Chapter 5 – Shane
Beth is shutting down emotionally, drowning in fear and anxiety, and it breaks my heart to hear her crying.
I walk her over to the sofa and sit with her, pulling her into my arms. I lean my head against hers and murmur reassuring words.
“Please don’t worry, sweetheart. I promise I won’t let him hurt you. ”
I swear it on my life.
And still, she cries, her hot, damp face pressed into my shoulder. We sit like this for a while, until she eventually stops shaking.
“I’m taking you home,” I say.
She nods but doesn’t speak as she reaches for a tissue from the box on the coffee table and dabs her wet cheeks. When the tissue is saturated, I take it from her, wad it up, and toss it into the trashcan beside her desk. I hand her a fresh one, and she starts the process all over again.
I squeeze her free hand. “Wait here a moment. I need to talk to Sam.”
When I step outside Beth’s office, I’m not surprised to find Sam standing guard at the door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He looks as pissed and frustrated as I feel.
“How is she?” he asks.
“About how you’d expect. I’m taking her home, Sam. I drove the Jag today, so unfortunately there’s only room for the two of us.”
Sam nods. “Not a problem. I’ll find my own way home.”
“Call Cooper and tell him what’s going on. I think he’ll want to come home, too. He can pick you up.”
Nodding, Sam pulls out his phone. “On it. Go. Take her home.”
I return to Beth’s side and help her collect her purse and phone. Then I walk her downstairs and out the door to my car parked out front.
She stands numbly beside the car as I open the front passenger door and help her in. When she sits staring blankly out the front windshield, I take the liberty of reaching inside and buckling her seatbelt. Just like old times.
Mention of Andrew is bringing back a whole slew of bad memories for her. The attack happened around the same time Howard Klein was out on parole, and we were worried about her safety then. That period was one of the darkest in her life, and it’s all coming back to her.
After I pull into traffic, I reach for her hand. It’s soft and slender and chilled to the bone. “It’s going to be all right, Beth.”
She looks over at me with haunted eyes, but she doesn’t say a word.
* * *
When we walk into the house, Ingrid is surprised to see us. I realize I should have called ahead to let her know we were coming home early—and together.
Immediately, she knows something is wrong. She only needs to take one look at her daughter to see that. “Sweetie, what—”
“I’m sorry,” Beth says, her voice shaking. “I need to—excuse me.” She walks away, heading for our bedroom.
My gaze follows her. “Where are the kids?”
“In the family room,” Ingrid says. “Shane, what’s wrong?”
“We received some unpleasant news this morning. I’m sure you remember Andrew Morton.”
She gasps as memories of that awful day come back to her. “Shane, no!”
I nod. “I found out this morning that Andrew is up for parole.”
Her eyes widen. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m afraid so. Beth’s taking it hard. We all are.”
Luke comes running down the hallway to greet me. “Hi, Daddy!” He throws himself at me and wraps his arms around my knees.
I pick him up and settle him on my hip. “Hey, buddy, how are you?”
“Fine. I’m playing trains. Do you wanna play with me?”
“I will in a little bit. Right now, I need to talk to Mama.”
“Okay.” When I lower him to the floor, he races back to his trains.
Ingrid looks stricken. “When will you find out?”
“There’s a hearing Thursday morning. I guess we’ll know more then.”
She presses her hand to her chest. “I still have nightmares about that day. I imagine Beth does, too.”
“Believe me, she does.” I can’t even count the number of times she’s woken up screaming in the night.
“Does Tyler know?”
“I haven’t had a chance to tell him yet. I’ll call him in a little bit.”
Ingrid nods as she glances back toward the family room. “Would you like me to stay? I can entertain the kids while you talk to Beth.”
I reach out to gently grasp her shoulder. “I’d appreciate it, yes. Right now, I need to be with my wife.”
* * *
When I walk into our bedroom, I find Beth lying in bed, on her belly, fully dressed, her sandals lying discarded on the floor. She’s positioned diagonally across the bed, her arms tightly clutching my pillow.
I kick off my shoes and climb onto the bed beside her, lying at her back. I lay my arm across her waist to anchor her to me.
I wish I knew the perfect words to put her at ease. I wish I knew how to comfort her. I know the memories assailing her right now are unbearable. I saw the aftermath of the attack, but she lived it. She felt every blow, every kick.
