Salvation At Sunset (A McGinty's Of San Antonio Series Novel Book 5)

by Donalyn Maurer

  “My mom? She’s the most beautiful and kind person I know. I’ve never seen her utter a word of hate in all my years. She was raised the same as you. She grew up surrounded by hate. She ran just like you. You both ran from the same place. Bella told you, you left one hell for another. Well now you can stop running. It’s not just a coincidence that this came full circle. Believe in a higher power and divine intervention. Because I’m telling you even if I weren’t a believer, I would be now. God keeps sending you to us. Stop trying to run away. Okay?”

  Garrett has been quiet taking everything Victoria said in. Her words are breaking through; his eyes are changing right in front of me. A transition is beginning and it’s beautiful.

  “Victoria,” my mom calls softly, drawing her into her arms. Next it’s my dad’s turn to embrace her.

  “I love you, Victoria. I’m so proud of you and Isabella.” He releases her and makes his way to Garrett. “Garrett, we’re going to talk, but I want you to know that all these years, even though you aren’t my son, I’ve been proud of you. I couldn’t have been prouder of what you did if you were my own. I’m sorry for what happened to you.” He sits down across from Garrett.

  “I think maybe it’s time for all of us to leave those demons behind and live,” Mom suggests.

  “After I get Raleigh,” Garrett growls.

  “Raleigh?” Dad asks.

  “My sister. Raleigh.” Garrett replies and hangs his head into my shoulder for a few moments. “She’s been waiting for me. We were waiting until she turned eighteen years old. I was going to go get her and even if they found us, they couldn’t take her back, not legally. She wouldn’t be a minor anymore. She could make her own choices. But I kept getting deployed. Eighteen came and went for her and then on my last deployment, I didn’t come back in a good frame of mind. It took me two years to even leave my house. I only came out because of the opening of Holloway’s. Cody led me here.” He kisses the crown of my head. “Now, and only with the help of Bella, did I reach out to her. I talked to her for the first time in over ten years. The one and only time I drove up to try and talk to her, I misunderstood what I saw. She’s been playing along with whatever my family asks of her. If I would have been in the right mindset, I would have picked up on it.”

  “Is she okay?” Victoria inquires.

  “No. They got her engaged to a bad guy named Bodean Chancellor.”

  “What?” Dad, Mom, Victoria and I all say at once.

  “What?” Garrett responds, looking between all of us.

  “Garrett, sweetheart, my maiden name is Chancellor. Bodean is my second cousin and you’re right, he’s bad. Even when he was little, evil seeped from his pores. They’re trying to do to your sister what they did to me.”

  “Fuck!” Garrett hisses and then quickly apologizes for cursing.

  “No, this is a fuck moment," my dad quickly concedes. “We need to go get her. Can you call her? Have her meet us somewhere? A rendezvous point?” My dad pulls out his phone.

  “Yeah. She said a rally was happening soon. She wants me to wait until the area clears. I don’t like it though.” Garrett explains, and my dad looks at him, his jaw ticking.

  “We’re not waiting. But we’re not going alone either. Tomorrow, talk to her. Let her know we’re coming soon. Let her pick a place she’s comfortable with. She’ll know the area. Tell her wherever she is, we’ll be there. I need to make some calls.” My dad reaches down and pulls my mom to her feet. “You okay with this, babe?” He caresses her cheek.

  “Absolutely.” she agrees and leans into my dad.

  My mom and dad leave after explaining my dad is going home to put a plan together and he’ll be back in the morning. Victoria leaves right behind them. But before she leaves, he hugs and thanks her for what she said. After Victoria leaves, I lock up while Garrett stares out the front window.

  “Oh, the flag.” I start back for the door but Garrett stops me. He goes outside and pulls the flag down and stores in the closet before relocking the door.

  “You hungry?” I ask him while glancing at the kitchen knowing the spaghetti is ruined.

  “Not really. You?”

  “No, but I’m tired,” I admit. I’m too tired to even worry about the mess I left in the kitchen. I’ll deal with that tomorrow.

