by Terra Kelly
Instead of answering, I maneuvered my body so I was facing my sister. Then I managed to lean my body up and straddle her to start laying one punch after another on her face. I didn’t care where I was hitting; all I knew was it felt good to release this anger.
My hands were lifted up and someone wrapped tightly around me. “Sunshine, you won.” It was Brooks whispering next to my ear.
“No, Brooks, I think I lost.”
Thirty
Julian was leaning against the wall by the front entrance to the bar. His eyes were swollen, and there were several cuts on his face. Lying next to him was the oversized man who tried to intimidate us earlier. The asshole obviously had not learned enough mixed martial arts moves because Julian dominated that fight.
When the guy dropped to the floor, we all finally had a chance to breathe. There were bodies scattered throughout the large space and none of them moving. “We need to get out of here before the cops come.” I had my arm wrapped around Brooks’s waist. “But—”
“You want to know why?” I spun around to come face-to-face with my father.
“Well hello there, Daddy.” I enunciated the word Daddy a little too much. “You sure you feel safe standing there?”
“Do you really think I would come back here without backup?”
His words sent alarm bells off, and I quickly glanced around. I didn’t know if I had any more juice in me to fight a few more rounds. Then I thought about the guns and stepped closer to the large front window. My instincts told me one of the rooftops more than likely had a sniper positioned. This was way deeper then we all expected.
I turned to ask my father a few more questions and lost my voice. It was hard to comprehend the sight before me. My friends and brother were being held at gunpoint with hands covering their mouths. I scanned the row two more times thinking my eyes had deceived me. “Where’s Brooks?”
“Give me what I want, and I will give you what you want.” My father stepped closer to me. The smell of his aftershave was causing me to gag. “Let’s stop with these silly games, Charlotte.”
“You started it.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, darling. Your mom started it.”
“Don’t bring her into this.” My voice had risen a few decibels.
“Now you care?”
I loved my mom. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You left.” I heard Grace say from across the room. She was struggling to stand up. “You never looked back.”
“We talk frequently.”
“Do you?” Grace said and took a few steps forward. “She mentioned how much she misses you.”
This conversation was going nowhere. Obviously she kept our talks private because why else would they be saying these weird things? “You know what,” I said and turned my hand in a circle around the room, “you’re stalling for a reason.” I took the few steps that separated Grace and me. “Where the fuck is my boyfriend?” I surprised my sister by grabbing her hair and tugging her body forward.
“Watch it, Charlie. You may not want to do that.”
I struggled to hold in a laugh. “And why’s that?”
He held up a tablet that showed Brooks tied down and his face covered. “You could end all this with just a click of a few numbers.”
Lily was struggling against the asshole’s hold and somehow won. She pulled down the guy’s hand. “Don’t you dare, C. Brooks can take care of himself.”
My eyes wandered to Julian and Tyler. I had to know what they thought. Julian was holding the arm of another asshole and surprised us all by flipping the guy over his back. He quickly bent down and pushed his arm over the guy’s throat. Julian never looked over at me, but he did find a way to speak. “Charlie, what did Brooks tell you when you both were together in the United Kingdom?” I stood there confused. What did he tell me? More importantly, how did Julian know all that we discussed? He was struggling to keep his grip on the guy’s throat. “Think about it. You were in this very same situation, and you almost gave up your account number then.”
I looked over at my dad’s tablet where I could see Brooks struggling to free himself. The memory plowed into my head, and I stumbled back.
I could hear Grace laughing.
Dad was standing calmly with a grin plastered on his face.
What was all this? Why did my family want to inflict harm on me?
I looked over at my dad. “What’s the deep dark secret?”
“I have no idea what you mean?” Dad said and placed the device on the table that showed Brooks struggling. “Just give me what I want and this all goes away.”
“But it’s not yours to take.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Charlotte.”
Tyler was next to free himself from the grip of his capture. “Brooks teaches you to what, C?”
I played the question over in my mind and realized what they were both saying. “Never tap out.” I could hear Brooks’s voice when he yelled those two words as I almost entered my bank account number on my father’s computer back in the U.K.
Dad laughed. “Then Brooks dies. Simple as that.”
There was a gasp that sounded off beside me. Grace. When I looked over, she had this look of fear etched on every corner of her face. My sister was strong up until the mention of killing someone. Her reaction made me realize she was not here by choice.
I loosened my grip on my sister and pulled her ear close. “What am I missing? Tell me why. I’ll protect you.”
“Nobody can, Charlie.”
“I can.”
A lone tear slid down her cheek. “I fucked up. I’m so sorry.”
I felt relief wash over my body. Her words were like a breath of fresh air. “Don’t worry. Let’s fix this together.”
“I don’t know if we can. I let myself go too deep.” Grace threw her hands over her face and went silent.
One by one, the men holding my friends and Jackson were being put into submission. We were about to outnumber my father. I glanced at Grace. “Are there more watching us?”
“Don’t you dare, Grace,” my father ground out, “or you will live to regret your decision.”