When she turns to me and presses her face against my chest, I run my hands up and down her back, hoping to soothe her.
“What do you think the odds are he’ll be released?” Her words are muffled against the fabric of my shirt.
“I honestly don’t know. In the past, his psychiatrist has always advised against it. I don’t know why she’s changed her mind now.”
Every six months, Andrew’s psychiatrist, Dr. Rhona Masterson, submits an assessment of Andrew’s mental state, indicating whether or not she’s seen any improvement.
Up until now, she’s always said no. She’s always indicated he was not a candidate for release.
All of a sudden, she thinks it’s safe to release him? It makes no sense.
“I guess we’ll find out Thursday,” she says.
I slide my fingers into Beth’s hair. “You don’t have to attend the hearing, sweetheart. You’ve never gone to any of them before. Troy and I will be there.”
“This is the first time we’ve had any indication that he might be released. I have to be there, Shane. I have to look that monster in the eye.” She pulls back from me and sits up. “I should get up. The kids will wonder where I am.”
“Your mom offered to stay and take care of them.”
Beth shakes her head. “I can’t let this situation get the best of me.
I still need to function.” She swings her feet to the floor and reaches for her sandals.
Her voice takes on an unfamiliar hardness.
“Andrew nearly destroyed me once. I won’t let him do it again.
I’m not the same na?ve girl I was back then.
I have something to fight for now—my family. I won’t let him make me cower.”
I reach for her hand and bring it to my lips to kiss. “You won’t be fighting alone. You have me and Troy and Sam and Cooper and Tyler in your corner.” I sit up next to her. “Speaking of your brother, I need to call him. He needs to know.”
“He’ll be furious.”
I chuckle wryly. “That’s an understatement.”
While Beth goes to check on the kids, I pick up my phone to call Tyler.
When Tyler first hired my company to provide personal protection for his sister, he was a grim and surly Chicago homicide detective.
He’s no longer a cop—he was basically forced off the job when he violated the conditions of his administrative leave by investigating the disappearance of his boyfriend’s young sister.
He not only found her, but he exposed a human trafficking ring, and rescued Ian’s sister, Layla.
He saved dozens of other young women in the process.
It cost him his career in law enforcement, though.
Even though he’s no longer on the force, Tyler’s still a bit grim and surly, although Ian certainly has softened Tyler’s sharp edges. I’m sure marriage has something to do with the improvements to Tyler’s personality.
Tyler picks up my call immediately. “Shane, hello.”
“Hi, Tyler. I’m sorry to bother you.”
“It’s no bother. I’m doing some very routine and boring surveillance right now. This is a welcome distraction.”
After leaving the police force, Tyler formed his own private investigation agency, along with his new husband. He and Ian work together now.
“What’s up?” he asks.
“I’m afraid we’ve got a situation. Andrew Morton has a parole hearing Thursday morning at ten. Troy received a heads up that Andrew’s psychiatrist is going to recommend he be released.”
When our phone call goes silent for a moment, I start to wonder if our call got dropped. Then I hear a loud noise which sounds suspiciously like a fist pounding a steering wheel.
“What the fuck!” Tyler growls. “His shrink has always indicated before that Andrew remains a threat. Why the change now? Shit! How is Beth taking the news?”
“Not well, I’m afraid. She’s understandably upset.”
“The hearing is Thursday, you said? I want to be there.”
“I figured you would. Beth is coming as well. And, of course, Troy and I will be there.”
“Do you really think it’s a good idea for Beth to attend?”
“I’d rather she didn’t, but right now she’s insisting, and if she feels that strongly about it, I’m not going to try to talk her out of it.”
He exhales heavily. “Does Mom know?”
“Yes. She’s here at our house right now.”
“Forward the details to me. I’ll be at the hearing.”
After we end the call, I leave the bedroom. I find Beth and Ingrid in the kitchen preparing lunch. Luke is seated at the kitchen table coloring. Ava is in her highchair playing with brightly colored wooden blocks.
“Daddy!” Luke says when he spots me. “Look! I’m coloring a shark.”
As I walk past him, I reach down to pat his back. “Good job, buddy.” Sharks are his newest fascination.
The door to the garage opens, and Sam and Cooper walk in.
