Wrecked Palace

by Catherine Cowles

  I cleared my throat. “She’s supposed to have a twelve-year sentence. It’s been less than seven.”

  Callie winced. “The prisons are crowded, and my source says she hasn’t made trouble during her time there. The parole board thought she was a good candidate for early release.”

  I vaguely remembered the prosecutor of the case telling me that I had to register with the board if I wanted to be notified of hearings or her release. But I honestly hadn’t thought there was any way she’d get out before her twelve years were up—definitely not after less than seven. But apparently, that was just my naïve belief in the system. My head snapped up. “She’s not coming back to Anchor, is she?”

  Callie shook her head. “I talked to her parole officer. She’s going to be moving to Shelter Island. The motor court on the northside.”

  I nodded woodenly. At least there was a little distance. And it wasn’t like she’d given any indication that she wanted anything to do with the children she’d left to the wolves. “Do you know if there’s been any sign of my father?” I checked in with Sheriff Raines every so often to see if he’d heard anything, but it had been a while.

  “I called Parker on my way over here. There’s still been no sign of him. But once your mom’s out, they’ll be keeping an eye on the motor court. Maybe he’ll show.”

  I could only hope. Then maybe he would finally pay for all the pain he’d brought on his children. My blood heated as I thought about how Will tried to be perfect, taking on so much more than a sixteen-year-old should; how withdrawn and fearful Ava could be, and how Mia was determined to hold us all together with her rainbow string.

  Sean had scarred his children and brought evil into their lives. When the sheriff at the time had dug deeper into the network my father’s actions had exposed, it had been far darker and more vast than anyone had expected. The state police had been called in, and then the FBI. A few foot soldiers had ended up getting jail time, but it hadn’t been the huge bust the cops and feds had hoped for.

  I’d just been glad it was over. That the kids and I were safe to move out of Harriet’s and into our own little house. From there, we’d begun to build a life. Soon, we had a routine. And we’d been happy. We didn’t have every material thing we wanted or needed, but we had each other, and we were safe.

  I traced invisible designs on the side of my coffee mug. “Chrissy hasn’t said anything about wanting to see the kids, right?”

  Anger lit Callie’s features. “Not a word.”

  I blew out a breath, leaning back in my chair. “As much as that makes her a heartless bitch, I’m glad for it.”

  Callie’s expression softened. “You’re allowed to be relieved that someone who hurt your siblings doesn’t want to come back into their lives.”

  I glanced up at the ceiling as if it held all the answers I was looking for. “Do I tell them?”

  “That she’s out?”

  I nodded, bringing my focus back to Callie. “It feels dishonest not to, but they never talk about her. They don’t ask about either of their parents.”

  “That’s because you’ve created such a stable and loving home for them. It’s more than they ever had living with Chrissy and Sean. You know them best. What does your gut say?”

  “I need to tell them. At least Will.” It was the right thing to do. If I were in his shoes and someone hid something like this from me, I’d be pissed as hell.

  Callie took a sip of her coffee. “Then make some time for just the two of you and tell him. If you decide you want to tell the girls later, you can. I think Will would appreciate you telling him first. It’ll give him the space to react how he needs to.”

  She was right. If I told them all together, Will would want to hold everything inside to protect his sisters. He’d only worry about Ava and Mia instead of processing however he needed to. I met Callie’s gaze. “What would I do without you?”

  “Be lost and adrift in the world?”

  I balled up my napkin and tossed it at her. “Thank you. I mean it. You and the Alliance…you’ve done so much for us.” Callie had still been in college when I first came to the Alliance, but she’d already been an intern, and now she ran the show.

  “It’s stories like yours, the ones that have a happy ending, that make all the long hours and heartbreak worth it.”

  I could only imagine everything Callie had seen and heard. I knew it had to have marked her profoundly. “Every kid and family that comes through those doors is lucky to have you.”

