Cole shrugged. “I don’t give a shit.”
Kid’s got a mouth on him. Not any worse than Drew himself did at that age.
“I do,” Drew said. “I’m sorry, but I’m here now.”
Cole folded his arms. “So what? You weren’t here when my mom needed you.”
It was a slap across the face because it was true. “I know. I wish there was something I could do to bring her back. I can’t.”
“So why don’t you go away?”
“Because your mom wanted me here. And she would want me to be here now more than ever. So I am. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Cole looked away. “Bullshit. Aunt Ash doesn’t think you’re going to stay either.”
Drew nodded. “You’re right, she doesn’t. So, that’s two of you I have to prove wrong. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. So you’re just going to have to get used to looking at my ugly face.”
Cole looked back at Drew. Men made promises they had no intention of keeping all the time.
“Did your mom talk about me at all?”
“Some,” Cole said. It had been more than some, especially after they had finally gotten away. She said she’d find his Uncle Drew and he’d keep them safe. “She told me she wrote to you a week ago. Why’d you take so long?”
Drew rubbed his hand over his face. “I left Ember Falls when I had just turned eighteen. Things were bad. Your mom left and I didn’t know how to get in contact with her. I figured she didn’t want me around, but I kept my old email open. I would check it, always hoping I’d hear from either of my sisters, but after years of only getting junk mail I didn’t check very often. I just saw your mom’s email a few hours ago. I was in the middle of something—”
“That girl you rescued.” Cole interjected.
Drew’s eyes narrowed. “How did you…?” It clicked and despite himself, he grinned. Sharp kid. “The General was talking to Lilly and Ash. You heard from the landing.”
Cole didn’t return the grin, but he relaxed a bit more. The fact his uncle didn’t get angry because he’d been spying helped.
“Yeah,” Drew said. “I was helping to recue that girl. I got the email right before we went in. I sent back a response when we got back. I went to take a shower and got the call from Lilly.”
“What did you say to her?”
Drew reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He tapped the screen with his thumb, putting in his password and bringing up his email. Hitting the sent mail folder, he opened up the message his sister would never read. “Here.” He reached forward and held the phone out to his nephew.
Cole hesitantly took it. He hadn’t read the email his mother sent, but she had told him about it. He had gotten upset when the Uncle Drew his mother told him about for so long, the man his mother knew if she could just get in contact with, would come and help them hadn’t responded within minutes of her sending the email.
He’d asked his mother everyday if she’d gotten an answer. Each day he was told, ‘Not yet.’ Three days ago, it didn’t matter anymore. So why should it matter now?
Cole knew the answer was because it would have mattered to his mother. She would have wanted to read this. So he read it for her.
Kelli,
God, it’s so good to hear from you. I’m so sorry I haven’t been there. Reading your email, all I can do is say I’m sorry for not protecting you. I fucked up, it’s the only thing I can say. I tried to write you both. I thought you and Ashley were ignoring me. I thought you believed everything they were saying about me.
If you’ll have me, I want to be a part of your life again. A part of your son’s life. I can help if you let me. As soon as I tie up some last minute details, I’ll come see you.
Coming back to that town scares the crap out of me, but knowing you believe in me is enough. I miss my sisters. (Yes, even Ash.) So hang tight and I’ll be there. Soon. And please, whatever you do, stay away from Dad. Don’t tell him I’m coming back.
If you need anything before I get there, call me. I’ve been a shitty brother, but I swear I’ll make it up to you. I can tell you’re worried about your ex. You have my word; I won’t let him ever hurt Cole again.
BTW, he looks like you. He has your eyes. I’m sure he’s an amazing kid and I can’t wait to meet him. It’s pretty cool to find out I’m an uncle.
I love you, Kelli.
At the bottom of the email was Drew’s cell number. Cole read and reread the email before putting the phone down and slipping off the bed, away from Drew. He went to the window and looked out.
