“I’ll be here at nine,” I told Brody, stepping past him. “I’m heading home too.”
I didn’t stick around to hear what he would say. I wasn’t sure there was anything he could say which would explain the situation at hand. I’d been a fool to think Belle and I could pick up where we left off. I’d been living in a fantasy land, but I’d been brought back down to earth with a bang.
BELLE
The house looked exactly the same as it always had. The driveway was clear, the lawn cut, and the chime I’d helped my mom attach next to the front door was still there. It drifted as the wind flowed over it, and the sound of the wooden middle connecting with the chimes had my shoulders relaxing.
This house would always be home. It would always be the one place I felt truly like me. But so much had changed since I’d left here six months ago, mainly the fact that I was eight months pregnant…and also a killer. I winced at that thought and tried to scrub the images out of my mind, but it was impossible to erase Curtis’ pale face and dead eyes.
“We’re home,” Mom singsonged, and placed her hand on my knee. Dad’s Mustang was directly behind us as she pulled to a stop in the driveway, and I stared out of the window, taking every little bit of the house in. “Asher will be home in an hour,” she continued. “He’ll be so glad you’re home too, sweetie.”
I nodded, not knowing what else to say. My mind was smashed to pieces, and I couldn’t find the right order of them to put it all back together again. This time yesterday, I’d been at the cabin, and Curtis was alive. Leopold was alive. And I was scared of being alone when the baby came.
But now…now they were both dead, and I may not have been physically alone, but I felt the loneliest I’d ever felt. It was true: you could be surrounded by a million people and still feel alone.
My car door opened, and I gasped, my hand flying to my chest, but my dad’s smiling face had my heart slowing down. “Need a hand inside?” he asked. Every part of me wanted to refuse the help, but I knew I needed it.
“Thanks, Dad,” I whispered, letting him help me out of the car. Mom rushed around the front and came to my other side, but her gaze drifting down to my stomach didn’t go unnoticed. I knew she’d want a rundown of everything. The problem was, I didn’t know where to start.
Once we were inside, Mom darted into the kitchen, shouting, “I’ll make you something to eat!”
Dad chuckled and kept his arm around me as we walked into the kitchen and pulled a chair out for me. “You’re acting like a crazy person again,” he told her, running his hand over my head and grinning down at me.
“And?” Mom quipped back, pulling things out of the refrigerator at lightning speed. “My only daughter is finally home, I’m allowed to act however I want to.” Mom winked at me. “I may even let her have a cookie.”
“A cookie?” I asked, perking up.
Mom and Dad both laughed, the sound glorious. I’d missed them more than I’d realized. “After lunch,” Mom said, but Dad sneaked past her and grabbed the entire packet off the counter. “Hey!”
“What?” His voice was innocent, but we all knew he was anything but that. “She’s eating for two, she needs extra.” His logic made sense to me.
“Mmm-hmm.” Mom started to make sandwiches. “And I’m sure it’s not because you want one too?”
Dad shrugged and sat opposite me. “I mean if there’s an extra one, who am I to deny myself eating it?” He ripped the packet open and pushed it across the table, whispering, “Save me one.”
I plucked one out and handed it to him without Mom seeing. The conversation was light as we munched on cookies and then ate our sandwiches, but as soon as we’d finished eating, the atmosphere changed, and I knew I had to tell them something. I didn’t want to go over what had happened, not again, but I could at least tell them about the baby.
“So, I’m pregnant,” I blurted out, glancing at each of them in turn. I shuffled in my seat and placed my hand on my bump. “I’m four weeks from my due date.”
“What?” Mom blinked several times. “You were pregnant when you…when you left?” I nodded in answer. “I…okay.” Mom turned to face Dad, her eyes wide. “We have four weeks to get everything ready.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “Asher is in Cade’s old room, so maybe we could turn Asher’s old room into the baby’s room?”