  Garrett nods and reaches out for my hand. He leads me upstairs and into the bathroom. He reaches into the shower and turns the water on and starts undressing me. I don’t stop him. I need to feel his touch.

  In the shower, we wash each other and kiss, holding each other tight. We need the intimacy. Both of us are feeling a little shaken and lost in the day’s events. After we dry off, I dig out my hair dryer and blast it on high trying to hurry so I can get back to Garrett. When I finish, he’s sitting on the edge of the bed, shirtless. I can see dozens of faint red lines running horizontally across his back and it almost makes me fall to my knees. I can’t imagine a twelve-year-old boy going through anything like that. I crawl on the bed behind him and wrap my arms around his neck as I lean into him.

  “Tell me about Raleigh.” Garrett takes deep breath and looks back at me over his shoulder, revealing a soft smile.

  “Yeah, let’s lay down.” We both lay back on the pillows before turning towards each other.

  “I was nine years old when Raleigh was born. My parents didn’t get along. I mean like they hated each other or they were just filled with hated period. Growing up, I could never figure out which it was. So I was surprised when they told me I was going to have a brother or sister. My mom is probably one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever laid eyes on. One would think she was sweet, but she wasn’t. No, her beauty is a lie. She has a black soul. When Raleigh was about to be born, I wanted to be happy but I wasn’t. Not at first anyway. I didn’t want a brother or sister of mine to be born into that world. I was only a kid but I knew that. The only time I ever saw a bit of emotion from my dad is when my mom was in labor and we were at the hospital. He was crying and even though I didn’t know why he was upset, the fact that he was showing something other than hate hit me. For a moment, I was glad to see he had a heart even if it meant showing pain. I thought something had happened to my mom and the baby but they were okay. He didn’t say anything about it, just asked me if I wanted to meet my sister. In my mom's room, my grandpa was holding her. I took a step forward, but my dad yanked me back, telling me I was close enough. I didn't get a good look at her until we took her home a couple of days later. She was so beautiful. Dark hair. Blue eyes. Her skin reminded me of a doll. She was so sweet and as she grew up, she loved hanging out with me. I took her with everywhere I went. I taught her how to swim, how to ride a bike, how to whistle and how to fish.” He laughs. “My hair, she loved it. When it was just us, I’d let her put those damn colored things in it.”

  “Barrettes?” I softly laugh.

  “Yeah. Those things.” He rolls his eyes.

  Garrett takes a deep breath before going on. “I read her bedtime stories. She came to me at night when she was scared. She was more like my kid than my sister. My mom didn’t do crap for her. Once Raleigh could reach the shelves that held the cereal and bread, that was her breakfast and lunch. My mom wouldn’t even walk her to the bus stop in the morning before school. My dad and I walked her. And we waited with her until she was safely on board and sitting down. I never understood why my mom treated her that way. She didn’t treat me much better, but still.” Garrett shakes his head. “This last time I went up I didn’t recognize her. I saw my mom, recognized her right away. Still beautiful even though she was older. The person with her, it took me a moment before I realized I was looking at my little sister. Only she wasn’t little anymore. She’s a beautiful young woman. She looks just like me.” He graces me with a smile.

  I smile back and reach out and trace my fingers along his chin and neck.

  “She sounded really sweet on the phone.” I tell him and another huge smile spreads across his face.

  “She is,” h
e agrees. “She was so caring. For her eleventh birthday, the one before I left, she had been asking for a puppy. I went to my parents and asked them if I could get her one. I wanted her to have something to protect her, keep her company while I was away. She and I both knew I’d be leaving soon but we were the only ones. Those were the days I made so many promises to her. Promises I broke.” He frowns. “I had this entire speech planned out. How I would train the dog and take full responsibility even though I knew I wouldn’t be around in the long run. I would just have to train it before I left. My mom immediately said no but my dad overruled her and said yes. I got her a red and black German shepherd puppy. She named it Hans.” He huffs and laughs.

  I can’t help but laugh too. “Where did she come up with Hans?”