His uncle was big, even bigger than his step-father, but he could never remember Edward Hunter ever saying he was sorry for anything. Uncle Drew said it. He made a promise to his mother to come back and to protect them. He came back, but it was too late to protect his mother.
Cole turned back to his uncle. He’d listened to that man downstairs talk about how he’d fought in wars and stuff. He could’ve been killed while saving that girl. That didn’t sound like someone who was afraid, but the man downstairs said Uncle Drew was afraid to come back here. Uncle Drew even admitted it.
Cole understood fear. He couldn’t remember a time where he wasn’t at least a little scared. He never knew when Edward was going to come home or what he’d do. What he’d make Cole watch.
It made him feel a little less like a wuss, knowing a guy as big and strong as his uncle could be scared. And his uncle still came.
So now what?
Cole stood near the window, his arms folded and his gaze locked on his uncle’s eyes. So far, he’d been straight with him. Let’s see how long that lasts. Cole had questions and it was time he got answers.
“What happened to my mom?”
Uncle Drew looked confused. “She was killed. Cole, she’s dead.”
Cole let out an impatient breath. “I know that. I’m not a moron. I want to know what happened. Did it hurt? Where is she? Aunt Ash won’t tell me. She’s my mother. I have a right to know.”
Drew appraised his nephew.
“You’re right, you do,” Drew said. “I can’t tell you much because I don’t know much. Cole, I found out about this less than six hours ago, and I don’t have any details, but I can find out. It won’t be easy for you to hear, but if you need to know…”
“I’m not a baby,” Cole yelled. “I can handle it. I’m not scared.”
It wasn’t true of course. Cole was lying, but he did his best to not look afraid.
Drew nodded. “I’ll find out.”
Cole waited for his uncle to say something like, ‘and then I’ll decide what you can handle’ or ‘but I can’t promise to tell you’ but he didn’t.
“I want to see her,” Cole added. “I want to see my mother. Aunt Ash and Lilly have seen her, but I haven’t. I want to see her.”
Drew stood up. Cole stepped back and gasped.
Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes!
He’d pushed too far and now this huge man was going to make him pay.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back,” Drew said. “And Cole, it may take some time for you to believe me, but I swear to God, I’ll never hit you.”
Without waiting for a reply, he walked out of his bedroom and thundered down the stairs.
Cole didn’t go to the stairs to listen. He couldn’t move right now. So he waited.
Chapter 5
Big Boys Do Cry
Turns out, Cole didn’t need to go to the top of the stairs to hear much of what was said downstairs. Aunt Ash started to yell at Uncle Drew within moments of his going downstairs.
And Uncle Drew yelled back.
Cole started sweating, his breathes coming in heaves. What had he done? He liked Aunt Ashley. He didn’t want her hurt. Uncle Drew was angry. He was yelling. He expected to hear the familiar sounds of things crashing and his Aunt screaming in pain, and it would be his fault.
Closing his eyes, he fought against the nauseating terror that clawed at him from his empty gut. Hi
s fault, like when he spilled a glass of water and his stepfather had pummeled his mother. His fault, like when he asked his mom if she was alright because she was crying and had to watch as she was dragged up the stairs and shoved in a closet. His fault, when he tried to stop her from being punched in the stomach and it pissed Edward off enough he’d nearly strangled her to death.
Cole wasn’t going to let it be his fault again. He opened his eyes, ready to fly down the stairs and put himself between them, but the yelling had already stopped. Cole crept to the landing and listened. It was Lilly who talked. Calmly, to Aunt Ashley.
He couldn’t make out the words, but Lilly wasn’t scared.
“Cole,” Uncle Drew called.
Cole came down the stairs. Aunt Ashley stood in the middle of the room, her hands on her hips and her lip curled at her brother. She didn’t look scared or hurt. She did look angry.
Drew hadn’t hit her.
“Cole, you and me are going to go for a ride,” Drew said. “We’re gonna go to the police station and talk to someone. We’ll see if they’ll let us see your mom, but I can’t promise that. But we’ll get answers together. Okay?”