Grace gave the tiniest nod. It was almost hard to recognize the moment she responded, but I knew. “Well, Dad, looks like your perfectly placed world is starting to crumble down around you.” I watched as Tyler ran toward the kitchen, most likely to find his brother. Before I said another word, there was movement on the tablet. Tyler was in full fight mode as he worked to rescue my boyfriend, his brother.
“Do you really think it is that easy to take me down, Charlotte?”
“No, but I think we will win the fight.”
A figure was shoved through the door to the right of me. The person’s frame was small and easily recognizable. “Mom.” Her head was covered, but when she lifted her chin up, I heard a small whimper. “It’s okay, Mom.”
“Don’t give promises you can’t keep, Charlotte.” Dad lifted his phone to his ear. “You know what to do.”
Who was he ordering and what was he implying? There was so much happening I struggled with focusing on the correct thing. Then Grace screamed at the top of her lungs. My head whipped around just in time to see a red light pointed directly in the center of my mom’s chest. Grace threw her body forward in the path of the red light. Before I could register what was about to go down, there were two shots that rang off. It was like my body was set on slow motion. I was unable to move. Instead, I had to stand and watch as a bullet entered in the center of my sister’s back causing her to drop to the floor. For a brief moment, I thought she managed to save my mom, but then Mom fell slowly beside my sister.
“No,” I yelled. “No, no, no.” My body finally moved forward. My body switched to fast-forward when I ran over to my mom and sister and fell down to the floor in between them. “Grace, why did you do that? Oh God, why?”
“Charlie.” My sister struggled with getting my name out. She surprised me by saying my name and avoid
ing Charlotte. “I never…wanted…this.” She coughed and reached for my hand. “Dad made me.” I watched as her body jolted forward and then she fell back.
“Made you what? No. Grace.” I lifted her up into my arms and pulled her close to my chest. As I rocked back and forth, I repeated the words “I forgive you” over and over. My mind was struggling to focus. When I heard a small cough from behind me, I carefully placed Grace back down on the floor and turned. “Mom, I’m so sorry. You have to hold on.”
“Oh my precious girl,” my mom said and lightly patted my cheek. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
I could see a blood stain on her shirt just below her left breast that was increasing in size. Without thinking, I placed my hands over the wound, hoping to control the bleeding. She was trying to keep her head up to talk to me, but it was obviously a struggle with how her head lolled up and down. “Mom,” I said and carefully pushed her head down. “Rest, the ambulance will be here soon.” That was when I finally took the time to look around. “Where’s the ambulance? Did you call for help?” Right at that moment, I heard sirens off in the distance. Thank goodness, we had help on the way. I pulled the wig off and leaned my body forward to rest my head on Mom’s chest. She slowly ran her hand down the length of my hair over and over. I was holding Grace’s hand and sobbing into my mom’s chest. “I don’t understand. Why did Dad do this?”
My mom stopped stroking my hair. “Because he could never forgive me.”
Thirty-One
“Charlie, baby,” Brooks whispered beside my ear. “Let’s get your mom to the hospital.”
“But what about Grace?” I said and struggled to stand.
“Let’s all go to the hospital. Okay, sunshine?”
I was unable to focus. There were sounds around me, but everything felt muffled. It was hard to wrap my head around the fact that my father ordered to have my mother killed. How did he sleep at night? His one demand caused my sister to get caught in the cross-fire.
Warm arms wrapped around my waist, and a familiar voice whispered in my ear. It was Jackson. “Come on C, Mom needs us.”
“Jacks, I don’t understand.”
“We’ll figure it out. I promise.”
I knew he couldn’t guarantee we would ever find out the answers. “Dad. Where is he?”
Lily stepped directly in front of me. “He got away.”
“I’m sorry, did I hear you right? Dad escaped?”
“We’ll find him,” Lily said and placed her palm over my cheek. “Julian and Tyler are looking for him now.”
I fumbled for my phone and noticed it was not in my back pocket. “We need to call him. Bring him back here.” Brooks wrapped his arm around my waist. “No, you don’t understand. Call them.” I was pleading and no one was listening. “Give me a fucking phone. I can at least save Julian and Tyler from getting killed.”
“Charlie, they’re okay,” Lily said and stepped back.
“You don’t know that,” I yelled a little too loudly.
Brooks handed his phone to me. “She’s right, C.” I looked down at his phone where both Tyler and Julian were standing together in a shared video call. “They’re helping the police find him.” He tugged me toward the door. “Let’s get you to the hospital. Your mom wants you to ride with her in the ambulance.”
Somehow my voice just disappeared. All I did was nod. When I left the house years ago, it was because of my father and his demands. I loved my family. Mom and I talked, sometimes twice a week, on the phone. Before everything happened in the U.K., Mom seemed normal. She never once mentioned any issues with Dad.
As I stepped up into the ambulance, Mom reached out her hand. Dad didn’t suddenly become this crazy killer. Which meant Mom had suffered for so many years and never let me know. I suddenly felt guilty for leaving.
“I see you thinking,” Mom said and squeezed my hand. “Penny for your thoughts?”
“What am I missing? This is not something new, is it? Dad has been abusing you for years.” I was afraid to hear the answer.
