“You might be able to keep your plans,” I told him. “If we call it in, then no offense, but the FBI will screw it up. Bones—can you pull a team of four together to do recon on this guy?”
“For what purpose?” Grady asked.
“To our knowledge, he’s not a threat at the moment. But if he’s arrested, Chaves will know. And if we don’t watch Forrick, he could either surprise us or disappear.”
“You don’t think the FBI can handle a simple surveillance job?” Kierson asked.
“They’ll fail,” Wayne said. “Either the rumor mill will tip him off, or he’ll spot them because he was trained in all the same moves.”
“I have to at least update Special Agent in Charge Tebbs,” Kierson said.
“For Pete’s sake, call the man Jack, will you,” I said, rolling my eyes. “If not to his face, at least around here.” I pulled my phone from my back pocket and called Jack.
“Tebbs,” he answered.
“Hey, Jack. It’s your favorite consultant.”
He grunted. “If you’re calling me instead of Kierson, you’re going to tell me something I don’t like.”
“Bingo. We know who killed Sorato, but I don’t want to share the information just yet. He’s a pawn in a bigger game. We’re putting our own team together to keep an eye on him until we’re ready for you to question him.”
“How much time do you need?”
“A couple days. Plus or minus.”
“You’ve got until Monday, and then I want the bastard’s name.” Jack disconnected the line.
“We have until Monday to nail Ernesto for his crimes.” I looked over at Alverez, and she nodded.
“I can’t believe you called him Jack,” Kierson said, shaking his head and pulling Charlie toward the door.
“Charlie?” I called out before the door closed.
She turned back to look at me.
“Are you sticking around?”
“I heard about the custody case. No way in hell am I leaving. I booked a room at a nearby hotel.”
“Family meeting tonight. I’ll need you.”
She watched me for a moment, trying to read my expression. “Text me the time. I’ll be here.”
Tech stopped clacking against his keyboard and looked over at me. “Should I text Alex and the girls?”
“Yes, please.”
Grady walked over to me. I hadn’t realized I was trembling until he pulled me up from the chair and held me. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered.
“Come on, Alverez,” Wayne said. “I have to check on security, run a couple errands, and pick up the catering order. Why don’t you come with me and take a break?”
“I want to stay and help.”
“It’s time for everyone to take a break,” Grady said as he turned me toward the door. “We can regroup tomorrow when our brains are fresh. We have a couple days before Ernesto orders another hit.”
Grady stayed behind to help Tech lock the conference room while I went upstairs. The war room’s windows were covered with tinted film, preventing me from seeing inside. Bridget ran out of the room and held her arms out in front of the door so I wouldn’t enter. I smirked and turned toward the classroom.
I listened just outside the door as the kids and Carl summarized to Beth what they’d learned today. Nicholas’ hands danced around as he described the dinosaurs that used to roam the Earth. Sara sat up straight as she described the micro-something structure of something—leaving me and my human brain in the dust. Beth seemed to understand enough of what she said to ask a few questions. When it was Carl’s turn, he recited the headlines from twenty newspapers, making me laugh. When Carl finished, Beth told the kids they were done for the day. I opened the door and walked in.
“Kelsey!” Carl yelled, throwing his arms around me.
“Hi, Carl. Did you have fun today?”
“Beth has a box with my name on it. When I get bored, I pull a piece of paper from the box which tells me what my next project is. I estimate the ratio of picking something enjoyable to be one to one-point-six-eight, rounded to the hundredth decimal.”
“Is that good or bad?” I laughed.
“Good. But the odds could change as I analyze the experiment over a longer period of time.”
“Okay, then,” I patted Carl’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go downstairs and wait with the kids.”
“Last one there’s a rotten egg!” Carl called out as he raced toward the stairs.
The kids took off after him.
“No running on the stairs!” Grady yelled from below.
Beth and I laughed.
“I’m surprised you stuck around,” I said.
“I am too,” she admitted. “I’m not one for living on the edge, and in the past few days, I’ve been exposed to bomb threats, guns being shot at people, and your boyfriend smashing windows.”
“Grady’s not someone you want to cross, but he’s usually very much in control of his emotions. You joined us at a bad time.”
“I doubt it was just bad timing,” Beth said, raising an eyebrow at me as she smirked. “But the kids are very perceptive for their ages and persuaded me to stick around. They explained some of what you and the others do, and how at times, it can come back to bite all of you. They also trust that you, Grady, and the others will keep them safe. I decided that if they could handle it, then so could I.”
“They’ve had more practice than you. Sara and Nicholas have seen firsthand what cruel people are capable of. Nicholas’ biological mother was beyond psycho. Sara’s biological father was a member of a dangerous biker gang. Both kids were born into chaotic and violent lives.”
“And now they’re safe,” Grady said, walking in and wrapping one arm around my waist and raising his other hand to shake Beth’s. “I’m Grady. Sorry if I scared you yesterday when I smashed the windows. I promise, it won’t happen again.”
“Only because Bridget threatened to box your ears,” I said, laughing.
Beth grinned, shaking Grady’s hand. “The kids and I tried to peek into the room today, but Bridget wouldn’t let us. What’s she doing?”
