14. Laney
14
Laney
“Hello,” I said hesitantly into the phone. I had doubts about calling David. He’d tried to save Haley and me from Jonah before, and he was an excellent lawyer. But he was still involved with the mob. Did he know Jonah was dead? I planned to meet him in Oklahoma and have him bring my truck and boat to the courthouse.
“Hello, David.”
“Laney, where the hell are you?”
“I’m safe. Can you do something for me? I need your help.”
“Jonah is dead. You don’t have to hide anymore. They’ve arrested almost everyone who worked with him.”
“David, did you hear me? I need your help to get my brother out of prison.”
“Your brother? I thought you were an only child.”
“I just found out about him a few days ago. I haven’t met him yet. He’s been in prison for six years for murder. He punched a man who brutally raped his girlfriend. The guy fell backward, hit his head, and died. Mike’s been locked up since he was eighteen. It’s long past time he got out.”
“Give me the details, and I’ll look into it. I can’t promise anything, though. Why is he still in prison if the guy tripped and hit his head?”
“Because the guy was the district attorney’s son.”
David chuckled darkly. “My favorite kind of case.”
“I’ll meet you in Oklahoma at the courthouse,” I said.
“You’ve got a lot of faith in me.”
“If you could keep mobsters out of prison, then you can help free an innocent young man.”
David paused. “Let me ask you something. Did you already know Jonah was dead?”
“Yes, I knew.”
“Good. I don’t want my name tied to the Reeves family anymore.”
“You won’t have to worry about that. Haley and I took back my original name. So, when can you leave?”
“I’ll leave today. You can pick your brother up in three days. I’ll meet you at the prison. Since this should never have been a case, I’ll make sure it’s wiped from his record.”
“What about the D.A.?”
“I’ll handle him. All you need to do is show up.”
“David,” I said softly, “thank you. It took a lot of courage for me to call you. I appreciate this, and I won’t forget it.”
“I won’t tell anyone where you are. By the way, your truck and boat? Jonah set them on fire.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Okay. I’ll see you in three days.”
My body shook when I hung up. David hadn’t been there when Jonah beat me, but sometimes he saw me afterward, bruised and broken. I’d seen the anger in his eyes. Once, I’d even overheard him arguing with Jonah about it.
I packed the few belongings Haley and I had and called for a taxi.
“Where are we going?” Haley asked, frowning. “I don’t want to leave here. Who’s going to watch Bear?”
“We’re taking Bear with us,” I reassured her. “We’re going to rent a car and drive. Remember I said I was going to get your uncle Mike out of prison? That’s what we’re doing.”
We told River and Kat our plan to go to Oklahoma. River tried to talk me out of it, but I’d already set everything in motion. I would get Mike, take him home to Dad’s, and meet the man who had seven kids with different women.
“This is great fun, isn’t it, Haley?”
“I’d rather stay with Kat. The babies are about to be born.”
“Don’t you want to meet the rest of your family?”
“I guess. Will they like me?”
“Sweetheart, they’ll love you,” I said, though deep down, I wondered the same thing. Would they like me?
“We’ll stop at Bass Pro Shops first. I called ahead, and they’re excited to see us.”
“Can I watch the fish swimming? I love watching the fish! And I need a new fishing pole.”
“We’ll get some new poles and tackle. There it is—the biggest Bass Pro Shop. I can’t wait to get a boat and get back to fishing.”
We walked into the massive store, both of us grinning from ear to ear. As I looked around, I spotted Timothy and Tommy watching us from the upper level. I waved, and they made their way down.
Haley noticed them and ran to meet them. “We’ve missed you,” Tommy said, scooping her up in a hug. “Haley, you’re getting so big!”
“We’ve missed you, too. Let’s go to your office, and I’ll tell you what’s been happening with Haley and me.”
“My mean Grandpa kidnapped us,” Haley blurted out as we walked. “He beat Mommy every time we tried to leave. But he’s dead now, so we don’t have to worry about him anymore.” She rattled on at full speed, her words tumbling over one another until we stepped into the office, and she caught sight of the giant tank filled with fish. Her attention was instantly captured.
“While she’s watching the fish, you can explain what she’s talking about,” Tommy said, motioning for me to sit.
I gave them a condensed version of what had happened. “I asked if my truck and boat were still there, but Jonah burned them to the ground,” I finished.
“Laney, that’s horrible. That bastard!” Tommy’s expression darkened. “Did he kill Gavin?”
