Thorns and Forgiveness : Twisted Legacy Duet

by Coralee June

  Vera stood up and grabbed my arm, digging her nimble fingers into my flesh with her glossy eyes wide with fear and looking up at me. “You’re not going there alone, Hamilton.”

  “What choice do I have, Petal?”

  A terrible, intrusive thought slammed into me. It was selfish and wrong. So dark that I didn’t dare articulate it to Vera even though I knew deep in my gut that she was thinking it too.

  So what if Joseph killed Lilah?

  “I’m going to go with you. Call Saint. He has a gun, doesn’t he?

  I let out a huff. Surprisingly enough, my brother was probably better at being levelheaded in this situation. I turned around and picked up my cell off the nightstand as Vera continued to get dressed. After dialing Saint’s number, I watched my girl try to pull herself together as it rang.

  “Yo, what’s up?”

  “Joseph is at Jack’s house. He’s manic as fuck. Threatening Lilah. Not sure what’s up with Jack, but there was a mention of blood. He’s threatening to kill her if we don’t show up.”

  “No. Don’t negotiate with the insane person. God, I thought I’d have to fight to be the favorite brother, but Joseph makes my job incredibly easy, doesn’t he?”

  “Not the appropriate time for jokes, asshole.”

  “So call the police. I mean, if Joseph is going postal, then this is the evidence we need. They’re more capable of handling a hostage situation than we are.”

  Fuck. Okay. It was a risk we’d have to take. Lilah dug her grave when she stubbornly refused to leave. My number one priority was Vera, and I wasn’t going to risk her or myself in this situation. ”Meet me at Jack’s house,” I told Saint.

  Vera swallowed and stared up at me as if I had all the answers. “What are we going to do?” she asked. I needed to be strong for my girl and help her get through this. I hung up the phone.

  “Come on. Saint is going to meet us there, and we’ll try to get inside. Go get in the car, I’ll be out in a minute. I’m going to set out some food for Little Mama and tell Jess to come here, okay? I promise I’ll help you save your mother, Vera.” She nodded, not even questioning me. I just hoped she’d forgive me if I was making the wrong choice. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t going to be reckless. And it was all for her. She nodded and left the hotel room in a shocked daze.

  I picked up my phone, sent a quick text to Jess, asking her to pick up Little Mama from the hotel, before dialing 911.

  “911, what’s your emergency?”

  “Hello, I’d like to report a possible hostage situation.”

  I could hear the sirens long before I pulled my car down the winding road leading to my childhood home. Vera started hyperventilating. I saw the worry in her expression. I felt the guilt as if it were my own. Who knows how long Joseph had been there fucking with Lilah? While we were...were...

  “The cops are here,” she wailed. “Who called them? Do you think it was Jack? What if Joseph hurt Mom?” I didn’t answer her; instead, I pressed on the gas pedal a little harder. “Do you think Jack is dead?” Vera whispered.

  I hadn’t even allowed myself the time to think about what that would mean. There was no love lost between my father and me, but there was so much unfinished business I didn’t know where to begin. I craved closure. How was I supposed to navigate the truth of what he had planned for me if I never got the opportunity for justice?

  Justice and revenge were two sides of the same coin. It was a currency my family thrived on, and now I was looking at the possibility of never claiming the debt owed to me.

  Dozens of police cars lined the drive. Flashing blue and red lights assaulted my vision. Neighbors were marching up the road to see what was going on. It was only a matter of time before the paparazzi showed up. They tried directing my car away, but I put it in park and got outside.

  “Sir, you can’t come here.” The officer held up his hands and nodded at the car. “Get back in your car and move.” He was a shorter man with a buzzcut, a bored gaze, and a large nose.

  “I’m Hamilton Beauregard. My brother, father, and sister-in-law are all in that house.”

  The police’s face flashed into sympathy, and Vera stumbled out of the car toward us. She shivered as a gust of icy wind blasted her. Shit. I didn’t even grab her a jacket. “Come with me,” the officer replied.

  We made our way to the front of the line of cars, where frantic officers were putting up a police line and yelling into radios. “I don’t care if you have to drag Detective Burns out of his honeymoon bed with a condom still wrapped around his dick. We’ve got a hostage situation at the governor’s house, and he’s the most talented negotiator we have.”

