Nick took steps to compartmentalize the scene before him.
Odis Lee Rollins—the father of the woman he was going to marry—was dead. And he already knew that therapy would be in his future.
But even these thoughts were swiftly compartmentalized, too. All of his officers were looking at him.
"Okay." he said to the group at large. "I need two of you to stay here so you can secure the crime scene and the body. Call the medical examiner, too. Who will do that?"
"Me!" called one officer.
"I will!" responded a second.
"Excellent. Everyone else is coming with me."
One of the officers in their company called out before they had gone even a few steps. "Watch it! There's a hole!"
Just inches to the right of where Nick stood, there was a rather large, deep hole. And a shovel. Nick immediately sidestepped it.
"Someone stay here to secure that." he decided. "Catalog the shovel, too."
Another officer stayed behind.
When they finally reached the side of the boathouse that Odis Lee had been guarding, they found a heavy chain and padlock on the door. Nick would work on it in a minute.
"Amanda?" he called in the direction of the door. "Are you there?"
"Yes!" the other detective sputtered. "All of us are here, and Azalea has an injured arm!"
Nick tried not to panic. "Okay! Just hang on!"
He used the butt of his heavy flashlight to break at the paneling where the lock was. It collapsed easily. Getting the door open after that was no problem.
Everyone had moved into a far corner. Amanda had wanted them out of harm's way. Just in case.
"Mi amor." Amanda sighed as she fell into Nick's embrace after a kiss. "You're here!"
"Yes, I am." Nick put a hand in the small of Amanda's back. "How are the babies now?"
"Really kicking up a storm because of all the stress. Oh…" Amanda gave a small stumble.
"Here." Nick eased her back on to the floor. "EMS will be showing up very soon."
Amanda nodded. "Alright. Please go check on the others."
Nick did.
In what was very much a blur to Amanda after that, all those who had been imprisoned were examined by the paramedics. Including herself.
All she knew by the end of the blur was that the babies were fine, but she was being taken to the hospital. Something about shock and being dehydrated. Amanda was just happy to be safe and healthy.
She spoke to Nick from her ambulance bed as the vehicle hurried the streets. "I heard a gun go off at the park. Who got hit?"
"Your dad, but…"
"What?"
Nick sighed and proceeded to tell Amanda of Odis Lee's ending.
"Mandy, I am so sorry that he died." Nick said when he was done. "Officer Hernandez pulled the trigger. Your dad taunted him."
"I'm not sure if I'm sorry because of every bad thing my dad has ever done, but did it happen that Hernandez had to shoot in self-defense?"
Nick nodded. "Yes."
Amanda knew exactly which officer they were talking about. He was a new transfer from the academy. And young.
"I want to see him." she decided. "Where is my mom?"
"At our place with my mom and Alex. They're looking after the kids, but I bet they're headed to the hospital by now."
Amanda's tone became adamant. "I also want to see them. Right now, I feel responsible for both of my sisters."
Kim and Maggie Blue were being transported to the hospital in the police cruiser following them.
"Don't worry." Nick said reassuringly. "I'll make sure they make it your room."
Amanda gave a sigh of relief; now the only person she had to worry about was herself. "Thank you."
All Olivia could do when the news of Odis Lee Rollins' death reached her was just heave a sigh. What surprised the sergeant just now was the Grangers' attitudes about it. Both were... surprisingly calm.
Lionel Granger spoke after they'd had a moment to digest the new development. "Olivia, would it be alright if we came to the hospital, too?"
"Of course you can come," Olivia said in surprise. "But…"
Maya Granger picked up her train of thought at once. "You're wondering why, when they consider us estranged?"
"Yes." Olivia said. "It's also late. What about your kids?"
"Henry and Sarah are both light enough to be carried by us. Don't worry about them." said Maya. "Seeing our sister-in-law is paramount right now. Her husband was my husband's brother. Odis Lee was a bad apple. Bedelia isn't. We want to show up for her."
Olivia softened up; it was nice to see the Grangers be so kind. "Okay. Bedelia is going to like that. Let me go get my things."
Seeing the more estranged members of her family arrive to the hospital with Olivia at the same time as herself really threw Bedelia off track. But she was more than a little curious... especially since she hadn't them in many a year.
"Lionel? Maya?" she said in confusion as she walked over to them. "Why are you here?"
Granger himself sighed. "Long story short, they were concerned that my brother would come after us because of what he did to everyone else tonight."
"Meaning that Olivia brought you all into protective custody at the station. What are you doing here?"
"Olivia told us about what happened. We wanted to make sure that you're as okay as you can be." Maya told her. "Lionel and I are very sorry."
"Thanks." A wave of emotion crashed over Bedelia as she remembered again that her abuser was dead. "I just don't know if I'll ever feel that was because he was quite horrible to me. Tonight wasn't the first time. We have a lot to catch up on."