Cole looked towards Aunt Ashley. She didn’t want him to go, but he knew he needed to. “Okay.”
“Your aunt is worried because you haven’t eaten much for the last few days, so we’re gonna swing into a drive thru on the way and you can get something in your stomach before we go, and tonight when we sit down for dinner as a family, you finish what’s put in front of you. Deal?”
Without thinking, Cole nodded.
“Let’s go,” Drew said.
Cole didn’t like the way his Aunt looked at him, like she wanted to yell and cry all at the same time. He was afraid she wasn’t going to let him leave, but Cole needed to go so he headed for the door.
“Wait,” Ashley said. Cole turned to look at her. She walked over, knelt down in front of him. “You don’t have to look at her. It’s okay to change your mind. You can tell your uncle and he won’t be mad. Okay?”
Cole glanced up towards Drew.
“And you promise me you’ll eat tonight?”
“I’ll try,” Cole answered.
“What do you want me to make?”
“Why don’t we order in tonight? Nobody needs to be cooking here,” Drew said. Together, he and Drew moved towards the door. “Besides, kids been through enough. He doesn’t need to be tortured with something you make.”
Ashley was ready to start yelling, but seeing the small grin on Cole, she held her tongue. “I’ll call ahead. Go see Ollie, he knows Cole.”
Pulling into a local drive-thru, Drew asked Cole if he wanted a burger or chicken nuggets. The woman who handed him the food glanced at him as if she knew the face, but just couldn’t place him. He quickly pulled away before she had a chance to figure it out.
“So, what did you hear about me while I was taking a shower?” Drew said.
Cole forced down a bite of a nugget. His stomach rumbled for more, but he didn’t feel right eating.
“That guy, the old man…”
“Paul McAlister,” Drew supplied. “We call him The General. Capital T, capital G. Retired Marine.”
“He talked about what you did for his grandson. How you saved him twice. How you saved that girl. But that you were scared to come back here.”
Cole waited for his uncle to deny it, but he didn’t.
Cole munched on another nugget. “Why’d you come back then?”
Drew hung a left, took the long way to the police station. Another place he’d rather get shot before stepping into. “Because my sister needed me to.”
With his third nugget in his hand, Cole avoided eye contact. “She’s dead. You can leave if you want to.”
Drew pulled into the parking lot across from the police station and put the SUV in park. “She still needs me here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Cole considered the idea that Drew was telling him the truth as he downed the last nugget.
“Okay, here’s the deal,” Drew said as he killed the engine. “You and I are going to go in there and ask questions. Remember the police may not know much. If at any point it gets to be too much, you tell me.”
“I can handle it,” Cole insisted as he shoved his empty box of chicken nuggets into the bag they came in. “I’m not a wuss.”
Drew sighed. “I know that. Cole, look at me.” He waited until Cole made eye contact. “I know that. I know you’re a tough kid, but this isn’t going to be easy on either of us. I know you’re scared to go in there because I am. There’s no shame in being scared. And there’s no shame in crying for your mom.”
Cole shifted in his seat and looked away. No way was he going to cry like a baby in front of his uncle, or Ollie and all the other cops. Cole reached for the door, but he didn’t open it. He wanted answers, but now that he was here, he was afraid.
“If you’re not ready,” Drew said. “We can leave. Part of me would be relieved to put the car in reverse and get out of here.”
Cole felt the nuggets wanting to escape and wished he hadn’t eaten. “You’ll stay with me?”
Drew nodded. “Every moment. We’re in this together, but it’s up to you.”
“I want to go in.” Cole took one more look at the police station. He grabbed the door handle and got out.
“What the hell is he thinking?”
Ollie Miller watched Drew and Cole Duncan come into the precinct, check at the front desk and be directed to an interview room in the back. Cole stayed close to Drew, but never let his uncle touch him.
He’d called the coroner. They didn’t get a lot of business in terms of dead bodies here in Ember Falls, so it wasn’t an issue for the family to see the body, but Cole was a little boy.