“There’s more to it, sweetie.”
“How much more?”
There was a beeping that sounded off on a monitor next to my mom’s head. “Excuse me, ma’am.” The paramedic said and leaned over Mom to adjust her settings.
“Is she okay?”
“I’m working on it.” The paramedic sounded concerned and continued messing with the buttons on the machine. He slapped the wall separating him from the driver. “ETA,” he yelled.
“Charlie,” Mom said and reached for me.
“I’m here.” I knelt down beside her and looped my arm with hers.
“There’s a box in my closet. A small shoebox. It has all the answers.”
“You can show me later.”
She patted my arm. “Just listen. It’s on a shelf hidden behind several items.”
“Mom let’s focus on you getting better right now.”
“I’m so tired.” Then she closed her eyes.
A second later, the monitor started to beep louder, and this time showed two flat lines moving across the screen. I knew what those lines meant, but I didn’t believe them. She couldn’t be dead. I needed her alive. My life was not making sense, and she seemed to be the only person who knew how to ease that emotion.
“Defibrillator.” The ambulance stopped, and the driver jumped out. A few seconds later, he appeared at the back of the truck. “Two seconds to charge. Okay, clear.” The paramedic rubbed the paddles together and then placed them on Mom’s chest. “Again.” He repeated this process two more times. The monitor still showed two flat lines. The guy set the paddles down and leaned back.
“What are you doing? She needs your help.”
Brooks appeared out of nowhere. “Charlie.” He stepped up into the truck and sat down beside me.
“Brooks why aren’t they helping Mom?”
“Sunshine—”
“No.” I placed my hand over his mouth. “No, no, it can’t be.”
He pulled me close. “I’m so sorry.”
The ambulance felt too crowded. I needed to get some air. Nobody said a word as I pushed Brooks out of the way. I stepped down and noticed Jackson running toward me. The moment he was in front of me, I collapsed into his arms.
I may have avoided giving my dad what he wanted, but he successfully managed to fuck up my life in a blink of an eye. How was I supposed to move past this?
“Where are you going?” Jackson said as he opened the passenger door to his rental car.
“We need to go to our house.”
“Charlie, Dad could be there.”
“I really don’t care.” The rage I felt inside was ready to be unleashed. “Actually, I hope he’s there.” As I sat down, I looked in the rearview mirror. Lily and Brooks were sitting in the backseat already. I wasn’t surprised to see them. “Did you buckle up?”
“Do we need to?” Lily said.
The trip to my parents’ house took us about thirty minutes. I knew which back roads to use to get us there, so we managed to avoid any traffic. When I pulled into the driveway, I glanced around to see if another vehicle was parked nearby. The garage door was closed, and I knew someone could’ve parked in there so we needed to be on alert. The only light I could see on in the house was shining through the kitchen window.
Before I took another step forward, I thought about what I was doing. The chances I was taking. Then I could see Mom’s face, and that propelled my body forward. I needed to find that box. We needed to find the answers. My father was not going to let up, but if I had some leverage maybe he would finally leave me alone.
“Let’s stay together. I think we’re safer as a team,” I said and reached for the hide-a-key under the pet ceramic frog sitting in the corner next to the front door. It felt too quiet as we stepped inside. “Mom’s room is at the top of the stairs, last room on the right.”
Lily stepped on the back of my heel right as I reached the top step causing me to fall forward
. “Sorry.”
“Maybe stay back a few inches.” I wanted to keep the rest of my body parts intact. I noticed a light shining under the door that led to my father’s study. Before continuing down the hall, I pointed to the light.
“We’re splitting up,” Brooks said and kissed my cheek. “Listen, I love you. Find what you need. If your Dad is in there, Lily and I will take care of him.”
I stood there staring at him. He loved me. Even after all this, he still cared about me.
“I love you, too.” Then I turned and ran down the hallway toward my mom’s room. The shoebox she mentioned was not going to be easy to find because she had a gorgeous walk-in closet that was filled from front to back. “Okay, where do we start?” I stood there in the middle of the room and glanced around.
“Here,” Jackson pointed to two shelves sitting side-by-side. There were several boxes, bags, and clothes lining each shelf. “It has to be here.” He turned and looked at me. “I still have no clue what I’m searching for, yet this seems like the perfect spot to look for a secret.”
“Mom said there is a shoebox hidden in here somewhere.”
“She didn’t bother to tell you where?” Jackson said while pulling items off the shelf. I stood there with that type of expression that said, you’re a dummy. He looked over at me. “I mean, I—”
“Pull everything off the shelves. I’ll go through this stuff over here.”
After about thirty minutes, we had managed to throw pretty much everything on the shelves into the center of the closet. I had not found a shoebox yet and was starting to lose hope it was even here.
“Got it,” Jacks said from behind me.
I turned and noticed him holding up a worn box that at one time was red. The box looked more pink and had duct tape wrapped around it. “That has to be it.” I walked out of the closet with Jackson, and we both sat down on a big king-size bed. He placed the box in between us. “Are we really ready for this?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yeah, I agree. I’m surprised Mom kept the box in a space where Dad frequented.”