“That’s what I was thinking too,” Dad replied. “I’ll get the guys to help out, and I’m sure Ford would help build a crib. If not, I can go and buy one.”
My stomach flipped at the sound of Ford’s name, and it was on the tip of my tongue to tell them he was the baby’s dad, but something stopped me. Maybe it was because I hadn’t been able to talk to him yet, or maybe it was because I was scared of the reaction I’d get from them. I’d been gone six months, and I’d come home about to give birth, and they weren’t second-guessing it. They were jumping right in and making plans. I loved them for it, but I wasn’t a kid anymore. I was an adult about to be responsible for a tiny human. But right then, I didn’t have the energy to put up any kind of fight. I was tired. Tired and alone in this. At least, until I spoke to Ford anyway.
“And she needs to go see an OBGYN as soon as possible too. That’s what the doctor at the hospital said,” Dad told Mom, and neither of them was looking at me now. I leaned back in my chair, grateful that I wasn’t getting the third degree. They were in planning mode, but I was in self-preservation mode. I was waiting, biding my time and not jumping into anything. If I’d learned anything over the last year, it was that I should think something over, and then give myself extra time to make sure I’d made the right decision.
Ford being alive was a perfect example.
He hadn’t told me where he’d been, and although I was desperate for answers, I had to wait. Wait until we were alone. Wait until I could explain it to him and he could explain it to me.
Six months. I’d gone six months without him when he was still on this earth.
But then all I could think about was the fact he’d been alive and he hadn’t come to find me. If he’d have really thought about it, I knew he would have been able to see where I was hiding. He knew me better than anyone, and yet, he hadn’t. He’d left me where I was and hadn’t come. Did that mean he hadn’t wanted to? The last time I’d seen him, I’d begged him to stay. Begged him not to leave. But he had. He’d left me.
And then I’d left him.
I hadn’t waited for an explanation as to what was happening, I took what was in front of me at face value, and I knew now that I should never do that. There was what you were presented with, and then the truth, and those two things were rarely the same.
The front door banging closed had me jumping in my chair, and I shook my head, trying to get out of my own brain. I wasn’t sure what Mom and Dad were talking about now, but as footsteps padded closer to the kitchen, my nerves went haywire.
I waited with bated breath as I stared at the doorway, and Asher appeared, taller than I’d remembered. His head was down as he stared at his cell and walked into the kitchen. He didn’t once look up as we all stared at him silently. He headed for the counter and reached for a cookie, but when his hand landed on nothing, he murmured, “What the…”
“Looking for these?” I asked.
He spun around, his dark-brown eyes as wide as saucers. “Belle?” He blinked, his cell dropping out of his hand and clashing on the tiled floor, but he didn’t move to pick it up. He rubbed his hands over his eyes and then stared at me again. “Holy shit.”
I grinned and winced as my eye throbbed. “Hey.”
“What happened to you?”
“I erm…I got into a fight.” It was the best explanation I could come up with on the fly. I had no doubt both he and Cade would be filled in on everything I’d told the team had happened, but I didn’t want to tell him, not right then anyway. I hadn’t seen Asher for so long, and I just needed a hug from my little brother, so I stood and opened my arms.
His brows flew hig
h on his forehead as he continued to stare at me. “Holy fuck,” he breathed out.
“Language,” Mom reprimanded, but from the sound of her tone, she loved the shock from Asher.
He pointed at me, his gaze flicking down to my stomach. “Did you eat all of my cookies?”
I couldn’t help but snort at his answer. If there was one thing Asher and I had in common, it was our love of cookies. “Maybe.” I shrugged. “Are you gonna stand there all day or come and hug me?”
At my words, he darted across the kitchen and wrapped his arms around me. My head rested against his chest, and I knew then he’d grown again over the last six months. He wasn’t much shorter than Dad now, and I had a feeling he would be taller than him when he finally stopped growing.
“I can’t believe you’re home,” he whispered, squeezing me against him. “But you owe me cookies.”
