Safe Harbor (The Lake Trilogy, Book 3)

by Grant, AnnaLisa

  “Hello. Thank you so much for coming.” I open the door as wide as it will go and motion for them to enter. The ladies enter first with Michael entering last. I close the door and we all seem to stand there, unsure of who should do what first.

  “I’m Will,” he says, extending his hand.

  “Michael.” He reciprocates and shakes Will’s hand. Michael is not warm and fuzzy. In fact, he’s a little on guard. It seems that maybe this wasn’t his idea and that he’s really just here for his mother. He’s tall, like Will, and has classically short dirty blonde hair. His facial features are strong, also like Will, and it’s clear to see that these two men are related.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Will says with a tightlipped smile. He moves his hand to Erin and she looks at him as if to say I don’t do handshakes.

  Then, in a flash, Erin steps forward and throws her arms around Will’s neck. Not sure how to respond, it takes Will a moment before he gives in to his emotions and hugs her back, wrapping his arms around her waist. Will buries his face in her shoulder and they both cry softly, so happy to finally meet another part of them.

  “Thank you for seeing us,” Erin says through stifled crying.

  “Are you kidding? Thank you for wanting to see me,” Will says as he pulls them apart from each other to look at her. “I’m so sorry.” He looks at Erin and Michael, waiting for their response.

  “There’s nothing to be sorry for,” Erin says as she wipes her eyes. “They were his choices, not yours.”

  “Michael?” Victoria prompts.

  Michael stands there for a moment before he speaks. “I can’t do this.” Michael turns and walks back toward the door.

  “Wait…please,” Will pleads.

  “What, Will? We find out we have siblings we never knew about and we’re somehow supposed to be all chummy?” Michael sighs and closes his eyes, collecting his thoughts. “Look, I’m not mad at you. Erin is right. Things are the way they are because of the choices he made. But all being victims of his apathy isn’t enough for me to jump in head first here.” Michael is straight and to the point. He doesn’t seem angry, or even upset for that matter. He’s just weighed the facts and determined that he’s not willing to invest himself in this new relationship with his brother and sister.

  “Don’t you think it’s worth finding out if there’s more common ground here? I do, and I think it’d be a shame to walk away before you even give us a chance,” Will says to him. It’s the first time I’ve seen Will step up and defend the opportunity to embrace the siblings his father kept from him. This is a huge step for him and I think Erin’s vulnerability helped Will open himself up.

  “If you two want to come together and bond, that’s great. I just don’t think I’m ready for that. I’m sorry, Mom.” Michael turns and walks out the door, but hopefully not forever.

  “It’s not you, Will. He hasn’t exactly warmed up to me, either,” Erin tells him.

  “Babe? Are you ok?” I ask Will, taking his hand in mine.

  “Yeah…I’m disappointed, but…he has to make his choice, too.” Will gives a tightlipped nod and brings himself back into the moment with Erin. “I’m glad you’re here,” he tells her.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Will. I’m Loretta,” she says, stepping forward and giving Will a small hug. “Thank you for having us,” she says to me.

  “We’re so pleased you could come,” I tell her, offering her a hug in return.

  “Yes, thank you for having us. It was very kind of you. I’m Victoria. I’m very sorry for Michael’s behavior. It’s been difficult for him. I think it’s a father-son thing, but he’s honest about not blaming you, Will. I’m hoping time will help him come around,” she says.

  “I hope so, too,” Will says. “Please, come with us.” Will and I lead the women to the back of the house where the Great Room is, and where our parents are waiting. “You’ve met everyone?” Will asks the women.

  “Yes, Claire and Eliana have been very kind,” Loretta says.

  “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Can I get anyone something to drink beforehand?” I offer. There are echoes of no, thank you and I’ll just have something with dinner, so I take a seat next to Will on the couch.

