Chapter 18
Nellie couldn’t stop laughing during the pool tournament. She and TJ made a great team. She’d always wondered what it would be like to have a big brother, and now she had more of them than she could handle. The Townsends and the Morettis had adopted her and her family as their own.
TJ tried to get her to leave Rowan and date one of his brothers or cousins, and that resulted in Damon claiming her as a Townsend. They settled it with a game of darts—Townsends vs. Morettis—winner gets Nell as part of their family.
It was close until Damon trounced TJ in the last game, leaving the Townsend women cheering and the Morettis groaning.
Damon lifted James Avery into his arms and Hunter scooped up Tally as they danced around in mock celebration.
Her niece and nephew had never looked so relaxed and happy.
There were constant giggles and more love than they’d ever gotten from the Faust family.
Nell looked at her watch. It was getting late, and right as she thought that, Marissa, Julia, and Gianna stopped the party and took the kids away to bed with a promise of a bedtime story and a goodnight treat.
Nell looked in on them an hour later and they were on a bed of blankets and pillows on the floor between the guest bed and two air mattresses that belonged to TJ and his brothers.
The kids would definitely be safe tonight.
“They’re going to be just fine, honey.”
Nell closed the door and turned to smile at Marissa.
Bex’s mother and aunts had pushed, shoved, and barreled their way into Nell’s and Sue Ellen’s lives in the best way possible.
Their own mother had sided with Ingram and his family because status was more important to them than their own daughters and grandchildren.
Marissa, Julia, and Gianna had shown her that a found family could be more important than her birth family.
In less than a week, the women had supported, encouraged, and helped the Hale sisters in more ways than Nell thought possible.
“This is the first time they’ve been away from Sue Ellen or me. Well, I guess I’m technically here for now, but they always spend the night with me if they’re not with Sue Ellen. I was worried they’d be anxious, but they’re the happiest I’ve ever seen them.”
Marissa put her arm around Nell as they walked downstairs to the party. “That’s because they feel safe and loved. How anyone couldn’t love those little cannoli, I don’t know. But I’m glad we’re here to give them all the love and safety we can.”
“I’m sad you’re leaving soon. It’s been so nice to be a part of your family temporarily,” Nell admitted.
“It’s not temporary, Nell. You’re a part of our family now whether you want to be or not.
I’m not so sure my boys won’t be paying a visit to Rowan to make sure he has honorable intentions with you.
” Marissa smiled and Nell laughed at that.
“Although, I have to admit something. It gets harder and harder to go home after each visit here. Shadows Landing is so different from New York City, yet we all love it here. Plus, I think the boys miss Bex. Of course, Tony and I do, too.”
“I understand that. I feel the same way about Shadows Landing. Would you all ever think of moving here?” Nell asked as they entered the kitchen.
“I wish, but I don’t know how ten guys would find employment.
It’s not like the Shadows Landing Sheriff’s Department has a vacancy for all of them and they don’t have a SWAT team.
Well, not an official one anyway,” Marissa chuckled.
“Bex even asked Peter, and the FBI office here is full too. I’m not sure we can make it happen unless they all decide to leave law enforcement, and I don’t see that happening. ”
Nellie frowned. It did seem near impossible. “I’ll be hoping something opens up to make it possible.”
“Nell!” PJ called out. “Come join us. We need another player.”
“Don’t do it, Nell,” Waverly called out.
“Join our team instead!” Jordana added.
Nellie didn’t know what game they were involved in now, but she knew the answer to this. “Boys versus girls!”
Cheers and groans erupted, and for the next hour they were involved in an intense and hilarious trivia battle. Then slowly, the aunts and uncles went to bed and some of the Townsends left, leaving it very noticeable that Nellie appeared stranded.
Bex began to clean up and Nellie helped. The two of them moved through the house like a practiced team until there was nothing left to clean. Natalie and Stone were the last to leave, other than Damon, who seemed to be around for the long haul.
Bex yawned and Nellie felt horrible for being the guest who never left.
Damon looked at his phone and frowned before his lips twitched in what might be amusement.
He typed something back and then put his phone away.
“I’ll stay down here with Nell. Rowan won’t be too much longer.
He got delayed but will be on his way soon. ”
“Are you sure?” Bex asked, yawning again.
“Get ready for bed, sweetheart,” Wilder told his wife, kissing her on the temple. “I’ll be up soon.”
“Don’t rush. I know you like your late hours.” Bex stood and smiled at Nell. “I’m so glad you came tonight. Stay as long as you want. There are blankets right over there if you want to sleep until Rowan gets here.”
“Thanks, Bex.”
Nell went and grabbed a blanket. “You two really don’t need to babysit me.”
“You’re our sister. We aren’t going to just leave you,” Damon told her. “Although, why Wilder thinks he can help, I don’t know.”
“Asshole. You know I can hold my own. You’re the one who taught me,” Wilder said, teasing his brother.
The banter was soothing as the two brothers talked and teased each other. Nell’s eyelids closed and she dozed off.
Rowan kept checking the rearview mirror, but there was no car following him.
There weren’t even any headlights in the far distance.
He was alone on the road this late at night.
To be sure, he drove into the alley by the Shadows Landing courthouse and waited to see if any cars drove by looking for him.
When none came, Rowan finally drove to Wilder and Bex’s house.
Rowan hadn’t even put his car in park before the front door opened and Damon and Wilder were there making sure it was Rowan who had pulled up and not someone else.
He might give Damon crap for being an intrusive big brother, but he was the best brother anyone could have.
