Deadly Mistake (Deadly Series Book 5)

by K. L. Humphreys

  Yeah, he was stalking Winter in Hawaii. “Maddie, what the hell? You went after him? What would have happened if you had found him? He could have killed you!” She makes so many rash decisions, I know that we can all do things on impulse, Maddie seems to do everything on impulse. Act first and think later.

  “I know okay, I was so mad, I just didn’t think.” She looks at me, her eyes hold so much pain that it hurts to look at, “I was a bitch to everyone, I pushed everyone I loved away. I needed to push you all away, so that I couldn’t hurt them anymore.”

  “Maddie, that makes no sense, why would you think that?”

  “I’m buried underneath pain that runs so deep it's embedded in my blood. I feel as though no one is safe from my pain, that I’m a dark cloud over everyone’s life. I pushed everyone away including you. I’m so fucking sorry Hails, I never meant to hurt anyone but I ended up hurting everyone.” She’s going around in circles now, repeating everything.

  I get why she did what she did, she never meant to be malicious. She did the wrong thing and then instead of apologizing, she made things worse by acting like a crazed bitch. “Maddie, why didn’t you come to me? Why did you wait until there was no way out?”

  “At first I didn’t want help, I thought I could handle it myself but when it started to spiral out of control I was ashamed to say anything and I became bitchier. I didn’t know what to do, I wanted help but I couldn’t bring myself to ask for it. I’m sorry.” She apologizes for the hundredth time.

  “Stop apologizing! So, what are you planning to do now?” I ask, hoping she has some sort of plan for her life now.

  “I’m going to get my daughter back, I want Nicole in my life.” For the first time, I see true happiness in her eyes when she tells me she’s getting Nicole.

  “I’ll do anything I can to help.” I vow, I want to get to know my niece, knowing that it’s finally going to make Maddie happy, is just the icing on the cake.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Scott

  I walk into Smithy International, it’s really quiet, no one seems to be in; not even Keely which is a surprise, she’s usually here before everyone else. It won’t be much longer before she’s in along with everyone else, I’ve called a meeting, I’ve asked Sam not to bring Winter. I think Sam should be the one to tell her about Nicole and who her father is. Also, we need to find Eric, the longer he’s out there the more danger Hailey is in and I want him out of the picture before we get Nicole.

  A door opens in front of me and Ryder stands in the doorway, Skye’s due any day now so he’s on edge constantly. “Come into my office.” It’s weird him being the boss, I’ve worked for Nathan for almost a decade and when he told me that P.I.G.S was merging with Smithy International I was shocked but it made sense. We’re all a big dysfunctional family, one that has no hesitations in helping one another out when the time comes.

  I walk into his office, no doubt he wants to be brought up to speed before the meeting. Ryder is a no-nonsense type of guy, he hates the unknown, he likes to be in charge of a situation, have all the scenarios worked out in case things go south. “What’s up boss?” I ask as I take a seat.

  He waits until he sits behind his desk before he answers, “How is Hailey?” He’s genuinely concerned about her.

  “Taking it one day at a time. Some days are worse than others.” I’m not telling him that she didn’t get out of bed yesterday, that’s no one’s business but our own.

  “No doubt, if there’s anything she needs, just ask.” He raises his eyebrows, the fucker knows too much. He knows that I’m here for her.

  “Actually, that’s what the meetings about.” He sits back in his chair and waits for me to continue, “We found out what happened to make Maddie change.” That has him on alert, “Eight years ago, Maddie gave birth to a girl, one that she gave up for adoption.”

  “Fuck,” He bites out, looking shocked as hell, I didn’t think anything could shock him but I was proved wrong.

  “Yeah, the adoptive parents died, I don’t know when or what happened but Nicole is in foster care and Hailey wants her.”

  “We’ll make sure it’s done. As I said, anything to help.” That right there is why we’re a family. No matter how hard it may be, we’ll work together and figure it out, “That’s not all there is to this is it?” Fucker knows everything.