  “So, Will…here’s the deal,” Erin begins. Will’s eyes get a little bigger in anticipation of what Erin is about to tell him. After her warm and emotional response, I can’t imagine that she would have anything but something kind to say. “I don’t want to talk about Gregory Meyer. I only care about him because he gave you and Michael and Sarah to me. I’ve known about you since, well, since I was your age, so I’ve had a long time to process and get used to the fact that I have a brother…and I’m thrilled about it. I want to get to know you, Will. I want us to be a part of each other’s lives. The question is, do you want the same thing?” Erin’s brown eyes are soft and warm. She is so clearly at peace with all of this, and seems genuinely hopeful that Will is going to share her feelings about bonding.

  “Any hesitancy I had about meeting you came from being scared that you resented me, resented my mom,” Will says.

  “We hold no resentment against either of you,” Loretta says sweetly. Her voice is soft and smooth and comforting.

  “I can see that,” Will says smiling with joy. “I spent my whole life wishing for a brother or a sister, thinking that it would make life a little less lonely. When I found out I actually had two brothers and two sisters, it was a shock…especially considering the circumstances. I lost Marcus early on, even before…” Will takes my hand remembering the awful conditions by which Marcus died. “I’m disappointed Michael didn’t stay, but I hope once he’s had a chance to digest everything that he’ll come around. I’ve already connected with Sarah, which has been better than I ever dreamed. So, yes, I want to get to know you, too, Erin. I can’t imagine walking away from you now.”

  “I’m so happy to hear you say that,” she says, moving to the seat on the couch next to Will.

  “Will,” Victoria says, calling his attention away from Erin. “Michael only found out a few months ago. I wasn’t as forthcoming with him as Loretta was with Erin. Had I known he would act this way, I would have told him a long time ago. I’m sorry.”

  “There was no reason to believe we’d ever be sitting here like this. The only reason I found out about you is because of my father’s death. So, please…there’s nothing to be sorry about,” Will tells her.

  “So, let’s get started,” Erin says to Will with excitement.

  “What do you want to know?” Will chuckles.

  “How about how you and Layla met?” she asks looking at me.

  “Hold that thought! Dinner is ready so let’s get everyone to the table and we can start with the barrage of questions. Who’s hungry?” I say as I move to the kitchen. I take the meat out of the oven and put everything into serving dishes while everyone finds a place at the dining table.

  “Let me help you with those,” Eliana says as she enters the kitchen.

  “No, Mom, it’s fine, I’ve got it,” I tell her. “But…how are you? I mean is it weird sitting here with Loretta and Victoria?” I think I would be totally freaked out.

  “Well, I won’t lie and say it’s perfectly fine. But…we talked yesterday at great length. It was very healing for all of us I think.” Eliana smiles and I can see that she’s growing into a great place of peace. It’s one thing to know about your husband’s ex-wives, it’s another to sit with them and have a pow-wow about each of your experiences with him. I don’t think she’d be able to get through it if it weren’t for how strong her relationship with Wes has made her.

  Eliana and I bring the food to the table and take our places. We spend the next few hours talking and getting to know each other. We tell them about the night on the Green when Will and I met and I literally knocked his drink out of his hand. Erin tells us how she met her husband, Logan, and shows pictures of her son David, who’s 12. We share wedding and honeymoon stories and there are eve
n a few times when we’re all laughing so hard that we’re crying.

  We don’t talk about Gregory Meyer. We don’t even utter his name. Will has obviously decided not to grill Loretta and Victoria about his father, and I don’t think it’s just because Eliana is sitting across from them. I think Nana Grace and Pop set him straight after the whole thing when we got back from seeing Cheryl.

  There are times as I look around the table that I have to remind myself that we’re all here because of him. Then I laugh, because despite his efforts to keep all of these women down and to abandon his children, they all found a way to rise to the top and find each other…and all are better for it.

  “Well,” Loretta says after taking the last sip of her coffee. “Dinner was delicious, Layla. Thank you. I think we need to get some rest. Luke has spent almost two days preparing us for the trial. I think I’m going to go back to the hotel and go to bed with no intentions of getting up before noon tomorrow,” she laughs.