“Yes. He was going to kill me, too—just as soon as Haley was old enough to take care of herself.”
“My God,” Tommy growled. “That fucker. It’s a good thing he’s dead. Give me fishing on the lake over that nightmare any day. Speaking of which, we’ve got a new boat and truck waiting for you. When you called, we went ahead and picked them up. Are you ready to get back to making money?”
“Yes,” I said, smiling faintly. “I want to float on a boat and fish all day, record everything, and return to my peaceful life.”
Tommy hugged me, and then Timothy hugged me, too. “We’re a team again,” Tommy said. “Let’s go look at the boat. Can you take it today?”
“Yes, but I have a stop to make first. I’ll start fishing in a few days. Are you going to load me up with fishing poles and tackle?”
“Of course,” Tommy replied with a grin.
“I’ll pick out the pole,” I said, walking alongside them. “I also want to get a new iPad for recording videos. I can’t wait to join more fishing tournaments.” A tear slipped down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away. Tommy noticed and put an arm around me. Poor Gavin, his life must have been a nightmare.
“I need a new pole, too!” Haley piped up.
“We’ll get you one,” Tommy said warmly. “It’s good to have you back, Laney. We’ve been waiting for you. We didn’t know where you were, but we knew if you could have called us, you would have. If that bastard weren’t dead, I’d kill him myself.”
We walked over to the boat, and I ran my hand along its side, hugging it like an old friend. “It’s beautiful,” I said, beaming. “I want our poles to match the color of the boat. I’ve had time to plan some great marketing ideas. First, I’ll get a photo of me driving the truck and pulling the boat, then record myself docking it. The colors will all tie together. I’ve got a month before Haley starts school, so I’ll have plenty of videos by then.”
“It sounds like you’ve thought of everything,” Tommy said. “Let’s get the poles and tackle sorted.”
By the time we finished, the sun had set. The car rental company came to pick up the rental, and I drove away in my new truck, towing my new boat behind me.
When I arrived at the prison parking lot, I spotted David immediately. My entire body tensed. Being near someone tied to Jonah brought back too many memories. I parked the truck and got out with Haley.
“What’s happening?” I asked.
“He’ll be released in an hour,” David said. “The charges have been wiped from his record. He’s free to do whatever he wants now. I’m not staying, but I brought this for you.” He handed me an envelope. “It’s your money. It belonged to Gavin, passed down from his grandfather. Now it’s yours. It’s all in cash, I didn’t want to give you any cards or accounts.”
“Can I put it in the bank?”
“Yes, it’s completely yours.”
“Thank you for helping us,” I said softly.
David nodded. “You two take care of yourselves. I’m sorry for everything you went through. I won’t contact you again—I’m leaving the country.” His gaze flicked to Haley, who stayed behind me, avoiding his eyes.
“Good luck, David. Leaving the country is probably the best idea you’ve had,” I said bluntly.
He handed me another envelope. “This is your brother’s file. It has everything he needs to prove his charges were dropped. He might want to move far from here. Maybe you can take him to California.”
“Maybe I will. Goodbye, David.”
Haley and I sat on the truck’s bumper, watching the prison gates. After what felt like an eternity, Mike walked out. Tears slipped down my cheeks. He looked so much like Raven. His eyes scanned the lot as if searching for someone, unsure who had come for him.
I stood and walked toward him. “Is your name Mike?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said cautiously. “And you must be another sister. What’s your name?”
“Laney,” I said, smiling. “And this is Haley, my daughter.”
Before he could say anything more, I pulled him into a hug. Haley wrapped her arms around him, too, and we stood there, holding him tightly.
Finally, I took a deep breath and stepped back. “What do you want to do first? Eat or go shopping?”
Mike looked at me, bewildered. “I want to know how you managed to get me out of prison when Dad and my brothers couldn’t.”
“Well, I only know one of our brothers, and I’ve never met our dad,” I said. “Gideon told me your story, and I knew it wasn’t right. So I contacted someone I trusted who could help you.”
Mike glanced down at Haley. “So, I guess you’re my niece?”
“Am I his niece, Mama?” Haley asked.
“Yes, sweetie, you are,” I said with a smile.
“Just like Uncle Raven,” Haley added confidently.
“So you know Raven?” Mike asked her.
“He was one of our guards. My grandpa tried to kill us,” Haley said matter-of-factly.