  She reached over and squeezed my hand. “Thank you.” Glancing at her watch, she pushed to her feet. “I need to get back to the office, but call if you need anything at all.”

  “I will.”

  Callie glanced at the stove. “Think I can take one of those to go?”

  “You can take two.”

  She gave me a quick squeeze. “You’re too good to me.”

  I sent Callie off with two muffins and set to work putting the rest into plastic containers. My mind whirled as I moved, a mix of anger, sadness, and fear circulating. I knew I could put off dropping the muffins by Griffin’s, but I wanted to see him. In the midst of the upheaval of the past hour, I wanted a lip twitch or one of those rare chuckles that warmed me to my core.

  That alone should’ve kept me away. But it didn’t.

  11

  Griffin

  I grunted as I tossed the broken chair into the additional dumpster that had been delivered to the property. Between that and the two guys who had just loaded up a truck with furniture, the workshop would be mostly empty for the first time in years. Guilt swirled in my gut, the same words haunting me for the past twelve hours. The way I’d snapped at Caelyn. The hurt on her face.

  She’d been off for the rest of the afternoon as she helped Will and me haul furniture out of the space and into the yard for the movers to pick up. And Will had given me a dirty look or two. This morning, I’d made a call to Second Chances and asked Bell Kipton if she’d like to take a look at the pieces before they went to Goodwill. She’d jumped at the chance. The movers were going to let her peek around the truck before they returned to the farmhouse for a second load.

  I wasn’t sure if Bell would tell Caelyn about my call. Who was I kidding? I hoped like hell she did. That maybe if she did, everything would return to normal, and I wouldn’t lose this breath of fresh air I’d found.

  I threw the next piece of broken furniture with a little more force than necessary. I didn’t need to be thinking about how some woman made me breathe easier. The last time I’d gotten lost in how a woman brightened my world, it had ended in disaster and my secrets being laid bare. And so much worse. I needed to focus on restoring the farmhouse and nothing else.

  The sound of tires crunching gravel came from the front of the house. It wasn’t heavy enough to be the truck returning. I muttered a curse and headed towards the driveway. I’d left the gate open for the movers to return, thinking it was rare for anyone to head up the private drive. I should’ve known better.

  I strode around the house and took in a sedan coming to a stop in front of the farmhouse. I scanned the plates. Washington, but with a car rental company frame. My eyes narrowed as a woman climbed out of the vehicle.

  “You’re on private property. I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

  The woman had light brown hair that was curled in waves that framed her face. Her smile was practiced, fake. “The gate was open.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. “That doesn’t change the No Trespassing sign or the fact that you’re not welcome here.”

  “You don’t even know who I am. Maybe I could be welcome.”

  The sliminess to her words and expressions meant I knew exactly who she was. Sure, I didn’t know her name or her employer, but she had reporter written all over her. I slid my cell phone out of my back pocket. “I guess I’ll be calling the sheriff, after all.”

  “Wait. Please. Just give me ten minutes. I’ve been emailing and calling you
r lawyer. No one ever returns my inquiries. Don’t you want your story out in the world?” She crossed in front of the car, invading more and more of my space.

  My skin bristled at the action, as if each step she took grated against my flesh. “If people don’t return your inquiries, take the damn hint. I’m not saying a word to you other than to get the hell off my property. After this, I think I’m going to have a damn good case for harassment. Possibly a restraining order, too.”

  The woman, who I assumed was the Marcy Roberts who’d been filling my spam folder, froze. A hardness slipped over her features as her true nature came out. “That would be a mistake, Mr. Lockwood.”

  The sound of another vehicle filtered through the air. I glanced down the drive, muttering a slew of curses. Caelyn’s SUV crested the hill, and my muscles stiffened. She didn’t know how to handle reporters. Hell, she might let something slip without even realizing it. Her vehicle came to a stop behind the rental, and she slid out. Her brown hair was in two braids tied with colorful bands. I couldn’t help the flicker of a smile, knowing that Mia must have demanded as much.

