head. “No, to scare the shit out of him and bring that fucking bitch Frannie out of hiding.”
I nod in agreement. I’d never hit a woman, but I’d welcome a few rounds with her. Hell, I’d love to see Ryley take her on. I’d pay good money to watch her take that bitch down.
AS I SUSPECTED, THE arrival of Nate seems to have Evan on edge. It’s either that or what I told him yesterday about Penny is really messing with his mind. He’s trying to protect Ryley and EJ; all while trying to figure out who set us up and help me find my family. He’s pacing more now than on a regular day.
The last I knew he and Nate were “okay” and Evan was wanting to work with his brother in the security business, but Nate stayed in the Navy to finish his enlistment … or as Ryley likes to say, he stayed to keep an eye on her mom and to be the eyes and ears that we need on the inside. Either way, Nate is pulling into the driveway and Evan looks like he’s about to have a full-blown panic attack.