The Long Road Home Job
Chapter Seven
Kenna sat across from Parker at the diner down the street from the hotel. The young thief was staring at her ice tea like it had grown horns. She stirred then stopped waiting to the ice stopped spinning before she would do it again.
"Okay Parker, enough with the tea." Kenna said with a sigh.
"Sorry. I just…I don't remember my family. I mean the people who gave birth to me. So I don't know if they were nice or not."
"Better not knowing, I say." Kenna looked up when she heard the door chime. Nate walked in with a taller man. Kenna wasn't sure if she should run or stay and chew Nate out.
"Look who I ran into." Nate sat next to Kenna to keep her from bolting out the door. Her brother Shane sat next to Parker. "Parker this is Shane…Kenna's brother." She nodded and turned back to her tea.
"Shane." Kenna wanted to lose herself in her tea too but she knew Nate would never let her do that.
"How have you been Kenna?"
"Good. You?"
"Not so bad. Cherri and I are making plans for the wedding. She wanted on her parent's farm but they've been a little leery. Mr. Ford thinks you've got a handle on what's going on."
"I hope so." Kenna was sure what he wanted. "Shane…I'm sorry this place isn't what you remember. The people here have always been bad."
"Not all of them." He looked at her. "I'm sorry you think that I abandoned you Kenna." He looked at Nate and Parker. Shane was a proud man by nature but he knew these people were not ones to judge. "You might think that I wasn't there for you and the others but I couldn't." The waitress came and gave both Nate and Shane a cup of coffee and left.
"You did what you had to Shane." She pushed against Nate hoping he would let her out. He didn't.
"Kenna do think it was just Marcie and the girls that mom sold to the highest bidder?" He said between clenched teeth. "I left because I was no better off than them. You had Spencer to protect you. We didn't have anyone." Kenna felt Nate shift and she thought he might have gotten up but he reached for her hand knowing she needed him just then. "You were the lucky one Kenna." She swallowed hard and Nate squeezed her hand. Shane and Garret had been abused just like the rest of them. She had been lucky. That night her mother had come for her could have gone differently. She didn't have to let Kenna stay no matter how Eliot threatened her. It would have been so easy just to for Joelle to stanch her up and never look back.
"I'm sorry." Kenna whispered. "I didn't know. I saw Marcie and Devon…I wish I would of known."
"You were a kid Kenna. The days you came back were good ones. Those days she didn't…we didn't have to…" The man Shane had become after all he'd been though made Kenna proud to be his sister. He had no more control over what was happing to him than the others had but she hadn't seen it. She hadn't been there to see it.
"I guess I should...I don't know what I should do Shane."
"You and your friends are doing it Kenna. I know I said I mended fences with her but that's not entirely true. Cherri and I want to get those kids that are still there out of there and befriending her seemed the only way." Nate spoke for the first time.
"We already have that worked out when this all comes down. Do they have a safe place to go?"
"Cherri's parents are moving into to town. Her dad is sick and has to be closer to the doctor. I'm going to buy their farm. The house is huge and…I want to help." Kenna held back the tears for the second time in as many days.
"We can help." Parker said the words that Kenna couldn't get out. "We'll get the kids out." She could see Parker was fighting her own demons and right then Kenna realized they were more alike then she had ever thought.
"We'll get them out." Nate repeated, making sure both women knew he would make this right. Shane stood. Nate did too and Kenna slid out of the booth and hugged her brother. She knew that this would not only do her good but plant another seed in the game they were playing.
"Watch your back Shane." Nate said as he shook the man's hand. He walked out of the diner and Nate turned to Kenna. "I'd ask if your okay but I seem to be saying that a lot lately." Kenna smiled.
"I didn't know how bad the rest of them had it." She sat down and slid back to the corner. Before Nate could sit Sophie and Eliot walked in. The grifter looked rather happy with herself.
"I see your morning went well." Eliot sat next to Kenna and Sophie next to Parker as Nate grabbed a chair and sat at the end of the table.
"Oh my yes." She looked at Kenna but didn't say anything about her red rimmed eyes. "I think we have everything we need and then some. I planted more than enough to make him reevaluate his staff." Kenna felt Eliot's arm around her.
"What happened?" He asked softly. Kenna shook her head. Parker reached over and touched her arm.
"I think Shane wouldn't mind if you shared with the class." Parker smiled.
"It wasn't just the girls my mother was…she was doing it to the boys too." Eliot didn't know what to say. Pulled her close and clenched his jaw.
"What do we need to do to finish this?" He asked a Nate as Hardison came in and pulled up a chair.
"It's all unfolding. The meth lab will be busted within the hour." Kenna looked at Eliot.