  Caelyn grabbed a basket from the SUV, her gaze going from me to Marcy and back again, uncertainty filling her features. “I’m so sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to drop these muffins by.”

  Marcy’s expression morphed into one of welcome in the blink of an eye. Gone were the shrewd offers and conniving threats. “You’re not interrupting. I’m Marcy Roberts. And you are?”

  I could see story ideas, ones full of lies and conjecture, brewing in her head. “Don’t answer her,” I barked.

  Caelyn jumped, and Marcy’s head snapped back to me. “That’s not very nice. It would be unfortunate if I had to write an article about how abusive you were to guests in your home. Want to rethink that statement?” She turned to Caelyn. “Maybe you’d like to share your story about Mr. Lockwood? We pay well for exclusives.”

  The muscles in my back and shoulders tensed. All the lies that had been printed about me over the years. All the gossip and speculation. These vultures never wanted to just let my family rest in peace. Let me rest in peace.

  Caelyn’s jaw went slack, her gaze jumping from Marcy to me and back again. As all the pieces came together, she strode forward and stepped between Marcy and me, her face going red. The picture she made was both hilarious and adorable. She looked as if she would defend me against any attack, a basket of baked goods on her arm. “You need to leave.”

  “Interesting.” Marcy pulled a notebook from her pocket and began scribbling.

  Caelyn stepped forward. “If you don’t leave on the count of three, I’m going to bean you with this basket. You’re on private property and acting in a threatening manner. I’d be well within my rights.”

  Marcy looked up from her notepad. “So similar to the man you’re defending. Did you know he put a reporter in the hospital? The guy was in a coma for three days.”

  My gut twisted as I stared at the gravel, unable to look at Caelyn, afraid I’d see fear or disgust. I’d been young and stupid, at my wit’s end and going just a little bit crazy. And the reporter in question had made my life a living hell for years. He’d somehow been able to turn any person I’d gotten close to.

  “Well,” Caelyn began, “if they were anything like you, I can see why.”

  My head jerked up, and I took in Caelyn backing Marcy towards her car, using the basket of baked goods to do it. Caelyn gave her another little shove. “Get lost.” Pulling out her phone, she snapped a photo. “This is going to the sheriff.” She glanced back at me. “Should I take her driver’s license, too? Give it to Raines?”

  “Get off me, you crazy bitch. You can’t touch me or my wallet,” Marcy blustered.

  Caelyn’s eyes narrowed. “That’s where you’re wrong. I can do whatever I want as long as you’re on this land. It’s your choice whether you stay or go. But I’ll warn you now, the sheriff here doesn’t take kindly to outsiders bothering his citizens.”

  Marcy’s eyes widened a fraction. “You hick island people are insane.”

  “You remember that before you think of coming back,” Caelyn called as Marcy climbed into her car.

  Gravel flew as Marcy tore down the drive. I yanked Caelyn away from the vehicle. “Shit! Are you okay? Gravel didn’t get you, did it?”

  The tension went out of Caelyn. “I’m fine.” She looked down the drive and then back at me, her eyes widening. “Did I just threaten her with my muffin basket?”

  A grin split my face. “Honey, you scared the crap out of her with that basket.”

  A small giggle escaped Caelyn. Then another. And soon, she had dissolved into laughter. “I just threatened someone with baked goods. Who am I?”

  I watched Caelyn carefully, unsure if she just thought it was funny or if she was losing it. “Are you okay?”

  She straightened, the tears from her laughter brimming her eyes. “This has been one seriously messed-up day.”

  I stiffened. “What else happened?”

  Caelyn shook her head and wiped at her eyes. “Nothing.”

  “It doesn’t sound like nothing.” A mix of anxiety and something like fear gnawed at me. Worry, I realized, for a woman I shouldn’t be growing to care about.

  “You have enough to deal with.” Her gaze traveled back to the driveway. “Is she going to write a story about you?”

