Chapter Forty-FiveEvan
Chapter Forty-Five
Evan
I was finishing up my case notes in the office that I shared with some other advocates when there was a knock on the door.
“Evan?” Claire stood there. “The headmistress at Finchley called; there’s been a situation.”
My phone had been quiet. “Who with?”
“Rose.”
My heart dropped. Sunday’s events with Iris aside, she’d been having a good week at her new school. She’d been making friends, getting adjusted to her classes…
“I know you’re about to be off for the day, but you’re needed there. Her uncle showed up, and the police were called,” Claire said. “I’m sorry. Hopefully, it won’t take long.”
Oh shit. “On it. I’ll be right there.”
Well, there went dress shopping. If it came down to it, Grace and Riley could go themselves or we could go another day.
I was just a little worried about what my sister might choose without guidance, since Grace had no idea what Brennan’s mom expected us to wear.
Maybe Spencer could take them. I texted him.
Me
I need a favor. There’s been a work emergency. Is there any way that you can take Grace and Riley dress shopping?
Spencer
Of course. I don’t have any more meetings today. Is everything okay?
Me
Hopefully. I was going to take them to the fancy mall. Thank you so much. See you at dinner.
Spencer
Always. Please let me know if I can do anything else. Are you okay?
Me
I’m okay. It’s a client. Thank you.
I grabbed my laptop and things, hurried to my car, and drove to Finchley. When I arrived, the police were still there. The gate looked damaged. I parked and found Rose in the headmistress’ office, sobbing.
“Rose, are you okay? Did he hurt you?” I rushed over to her.
“Evan.” She wrapped her arms around me.
“I’m right here. Now what happened?” I pulled a chair over.
“My uncle showed up. When they wouldn’t let him on campus, he tried to drive through the gate. He’s been quiet all week, so I thought everything was fine.” She looked up at me through tear-stained eyes.
“Nothing is your fault,” I told her. We talked a little longer, and I got her calmed down. At least he hadn’t hurt her.
Still, he tried to drive through the gate. I’d gotten Rose’s sister and stepdad connected with social services. They’d received boxes of food and were getting assistance with their bills. What was the problem here?
Especially because it was the uncle , not the stepdad, causing all the problems.
“Can I talk to you, Evan?” Headmistress Nikita joined us. Taller than many omegas, there was something about her that made most people pause before crossing her, even if she was a little young for a headmistress.
“Of course.” I squeezed Rose’s hand. “I’ll be back.”
I went out into the hall. “Was anyone hurt?”
“No. Thank goodness.” She sighed. “I love Rose. She’s a dear. But we have rules here, and if her family is going to cause disruptions, we might have a problem.”
“Understood, Headmistress. Hopefully this won’t happen again,” I replied.
“I love having your clients here, and I want to keep Rose safe from whatever horrific things happened at home, but I also can’t put the rest of the students in danger,” she told me.
Finchley had good security, but that was partially because most of the families sending their omega children here were very wealthy. They were the sort of families that might be concerned about people trying to drive their cars through a closed gate.
“Are the police still here?” I asked.
She nodded. “I’ll take you. Rose was already questioned before you got here, but I stayed with her the whole time.”
“Thank you,” I told her as we went outside and found the officers.
“I’m Evan, I’m Rose’s advocate,” I introduced myself, since I didn’t know these officers. “Can you shed any light on why her uncle wanted her so badly?”
The beta officer shrugged. “Something about needing her at home. People can be assholes. Not sure he was even sober. Detective Esposito will call you.”
“Thanks.” I went back to the office and found Rose. “Hey, should we go back to your room?”
“Thank you.” Rose stood. “Weren’t you taking Ri shopping? I hope I didn’t ruin anything.”
“No, it’s fine. Pretty sure Spencer took her and Grace someplace fancy. I keep getting pictures,” I replied as I accompanied her back to her dorm. “I’ve got time. We’re not going out to dinner until eight.”
“Oh, yes, it’s Grace’s birthday. Riley told me that you’re going to Supressa tonight.” Rose smiled. “I heard it’s so fancy.”
“Me, too. It should be fun.” I wasn’t sure what I thought about one of my clients being friends with my sister. But it wasn’t actually against the rules.
We went back to her room, and she picked up her phone. “Oh, I have pictures, too. I’d forgotten my phone in my room. I was charging it.”