Why was Drew forcing him to do this?
“Stop it,” Sam said.
Ollie didn’t take his eyes off the door where Drew and Cole had gone. “Stop what?”
Sam stepped in front of Ollie, made him make eye contact. “You’re not dealing with the bully from when you were a kid. You’re dealing with a man who just found out his sister was murdered. He’s here with his nephew who lost his mother and is scared and feeling alone. Don’t bring your baggage in there. If you need to deal with it, deal with it later. Not while that boy is in there and not when Drew Duncan is about to look at his dead sister. You’re better than that.”
Ollie unclenched the fist he hadn’t realized he made. She was right. This wasn’t a time to even a score.
“Let’s go,” Sam said.
When they walked in, Cole looked up into his eyes, trying to seem brave, but he came across so fragile to Ollie. Drew looked at him and there was no recognition in his eyes.
“Drew,” Ollie said. “Why don’t we step outside a moment? My partner can stay with Cole.”
Drew caught the quick glance from Cole. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that. I promised Cole we’d do this together. No secrets.”
Ollie glanced at Sam who held the files. She was ready to hand them to him, but he wasn’t ready to take them. “Are you sure about this? There’s no reason to put him through this. I’ll be happy to talk to you on your own.”
“No!” Cole jumped up. He spun on Drew, his face going red. “You promised me!”
Drew turned to his nephew. He stayed calm and spoke in a quiet voice. “I did and I’m keeping my promise. Deputy Miller is worried about you, like Aunt Ashley is. And he’s thinking this was my idea.” Drew turned back to Ollie. “It’s not. Cole needs this.”
Ollie studied both the boy and the man, and understood he’d misjudged the dynamic. Time to recalculate and adjust.
He sat down across from Drew, went to speak, but caught the look Drew sent him, directing his glance towards the child. With a nod, he moved over another seat and looked at Cole. Slowly, Cole took his seat again. “Cole, you need to understand that we’re still looking into it. Trying to figure out what happened.”
Drew leane
d in towards the two of them. “We understand you don’t have all the information. And we know you can’t tell us everything. Just tell us what you can. Cole needs to understand what happened to his mother.”
Ollie nodded as Samantha handed him the file. “Cole, what we know is that she was killed five days ago. That was a Friday. She was last seen at seven in the evening. She had an appointment that ended then. She was walking to her car.”
Cole listened, but he wasn’t looking at Ollie anymore. He wasn’t looking at anyone. “How did she die?”
Ollie looked to Drew. “You don’t need to know…”
“He needs to know if she suffered,” Drew said. “Was it quick?”
Ollie looked back to Cole. “I don’t think she suffered. It wasn’t instant, but it wasn’t slow. There would have been some pain. She would have realized what was happening, but it didn’t last long.”
Cole wondered what his mother’s last thoughts were as she was dying. “I want to see her.”
Samantha moved around the table. She crouched down near Cole and waited for him to look at her. She began to place her hand on his, but stopped when she saw him pull away.
“Cole, not too long ago, I lost my mother and father. I had to go see them in the morgue because I had to make the identification. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I saw them like that in my dreams for months. Are you sure you want to see her?”
Cole nodded. “She’s already in my dreams. I want to see her. I…” He stopped when his voice cracked, unable to find the words. Why couldn’t they let him just see his mother? Why did he have to beg and plead?
Sam started to say something else, but Drew held up a hand to stop her.
“Cole,” Drew said. “The Deputy is right that this isn’t going to be easy. I know you can handle it, but you don’t need to. So, the choice is yours and yours alone. Take a moment and be sure. We can always come back, but you can’t un-see it. This is your choice.”
It was his choice. He didn’t want to see his mother dead because it would end that part of him that prayed every moment to find out it was a mistake, that it was someone else who was killed. He wouldn’t be able to go to sleep tonight and pretend his mom would be there in the morning, telling him she was fine and it was all a mistake. He didn’t want that.
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