"Such as the fact that you have more kids?" Maya gestured to the snoozing boy in Bedelia's hold. "Please introduce us to this little man."
Bedelia kissed the top of her son's head. "He was born about a month after we moved up here. Amanda named him Leon Samuel. My boy also has another sister who is just a few years older than him. Today is her birthday."
The family caught up with each other for a few more minutes before the Grangers took their leave.
Bedelia made her way over to where Olivia, Alex, and Audrey had been chatting together.
"Feeling better?" Audrey asked her.
"Yes. I'm also going to really work on my relationship with Lionel and Maya. They aren't bad people. Odis just clouded my judgment about a lot of things. I want to start over. So they, and they're willing."
Olivia congratulated her friend on taking such a big step on her own before flagging down one of her uniformed officers to drive the Grangers home.
Bedelia spoke to her again. "What I said about having the city cremating Odis' body still stands. I want no part of him in that way. Lionel even backed me when I ran the idea by him."
"Then I'll start the arrangements next time I go into my office. Ready to see your daughters now?"
Bedelia perked up. Not nothing or no one could keep her from the rest of her kids anymore.
"You have no idea. Show me where to go."
Amanda was feeling relieved.
All had checked out health-wise with herself, her babies, and her sisters. Now they were sitting together on her bed. There was an IV bag to be finished before being released. Azalea and Violet had even been returned to their family. This was also good. Maggie Blue was now officially three years old. And... some time in the next twenty-four years, they would be meeting the brand new Barba-Novak child. Everyone was grateful that the long night had ended as well as it could.
Maggie Blue was presently fast asleep in Amanda's arms. The little girl had been in a deep sleep for quite some time. Kim sat near them in the bed. Nick was in the hallway. Keeping lookout.
He hurried forward to help when he saw his own mother, Olivia, and Alex corralling five extremely sleepy children on to a couch near the room.
"How are you all?" Nick asked as he effortlessly took Lilyjoy and Rubyjane into his arms as they continued to sleep.
"All of us are very happy to see you." Audrey told her son.
"Did you see...?" but Alex couldn't bring herself to finish the question.
"It happened right in front of me," Nick sighed. "But I wasn't the one who pulled the trigger."
Olivia held back a sigh. "Then who did?"
"Hernandez is over there." Nick pointed to a bench some good ten feet away. "Amanda wants to see him ASAP."
"I'll make sure that happens." Olivia said. "Excuse me, please."
And she made haste for Officer Hernandez.
Meanwhile, Bedelia finally entered the room where her daughters were.
She greeted them warmly. "Hi, babies."
Amanda puffed up her chest. "Mama, you're here!"
"Yes." Bedelia gave her firstborn the best one-armed hug she could (so as not to drop Leon). "I'm also very proud that you kept everyone safe and alive."
"But daddy died…"
"It isn't any less than what he deserved. He put all of us through hell. None of this is anyone's fault but his." Bedelia said firmly. "Do you understand?"
Amanda exhaled shakily. "I do."
Bedelia hugged her again before moving on to her second daughter. Kim began to cry when her mother hugged her. It was almost like a levee coming undone.
"I'm sorry." the younger woman mumbled.
"Kimberly Paige, why are you sorry?" Bedelia asked her.
"For not telling you about my kids. For doing bad things with daddy. For doing drugs. Take your pick?"
Bedelia kissed Kim's forehead and then looked her square in the eyes. "Listen to me. I forgive you. All that matters now is that you're safe and that you're serious about getting your act together. I forgive you."
Kim's voice broke slightly as new tears fell down her face. "Thank you."
"Of course. You are my child. I love you. Nothing will ever change that." Bedelia wiped Kim's tears for her. "Now, Kimmie—would you like to hold your brother?"
She nodded eagerly as she held out her arms. "Yes. Amanda told me about Leon. I really want to be with him."
Bedelia eased the baby into Kim's arms. "Leon is a very heavy sleeper. Just relax and he'll keep dozing."
Kim didn't hear her. She was already enchanted by the little one. Like Amanda, she had always wanted a brother. Wishes did come true.
Bedelia now stooped down to whisper into her third daughter's ear. "Happy birthday, my sweet Maggie Blue Alison. May you one day never remember what happened tonight and just grow up happy."
Maggie Blue smiled as she slept. All was well in her world. She was even asleep and dreaming.
Perfect.
Bedelia stood again and surveyed her children.
They were all in front of her… including the one who hadn't been born yet. She wanted to at least tell Amanda and Kim about the newest little one, but decided to wait.
Seeing them give hugs and kisses to Leon and Maggie Blue filled her with such joy. Popping the bubble felt wrong.
So she would let them have this moment. For just a little bit longer.