  “No, there’s the father to consider.” God, if I’m finding it hard to tell Ryder who the father is, I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like telling Sam.

  “What about him, he can’t be much of a father if his daughter’s in foster care.” A hardness comes into his voice, probably thinking about anyone who can abandon their child.

  “He’s dead, it’s David Masters.”

  “What the fuck?” he whispers, “Motherfucker!”

  “I know, it’s fucked up. Hailey wants her to have a happy life, a happy home and that’s means living with her, with us.”

  “I completely understand, I’m behind you both one hundred percent. I’m not sure how this is going to go down but they’re going to have to deal with it.” He tells me something that I already know.

  I have a feeling that I may have to knock some heads together. If they have a problem with it, it’s their damn problem. I leave his office and I see that everyone is in the reception area, poor Keely looks harassed as Asher leans over the huge ass desk to talk to her. “Come on Keely, just dinner.” The fucker’s begging her and everyone is watching on in amusement. He fucked up by sleeping with her while he was in a relationship with someone else.

  “Maybe…” She says, she sounds serious that is until she finishes her sentence. “When Hell freezes over and you’re the only person around. You’ve plenty of meat on you, I won’t go hungry for a couple of days.”

  I cover my laughter by coughing, at least I had the decency to cover mine, everyone else is flat out laughing at her reply. I wonder how long she’s been thinking that up.

  “Everyone into the conference room, that includes you Keely, I’m going to need your help.” Ryder says walking past me and toward the conference room, I look to Keely and see the relief on her face that she’s able to escape from Asher.

  Sophia’s sitting down, no doubt Nathan’s made her. She shouldn’t be here, she only gave birth two freaking weeks ago. She was rushed in for an emergency c-section, something about one of the twins was breach and their heart rates had dropped dangerously low. The twins are fine and so much like Sophia, Lydia Louise and Winter Skye are home and no doubt running the house. I feel bad for Nathan, four kids under the age of five.

  I ignore the curious looks from the peanut gallery and walk into the office, not wanting to say the same thing multiple times when it can be done once. I take my seat at the huge conference table that Ryder had imported from the UK, this monstrosity can seat at least thirty people comfortably. It doesn’t take long for everyone else to follow suit. I’m not surprised to see my dad, Luke, and Morgan here but I am shocked to see Brody here, Nathan’s older brother, who like dad and Morgan is a cop. I look to Sophia who just shrugs as though it’s not a big deal, Brody has never been involved in any of our previous cases. Hell, when things went down with Sophia he didn’t get involved so I’m on guard, wondering what the hell he’s doing here.

  “Brody’s here because he’s hoping he can speak to Hailey. He’s hoping that Hailey can help him in his investigation.” Nathan’s tone is hard and tight, he’s not happy that Brody’s here and even less that it’s for his own gain.

  “I’m hoping she can identify some of the drug dealers that Maddie used.” Brody says and I’m up out of my seat in temper, how fucking dare he! Who the hell does he think he is?

  “Son, don’t you think there’s a time and a place for this?” Dad says and although he sounds polite there’s a dark undertone there too.

  “She’s just lost her sister!” I growl, I’m mad as hell. How dare he? “Fuck, that, she’s not even been buried 48 hours and you’re here asking to ask que
stions about a fucking drug dealer?” I’m in his face, ready to knock him the fuck out. She’s not ready for this, hell I doubt she ever will be.

  “Scott, stop.” Soph tells me gently as she comes to stand beside me, “Brody, I understand that you need to find…” She waves her hand, trying to come up with something to say, “Whoever it is. Now isn’t the time. Hailey doesn’t know much about Maddie’s drug use, as soon as she found out she made her go to rehab. So, you should focus your search elsewhere!” Damn, I forgot how much my little sister scares the crap out of Brody.

