Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Noah crept through the front door and slowly swung it back toward the jamb. He didn’t close it all the way, afraid the sound would alert the crazy woman.
He crept into the kitchen, where he stood motionless, listening to the voices drifting from the next room.
“I know I messed up, Vi.” Jasper’s voice cracked with what sounded like genuine remorse. “I was selfish and awful. I was…I was just scared, you know? What do I know about being a father? So I ran like a coward. I abandoned you when you needed me most.”
Jasper had missed his calling. He should’ve gone to Hollywood. He’d have made a bundle with that talent. And thank God for it. It might be the only thing keeping Delaney and Charlotte safe.
Noah inched forward, testing each floorboard before shifting his weight. The old house remained mercifully silent under his careful steps. He drew closer to the doorway that led to his family.
“You have no idea what it’s been like.” Violet sounded desperate. “The addiction took everything from me. Everything. Even Lottie…” She choked on the name. “I thought Ma could take care of her while I got clean, but then you took her.”
“I had to.” Jasper’s tone was regretful. “Your mother wasn’t up to it. She didn’t take care of our little girl like you did.”
Noah reached the doorway and peeked through.
Delaney was seated with her back against the wall. Charlotte was huddled in the corner nearest to her. Jasper stood in the opening of what looked like a hallway.
All of their eyes were trained on Violet, who was out of Noah’s field of vision.
“You don’t mean that.” Violet’s voice turned hard. “You’ve never meant anything you said to me. You’re just like her.”
Noah couldn’t see Violet, but by the way Delaney’s eyes widened, he guessed Violet was aiming her weapon at her.
“Your fight’s with me,” Jasper said evenly. “This is my fault. I’ve been a complete jerk.”
Delaney’s gaze moved to Jasper, telling Noah that was where Violet had shifted her aim.
That didn’t make Noah feel any better.
“I’ve been…awful,” Jasper continued, “and I have no right to ask for your forgiveness. But I’m asking. Please, Violet, if you’ll only forgive me, we can be together. You and me and Lottie.”
Believe him, Noah begged. Just long enough to lower the gun.
Plan A was for Jasper to talk Violet into putting the weapon down.
Plan B was for Noah to tackle her from the side.
The police had been relegated to Plan C, except it wasn’t so much a plan as it was a hope that they’d show up if they were needed.
Noah wasn’t worried he wouldn’t be able to take her down. He outweighed her and had the element of surprise.
He was worried she’d fire that weapon and kill someone he loved.
Noah inched forward, trying to get Violet in sight.
There she was, in the far corner, the wall to her back.
He shrank into the shadows again and held very still.
“You think I’m stupid?” Anger hummed in her accusation. “You think I don’t know what you’re doing?”
She wasn’t buying Jasper’s story.
Noah braced himself, ready to lunge.
He was terrified that he’d be the reason she pulled the trigger. That he’d be the reason someone died.
“I’m telling you the truth.” Jasper’s voice held steady, that practiced charm bleeding through even in this nightmare. “I’ve thought about you every day since I left. About what we could have been.”
“Liar.” But something in Violet’s tone had shifted, uncertainty creeping in around the edges of her anger.
Delaney pressed herself against the wall as if she could push herself right through it.
“Look at me, Vi,” Jaz said. “Really look at me. Do you remember that night we took Lottie to the beach? She was just a baby, remember? She was so little and perfect. You were looking up, said you’d never seen stars like that before.
But I couldn’t take my eyes off you and her.
You two were the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. ”
Silence stretched. Noah held his breath.
“You remember,” Violet whispered, a hint of awe in her voice.
Delaney seemed to hear it too, relaxing a fraction.
Charlotte was a ball in the corner, her small shoulders shaking.
“I know you don’t believe me,” Jaz said. “I wouldn’t believe me either. But I came back. I came back for you and our daughter.”
This was it. Either Jasper would convince her, or he wouldn’t.
Come on, Violet. Trust him.
“Really?” The word carried on a breath of hope. “You really mean it?”
Jasper took a step closer to the crazy woman. “Of course I mean it.”
It was working. He was going to talk her down.
Maybe Charlotte felt it, too, because she looked up.
And locked eyes with Noah.
“Daddy!”
Violet swung her body—and the gun—toward the corner. Her eyes were wild.
Noah launched himself between the weapon and the people he loved.
The gun exploded.
A scream carried from far, far away.