Mike raised an eyebrow. “Well, this sounds interesting. Is that your vehicle?” he asked, pointing at the truck.
“Yes. I just got the boat and truck yesterday,” I replied as we walked toward it. “And this,” I handed him a folder, “is your file. It’s proof that all your charges have been dropped. Don’t lose it. You might want to leave this state for a while.”
Mike took the file and stared at me. “I feel like I know you,” he said, tilting his head.
“It’s probably the eyes. Raven said he knew we were related before the DNA test even came in.”
“No, it’s not the eyes. It’s something else. I’ll figure it out,” he muttered. He squeezed the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to hold back tears. “Damn, it feels good to be out of that place.”
“I know the feeling,” I said quietly. “Haley and I were kidnapped and held captive by a monster for almost three years. Every time we tried to escape, he beat me. But now, we’re free.”
Mike looked at me, horrified. “What happened?”
I took a deep breath. “My husband was shot and killed while we were celebrating our sixth anniversary. I later found out his father had him murdered. A few months later, his father came into our home, beat me, and forced us to move in with him. He held us captive. Sometimes, he beat me so badly I needed hospital care. But no one ever said anything.”
“Why was he able to do that to you?” Mike asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
“Because he was the mob. I didn’t even know my husband had a father—he left home at eighteen and never looked back. I don’t blame him. But I wish I’d known. When my husband was dying, he told me to take Haley and run.”
“That’s horrible. How did you escape?”
“He went away on business, and one of his men warned me Jonah was planning to kill me. He gave me money and told me to leave, so we ran. We managed to stay hidden for two months, but they found us. That’s how we met the Golden Team. When they caught us, Jonah’s man knocked me out and took Haley. She managed to escape and ran straight into Gideon, who saved us both. Jonah’s dead now, so we no longer have to worry about him.”
Mike shook his head, processing everything.
“What town does our Dad live in?”
“Are we going there?” He asked.
“Yes. He doesn’t know you’re out yet. I just learned about all of you a few days ago, so I don’t have his phone number.”
“Do you have any other family?” he asked.
“No.”
“Do you know where Farmington is?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“Dad’s place is about an hour from there. I’ll let you know when we’re close. But first,” he grinned, “I want a giant cheeseburger, fries, and a Pepsi.”
“Carl’s Jr. has massive burgers,” I said. “Let’s stop there.”
I watched Mike inhale two giant burgers, two sodas, and a large fry as we ate. “That must’ve been terrifying, being locked away.”
“It was horrible,” He admitted. “I was lucky Raven knew some of the guards. They looked out for me. But I still got stabbed on the prison grounds once. I hated going outside—that’s where they’d get you. I spent most of my free time working out. Now that my charges are dropped, I want to join the Navy SEALs.”
“That sounds amazing,” I said, genuinely impressed. “How did you survive all that?”
He gave me a curious look. “How did you manage to get me out of prison when Dad and my brothers couldn’t?”
“I called the mob’s lawyer,” I explained. “David used to argue with Jonah about how he treated me. I took a chance, and he came through. He’s leaving the country, but he did this for me.”
Mike nodded slowly. “Is that how you got this setup?” He gestured toward the truck and boat.
“No, Bass Pro Shops sponsors me. They provide everything because I only advertise their products. It’s the only store I mention in my videos, and I send everyone to them.”
Mike chuckled. “Dad and I used to watch you all the time—on YouTube and during tournaments. We saw you as a teenager, fishing out of that old boat with that old man sometimes.”
“He was my friend,” I said, smiling at the memory. “He gave me that old truck and boat so I could enter more tournaments. I’d pick him up in the mornings, and we’d fish all day.”
“That’s not much of a life for a young teenage girl. Did you do anything else?” he asked.
“No. I loved to fish.”
“What did your parents think about it?”
“I didn’t have any parents.”
Mike frowned. “Okay, what about your mom? What did she say?”
“My mom died when I was eight. I went into foster care after that, and there’s nothing good about that. So, I fished. Do you want to visit your mom?” I asked.
Mike’s expression softened. “My mom died when I was sixteen. After that, I lived with our dad.”
“I’m glad you had him to turn to,” I said. “My mom never told me who my dad was, so when the foster system asked for his name, I had nothing. Do you want another burger?”
“No, I’m stuffed,” he said with a small smile.
“I’m happy you’re my brother, Mike,” I said, hesitating slightly. “I just don’t know how to act around family yet.”