Chapter 54
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
GRIFFIN
I will never ever ever never ever never never let Raven do something like that again. The sound of Wanda turning pages of her magazine was about to set me off. Knox and I were on the verge of staging a hostile takeover of the police station.
Now I know what the start of a heart attack feels like.
When Raven finally showed her face again, we still weren’t able to relax. The edge will only subside when Whitlock and Jackson are behind bars.
Camden and Kat played their part perfectly without any hiccups.
After he hijacked the sheriff’s truck, Camden drove a few miles outside of town, ditched the truck where Kat was waiting for him, and they drove back into town.
Annabelle agreed to say that Camden and Kat were with her in the kitchen of Mystic Beans if anyone asked.
Thankfully, Langston was still in the area, so we were able to meet up with him and give him the flash drives. If he had left and gone back to Lubbock, we would’ve driven the couple hours to get him the evidence.
Once the flash drives were delivered, there was nothing left to do but wait. We’ve been holed up at mine and Knox’s house for the last couple of days.
And this morning, Langston called to say he wanted to come by and update us. Noah is upstairs in what is slowly morphing into his room, playing with the newest toy Knox and I were excited to spoil him with.
Raven sits on the couch, chewing on her nails. Knox and I have tried everything to help her relax, but she’s too wound up. And now her nervous energy has contaminated me and Knox. I’ve been unable to sit, and Knox hasn’t stopped pacing.
A knock on the front door has Raven close to jumping out of her skin. Knox halts in his tracks, and I dart for the door.
The peephole reveals Langston and his cowboy hat, which he seems to never leave home without.
Opening the door, I wave him inside.
He nods in greeting. “Thanks for seeing me.”
“Thanks for coming.”
We join Raven and Knox in the living room. Knox stands behind Raven, his hands gripping the back of the couch. Langston sits in the unoccupied armchair, and I, still unable to sit, stand at the end of the couch with my arms crossed and my stance wide.
“I want to start off by saying thank you for handing over the evidence that you did. Camden confirmed that he couldn’t bring himself to give it to me and asked you three to do it for him.”
A lie we told him the other day, so we didn’t incriminate ourselves.
“I’m choosing to believe the surfacing of the flash drives has nothing to do with the theft and return of Clayton Jackson’s police vehicle.”
None of us utter a word. Knox and I keep blank expressions while Raven bites her lip.
Langston continues, ignoring Raven’s obvious tell, “The flash drives were more than enough to get a warrant to search the psychiatric hospital and arrest Lewis Whitlock. He had fled right before we got there, but rangers were able to catch up with him. We had to lay spikes on the road to get him to stop.”
My body locks up. “So, he’s been arrested?”
“Yes,” Langston replies.
Tears line Raven’s eyes, and her chin wobbles. Knox and I take a seat on either side of Raven. My arm wraps around her shoulders, and Knox holds her hand.
Langston watches us intently before continuing, “Upon searching Lewis’s office, we found bags of pills.
We know they weren’t purchased through his pharmaceutical distributor.
The pills are being tested for their contents at the lab now, but they’ll most likely match some others we’ve found around the state. ”
Knox rubs his chin. “What was Lewis doing with the pills?” We already know the answer to that, but we can’t let that slip to Langston.
Langston leans forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees. “We were able to get a few patients who we now know are his dealers to flip. They admitted to selling in exchange for living a cushy life and getting paid.”
“Wow.” I give zero enthusiasm behind that single word.
Langston narrows his eyes at the three of us. “The dealers gave us some names, and we were able to get another warrant for Frank LeBlanc. He had enough pills in his vehicle to be charged with intent to sell.”
Knox and I look at each other. I can visibly see the weight that has been weighing him down for years lift from his shoulders. And I’m positive he can see the same with me.
Raven shifts in her seat. “What about the sheriff?”
“He’s been arrested as well. Camden’s testimony was enough to convince a judge and the DA.
We were able to prove that Clayton Jackson asked for the videos to be made, so he’s been charged with over one hundred counts of the production of child pornography.
The videos were time stamped, so we were able to prove that Camden was underage. ”
The rush of air that leaves Raven’s lungs is one of relief. “Thank you.”
“No thanks necessary, ma’am.” Turns out Langston has that southern charm.
“What about Seth and Alice?” I ask.
“We believe that Lewis Whitlock was behind their actions. Alice Tillman and Seth Beauregard were Whitlock’s patients.
Their blood tests showed that at the time of their deaths, they both had scopolamine in their systems, which we also found in Lewis’s office.