  “I think that’s an excellent plan,” Claire agrees. “And I think Will and Layla are more jet lagged than they’re letting on.” She may be right. Fatigue is starting to set in.

  “We know you’re just here for the trial, but maybe we can have some time together before you leave?” Will says hopefully as we walk Loretta, Erin, and Victoria to the door. I’m so happy to see him embracing his sisters, and feel hopeful that Michael will come around and join them.

  “That would be wonderful,” Erin says. “Thank you for everything.” Erin hugs us both, followed by hugs from Loretta and Victoria.

  I close the door behind them and we all look to Will to see how he’s doing now that the night is over. “So…” I say to him.

  “That was remarkable. Once we got talking, it was like we had known each other forever.” Will has a look of amazement on his face. I think he had hoped for a congenial relationship. I don’t think he ever imagined there would be such a connection from the start. Even with Sarah it took a little while for him to feel as bonded to her as he does.

  “I’m so happy for you, babe!” I tell him as I come to his side and put my arm around his waist.

  “Yes, William, I’m so happy for you, too. I know this has been something you’ve been waiting for, and I’m thrilled that it seems to be everything you hoped it would be,” Eliana says. “Now come, Wesley, we’re going to clear the table.”

  “What? How did that happen?” Wes says as we all shuffle back to the dining room. It’s so funny to see Wes absolute mush around Eliana. He’s got it bad.

  “Here, Layla, why don’t you and Will open up some gifts? You’ve got to start somewhere.” Claire brings in a few small, wrapped boxes and puts them in the chair Will sat in at dinner.

  “I don’t feel like opening actually gifts because then I have to figure out where to put them. What if we opened cards?” I counter.

  “That sounds like a plan,” Will says kissing the top of my head. He leaves the dining room and returns a moment later with the basket of cards I noticed early this morning. “You don’t have to, like, read every card do you?” he asks sarcastically.

  “I don’t usually, but after that look, I think I might!” I tease. He kisses me on the cheek and we each take a card from the basket. “Ooh! This one says that love is an eternal flame, not to be snuffed out by the distractions of this world.” We all laugh at the absurdity and the cheese-factor.

  “Ok…I can play that game. Mine has a picture of two old people holding hands and walking down a beach,” Will says, countering my sappy card with one of his own. “Oh, wait, this one is way better. This one says that through the years we will be challenged to love when we don’t feel like loving, to forgive when we don’t feel like forgiving, and to listen when we don’t feel like listening. At least it has a hundred bucks in it!” We laugh as I reach for another card.

  “Ok, ok…I have a feeling this one is going to be even better than that one!” I say as I open the thick envelope in my hand. “This one says…” I stop as I look at the contents of the envelope and my mood and tone both change. “This one says if we want to know where to find juror number four’s body, we’ll pay him the rest of what Meyer owes him for the job.”

  Chapter 31

  I drop the envelope on the table, spilling its contents. In front of me are a dozen or so photos of me in various places and situations. There are photos of me with Gwen and Caroline the day we picked out their bridesmaid dresses, me with Will walking across the Green on some random day, and me with Tyler the day he convinced me I had been a fool to let Will pour over the ex-wives statements alone. There are even a couple photos of me with Will in New York on our honeymoon. We flip through the pictures, each one making me feel more violated than the next.

  “It’s Black Sedan Guy, Will. This is why he was taking the pictures. He was never some unknown reporter,” I say with shaking hands as I pick up the letter. “This can’t be happening.”

  “It’s going to be ok, Layla. I’m going to take care of this,” Will says, putting one arm around me and taking the letter from me with the other.

  “What else does it say?” Luke asks.

  “It says my father owes him $250,000 and that he wants it on Thanksgiving Day. Davidson will have their annual parade and most of the police department will either be in the parade or on duty for it. He expects cash and wants to meet at the North Harbor Club…and he wants Layla to do the exchange.” Will’s delivery is flat, emotionless.

  “Ok, so how do we do this?” I ask directly.

  “We don’t,” Will answers bluntly.