"We need to get those kids out of there now." Eliot agreed. They left the diner and headed to Joelle Hawks farm. Eliot looked at Kenna.
"You up for this?" He asked.
"Yeah, I think I just might enjoy it." She smiled. "We're going home tonight, right?"
"You bet your ass." He watched the road. Kenna knew that when they got home things might not be what he needed. She might not be what he needed. She would give him the space he needed to work it out. They pulled up to the farm; Tanner was lying on the ground. "You check on him, me and Nate will go find the others." Eliot got out and Kenna went to the boy.
"Tanner!" She checked his pulse. "Tanner, come on kid." Kenna started CPR. Eliot went the house. The smell of meth was overwhelming. He put his bandana over his nose and mouth and handed Nate one.
"I got upstairs. You take down here." Nate nodded and started looking for the kids. Eliot found McKenzie huddled in the corner of a bedroom. "Come on sweetie." Eliot reached out his hand. "It's not safe up here." The little girl shook her head. "Its okay, your mom is waiting outside." That made the girl push herself farther in the corner. "Do you remember Kenna? She downstairs with Tanner."
"Tanner's not dead?" She whispered.
"No baby, Kenna's helping him." The little girl came and went into Eliot's arms. "That's my girl. Do you know where your sisters or Kelly are?"
"Maybe the barn. I haven't seen them since breakfast." Eliot brought the little girl downstairs. Nate had Sierra and Kelly. "You stay with them I'll go look for Nadia." He handed Kenzie to Nate and headed to the barn. Nate went to Kenna.
"How is he?"
"I can't see any injuries."
"He was in the lab." Kelly looked at Kenna. "Grandma was shouting at him. I don't know about what but he came out and fell to his knees."
"Call an ambulance. As soon as Eliot finds Nadia you and him take off." Kenna looked at Nate. "Take Eliot and the girls and go." She continued CPR on the young boy. "Promise me you'll get them out of here Nate."
"I will. What about you?"
"I'll be back in Boston before the sun rises tomorrow morning." Eliot came up and pushed Nadia next to Kenna. He looked like he had to fight his way from the barn.
"Six guys down in the barn." He swallowed hard.
"Take the girls and go." Eliot shook his head.
"I am not leaving you."
"I can take care of myself. If Billy gets here before you leave he will make this look like you were involved. NOW GO!" She breathed for the young boy again and didn't look up. She heard doors slamming and tires squealing as the sirens grew louder. "Come on Tanner. Don't give up. You have such a great life ahead of you." Kenna hopped she wasn't exaggerating. Shane had been a good big brother when she was home. She knew he would be a good father too.
O/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o
Eliot stood in front of the Kramer's farm house. Sophie had taken the four girls shopping for clothes before dropping them off at their new home. They were talking to her, Parker and Cherri. Shane came up to him.
"Thank you for all you and friends did today Eliot." Eliot looked at Kenna's brother.
"The new mayor has fired half his staff and the big money is pulling out. Winchester will be a one horse again soon." Nate and Hardison came up to the two men.
"The meth lab is shut down and the land will be given to you as soon as Joelle is sent to jail. Also all the land that LaForce owns will be divided amongst his many children." Hardison told them.
"Tanner's lungs were filled with fluid but Kenna got him just in time." Nate added. "He'll be able to come home in a few days." Nate handed Shane a file. "Kenna got your mom to sign custody of all five kids over to you." Shane looked surprised. "Your sister is quite the diplomat given the right incentive." Nate handed the man a check.
"What's this?"
"Seed money." Nate motioned for Parker and Sophie.
"Mr. Ford…I can't…" Eliot slapped the man on the shoulder.
"Take it. You have a family to feed now." Shane nodded.
"Tell Kenna…tell her that I'm sorry for not telling her sooner about…"
"She understands."
"Thank you for taking her away from all that back then. She was so small and so…helpless." Eliot nodded.
"Have a great life Shane." Eliot put his sunglasses on and headed to the car. "Are we picking up Kenna at the hospital?" He asked Nate.
"She didn't call you?"
"No."
"She called me an hour ago and said she would meet us back in Boston." Eliot put the car into gear and headed to the airport. Everything seemed fine this morning and up until having to save her sisters and niece and nephew from a meth lab. He wasn't sure what was going though her head but he was sure he wasn't going to like it when he found out.
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The plane touched down in Boston at midnight. Eliot just wanted to go home and forget his trip to Kentucky ever happened. He hoped Kenna could do the same. Hardison drove though town so it took forever to get back to home.
"Could you hit every red light?"
"If you like. Are you okay man, you've been a wreck since we landed."
"I'm fine."