He hasn’t admitted to it yet, but the DA believes we have enough circumstantial evidence to try him for two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.
A man with Whitlock’s skill set could easily use scopolamine to get people to do what he wants. ”
I knew it. I fucking knew it. This means he must’ve recognized Raven from the beginning. If he tries taking her down with him, we have connections. People die in holding cells and prison all the time.
Langston turns his hands in question. “Do y’all have any other questions?”
“I don’t think so,” Knox answers for the three of us.
“Well, if that’s all, I’ll leave y’all to it.” Langston stands, tipping his hat.
We stand with him, and Raven darts to Langston, surprising him with a hug.
Langston’s eyes bulge, and his arms are held awkwardly at his sides.
He looks at me and Knox, searching for an answer on what to do.
Knox motions with his arms to show Langston how to hug Raven back.
I pinch my lips to keep my laughter locked inside.
Langston blinks rapidly, hesitating, but eventually mimics Knox.
Raven hugs Langston even tighter then steps away.
Langston dismisses himself before Raven can thank him again. “I’ll see myself out.” He tips his hat then makes his exit.
Raven turns to us, blinking. “What now?”
I give her a small encouraging smile. “Now, we live.”
She runs to me, jumping into my arms and wrapping herself around me like a koala.
“Mom!” Noah appears at the top of the stairs.
Raven keeps her face buried in my neck. “What’s up, little king?”
“Can we get a cookie from Miss Kat?”
Raven pulls back, smiling at Knox and me. She may get flustered with how easily we sense and read her emotions, but she has quickly developed the skill to do the same to us.
“Yeah, but you need to clean up your toys first.”
Raven looks back at us, excitement in her eyes.
“Time to live, Darlin’.”
Entering Mystic Beans, Noah runs ahead of us and goes right around the counter. “Miss Kat! Miss Kat!”
“Noah, wait.” Raven moves to grab her son, but he’s too fast. I snag her hand before she can take off after him.
“Hey, there!” Kat picks up Noah, holding him on her hip.
“May I have a cookie, please?”
“Absolutely!” Kat looks up at us. “Do y’all want anything?”
“I’m good,” Raven responds, and Knox and I shake our heads.
The three of us sit at a table by the front window. Knox and Raven sit next to each other on one side, while I take the seat across from Raven. Knox places his arm on the back of Raven’s chair. She glances back and forth between Knox and me and gets a mischievous grin on her face.
I’m not sure if that smile means we’re going to have a fun time when we get back home or I should sleep with one eye open. I like that I can’t predict what she’ll do.
Jolting in my chair, I clear my throat. Raven chuckles as her foot continues its path up my inner thigh.
“Hey, Griffin! Hey, Knox! How’s it going?”
This time, it’s Raven who’s caught by surprise. The tip of her shoe grazes along the seam of my jeans, narrowly missing the family jewels.
Knox and I wear puzzled faces as we all turn toward the friendly voice.
Standing next to our table is Old Man Hicks with a cup of coffee in his hand.
“Hi?” My reply comes out as a question.
He takes a step closer. “How’s the bar doin’?”
“Good. How’s the hardware store?” Knox rubs the back of his neck.
Hicks’s smile is genuine. “Great! Thanks for askin’!”
“Sure thing.” I tip my head.
“Well, see y’all later!” Hicks waves and exits the coffee shop, heading in the direction of his store.
Knox bends toward me. “What the hell was that?”
I shrug because that’s all I can do. I have no clue what possessed Hicks to talk to us. We’ve known him our whole lives, and he’s never been friendly like that.
Raven is still turned toward the path Hicks took. “I wonder…” she trails off.
Pam walks by our table. “Hey, Montgomerys! Good to see y’all!”
I give my head a slight shake, Raven’s mouth hangs open, and Knox rubs his forehead.
Raven frowns. “Are we in the Twilight Zone?”
“We must be.” Knox’s expression goes slack.
“Maybe we should grab Noah and go home,” Raven suggests.
Feeling my pulse in my throat, Knox and I smile at Raven.
Her brows wrinkle. “What?”
“You said ‘home.’” I emphasize my statement with a wink.
Raven draws her head back. “So?”
“You called our house ‘home,’” Knox explains further.
Raven’s mouth forms a perfect circle in her shock.
We don’t give her a chance to correct her statement. Knox and I grab her and Noah and pile in the truck. The entire drive home , Knox and I keep a hand on Raven’s thighs in a possessive gesture.
I don’t care if she tries to recant what she said. It won’t matter. She already said it.
We’re her home.