  “She told me he was German and Hans was the only German name she knew. I may or may not have let her watch Die Hard with me a few times.”

  I can’t help it, I burst out laughing. The thought of them watching Die Hard together is beyond sweet. I settle back into him as he goes on.

  “As he grew, he really didn’t look like a Hans, but he stayed by her side twenty-four-seven. My mom complained and wanted her to keep him outside. Not let him in the house, but my dad never complained. He told my mom to let her be. I actually felt gratitude towards him. He overruled my mom and allowed Hans to stay in Raleigh’s room with her. Before I left, Hans was still a pup but had grown into a horse. He was almost as big as Raleigh. Mean looking too.” Garrett shakes his head.

  “One afternoon before I left, I found her and my dad with Hans, and he was showing her some commands. I asked them what they were doing and Raleigh blurted out that he was teaching Hans how to attack. She told me she was going to pick a secret word that she couldn’t tell anyone and if she said it and pointed, Hans knew to attack. I asked him why and he said…”

  Garrett stills and looks off, his eyebrows drawn together for a long moment causing me to grow concerned. I’m about to say something when he quickly sits up and throws his legs off the bed.

  “Garrett? What’s wrong?” I get up on my knees behind him and wait for him to say something.

  “Wait.” He lets out a breath, stands and starts pacing.

  “What is it?” I ask, watching him carefully.

  He’s struggling with his memories and shaking his head.

  “No,” he mumbles to himself.

  “Garrett?” I scoot closer to the edge of the bed.

  “No, the crosses in people’s yards, the hoods, everything…”

  Garrett stops pacing and walks back over to me and kneels by the bed in front of me.

  “Garrett, what in the world did he say when you asked him why?” I lean forward and touch his cheek.

  “Baby, he told me, "she needs him to protect her when I’m not around. You’re not going to be around forever. Hans will watch her after you leave. Have your time." He didn’t say anything else. Just walked away. Bella, he knew I was leaving.” His eyes fall shut.

  “And? I’m not understanding.”

  “He didn’t stop me. He knew I was leaving, and didn’t stop me. It was a secret.” Garrett stands and walks over and paces by the window. I see he’s deep in thought so I wait.

  “The night he was whipping me, it hurt, not going to lie. See how big I am? My dad is bigger. He would strike me and wait. He wasn’t using his full strength. I watched him chopping firewood and other things. He was powerful. No, he held himself back. It was my grandpa that was telling me they were going to hang me, not him.”

  When Garrett says that, every hair on my body stands up.

  “Your mom said he was sure my dad saw her, knew she was there. What if…” He trails off and then grabs my phone and hands it to me.

  “What?”

  “Call your mom, please. I need to ask her something.”

  “Okay.” I dial and go to hand him the phone but he stops me.

  “Baby, put it on speaker. I need you to listen in. I need another pair of ears. I think I’ve gone crazy.”

  “Okay.” I don’t know where he’s going with this but I do as he asks.

  Garrett sits down next to me; only the ringing of the phone filling the air.

  “Hello?” My mom's sweet voice answers.

  “Hey, Mom. Umm, you’re on speaker. Garrett wants to ask you something.” I explain and then wait for Garrett to fill us both in.

  “Okay, sure,” she responds.

  “Mrs. Rollins, I’m sorry to have to bring up bad memories but can I ask you something?” he rushes out.

  “Of course.”

  “When you were in the attic hiding, you said my dad looked right at you?”

  “Yes. I could have sworn he saw me. I was sure of it. But then he looked away. Case had already drawn his gun and was telling them to get out.”

  “You went to school with him right?”

  “I did.”

  “What was he like?”

  “Umm, what do you mean?”

  “I mean did he walk around preaching the Klan rhetoric? Was he a bully?”

  “No he didn’t. He wasn’t,” she replies, confused.

  “Did you ever see my dad doing anything, God, what am I trying to say, I don’t know, racist?” Garrett asks his breathing heavy.

  “Garrett, I don’t understand. But no, I didn’t. I just…it was his daddy. Mr. Cooper,” she whispers.