  I cleared my throat. The officer yelling demands into this radio was tall, muscular, and had a missing front tooth. I noted a tattoo curling around his neck. I guess he wasn’t your typical blue-collar cop. “Who is this? Who are you?” He nodded at Vera and me.

  “I’m Hamilton Beauregard. I made the call after Joseph called me this morning.” Vera gasped and looked at me as if I’d betrayed her. “I’m sorry, Petal. I had to make the decision that would keep us safe. I’m not giving in to Joseph’s demands.”

  It felt unnatural to not let Joseph win. Vera looked wounded, but I’d grovel for the rest of my life if it meant keeping her safe. She looked at me before speaking. “We’ll talk about this later. Is my mother in there? Is she okay?” Vera interrupted, her eyes filled with tears. I wrapped my arm around her and stared the officer down. Thankfully, she didn’t push me away. I knew I’d made the right choice. Soon, she’d know it too.

  “Tell me everything you know, Beauregard.”

  “Answer my girl’s question, first,” I snapped back.

  The officer rolled his eyes and ran his hand over his bald head to wipe back some sweat. From where I was standing, I could see the house clearly. “I’m Officer Gideon. We had officers approach the house approximately thirteen minutes after receiving a call. Upon arriving, Joseph Beauregard opened the door and aimed a firearm at both officers, telling them to leave. One officer saw blood on the ground and covering Joseph’s face, hands, and torso. The other saw a woman later identified as Lilah Beauregard crouched in a corner. Both retreated after the suspect made demands.”

  “What demands?” I asked.

  He looked me up and down. “You said your name was Hamilton?”

  I furrowed my brow. “Yes?”

  The officer looked around before lowering his voice. “He demanded to speak with you.”

  Vera pressed the back of her hand to her mouth and whimpered. “So what are we going to do?” I asked. “What’s your plan?”

  Officer Gideon exhaled. “The plan is for you to tell me every goddamn thing you know. We won’t make any moves until the negotiator is here. We don’t know if Gov. Beauregard is dead. We don’t know who all is on the premises. Right now, we wait.”

  “Let me through, asshole!” I heard Saint shout. I looked over my shoulder at my determined brother, suddenly feeling relieved that he was here. We’d started this revenge game together, and it looked like we’d end it together, too.

  “Let him in!” I yelled to the officer blocking Saint from coming any closer.

  “The weirdo wearing a pink bow tie and a neon shirt with the word Penis on the front is with you?” Officer Gideon deadpanned. Yeah, he was weird as hell, but we were family.

  I let out a puff of air. “That weirdo has evidence that Gov. Jack Beauregard was plotting to murder me. He also found proof that Joseph Beauregard is laundering millions of dollars through Beauregard Industries.”

  Vera chewed on her nails. Saint smirked. Officer Gideon looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. I’m sure he was already counting up the mess of paperwork and press involved.

  “Well, let him through,” Gideon replied. “Someone bring me a pack of cigarettes!”

  21

  Vera

  My mother was in that house. Despite the world of difference separating us lately, I instinc
tively knew in my gut that she was still alive. She had to be. We had so much left to fix.

  “Vera? Are you there?” Anika asked.

  The portable heater the state police set up wasn’t nearly enough to thaw the chill in my muscles. I let out a sigh before responding. “We’re still here. The negotiator has been trying to get Joseph on the phone for the last hour.” In the six long hours since we’d arrived, the FBI had arrived, the press had started lining the street a half mile away, and some of the police officers had set up a tent that acted as a temporary headquarters. I told and retold my version of events to Officer Gideon and then later told the FBI agent who took over. I’d answered questions until my voice was hoarse. Thankfully, they let me take a break while Hamilton and Saint shared the laundering information they’d drummed up. I wasn’t allowed to tell Anika much since it was an ongoing hostage situation, but hearing her voice settled me.

  “I’m so sorry this is happening, Vera. Can I bring you anything? It sounds like your teeth are chattering, I can drive some warm clothes up to you.”