I pulled back and stared up at him. “I’ll replace your cookies.”
He grinned down at me and swayed us back and forth. “I’m gonna be an uncle?” I nodded and smiled up at him. “My niece or nephew already loves me.” I frowned, wondering what he meant. “I can feel the baby kicking,” he said chuckling. “Obviously, we all knew I’d be the baby’s favorite.”
I shook my head and pulled away. “You’re such a nerd.”
He shrugged. “Just telling the truth, sis.”
Asher continued to stare at me, and the longer he did, the more I saw the sadness in his eyes. I hadn’t just run away from my own emotions. I’d run away from the people I loved most. And I knew I had some making up to do, but instead of dwelling on it, I pushed my shoulders back and asked, “Want to watch a movie with me? We could have lots of snacks.”
He tilted his head to the side as he pretended to think about it. “Okay. But no chick flicks.”
“Fine.” I stepped back and placed my hand on the top of my bump. “Fast and Furious marathon?”
“Fast cars, snacks, and my big sister?” Asher held his arm out for me, and I placed my hand in the crook of it. “Sounds like a perfect night.” He stepped toward the living room door but then halted. “Wait. I need to message my girlfriend and tell her I can’t meet her.”
He rushed across the kitchen and plucked his cell up off the floor, and I turned to face Mom and Dad. They were both sitting there with smiles on their faces, and although I had more to tell them, I decided it could be saved for another time. Right now, all I wanted was to watch films with my little brother and escape to a land where I hadn’t taken someone’s life.
Chapter Twenty-Four
FORD
I pulled into my usual parking space and stared at the building in front of me. I’d worked here for twenty years. I’d come in and out of it, sometimes being gone for nearly a year at a time when I was on an undercover case. But it never felt the way it did right then.
I dreaded going inside. Part of me hadn’t wanted to come, so I could save myself the pain, but I knew I had to hear what had happened to Belle. And once I had, I’d ask to be put on assignment so I could go undercover again. At least that way, I wouldn’t have to stick around and watch it all unfold before my very eyes.
A knocking sounded on my window, and I turned my head to see a grinning Ky. “You coming?” he asked, and in answer, I pushed my door open. Lottie rushed out of the car after me, heading right for Ky. I was glad she was with me today because I needed the moral support.
I slammed my car door shut and kept my mouth closed as we all filed into the building and then into the elevator. Lottie sat between us, her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth as the numbers above the door got higher and higher, and finally, it stopped on our floor, and the doors whooshed open.
Neither Ky nor I said a word as we walked down the hallway, past the interview rooms, through the main area, and then into Brody’s office. Jord and Ryan were already in there waiting for us, and as soon as we were inside, I closed the door.
“Morning,” I greeted, my voice rough. I hadn’t spoken to a single person since I’d found out Belle was pregnant yesterday. I’d gone home and right to bed and hadn’t gotten up until an hour ago. If I didn’t have this meeting to attend, I’d have probably stayed at home and not left the house all day.
Brody let out a big breath from where he was sitting behind his desk as Ky sat next to Jord on the sofa. Ryan was standing next to the window in his usual position, and I leaned against the opposite wall.
“I’m gonna go over everything, so we all know the ins and outs,” Brody started, his gaze drifting over all of us and then back to the paper on his desk. “What Belle said happened seems to match with the evidence we found. The first body was that of Leopold Shander, a local resident who owned the general store. The second body was the person she was staying with, Curtis—”
“What?” I ground out, pushing off the wall. “Curtis? As in, her friend from college?”
Brody frowned at me. “Yeah. They were living in the cabin together in Five Oaks.” He tilted his head to the side as if he didn’t understand.
“Did you not check him out when I gave you his information?” I asked, clenching my hands at my sides. I was trying to stay calm, but the rage was building inside of me. I hadn’t been able to do much after she’d gone missing because I’d needed to stay underground, so I’d trusted them to check everyone out. I didn’t think I’d have to double-check who they’d checked out. They were experienced agents and had worked for law enforcement for over thirty years. So why the hell did they not know she was staying with Curtis?