  He starts backing away, heading toward the door. Nathan shakes his head and escorts him out. Brody is a fucking moron, surely he has some sense of compassion or common sense.” How’s Hails?” Morgan asks as I take my seat, she takes the seat to my left as Luke takes the one to my right. It’s funny, they’re sitting beside me almost as though they feel they have to protect me.

  “She’s doing the best she can, Addison and Jake are with her today.” After seeing her in so much pain yesterday I didn't want her to be alone; I want her to know that she’s not alone that she can lean on us if she needs too. Addison and Jake didn’t even hesitate in saying yes to spending the day with her.

  “Is she up to visitors? Sabine and I have been wanting to see her but we didn’t want to intrude.” She sounds hopeful.

  I know that Hailey adores both Morgan and Sabine, so she’d love to see them. “She’d love to see you.”

  Before she can say anything, Nathan returns looking pretty fucking pissed. He stares directly at me, “What’s going on?” He demands, crossing his arms over his chest. It’s a feeble attempt to look intimidating, it may work on others but not me and I doubt anyone in this room

  “Best check your tone.” I bite out, “You and your pissy mood can piss off.”

  He looks shocked, usually I’m the laid back one. Not today, I should be at home with Hailey instead of here but this needs to be done.

  “Okay, now that everyone is here, we can begin. Keely, I need you to look for the best family attorney, don’t worry about the price.” Ryder says and Keely starts to write it down all the while looking extremely worried.

  “I’ll help, I’ll give you a few names that are the best in the business.” Luke says and he must know what this is about, Keely, looks grateful and offers him a small smile.

  “I know you’re all wondering what the hell is going on and I’m going to tell you. First of all is there any updates on Eric?” Ryder asks the room but his eyes on Morgan.

  “We’ve tracked him to Maine, I’m the only one who doesn’t think he’s heading for the border.” She tells us, she sounds so certain that he’s not heading for Canada, he’s literally as close to the fucking border as he can get.

  “Why don’t you think…” Ryder says but is cut off by a cell phone ringing, Morgan quickly excuses herself and rushes out of the room to answer it.

  “Want to tell us what the hell is going on?” Soph’s anger is easy to hear and she’s going to be pissed if she finds out we knew about Nicole and never told her. It’s not my story to tell, the same way it’s not Dads.

  “I’ll wait for Morgan to come back in.” Ryder says completely dismissing her, he like me is waiting for the shit storm to ensue. It doesn’t take Morgan long to come back into the room, she comes back in to an awkward silence. “As I was saying, why don’t you think he’s headed for Canada?”

  She looks at him as though he’s crazy, like anyone with a brain should know why. “Eric is a sociopath, he’s proved that by coming after Hailey not once but twice. Both times he has hurt her and or someone else. We all know what happened the last time. This is a man that loves control that thrives on being a fucking bully.” Morgan is getting angry and just like the rest of us, she thinks that she could have done something, anything to stop what happened.

  “He bullied Hailey, he made sure she had no one should could turn to. He isolated her and then he beat her. When she finally got the courage to stand up and leave him, he put her in the hospital. He’s told her on more than one occasion that she’s his. He means that, he’s not going to stop until he gets her. So, no I don’t think he’s going to Canada, I think he’s setting a false trail to trick us, to get Hailey to lower her guard, to lower all of our guards.” What she’s saying makes a lot of sense and I tend to agree with her, there’s no way that Eric is making a run for it.

  “He’s a murderer now. Before he was an abusive asshole, do you really think he’s that stupid? To come back and try and get her when we’re here, we have her back.” Nathan growls, “He’s not getting her again. No fucking way.”

  A-fucking-Men to that! “I agree with Morgan. We’ve let this fucker get away with this shit for too fucking long. It ends now. You may think just because he murdered Maddie in cold blood that he’s running. I don’t, he came to their apartment for one reason and one reason only. Hailey. Maddie put her life on the line to make sure her sister was safe and in doing so she paid the ultimate price.” My breathing is hard, thinking about everything this asshole has done makes me feel murderous. I have no qualms in killing the bastard.