  “What do you mean we don’t? Is it the money?” I’m confused.

  “I don’t care about the money, Layla. I’m sorry that the juror’s body hasn’t been found, but I’m not willing to risk your life to find it.” Will looks at me as if this is a no-brainer answer to my questioning.

  “His name is Albert Blasi and he has a family. What are you going to say to his children when they discover we had the opportunity to find out where their father’s body is and didn’t take it? How are you going to explain to them that they’ll never have closure on his disappearance? We can’t do that to them Will. When you were missing, all I wanted was to know where you were. Dead or alive, I just wanted to know because the not knowing was killing me. Albert was someone’s husband, someone’s father. I know the pain they’re experiencing and if we can help them in any way we absolutely have to.” I hold Will’s gaze, intent on driving home how vital our obligation is here. There’s no way I can walk away from the chance to help this man’s family.

  Will’s sighs heavily. “I can’t lose you, Layla. This guy, Black Sedan Guy…he’s already shown us how close he can get without us even knowing he’s there. You going out there alone will be over my dead body.”

  “I agree,” Luke says. “It’s too risky, Layla.”

  “We’ll get a team out there, watch for him and take him down when he shows up,” Wes says matter-of-factly.

  “What is wrong with you? This man’s family needs to know where he is! Why do none of you care about that?” I stand in a fury of confusion as to how the most caring group of people I know are blatantly denying a family the chance to finally grieve properly over the loss of their loved one.

  “We do care,” Claire says. Her tone is soft as it usually is when she’s trying to diffuse me. “We just care about you more.”

  “Are you telling me that Wes and a team of FBI agents can’t keep me safe in a situation with one guy?” My tone is intentionally sarcastic, wondering if I might be able to appeal to Wes’ sense of pride and kick him into gear.

  “I could get a body double for her,” Wes says, taking my bait. “We’ll put a hat on her, scarf and coat…he’ll never know the difference. She’ll drop the money where he tells us and then walk away.”

  “I…uh…she can’t just walk away. We have to get him to tell us where Blasi is. We can’t fake him out on this. I’ll just get the information and give him the money. I mean, Wes and Croft�
�s team will have eyes on him and snag him when he walks away, right?”

  “This is bigger than you realize, Layla. Agent Croft’s team has been investigating the juror situation for months and they keep coming up empty. This guy is good, whoever he is. Even Croft’s best of the best, Lassiter, has hit a dead end.” Luke considers what he’s saying, shaking his head at his own realization. “I’m afraid this is the break they’ve been waiting for. And, as much as I hate to say it, the only way they’re going to get this guy is if Layla does this. And the only way Layla is getting in and out of there unscathed is if Croft’s team is behind us,” Luke says. He’s thoughtful in his delivery, making sure not to worry us with the fact that even the FBI hasn’t been able to catch this guy.

  Honestly? What makes us think that he’s just going to give us the location of Blasi and take the money and run? What’s to say he isn’t going to try and put a bullet in my head? He’s smooth enough to make one murder look like a home invasion, and make the other victim just disappear. All I know is that I have to at least try to help this family. I can’t stand the idea of them stuck in the pain that I was in when I lost Will.

  “We’ve got two weeks to get everything in place. In the meantime, let’s get some rest. It’s been a long day and I’m sure Will and Layla are fighting jet lag. I’ll give Croft a call in the morning. We’ll be able to get everything strategized this week before the trial starts on Monday,” Luke continues.

  “Everything is going to be just fine,” Claire says as I hug her at the door. “You were a lovely host tonight, Layla. I’m so proud of how you handled Erin and the others. And this whole thing…well, you constantly remind me of just how brave…and stubborn…you are. That said…please don’t throw yourself in the fire just to save someone else you don’t even know. I know you want to help this man’s family, but don’t forget that you have a family of your own now.”

  “I know, Mom. I just…if there’s any way that I can help eliminate the pain I know they’re feeling, I feel like I need to at least try,” I tell her. Claire looks at me and smiles knowing that there’s nothing she can say that is going to change my mind.