“You guys are home early, too?” Luke says with a chuckle.
Cooper walks straight over to Beth and opens his arms. As he murmurs something to her, she melts into his embrace, hugging him tightly.
Soon after they met, Cooper developed a soft spot for the sensitive young woman who stole my heart. She’s the child he never had, and he’s the father figure she needs.
As Cooper looks at me over the top of Beth’s head, his eyes harden. “We need to talk.”
I nod toward my home office down the hall.
After giving Beth one last squeeze, Cooper releases her. “I’ll be right back, sugar,” he says in a gruff voice.
* * *
Cooper follows me into my office, and I close the door behind us. This is definitely a conversation that requires privacy.
“I can’t believe they’d let that motherfucker go free,” he says. “Not after what he did to Beth. He could have killed her, Shane. I don’t like to think about how close he came to doing just that.”
“I know.” I walk over to the bar and pick up a bottle of whiskey. “Is it too early to drink?”
Cooper chuckles bitterly. “Not under the circumstances. I’ll have one, too.”
I pour us each a shot of whiskey. I knock mine back and hand him his.
He tosses his back just as quickly. “Something seems fishy to me. That psychiatrist has always maintained Andrew’s still a risk. Why all of a sudden is he okay to be released? It’s worth looking into.”
“That’s what I’m thinking,” I say. “Maybe Richard is pulling some strings to get his son released.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to have Tyler look into it.”
“I’ll talk to him about it.”
Cooper paces over to the window and glances outside. “How’s Beth doing? I’m guessing not too well based on what I saw just now.”
“She’s trying her best to hide it, but she’s scared. Talk of Andrew is bringing back a lot of bad memories for her. Hell, it’s bringing back a lot of bad memories for me, too.”
“Can you imagine how it’s going to go if Andrew is released?
” Cooper says. “The heightened security, not just around her, but around the bookstore. Mack Donovan does a great job managing security, but the bookstore is huge, with scores of people coming and going every day. Trying to lock it down will be a security nightmare.”
“I’ll start making contingency plans,” I say. “But we won’t know anything for sure until after the hearing. There’s a chance the board will say no. If he does get out, I’ll assign Beth a second bodyguard so Sam has some help.”
“Miguel?” he asks.
“Yes.”
Miguel Rodriguez was Beth’s first bodyguard years ago, when Tyler first hired us to protect her. He and Beth bonded over their time together. In fact, it was Miguel who responded to the call when Beth was attacked.
There’s a knock on my office door. “Come in.”
The door opens and Sam walks in carrying Ava. “Somebody’s asking for you.”
“Da-da,” she says tearfully, reaching for me.
“Hey, sweet pea.” I take her from Sam and settle her on my hip.
I gaze down into her sweet face and bright blue eyes, and when she reaches up to pat my cheek, I ignore the shaft of pain in my chest. If Andrew had killed Beth, my daughter wouldn’t exist. Neither would my son.
Beth appears at the open doorway, looking like she’s barely holding it together. “We made deli sandwiches for lunch,” she says, her voice shaky. “Do you guys want to come eat?”
“Yes,” I say. “Absolutely.” I hand Ava to Sam. “Would you mind taking Ava to the kitchen?”
“Not at all,” Sam says. “Come on, little princess. Let’s go have some yummy lunch.”
Cooper follows Sam and Ava out the door, closing it quietly behind them, leaving me alone with Beth. I open my arms, and she walks into my embrace. I hold her close, my lips pressed to the top of her head. “It’s going to be all right. We don’t even know if they’ll release him.”
She’s shaking. “We can’t let him get anywhere near our kids.”
“Of course not.” I tighten my hold on her. “We can’t let him get anywhere near you, either.” I pull back to look her in the face. “Maybe you should stay home until we know what’s going on.”
“Nothing will be decided before Thursday, so there’s no reason why I should stay home before then. I can go to work.”
I huff out a breath. I can’t keep her cooped up indefinitely. And she’s right—until he’s actually released, nothing has changed. “Fine. But if Andrew does get released, I’m adding Miguel to your protection duty.”
She smiles at that. “I wouldn’t mind seeing Miguel more often. I’m sure Sam feels the same way.” She takes my hand and pulls me along with her. “Let’s go eat.”