"It's only been a few hours and your jonesing."
"What?"
"For Kenna. You haven't seen her or talked to her in six hours."
"Your nuts."
"You're in love with the girl Eliot, admit it." Eliot felt like punching Hardison. But he knew the hacker was right.
"Just shut up and drive Hardison." Eliot closed his eyes. What the hell was happening to him? He was getting soft. He was letting people into his life. He was becoming…human again. When was the last time he felt like this? Hardison pulled up behind the bar and Eliot got out without saying a word. He took the back stairs to his apartment. He hoped she would be there. Curled up in his bed with her cat. Throwing his bag on the chair he went to his room. The cat was there, curled up but his owner was nowhere to be found.
"Where did she go Topher?" He rubbed the cat's head. "Where the hell did she go?"
"She never got on the plane in Lexington." Nate stood in the doorway. "I have Hardison checking all of our resources."
"We shouldn't have left her at the farm."
"You would have been in more trouble than even you could get out of." Nate walked over to his hitter and handed him a file. "I promised Kenna that I would give you this when we got back."
"You knew she was taking off?"
"No. I thought she was going to be here when we got back so you could discuss it but I guess I was wrong." Nate looked at Eliot. "We'll figure this out Eliot. We will find her and bring her home." Nate turned and left. Eliot looked at the file. He turned it over and then opened it. It was Kenna's service records. It had just as many blacked out parts than his. Sitting down on the bed he read what he could and filled in as many blanks as he could. When he was done he knew why she had always been as secretive as he had about the last fifteen years.
"We have choices to make." Eliot looked up to see Kenna standing in the bathroom doorway.
"Have you been in there the whole time?"
"I borrowed some equipment from Parker." She threw the harness and rope on the bed. "I needed you to know the whole story before we talked." Eliot looked at the woman he spent the last fifteen years trying to forget and the last six months trying to live without.
"You wanted in more countries then I am." She smiled.
"Just two." He stood up. "Eliot…I don't want any secrets between us. Even if it means never having what we've had on and off for the last six months.
"You think just because you've never told me that you and I are in the same business that I would just want to end our relationship?"
"Is that what we have Eliot? A relationship? That's just a little too normal for us, don't you think?" He chuckled.
"Then what should we call it?"
"Maybe we should call it over." Eliot stood in front of Kenna and shook his.
"Really Kenna, is that really what you want?"
"I don't know what the rules are for what we have. We spend half our time together fighting and the other half making up. You've got to admit that's not healthy for anyone." She leaned against the door frame.
"So then this is it." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I find out your secret and you decided to end it."
"I'm not saying we should end anything. I'm saying we need to discuss out options." Kenna stood up straight and walked around Eliot and went to the bed. She leaned over and scratched her cats head. She looked at Eliot. "I'll cook dinner." Turning she headed out of the bedroom.
"Not in my kitchen." He followed her out of the room. The table was already set and the smell of baked chicken came from the oven. "I am getting soft." Eliot said looking around the room.
"If it's any consolation Parker helped me." Kenna leaned against the counter. "Whatever we decide tonight will be what has to be Eliot." She handed him a glass of wine.
"Do you know this is the longest we've been in the same room without touching one another since you moved to Boston?"
"See, we can talk things over like adults." He raised his glass.
"Touché'." Going to the oven she pulled out the chicken. "You really cooked?" He watched her ass as she bent over. He wasn't sure where this little powwow was going but he was going to love the view.
"Yeah. I mostly cooked at Nate's and brought it over here." She dished up the food and put it on the table. Eliot sat down across from Kenna.
"Another secret you've been keeping?"
"Your mama taught me the basics. My travels took me to Paris and a few other culinary hot spots." Kenna looked Eliot. "I know why you decided to take home ec your junior year but where did you learn the other stuff?"
"Same as you. Italy, Paris, India."
"I always wanted to go to India."
"Maybe we can go someday." Eliot said. Kenna smiled. There was that word again. Someday.
"Maybe." They ate in a comfortable silence for quite awhile.
"This is the longest we've gone without fighting or fu…."Eliot caught himself. What they did…it was a lot of things but it wasn't that. Kenna sat back and sipped her wine.
"We do both those things so well don't we Eliot."
"That we do." He leaned forward. "This is nice. Dinner, talking. I think we can do this darlin'."
"I just want to know if you're going to be in it for the long haul." Kenna leaned forward and they looked into each other's eyes. Winchester, Kentucky held nothing for them anymore. Maybe they would visit his mother or her brother but home would be right here in Boston with Nate, Sophie, Hardison, and Parker. It was where they both belonged. It had been a long road but finally they had a place to call Home.