“I did,” Ryan said, and I turned my attention to him. “He graduated, worked in the local bar.”
“And…” I waited for him to expand, but when he was silent, I growled. “That was all you found out? I could have told you that my goddamn self.”
“I didn’t think he was relevant,” Ryan said, his eyes flaring. “I didn’t think he mattered.”
“You were wrong,” Brody interjected, his voice nearly a growl now. “Curtis admitted to killing her roommate, Stella, and the boyfriend, Justin.”
My nostrils flared; my anger a living, breathing thing. “What the fuck?” I sneered. “So he kidnapped her, then?”
Brody shook his head and leaned back in his seat. “No. She went willingly. From what she told us yesterday, and the little she told Lola and Asher, he was helping her.”
“So they were friends?” Jord asked. “And then he flipped on her?”
“Looks like he wanted to be more than her friend,” Brody gritted out, and I swore I could feel steam coming out of my ears. “He said he was protecting her, and that was why he’d killed the people who tried to keep her away from him.” He shook his head and banged his fist on his desk, causing papers to scatter. “She’d been in danger, and we’d skimmed over him and not thought twice about it.” He stared at me, and the look in his dark-brown eyes told me he knew I wouldn’t have skimmed over it. But I’d had no choice. I’d had to leave to get the cartel off our backs. I had to protect the entire family, and that should have included Belle.
“What happens now?” Ky asked, leaning forward on the sofa and placing his arms on his thighs. “You talked to the DA?”
“Yeah.” Brody pushed his hand through his hair. “He said he’s logging it as self-defense. But I want us to investigate it more. My gut tells me none of this is over, and—” His office phone ringing cut him off, and he plucked it off the handset. “Easton.” He stared down at his desk and then looked at the watch on his wrist. “In thirty minutes?” He waited while the person on the line said something else, and then replied, “I’ll meet you there.” He placed the receiver back on the handset, closed his eyes, and inhaled a breath. “I need you all to read over the case, add your statements, and then file them.” He opened his eyes and met my stare. “You add a profile of Curtis.”
“On it,” I told him, already ready to get started on it. My entire attitude since I’d entered the building had changed. I was good at my job, and I knew I wouldn’t leave
a single thing out.
Brody stood. “I need to leave the office for a couple of hours. Lola got Belle an appointment with the OBGYN.” He turned and plucked his jacket off the back of his chair. “I should be back before lunch.” I tried to drown him out, not prepared to listen about Belle’s baby. I had to concentrate on the task at hand and not get distracted.
“Tell Belle we said hey,” Jord told him. “And bring pictures back of the baby.”
Brody halted next to his desk. “I need to ask you all a favor.” He stared at us each in turn and then said, “Would you help us turn Asher’s old room into a nursery? Belle told us she’s eight months pregnant yesterday, so we have a month to get everything ready, that’s if…”
His voice faded away as I took in what he said. It took me a minute to process his words. She was eight months pregnant. She’d been gone with Curtis for six months. That meant when she’d left, she was already pregnant.
My breaths sawed in and out of me as I tried to remember what she was doing two months before she left, but I knew the answer before I thought it through. She was with me two months before she’d left. She’d been with me four months before she’d left. She’d only been with me, which meant—
Brody left his office with the guys on his heels, but Lottie sat in front of me, staring up at me with her beautiful brown eyes. She could sense something was happening, and she was ready and waiting to step in if she needed to.
My body was frozen in shock, my heart beating a crazy rhythm in my chest, but as soon as my instincts kicked in, I ran out of Brody’s office and toward the elevator. The numbers above the door were going down, and I knew it had to be Brody leaving.
Bonded Duet: Ford & Belle: Torn Bond & Tied Bond (Easton Family Duet Boxsets Book 3) Page 29