“We call the room the war room. It’s where Tech and I run investigations. I told Bridget that the room was boring and gave her a green light to redecorate. She won’t let me in either, so I have no idea what to expect.”
“Whatever she’s doing, it won’t be boring,” Grady said on a chuckle. “Beth, would you like to join us for dinner tonight? Kelsey ordered takeout Italian. We usually eat around six-thirty.”
“I’m not sure.” She hesitated. “It might be best for the kids to see me as only their teacher.”
“Too late. As you said, the kids are perceptive. If I asked them to write a profile on you, they’d probably have 98 percent of your life detailed out.”
Beth laughed. “Well then, what the hell. I have some errands to run, but I’ll see you both about a quarter after six.”
We followed her out of the classroom.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The kids rattled non-stop for twenty minutes about their day until they ditched me to help Nana in the kitchen. Based on the smoke that billowed from the oven when she opened it, I expected whatever she was baking to be a lost cause.
Grady and Carl had gone to the store to help shut down. Everyone had agreed to have the family meeting at Headquarters before dinner. Whiskey, Bones, and Bridget would stay behind to watch Carl, Nana, and the kids.
And as the time drew closer, my stomach rolled thinking of how they’d react. I walked outside, around the corner of the garage, and lit a cigarette. Because it bothered Nicholas, I seldom smoked anymore. But right now I needed something, anything, to calm my nerves.
“Am I early?” Maggie asked, walking around the corner.
“Yes, but I’m glad. We’re having a family meeting before dinner.”
“And what’s on the dinner menu? I’m hoping you’ll say it’s your famous pot roast that I’ve heard so much about.”
“Italian sounds good too,” she said as her eyes scanned our surroundings.
“How have you been, Maggie?” She knew I was asking how she was coping with what she went through when Jonathan had kidnapped her.
“Better. At least, most days.”
“And the nights?”
“The nights were easier in the safe house when Nightcrawler was with me. But I’ll get a handle on it.”
“Was your bed warmer when you were with Nightcrawler?” I asked, shoulder nudging her.
“Not the first month,” she answered, her eyes sparkling as she cocked her head toward me. “But the following two weeks...”
“He’s in Michigan, you know. He came home after you split.”
Maggie leaned against the side of the garage and sighed. “He’s a criminal. I’m an FBI agent. Our worlds don’t exactly mesh.”
“He’s a man who makes you feel safe. With the work that we do, you need that. You should talk to him.”
“I could recommend the same to you,” Maggie said, lifting an eyebrow. “I stopped at the Changing Room before coming to the house. Your family’s pretending they’re fine, but I see the worry in their eyes.”
“I called a family meeting, but they don’t know why.” I sighed. “It’s time to tell some truths.”
I started to walk toward the front of the house when Maggie grabbed my elbow to stop me. “Whatever it is you have to tell them, it won’t change how they feel about you.”
“You can’t guarantee that.”
“I’m a profiler, remember?” She threw an arm over my shoulder. “I know these things.”
~*~*~
Everyone divided between multiple vehicles and regrouped at Headquarters in the first-floor conference room.
“I brought some apples,” Alex said as he dumped a bag on the credenza along the far wall. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve barely eaten the past few days,” he added as he pointed at me. “After you clear the air on whatever is troubling you, I expect your bitch-ass to eat.”
Grady rubbed my back. “I have something I want to say before we get started,” he announced. “As many of you know, I had a temper tantrum yesterday and smashed a shitload of windows.”
Katie grinned. “Everyone noticed. Are you going to tell us why you did it?”
“I’m going to tell you that my reaction—my anger—damaged more than just a few windows. Kelsey was convinced, and still is, that I’ll leave her because of what she told me.”
“Bullshit,” Donovan said. “You’d never leave.”
“I know,” Grady said. “And I will prove that to her, eventually. But the point is, she cares for everyone in this room, and how you respond to what she has to say, can hurt her.”
“Is this about our parents?” Charlie asked, sitting next to Anne on the other side of the table.
“Yes and no,” I answered, taking the seat across from her. “I’ve kept secrets from everyone, and with Mother coming after me, I need to prepare everyone for those secrets to become public.”
“Will this impact the custody case?” Katie asked.
“It’s the perfect opportunity for my mother to expose me, but I still don’t think she’d be able to get visitation of Nicholas. I talked to Cameron, and there are only a few exceptions the court will make to allow grandparents custody arrangements.” I stared at my hands, watching them shake.
“Do you want me to tell them?” Grady asked.
Tears choked my throat, so I nodded.
Grady stood behind me, his hands braced on my shoulders as he began. “Kelsey told us that when they were kids, Charlie and she survived from the profits of her books. But the truth is, it took several years for her books to make any money.”
Anne pulled a quick breath into her lungs and reached out, grasping Charlie’s hand. “Stop. We don’t need to know. It doesn’t matter.”
“What doesn’t matter?” Lisa asked before Alex pulled her away from the table.
I couldn’t look up. I couldn’t face them. The silence in the room was the loudest thing I’d ever heard.