  I was already wearing a coat. It wasn’t the chill in the air that had me chattering. It was the adrenaline. I felt wired and drained all at once. “I could just use some wisdom,” I admitted.

  Anika paused for a moment. “I don’t think pretty words are what you need right now. I think you need to scream. There is nothing I can say that will make this situation easier to swallow. It’s not the time for looking deep within yourself and seeking the answers to life through some philosophical lens. It’s time to let the pain out, Vera. You don’t have to be strong. You’re allowed to be scared. You’re allowed to cry and worry about your mom, okay? You’re also allowed to be angry.”

  I looked to my left at Hamilton, who was pointing at something on a laptop. Most of all, I felt numb. I felt like I had somehow shut off my mind so I could navigate the crazy that was happening. “I have a lot to work through,” I admitted. I was still angry with Hamilton for lying to me and calling the police, but admittedly, it was the right call. We weren’t equipped to handle something like this. I just hated feeling out of control. “I just hate sitting here waiting.”

  “Let me know if I can bring you anything. I’m here for you, Vera.”

  “Thank you,” I replied in a monotone voice. I was so withdrawn.

  “Okay. Let me know if you need anything. I’m here for you, okay?” she repeated.

  “Thanks, Anika.”

  I hung up the phone and stared at the front door of Jack’s home, thinking back on the wedding we’d hosted here and all the things that had happened after that. There were men in full body armor standing around, but no one looked on alert. It was like they weren’t taking it seriously, just waiting out the tantrum of a toddler.

  “Are we just going to sit here all day?” I asked, my voice shrill and loud.

  One of the agents looked at me, then continued to type on their computer. Hamilton excused himself and walked over to me. “Petal, if you want to leave, we can—”

  “I’m not leaving!” I growled. “My mom might be a shitty mother, and I might no longer feel obligated to bend and snap to her will, but I don’t want her to die! What if I never get the chance to fix my relationship with her? What if we never speak again?” My chest tightened, and Hamilton hugged me fiercely.

  “The FBI is handling this. It’s all going to be okay, Petal.”

  “Is it?” I asked in a high-pitched voice. “Is it going to be okay? Or is our life going to be the constant war of bullshit power plays orchestrated by your family?”

  “I get that you’re upset right now, but—”

  “Stop talking and just hold me, please,” I cracked. Hamilton didn’t hesitate for a second, his hold on me tightened, and I let his strength wash over me.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he said in a soothing tone once more.

  Someone shouted, and it sent a ripple of alertness through everyone. Hamilton let go of me, and I turned to look at the source of the commotion. “Someone is at the front door!” I immediately broke away from Hamilton and moved to see what was going on behind the safety of a line of armored cars. Hamilton trailed closely behind me, his fingers holding onto my shirt, as if he were afraid I’d run toward the house.

  There stood Joseph. He had one hand on a gun, one arm wrapped around my mother. Both of them were covered in blood.

  I swallowed the vomit threatening to travel up my throat and cried. “Oh, God!”

  “Get her out of here!” one of the agents hissed. Hamilton tried to move me back, but I planted my feet on the ground, determined to see what was happening.

  “Bring me Hamilton and Vera!” Joseph cried out. “I want a fucking family reunion, or the bitch dies!” Joseph pulled my mother in front of him, treating her like a human shield. It was the most horrific thing I’d ever seen.

  Time stopped. Horror made me freeze on the spot. Joseph was this feral entity, challenging the world with his crazed eyes and curled lip.

  A man with slicked back hair and a bulletproof vest carefully walked forward with his hands up. I recognized him as the negotiator. “Joseph? Hi, my name is—”

  Joseph didn’t even let him introduce himself. Instead, he shot a bullet in the air with a loud war cry. Some of the officers ducked. I stood in a panic-stricken freeze. “Shit,” Hamilton cursed before Joseph resumed pressing the barrel of his gun back against my mother’s temple.

  “I can’t get a clear shot,” someone said over the radio.

  Joseph screamed. “I told you my demands. Bring me Vera and Hamilton. FUCKING NOW. I’m in control. I have all the power. You can’t bring me down. I’m fucking untouchable!” His roars sounded insane.

