Chapter Eight
JOSHUA
Later that night, the FBI put us up in a comfortable hotel.
It had a bedroom and a pull-out couch in the living area.
We decided that Barbie would sleep in the bedroom with Meggie and Pete, who didn’t want to sleep alone.
I couldn’t blame them after the trauma they’d just gone through.
I was worried that all of them would have nightmares in the days to come.
I hoped I wouldn’t, but it had been a hellish day and night for me.
Seeing all those bodies and blood in the apartment this morning and going through what we had tonight, probably meant I wouldn’t be getting any sleep at all, especially in a strange bed.
Nash would be staying in the front room with me.
He insisted that I take the couch’s pull-out bed.
I’d slept on them before, and they were never very comfortable.
The hotel gave us a folding bed for him to crash on, though, listening to him toss and turn as I tried to fall asleep, was likely.
I had a strong feeling there wasn’t going to be much sleeping going on across the room either.
I’d come to realize what a professional Nash Hampstead was, especially after seeing the way his team and his boss treated him with nothing but respect.
I’d really come to admire the guy after spending half the day and night with him.
Seeing him work, the way he’d protected us all, making sure we were safe and staying down there with those animals as they stalked us through the house, was eye-opening to say the very least. He’d gone from being a total asshole to a bona fide hero in my eyes in only a few short hours; I couldn’t be more thankful for him.
All of us had taken showers as soon as we got to the hotel.
Getting the scratchy insulation off the kids was imperative…
who knew what was in it. I told them we’d talk about what would happen as soon as we were all clean.
And now, as I stood under the shower spray, I was trying to figure out how to tell them we were splitting the family up for a while.
They were going to be devastated. It was a difficult decision, but I knew it was something we had to do.
My actions with Billy had put a target on my back and having them in the line of fire was a non-starter.
The whole mess was my fault, and I was feeling guilty as hell about it.
I dressed in oversized sweatpants and a loose FBI T-shirt Nash had given me.
We’d been rushed out of the house without being able to grab fresh clothes, but Captain Sorensen had assured me they’d pack up some of our own things and bring them to us in the morning.
I towel dried my hair and was combing fingers through it as I stepped into the living room where they waited for me.
The kids were also dressed in clean, baggy FBI tees and visibly sagging shorts looking fractious.
The adrenaline had worn off and it was way past their bedtime.
Nash was sitting in one of the chairs at the small table; he looked up from his phone where he’d been texting and smiled at me.
It lit up his face and I pushed down the attraction I’d begun to have for him.
It wasn’t the time to explore those thoughts, even though I wanted to.
I gave him a small nod as I sat down in a chair and turned to my family.
I loved them so much that my heart felt like it was breaking.
“What’s going on, Joshua?” Barbie asked.
She had a worried look in her intelligent eyes.
My sister may still be a teenager, but the hard life she’d lived with our mom meant that she’d matured much earlier than other girls her age.
I suspected she’d overheard at least parts of the conversation Captain Sorensen had with me in the armored vehicle which had brought us to the hotel, but she had questions and I was the only one who could provide answers.
I sighed, dreading what I had to say. “The FBI is going to put you, Pete, and Meggie into the witness protection program where you’ll be safe.
” Her dark gray eyes searched my face as I went on.
“I’m a target and now that you see the kind of people who want me—” I stopped, looking at Pete’s little face as he clutched Garbanzo to his chest. “They want me, so the FBI thinks that it’s best not to paint a target on your backs too.
I heard movement behind me as Nash got up from his chair and padded across the carpet in socks.
I looked up at him as he appeared at my side.
“The FBI has agreed to let me watch over Joshua while you guys go somewhere else for a little while,” he said.
I watched him while he watched their reactions.
When Meggie began to sniffle, I got up and went to the couch where they sat clustered together.
I lifted her into my arms, setting her on my lap as I took a seat beside Pete.
She buried her face in my neck. “I don’t want you to be somewhere else, Joshua,” she whimpered. “I want you with us.”
I kissed the top of her head. “This is the way it has to be, sweetheart…but only for a little while. We’ll be back together in no time.”