  “Well at least she did something fucking right.” Nathan says under his breath and I try to bite back a reply, I count to ten slowly in my head reminding myself that he’s married to my sister. That I love my sister enough not to hurt the man she loves. “What’s the game plan?”

  “Nathan, no matter what you feel towards Maddie, there are people in this room that loved her.” Dad tells him just as Sam walks into the room. “Be respectful.” He warns. Maddie’s death has hit dad hard, he’s thinking of all the things he could have done differently.

  “Respectful? That woman didn’t know the fucking meaning.” Sam takes the vacant seat beside Nathan, everyone else in the room is silently watching to see what the hell is going to happen next.

  “Enough! That woman is dead.” Ryder barks out, “Now we’re currently discussing how we’re going to keep Hailey safe and get a lock on Eric’s location. I want that fucker found.” He directs that to Oscar, Dwayne, and Henry. They’re the best of the best when it comes to tracking people and hacking into anything that’s needed.

  “Hailey’s not being left alone. Right now, she has Addison and Jake with her. They’ll be staying until I get back. Anytime I need to leave I’ll be making sure she’s either with me or someone is with her. Ryder, her house needs security, the one she has at the moment is dismal.”

  He nods, “I’ll install it myself. As for Hailey having someone with her at all times, consider it done. Hailey is one of us and that makes her a priority. Keely, you no longer go anywhere without being armed.” I look to Keely, and she seems as though she’s about to argue, “Don’t, you are to be armed at all times.”

  “Okay.” She sits back looking even more deflated than she had been. Asher has really fucked with her head.

  “Now for the other thing we need to help Hailey with.” My hands start to sweat, and my heart starts to race. God, this could go south quickly. “Hailey is looking at ways to get her niece out of foster care and living with her. She wants to be the legal guardian of Nicole and we’re going to do everything we can to help her.” Ryder’s tone brokers no argument but fuck we know that there’s going to be one.

  “Wait, what?” Soph cries, I don’t look at her because I don’t want to see the accusation in her eyes. “Niece? Dad?” She gasps.

  “Eight years ago, Maddie gave birth to a baby girl. It wasn’t long after her parents had died and she became the legal guardian of Hailey. She came to me and told me that she was thinking of giving her baby up for adoption.” Dad explains to us all, and I look to Sophia who looks to be in shock. “I told her that she shouldn’t make any rash decisions, that she had been through a lot in the past few months and that she should really think about things.”

  “No way, I would have known. Winter would have known.” She’s shaking her head in denial. “Dad, you’re wrong, you have to be.”

  “No
baby girl I’m not. You were so busy, you had just joined the military and Maddie hid it well.” He reaches over and takes her hand, “She didn’t want you to know.”

  “Dad, why? She was my best friend, I would have helped. What happened to the baby?” Sophia’s tears are falling hard and Nathan picks her up off her chair and pulls her into his lap, trying to comfort her.

  I cough, it gains everyone’s attention, it’s my turn to speak, “Maddie gave Nicole up for adoption to a couple and that was the last she saw of her.” The sobbing from Sophia gets louder but I continue, “Until she got out of rehab, she wanted to find Nicole and she did find her. Nicole’s currently in foster care, her adoptive parents died, we don’t know the full ins and outs of it yet as we don’t even know Nicole’s last name.”

  “I’ll find it, I’ll also find out who Nicole’s social worker is. That way you can contact her, she’ll be the one dealing with Nicole.” Dwayne says, he’s typing into his phone and I wonder if he’s talking to Sabine? She’s working today otherwise she’d have been here.

  “What about the father, would he not want contact with her?” I was wondering when someone was going to ask about the dad, I presumed that it would have been Sophia. I was wrong, it was Nathan that asked, “Why hasn’t he had contact?”

  “He died a while back.” I dodge, hoping they’d leave it as that.

  “Who was it?” Sophia asks, her mascara running down her face from her tears. “Scott, who was the father?”