  “He taught the dog to protect her. He knew I was leaving. He knew about me joining the military and didn’t try to stop me. He knew. He’s always known. Raleigh said he gave her updates about me. Told her just to do what’s being asked of her. Exactly what I told her. He knew you were in that attic, Mrs. Rollins. I’d almost bet my life on it.” Garrett swallows hard. “Bella, dammit, he never burned a cross, my grandpa did. My dad always stood back with me, watched. Bella…” Garrett says, stands up and walks over and slides down the wall. His knees bent, his head against the wall, Garrett rubs his hands up and down his face.

  “Garrett, you're scaring me.”

  “Fuck me; he’s been biding his time too, Bella.” He groans in agony and hangs his head.

  “Oh, my God.” My mom’s voice breathes out.

  “Fuck!” This from my dad, who clearly heard the entire conversation.

  I'm not able to hide my shock, and my heart fills with sadness. I don’t know if he’s right, but if he is, his dad has spent his entire life in that hell.

  “Garrett?” My dad’s speaks up again. Garrett comes out of his daze long enough to look over at me.

  “I’m here,” he mumbles.

  “I don’t know if you’re right or wrong. I’m going to place some more calls. I don’t know if I’ll be able to find anything out, but I’m sure as hell going to try. We’re not going to be able to do anything tonight, though. I know it’s probably impossible, but try and get some sleep. Are you going to stay there tonight?” he asks.

  “I don’t sleep without her,” Garrett confesses.

  “Sleep then.” My dad replies. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Figure things out.”

  “Okay,” Garrett says and his head falls back against the wall again.

  “Try to have sweet dreams,” my mom whispers.

  “Goodnight,” I murmur to both of them before hanging up.

  I set the phone down and make my way to Garrett.

  “Honey, come to bed. We can’t do anything tonight.” I reason with him, taking his hand. He doesn’t fight me as he stands and we make our way back to the bed.

  We lay down, and Garrett immediately pulls me to him. I lay on top of him, like the night in the truck. “I’m confused. I’m not sure of anything anymore,” he admits.

  “You can be sure of me. You’ll never have to be confused with us.” I rest my head on his chest, close my eyes to the sound of his heart beat and try to get lost in him.

  Garrett’s arms come around me, holding me tight for a few moments before letting go. “Bella,” he calls me and slips his hand under my chin, pulling my face to his.
“You are the only thing I’m sure of. I love you.” He lifts his head and kisses me.

  My body melts into his as the words I've been praying for wash over me. “I love you, baby,” I respond and settle back down on him. It’s not long until his heartbeat lulls me to sleep.

  The next morning, my dad calls and tells us that he’s setting something up, but it’s going to take an at least forty-eight hours. Garrett is scheduled to go in and help Allie set the bar up at Holloway’s. I give her a quick call and ask if she minds if I join him. One day I may follow my degree plan but right now all I know is I need to be next to Garrett. She of course says come on in, but then she suggests I work for her too. She talks me into filling out an application. I’m grateful for the distraction and I think Garrett is too.

  Garrett has been talking about calling Raleigh so I texted her with a simple, “Hi!” and she texted back almost right away saying she would call in a couple of hours when she was able to have privacy. Just knowing that call is coming has put Garrett and me in a good mood.

  Garrett and I arrive at Holloway’s and Allie drags me over and has me fill out a W-2, not an application. When I hand it to her, she giggles and introduces me to everyone as Holloway’s hostess. Okay, then. I giggle and begin helping where needed.

  Garrett and I are working on setting up the bar when Allie introduces us to Macie, the other bartender. She’s the great-granddaughter of the prior owner, Chief. She's beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it. She actually looks like she has a halo of light surrounding her. Allie told me she was expecting her to come, and that she used to work there on the weekends with her great-grandpa. She was so relieved to have her too. Allie is so nervous about doing right by Chief and his family but mostly, Cody, her brother. After our introduction, Garrett goes back to stocking the new glasses, and Macie unloads the liquor bottles that will line the shelves behind the bar. I’m wiping any marks or dust off the glasses before Garrett puts them up.