“What about school, Joshua?” Barbie asked. “The kids have school and what am I supposed to tell Twilla?” She sounded distressed.
Twilla was the girl she’d fallen in love with a year ago. She was a sweet girl with mousy brown hair and glasses, but she always had a dazzling smile for my sister, looking at her with such deep devotion, it made me happy.
“For the time being, Pete and Meggie will be homeschooled just like you,” I replied to the first part of that question.
“The FBI will be in contact with their teachers and we’ll pick up all their work…books and whatever else they need to complete their classes and homework,” Nash added, squatting beside us. “I understand you’re taking online classes yourself, Barbie. Is that right?”
“Yes, but my laptop and my books are in the house.” She shifted her gaze from Nash to me. “How can I get everything?” I could see tears welling up in her eyes.
“We’ll give you a secure laptop to work on,” Nash continued. “Is all your schoolwork saved somewhere?”
Barbie nodded. “Yes, in the cloud…but my books and—”
“I promise, we’ll make this as easy as possible, Barbie.
” He stood and walked over to a laptop bag I hadn’t seen him carry in, then pulled out a yellow pad and pen.
He handed it to my sister. “Write down everything you need and where it is in the house so my boss can make sure to get it all when they go back in the morning.” She looked up at him as she took the pad and pen.
He squeezed her shoulder. “I’m so sorry but for now, this is the way things have to be done, Barbie.
” He sounded sincere. “As far as your friend goes, I’ll get you a phone so you can talk to her.
Just remember you can say goodbye, but you can’t tell her where you’re going.
” He shook his head. “I’m sorry it has to be this way. Hopefully, it won’t last long.”
I watched tears track down Barbie’s face. “What should I tell her?”
“You can tell her that bad people came to the house because that shootout is more than likely going to be in the news by tomorrow,” Nash said, frowning as he kept his answer honest. “But please don’t give her any details about who they were or what they did, okay?”
Barbie swiped away tears with the back of her hand as she nodded. “I understand.”
“I’m sorry, Barbie.”
“Why can’t you stay with us, Joshua?” Pete asked, hugging the sleeping puppy to himself.
“Listen, buddy. Like I said, it’s much safer for you this way.” It was hard to keep the sob out of my words as my throat closed. “I have responsibilities at work.” I looked over at Nash. “I can go to work, right?”
He looked thoughtful. “The FBI is doing a threat assessment on that in the morning. If your safety can be secured there, then it’s a possibility, but we should talk about all of that later.” He nodded in the direction of the kids.
I knew what he meant. He didn’t want to frighten Barbie and the kids.
I swallowed and looked back at Pete, holding the puppy like a security blanket.
“I need you guys to be very brave while we’re apart.
I’ll talk to you every night and you can tell me all about your day, okay?
And I need you kids to take good care of Garbanzo.
” I reached over and smoothed a hand down the puppy’s black and white body.
“I’m sure the FBI will bring you dog food and toys so you can play with him.
” I laid my cheek on Meggie’s head, turning to stare at Nash. “Right?”
He smiled. “Of course.”
“I guess this is going to happen tomorrow?” Barbie asked.
“First thing in the morning,” Nash replied. “People from the Marshals office will be here to take you three to a new place.”
“Can I call Twilla tonight?”
I watched as Nash nodded. “You can call her from my phone but please don’t tell her what hotel you’re staying in.”
She visibly perked up, smiling for the first time all evening. “Cross my heart.”
He pulled out his phone and handed it to her. “Okay, go ahead and make your call.”
“I’ll put the kids to bed,” I said, setting Meggie down as I stood. The second I did, she grabbed Nash, hugging him hard around the waist as she looked up at him.
“Please take care of my brother.”
I choked back tears as Nash bent and picked her up. She wrapped all four limbs around him as he raised her to eye level. “I promise to do my very best, Meggie.”
To my surprise, she lay her head on his shoulder. “You promise, Nash?” I watched him visibly swallow as he rubbed her back. When he glanced over at me, I knew he could see the tears in my eyes. I felt like my heart was going to break.
“I promise, sweetheart,” he said softly. “I’ll keep him safe.” He stared at me over her shoulder with a confident expression.