Chapter 15
"You know what to do?"
He looked down his nose at the man in the standard FBI suit in annoyance. "Of course I know what to do," he blustered.
"Listen, Crane," Hal grit out. "You agreed to this deal. An early release. All you have to do is give us the goods."
Suddenly this didn't seem like such a good idea. "I told you I'd do it," he snapped.
Hal studied the man before him. Fear was evident in his eyes. But the need for revenge far outweighed any misgivings he might have. "Good. And stay away from your sister. You hear me? People are outraged enough already. Any man who tries to murder his own sister surely does not deserve an early release. Good behavior or not."
Wave after wave of guilt made Julian weak. If he'd been stronger.not so spineless. Still.he could say."I'm not the monster my father is, Agent Freeman. Know that."
His offering was met with silence.
The prison guard handed him a plastic bag. Inside were all his worldly possessions. Damn Father!
"This is it, Crane. He has to believe you. Believe you enough to welcome you back in the fold."
"I think I can manage that," Julian answered. Blinking against the sudden brightness of the sun.
A man wearing dark shades stepped out of a black car. And held the back door open for him.
Julian took one last look behind him. Father was going to pay. Dearly.
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Tabitha raised her binoculars to her faded blue eyes.
"Tabby! Timmy's ashamed of you."
"Hush up, Lad. I'm telling you. Something strange is going on over at the Bennett house. Mark my words."
"AH!" Timmy jumped at Grace's sudden appearance.
"Tabitha," Grace laughed nervously. "Did I frighten you?"
"No, no, dear," Tabitha said with false cheer. "How are you doing, Dear? I trust everything is going well."
The smile on Grace's lips turned into a frown at Tabitha's touch.
Tabitha's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Uh oh," Timmy muttered to himself.
"Oh dear.you're so cold."
Grace hugged her arms around her waist and smiled. "Cold by nature, I'm afraid."
"Hmm."
"Well.I thought I'd drop by and say hello before we head out. Sam's taking me and the children out to lunch."
"Goodbye, Dearie!"
"Timmy's afraid of her."
Tabitha shuddered. "Me too, Lad. Me too."
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Danielle cast sad blue eyes out to the sea. Drawing her knees up under her chin. And trailing a hand down the cool pane of glass that separated her from the outside world.
The sea was so calm today.
So different from everything inside this house.
Fine lines were etched around her daddy's face from the constant worry.
Was her mommy going crazy?
Was it because of her?
Or.
"Mija! I have to run to the market. Will you be alright?"
What she really meant was 'can you take care of your mother?'
"I'll be okay, Grandma," she called.
"Okay. I won't be long."
Danielle watched her grandmother's old car crawl down the worn road.
The sky was so blue. So cheerful.
She padded down the hallway to check on her mother. Finding her fast asleep. No dreams that could turn into nightmares. Her beautiful face unlined and peaceful. "Rest, Mommy. And when you wake up.everything will be better. I promise."
The pictures on the yellow walls called to her.
She raised a hand and traced her finger over her parents' smiling faces. They looked so young. So in love.
A little girl.no more than six years old.ice cream dribbling down her chin. Her brown face stretched wide with a toothless grin.
She remembered that day. Like it was yesterday.
A flash of red caught her attention.
And her eyes traveled to the corner of the picture. An image almost hidden in the shadows. A blur of brown and gold.
Tears blurred her vision as she turned her gaze back to her mother's still form. "I'm so sorry, Mommy. It's all my fault."
"You know what to do?"
He looked down his nose at the man in the standard FBI suit in annoyance. "Of course I know what to do," he blustered.
"Listen, Crane," Hal grit out. "You agreed to this deal. An early release. All you have to do is give us the goods."
Suddenly this didn't seem like such a good idea. "I told you I'd do it," he snapped.
Hal studied the man before him. Fear was evident in his eyes. But the need for revenge far outweighed any misgivings he might have. "Good. And stay away from your sister. You hear me? People are outraged enough already. Any man who tries to murder his own sister surely does not deserve an early release. Good behavior or not."
Wave after wave of guilt made Julian weak. If he'd been stronger.not so spineless. Still.he could say."I'm not the monster my father is, Agent Freeman. Know that."
His offering was met with silence.
The prison guard handed him a plastic bag. Inside were all his worldly possessions. Damn Father!
"This is it, Crane. He has to believe you. Believe you enough to welcome you back in the fold."
"I think I can manage that," Julian answered. Blinking against the sudden brightness of the sun.
A man wearing dark shades stepped out of a black car. And held the back door open for him.
Julian took one last look behind him. Father was going to pay. Dearly.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Tabitha raised her binoculars to her faded blue eyes.
"Tabby! Timmy's ashamed of you."
"Hush up, Lad. I'm telling you. Something strange is going on over at the Bennett house. Mark my words."
"AH!" Timmy jumped at Grace's sudden appearance.
"Tabitha," Grace laughed nervously. "Did I frighten you?"
"No, no, dear," Tabitha said with false cheer. "How are you doing, Dear? I trust everything is going well."
The smile on Grace's lips turned into a frown at Tabitha's touch.
Tabitha's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Uh oh," Timmy muttered to himself.
"Oh dear.you're so cold."
Grace hugged her arms around her waist and smiled. "Cold by nature, I'm afraid."
"Hmm."
"Well.I thought I'd drop by and say hello before we head out. Sam's taking me and the children out to lunch."
"Goodbye, Dearie!"
"Timmy's afraid of her."
Tabitha shuddered. "Me too, Lad. Me too."
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Danielle cast sad blue eyes out to the sea. Drawing her knees up under her chin. And trailing a hand down the cool pane of glass that separated her from the outside world.
The sea was so calm today.
So different from everything inside this house.
Fine lines were etched around her daddy's face from the constant worry.
Was her mommy going crazy?
Was it because of her?
Or.
"Mija! I have to run to the market. Will you be alright?"
What she really meant was 'can you take care of your mother?'
"I'll be okay, Grandma," she called.
"Okay. I won't be long."
Danielle watched her grandmother's old car crawl down the worn road.
The sky was so blue. So cheerful.
She padded down the hallway to check on her mother. Finding her fast asleep. No dreams that could turn into nightmares. Her beautiful face unlined and peaceful. "Rest, Mommy. And when you wake up.everything will be better. I promise."
The pictures on the yellow walls called to her.
She raised a hand and traced her finger over her parents' smiling faces. They looked so young. So in love.
A little girl.no more than six years old.ice cream dribbling down her chin. Her brown face stretched wide with a toothless grin.
She remembered that day. Like it was yesterday.
A flash of red caught her attention.
And her eyes traveled to the corner of the picture. An image almost hidden in the shadows. A blur of brown and gold.
Tears blurred her vision as she turned her gaze back to her mother's still form. "I'm so sorry, Mommy. It's all my fault."