  I bit the inside of my cheek. I wanted to force Caelyn to tell me everything that was wrong, not talk about some idiotic reporter. “She’ll probably write something that is completely full of lies, and people will believe it hook, line, and sinker.”

  Caelyn nibbled on her bottom lip. “Has it always been this way for you?”

  “Worse.” I searched her face for any signs of deception. There was nothing but openness and honest empathy. “You didn’t look me up?”

  Her eyes widened. “No.” She blushed. “I mean, I’ve heard talk about you and your family around town. I’d have to live under a rock not to. But I didn’t search the internet or anything. I wouldn’t.” Her gaze locked with mine. “I know what it’s like to have the island think your life is open for discussion and gossip. I wouldn’t do that to someone else.”

  I sank to the stone steps in front of the house. Of course, she understood better than most. “I’m sorry. I just…”

  Caelyn crossed to the stairs and lowered herself to the slate. “You’re just used to people looking at you as something other than human. They don’t realize how painful it is.”

  I looked up into Caelyn’s green eyes full of so much understanding. In the past, at best I’d gotten sympathy that made my skin crawl. But Caelyn was different. She truly understood what it was like to live under a microscope, your most painful memories fodder for gossip. She knew what it was like to have to constantly have your shields up because someone could carelessly toss out something that would remind you of your darkest days at any moment. “How do you do it?”

  Her brow wrinkled. “Do what?”

  “You’re so…positive.”

  Caelyn chuckled. “I’m not some Pollyanna. I have my share of rough days. Today was one. But as much hardship and pain as there is in the world, there’s also endless beauty. Do you know what I ask the tiny terrors every morning? Tell me the good things. There is so much of it all around us, even amidst the hard stuff. You just have to take a moment to recognize it.”

  I took in the simplicity of Caelyn’s words, but also the power in them. She was right. But because I’d been so focused on locking myself away from the world, avoiding any chance for betrayal or pain, I’d missed out on a lot of those opportunities. “You’re a wise woman.”

  She grinned. “Why thank you, kind sir.”

  I shook my head. “You gonna tell me what happened today?”

  Caelyn sighed and looked out over the rolling hills and forest surrounding us. “My mom’s getting out of prison.”

  “Was this expected?”

  She bent, picking up a piece of gravel and rolling
it around between her fingers. “She was supposed to have twelve years. It’s only been half that.”

  I bit back a curse. Our justice system was beyond broken. The people who deserved the harshest sentences often got a break, and those who deserved a second chance often paid for way longer than they should. “Can you fight it?”

  “It’s too late.”

  “I’m sorry. Do the kids know?”

  She shook her head. “I just found out this morning while they were at school. I have to tell Will soon. I’m not sure about the girls.”

  It made sense. Will was more adult than teen, but Ava and Mia still had that innocence to them. “You’ll know when the time is right to tell them.”

  Caelyn tossed the stone into the air, catching it in her palm. “I hope so.”

  We were silent for a long moment before I spoke. “The reporter I punched… It was a long time ago. He’d broken into my apartment and—”

  Caelyn reached over, her palm coming to rest on my forearm. “You don’t owe me any explanations. You’ve shown me time and again how good your soul is.”

  Her touch, her words, they seeped into my bones. The warmth of them was so hot it burned. And I never wanted to forget the feeling.

  12

  Caelyn

  I hummed to myself as I wiped down counters after the lunch rush, paying careful attention to each nook and cranny. There was something cathartic about cleaning. It was one of the few things where you could see your progress in black and white.

  I wondered if Griffin felt the same about his house. I loved seeing the concrete changes each time I visited. And it seemed like progress was happening a little faster now that Will was helping out.

  My chest warmed as memories of yesterday filtered through my mind. It was the first time Griffin had truly let me in. I knew it was scary for him, terrifying, but he’d done it anyway. And sitting on the stone steps, I suddenly hadn’t felt so alone.