  “What happened to Jack, Joseph? Is he inside?” the negotiator asked through a bullhorn. He sounded nasally but calm.

  “He’s DEAD!” Joseph laughed. “Dead!”

  A frantic murmur broke out in the crowd around me. Mom started sobbing loudly, which seemed to piss off Joseph. Hamilton dropped his mouth open in disbelief. I grabbed his hand and squeezed, providing silent comfort.

  Mom’s cries grew even louder, apparently pissing off Joseph even more. “Shut the fuck up, you stupid slut!” She pressed her hands over her face and silently cried, obeying him despite the obvious distress she was under.

  “Joseph. We can negotiate. You don’t have to be charged with two murders today,” the negotiator called out.

  “Fuck you. Where is my brother? I know he’s out there. I can sense his weakness.”

  “I’m right here, you motherfucker,” Hamilton yelled out. I spun to stare at him.

  “What are you doing?” I hissed.

  “Stand down,” another agent demanded.

  Hamilton ignored the furious looks he was getting. “If Joseph wants to talk to me, then I’ll fucking talk to him,” he said in a low voice before shouting at Joseph. “Come meet me like a man! Stop hiding behind your wife.”

  The negotiator cursed but quickly waved Hamilton forward. Hamilton accepted the bulletproof vest that one of the agents held out to him and took a few steps toward the negotiator. “Don’t rile him up,” the negotiator instructed. I couldn’t help but think that Hamilton was the wrong man for the job if we were trying to keep Joseph calm. Their entire relationship was about riling each other up.

  “You don’t know what it means to be a man!” he roared. “You don’t know what it’s like to have blood on your hands. To see the light in their eyes dim.”

  I took a tentative step toward the house—toward Joseph. One of the agents reached out to stop me, but Joseph shot another bullet into the air. “No one stop Vera and Hamilton from coming, or I’ll shoot her. I’ll kill her right now, and I don’t care if I go with her. Till death do us part, right, honey?”

  My mother whimpered.

  “It’s too late, Joseph,” Hamilton called out. He moved to stand beside me at the very edge of the police line, still protected by the line of cars, but with a clear view of the insanity hap
pening in front of us. We clasped our hands together, determined to face this together. I tried to sense if Hamilton was shocked or disturbed by the news of his father’s death, but he kept his face passive and emotionless. I couldn’t tell if he was just being strong for the moment or for his own sanity. “You have no power here.”

  Joseph’s lip curled, and he started heaving. “You’re wrong.”

  “Look around, Joseph!” Hamilton yelled. The negotiator casually observed the back and forth, processing it. Another officer whispered at our backs.

  “Keep him talking.”

  I swallowed. “Mom, are you okay?” I called out.

  She finally removed her hands from her face and scanned the crowd. When her eyes landed on me, she breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m okay, baby.”

  “Shut the fuck up!” Joseph yelled before kicking the back of her heel. She almost fell forward, but the arm he had wrapped around her slender body kept her up. “I’ll fuck your worthless cunt in front of all these people with a gun to your head, whore. I will. And I won’t think twice about it.”

  I felt sick to my stomach, but the only thing keeping me calm was the fact that I had no other choice.

  “Why did you kill Jack?” Hamilton asked.

  “IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT! I’ve done everything he ever asked,” Joseph replied, his voice softer. I almost didn’t quite hear him. “I was the perfect son. The perfect employee. I did it all. And he wanted to betray me like this? Fuck that.”

  “Why not let him rot in jail?” Hamilton asked.

  “It wasn’t enough. I wanted him to pay. I thought you’d be happy, Hamilton. I thought you’d like knowing I took out dear old dad!” The tension in the air was so thick it couldn’t even be cut with a knife.

  “You should have run, Joseph,” Hamilton said.

  “And you should have never been born!” Joseph screamed back. “MOM GAVE YOU EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING WAS LEFT TO YOU. How could she love a fucking bastard?!”

  I noticed movement from behind, a man wearing all black was ascending on Joseph. The glock in his hand looked threatening. I didn’t understand how they would take him down without hurting my mother. Joseph had his finger on the trigger. One wrong move and...