All of his brothers and sisters were. They were one lucky family that Damon brought them all back together here in Shadows Landing.
“Did the sheriff follow you?” Damon asked. Wilder didn’t seem surprised, so Damon must have filled him in.
“No. I guess being pepper sprayed by a senior citizen was enough for him for the night. I made sure I wasn’t followed.”
“What do you make of the blood evidence?” Wilder asked, and the smiles at the image of Miss Tibbie pepper spraying the sheriff turned to frowns.
“I don’t know if the paperwork was forged, but it looked legit. It was from the South Carolina Crime Lab. I need to find a way to verify without it leading back to me or to Shadows Landing.”
“I’ll let Bex know in the morning. Maybe she can have Peter or someone in her office get that information,” Wilder suggested.
“Wouldn’t that tip them off that the FBI is investigating them?” Damon asked and Wilder frowned as his way of acknowledging that Damon was right.
“We’ll figure something out, but we will need to fill everyone in on it,” Rowan told them. He glanced around them to look into the house. “Where is Nell and did anyone tell her what was going on?”
Damon shook his head. “I didn’t tell her. She was already getting worried, so I told her you were on your way soon after a delay. She fell asleep on the couch about an hour ago. But she had a good night. So did the kids.”
“I’m sorry I missed it.”
“It might have been good that you did,” Damon told him. “Otherwise, we’d never know about the warrant and the blood evidence.”
“Thanks for watching out for her and the kids,” Rowan told them as they turned to go into the house.
“The kids are great. It’s been good for them to be away from Ingram. The change in them is dramatic,” Damon said as Wilder nodded in agreement. “Too bad your in-laws can’t stay longer. They’ve adopted Nellie, Sue Ellen, and the kids.”
“They’ve mentioned missing Bex and me a lot. Bex even asked Peter if the FBI was hiring, but they’re not. And Granger said if he stretched the budget, he could only hire one person, not ten,” Wilder told them. “I wish they could. Bex would love it and I wouldn’t be sorry for the homemade food.”
The three brothers groaned. It was really good food.
The three brothers were silent as Rowan approached the couch.
Nell was on her side, her head on a pillow, and a blanket tucked under her arms. She looked so small, but the worry lines and dark circles she’d had around her eyes when they’d first met were gone.
She didn’t look as if she were in flight or fight anymore.
The soft smile on her lips told him that she knew she was safe.
Rowan reached under her and slowly lifted her into his arms. Wilder opened the front door while Damon went ahead and opened the car door for him.
Nellie snuggled into him, her nose right at the crook of his neck, and sighed peacefully.
It didn’t last though. She woke up when he was getting her into the front seat.
“Oh, Rowan! You could have woken me up,” she said as he leaned over her and clicked the seatbelt into the lock.
“You looked too peaceful. I was hoping I could get you home without having to wake you.”
“Goodnight, Nell,” Damon called out, no longer waiting to start his bike now that she was awake.
“Goodnight, Damon. Thank you for everything,” Nell called out before Rowan closed her door and got into the driver’s seat. “Something happened tonight. What is it?”
“How did you know?” Rowan asked her, not denying that something did happen.
“Damon. He thinks he’s unreadable, but his lip barely twitched in amusement and then frowned. Something happened because it was his upset frown, not his regular frown.”
Rowan let out his breath as he began to drive the short distance home. “I met the sheriff of Holland Springs.”
Nell made a face. “Josiah. He’s Ingram’s dad’s first cousin. Anyway, he’s the reason no one would take reports of Sue Ellen’s claims. That and Ingram and his father. They’re the holy trinity of Holland Springs. What’s funny, Josiah is looked down on by Ingram’s family for being more blue-collar.”
“I bet Josiah would love to hear that. But this is where it gets strange. You know we saw the photos of Ingram’s assault?
” Nell nodded. “Well, he said they collected scrapings from under Ingram’s nails and also some blood on his knuckles from where he said he fought back.
They sent it to the crime lab and the blood matched your hospital records. ”
Nell’s head spun to face him with a startled jerk. “Wait, Ingram had my blood on him?”
“And he claims you’re the one who beat him up. Josiah has a warrant for your arrest. He’s also positive the John Doe I entered into the system was James Avery. I don’t know yet how he guessed that though.”
Rowan could see Nellie’s eyes start to look around wildly as if Josiah might jump out and arrest her. “What do I do? He’s going to arrest me and I can guarantee the jury will convict. They’ve turned Sue Ellen and me into the villains in Holland Springs.”
“We’ll talk to Bex, Peter, Granger, and Olivia tomorrow and come up with a plan.” Rowan pulled into the garage and didn’t move until the door shut.
“There’s no way I’m not going to be thinking of this twenty-four-seven,” Nell said as she sighed.
Rowan tucked her against his body after they got out of the car and entered the house.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. And you know Olivia won’t, since she’s decided you’re family already.
Don’t get me started on Damon. He’d break you out of jail and beat up anyone who disrupts his plans of making you his sister-in-law. ”
Rowan felt Nell chuckle against him. “I hate to tell Damon he doesn’t have that power. That rests with you.”
“And I’m going to hate telling Damon he is right, but I’m going to cheerfully do it. Because he is right. You’re perfect.” Rowan leaned down and placed his lips on hers. He kissed her with all the feelings he couldn’t find words to describe.
“Well, that certainly helps me forget I’m a wanted woman.” Nell reached down and pulled off the shirt she was wearing. “Let’s see what else you can do to make me forget.”