“I don’t understand,” Lisa whispered.
“There are only two ways a fourteen-year-old girl can make enough money to survive,” Charlie answered, speaking slowly.
I took a deep breath and raised my head to look at her, but her eyes were focused on the table between us.
“Stealing and selling her body.” Tears streamed down her face as Anne held one of her hands and Katie held the other. “I should’ve known,” she said as she raised her eyes to mine. “You shouldn’t have had to carry that secret.” Charlie shook her head, and I could see the dots connecting as her mind worked out the details. “In Miami, the mentoring programs you volunteered for to help the girls get off the streets were so important to you. I saw them as lost causes, but you couldn’t walk away. No matter how many times you were disappointed, you kept telling me it was worth it. That saving one girl was worth a year’s worth of misery. I didn’t understand.”
Donovan set the box of tissue on the table in front of Charlie before walking over to join Lisa and Alex. Lisa looked from Alex to Donovan, then to me, shaking her head.
Alex held Lisa’s hand as he turned to me. “Not many girls that young survive the streets. I’m proud of you for being one of them.”
“I’m not proud, Alex,” I said as my chin quivered. “I lied. I cheated. I stole. I sold my body for money. I’m so ashamed of the things I’ve done. And I never wanted any of you to know.”
“But your mother knows,” Maggie said, barely louder than a whisper. “No wonder Grady smashed the windows.” Her fists clenched as she turned to face me. “That bitch knew—and did nothing?”
Grady reached over and braced a hand on Maggie’s shoulder. She looked at him a long moment before she nodded and moved away, taking deep breaths.
“The witch’s spell book,” Tech said, nodding toward the tote. “You’ve got something on your mother.”
“I don’t know what I have. When I robbed my parents, I stole files from my mother and love letters my father had hidden away.” I looked over at Maggie and smirked. “When I allegedly robbed my parents.”
Maggie rolled her eyes.
“This is my fault,” Charlie said. “You kept asking me not to dig around in our past, but I did it anyway.”
“You wanted justice for our grandparents and for what the sheriff did to me. I understood that.”
“What happened to your grandparents? And what did the sheriff do?” Anne asked. “What else don’t we know?”
Grady’s grip tightened on my shoulder, but he answered. “When Kelsey moved Charlie out of her house, she blackmailed their parents with the evidence that proved they were involved with her grandparents’ deaths. She also has a video involving her and the sheriff. She used the video for protection and for the sheriff to rent her a house.”
“What’s on the video?” Tech asked.
“It shows me successfully seducing the sheriff,” I whispered.
“Up to and including,” Grady added, “when she cried out for him to stop once she succeeded.”
“Motherfucker!” Donovan yelled at Grady. “She was fourteen years old! Why haven’t you ended this piece of shit yet?”
“Because he knows me,” I said, standing to defend Grady. “He knew I’d never be free from my past until I faced it down.”
Grady grasped my hand and intertwined our fingers.
“How much more can you possibly take?” Lisa whispered. She looked up, and I saw the tears slide down her cheeks. “We all watched you struggle after the things that happened with Nola. Then you went through hell again with Jonathan. You may have superpowers compared to the rest of us, but everyone has a breaking point. What if facing your family is too much?”
“Then it breaks me,” I whispered as my own tears esca
ped. “I don’t have a choice. I can’t keep running from this.”
“I was just a kid.” Charlie chuckled to herself. “That was what you kept reminding me when we were growing up. It was you against the world, trying to protect me—because I was just a kid.” She stood and walked over to me, placing her hands on my shoulders. “God, I hated that nickname! Every time I heard it, it reminded me that you’d always be older, smarter, faster, and I’d never measure up.”
“No one is comparing the two of us except for you,” I said, shaking my head. “You have qualities that I’ll never master. You are patient, focused, and so damn moral it makes me want to vomit. You have the ability to keep the lines between right and wrong clear in your head. I lost that a long time ago.”
“Like when I beat the shit out of my father?” Charlie snorted.
“I said you had the ability. I didn’t say you always used it.”
“And you,” she said, smiling at me through her tears, “are not alone anymore.” She moved a hand to cup the side of my face. “Back then, you were right—I was just a kid. And I might be stuck with the nickname of Kid the rest of my life, but you don’t need to protect me anymore. That’s how you’ll get through this. I’m here. Grady’s here. Your new sisters and brothers are here. You’ve been dealing with everything that’s happened to you on your own, because that’s what you had to do when we were young. But that’s over. Lean on us. We won’t abandon you.”
My chest tightened, my chin trembled, and I forced myself to look at the floor. “What if you change your mind?” I whispered. “What if your feelings change when you hear the details of the things I’ve done?”
“We couldn’t give a rat’s fart what you’ve done in the past.” Alex snorted. “Luv, each of us has done shit we ain’t proud of. You’re forgetting I lived on the streets for several years.”
Anne chuckled. “I seduced my husband’s friend so I could steal his keys and escape with Sara. I’ve never felt the least bit guilty.”
“I killed someone when I escaped from Tommy,” Lisa said. “Fuck ’em.”
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