She grinned as she flipped through the pictures and showed me one of Riley in a sparkly dress.
“I like that one.” Rose showed me another. “So elegant.”
It was a jumpsuit with flowy black pants and a lacy white top.
“Very nice.” A little understated, even for family, but it could be dressed up.
A picture popped up on my phone. It was Grace, in a silver dress with a giant-ass train.
Tell Grace she looks beautiful, I texted my sister. She looked like a bride. I sat with Rose as she told me about her week.
My phone rang. “This is Evan.”
“This is Detective Esposito with the Westside Precinct,” a woman spoke. “You’re Rose Matthews’ advocate?”
“I am. Do you need me down at the station?” I asked, hoping it wouldn’t take too long.
“I do, thank you.”
With a sigh, I hung up. “Rose, I have to go. But please, text me if you need me. I’ll be out of town this weekend, so I might not get right back to you, but I will get back to you. If it’s urgent, call the Center, okay?”
I texted the pack group chat as I got in my car.
Me
Work emergency. Spence is with Grace and Ri. I’m leaving Finchley and heading to the Westside Precinct, I’ll make dinner on time. Promise.
Good thing I kept extra clothes in Brennan’s office. Given we lived in the ‘burbs now, it made sense.
I drove to the precinct, greeting the people I knew.
An alpha female detective I didn’t know came out. “Evan, I’m Detective Esposito. Come with me.”
She led me to a room, where on the other side of the window, sat a man in a cap and a flannel shirt. We weren’t alone, either.
“That’s Rose’s uncle?” I said softly.
“Yes. Rose told me about her… situation, and we accessed her mom’s record.
It makes me think there’s more to this than simple trespassing.
It also makes me wonder whose idea it really was to do such a thing to a teenager.
” She eyed the scene through the window suspiciously.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the uncle has debts. ”
Oh. I sucked in a breath. “No, it wouldn’t. Stepdad has been very supportive of Rose staying at school. While Rose’s mom was the one who brought her to the Center in the first place, she also has been adamant that Rose not go home. Not stay at school– not go home. ”
As if they wanted to keep her safe. But from who? The uncle?
“I’ll call the precinct in her home area and see what I can find out. Something’s not right. You’re welcome to listen,” Detective Esposito said as another detective went into the room with the uncle.
I checked the time. “I can stay for a little while.”
“Hot date?” she joked.
“Taking my girl out for her birthday.” My girl. It sounded so good to call Grace that.
“Nice, where are you going?” she asked.
“Supressa,” I told her.
She whistled. “Nice. Always wanted to go there.”
We, and the others, watched the detective question him.
“I’m the head of the family, which means she’s under my care. Not her mom’s, not her stepdad’s, mine, ” the uncle argued. “I have a right to drag her uppity little ass home so she can help support us.”
“She’s legally a ward of the Omega Center. You have no authority over her,” the large male alpha detective told him.
“That’s a shit rule. She’s needed more at home than chasing some dumb dreams of being a doctor,” he sneered.
“Oh yeah? Are you the one who convinced your sister to shoot Rose up with illegal drugs? Your financial situation isn’t very good either,” the detective pushed.
“I don’t know nothing about that,” he shrugged. “But everyone pulls their weight, and I need her home. She can’t help the family from here.”
They went round and round, and eventually the others left, leaving Detective Esposito and I alone in the room.
All I got from the uncle was that he wanted her home.
Never once did he say anything about her being mated to a pack–and he brushed off those questions.
You could almost believe he just needed Rose for childcare and household tasks; maybe to get an after-school job to help with the bills.
Except that her mom drove her hours to match her with better alphas. There was also the fact that her mom had withdrawn her from school. I told Detective Esposito all my suspicions.
“I’ve been doing this for a couple of years–and something about this is off,” I told her.
“When you add in what her mom did, the incident with her uncle commanding her sister, how far away they are, yeah, something’s up.
It just might not be my jurisdiction. All we can charge him with right now is trespassing, and we can’t hold him for much longer.
” She made some notes. “I do appreciate your help. I’ll work with Headmistress Nikita to help keep Rose safe, and I’ll be in touch. ”
“Thanks.” I went to my car and checked the time. I messaged the chat.
Me
Done at the station. Going to Bren's office to get dressed.
Brennan
I’m here. I’ll wait for you.
Something wasn’t right with Rose’s entire situation. Hopefully, the detectives would figure it out before someone else got hurt.