Chapter 22
Twenty-Two
I see what the problem is here. I’m speaking in English, and you’re listening in Dumbass.
—Weaver’s secret thoughts
Weaver
I listened, hearing a constant pound in my chest, as my sister described her years of hell.
When she was through, her tears finally dried up, face drawn, I couldn’t stop myself from picking her up and curling her into my arms.
“I’m so sorry, Winnie. I’m so sorry. I tried so hard, and I couldn’t see a way out.”
“Why didn’t you go to the police?” I asked.
“I tried,” she admitted. “More than once. I went to the local police. And when they couldn’t help me—more like refused to help me—I went to the state police.
Then when they said it was outside of their jurisdiction, I went to the FBI.
They refused to help. That’s when I started paying the private investigator. ”
“I got everything that’s listed in the PI’s notes,” Apollo said into the ensuing silence. “And let’s just say, for the amount of money you paid him over the years, he should have way more than this. It’s like he’s only doing this as a side quest when he’s not busy doing something else.”
“I’ve often thought that myself,” she admitted. “But he’s the first one that would actually work with me. All the others I went to said no. Sonny Gibbons’ reach is just too far.”
“Why didn’t you come to me?” I asked.
She pulled away and hastily wiped at her eyes, then cupped my cheek with both of her hands before saying, “And you would’ve done what?
Been scared and frustrated from inside of the jail cell that I put you in?
Winnie, I tried. I really did. I wrote you so many letters.
But I couldn’t send them. Because what would that have accomplished?
I didn’t know that you knew the kind of people that could break you out of prison, though. ”
“Speaking of.” Apollo frowned. “How did you get here? I’ve been watching your activities for a year now.”
“Learning how to hide my movements became necessary when Sonny…” she trailed off. “I stole a car.”
“You what?” I barked.
Pippa looked sheepish for a long moment. “It was the only way.”
“Jesus.” I chuckled. “Straightlaced big sis stealing cars.”
“I’m a half a minute older than you,” Pippa pointed out, swiping once again at her eyes.
“I’ve done a lot of stuff I’m not proud of since Stanton died, Winnie.
I’ve turned into someone he wouldn’t even recognize.
Hell, my mom and dad hate me. Boston can’t stand to be around me.
You…the way you looked at me that day in the courtroom when I gave my testimony?
I’ll never, not ever, get that look of betrayal out of my head. ”
I squeezed her shoulder. “I may not exactly like how it went down, Pip, but I sure the fuck can’t blame you for protecting my kid the only way you knew how.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
A voice cleared.
I looked up to see Black looking our way.
“Not to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re gorgeous as fuck, and you’re noticed. Several people spotted you driving in. They also noted when you ditched that car. You won’t be able to skate by here looking like that.”
I snorted.
“So what do you propose that I do?” Pippa asked but then shook her head. “It doesn’t matter what I look like. I had to make sure that she was okay. Now that I know she’s fine, I’m going to go back home.” She looked at me then. “Can you get Mom and Dad here? Can you somehow get them a new life?”
“I’m not leaving you there to deal with this shit alone,” I said.
She pushed out of my lap and stood. “You’re finally here and happy, Weaver.”
She used my new name and it hurt.
Really hurt.
“I…”
“Don’t care what you think,” Pippa said. “This is my mess. I’m going to deal with it.”
“You don’t have to deal with it on your own,” Eddy said softly.
“We can find you a new life here, too. You can cut your hair. Change your hair color. Dress in different clothes. Once you lose the tan, and maybe put some contacts on, there’s no way that someone’s going to find you way up here.
Plus, you have a town full of bikers that notice when people show up in town that don’t belong. ”
Pippa tilted her head, her face sad. “This time, I’ll agree to disagree.
This isn’t y’all’s fight. And I’m not going to lose this perfect opportunity.
With y’all figuring out Boston’s safety, I can focus on myself.
Mom and Dad can take care of themselves.
Travel. Come here. I don’t know. But this will really work out.
I know it. I can deal with the rest on my own now that I don’t have to think about you getting killed in prison, and Boston being killed. ”
My stomach sank.
“I’ll figure out Mom and Dad,” I said. “I’ll get them here, and then we’ll help them disappear, too. Gibbons won’t ever find them.”
Pippa nodded. “Okay. Now, it’s time for me to go. If I’m gone too long, he’s going to think I ran, and go after Mom and Dad since they’re still there, oblivious.”
“I’ll drive you back into town,” Black ordered.
Pippa didn’t argue, walking straight out the door and leaving us all there staring at the closed door.
“You’re not going to let her just walk away, are you?” Eddy asked.
“Yeah,” Boston whispered. “She can’t do this on her own.”
“Your dad’s not going anywhere,” Denver said.
“He’s going to stay right here, taking care of you two.
We have enough shit going on here with your parents, Eddy.
However, Apollo, Black, and I will figure out Pippa’s situation.
” He looked horrified for a long moment.
“Ain’t never seen another person take that much on herself and not break. Your sister? She’s strong.”
I stood up and walked to the door, watching as Pippa started to trudge down the street through the snow.
Black, seeing how fast she’d moved, cursed and headed for the door.
“I’ll take care of her,” he promised.
I looked at Black as he moved down the walk and toward the front of his Sheriff’s Department SUV. He got inside and backed up, then followed behind my sister.
When he got close, he yelled at her, and she stopped walking and moved toward the side of the SUV.
She got inside, and the SUV slowly disappeared down the road.
“I feel like I’m making a mistake,” I said to the woman who came up to my side.
“Or you’re finally thinking about yourself,” Eddy pointed out.
“Your sister made her own decisions. She might not have been adult enough to make the first few that started this off, but she was well past adulthood when she made the one that sent you to prison. Do I feel sorry for her? Yes. But I also feel sorry for you. If she’d tried to keep you out of prison, maybe the two of you could’ve disappeared.
Maybe you could’ve watched your daughter grow up.
Maybe your sister wouldn’t be fighting for her life right now. ”
My stomach clenched.
“She’s right, Dad,” Boston said, leaning into the other side of me as she stared at the snow that was slowly starting to cover the walkways and drive. “And I think your friend will have no problem helping her out. He got you out, didn’t he?”
She had a point.
“Speaking of your friend that gets you out of a mess of trouble,” I heard Apollo say.
“Audrey Stanley and her father, Andrews Stanley, were arrested today by Gentry and his county SWAT team. As of right now, they’ve found enough that’ll put her away for sixty years.
Plus, if I had to guess, she’ll be more than willing to talk when she finds out that the information she has on her computer is a death sentence in some states. ”
“Good.” I turned. “Where are we at with the hit?”
“There’s not one anymore.” Apollo closed his laptop, stood up, and stretched his arms high over his head.
“I defunded the account, deleted the hit, and then deleted the information from the phone of the one stupid ass man that was dumb enough to take a hit for two grand. I also sent his info over to Gentry, so he’s going to pick him up next. ”
I blew out a breath.
“So I’m thinking we should have pizza,” Boston said into the silence that followed his words. “Maybe watch a movie.”
“What about Wild America?” Eddy suggested.
I whipped my head around to look at her in shock.
“Doesn’t that movie have a bear attack in it?” I asked, trying to remember back to when I’d watched it for the first time.
“A woman that survives one, yes,” Eddy admitted. “But it feels somewhat perfect for the situation.”
“What’s it about?” Boston asked.
“Three brothers going across America making a movie, if I remember correctly,” I recalled.
My daughter, the perfect kid anyone could ever ask for, nodded her head in agreement.
“I’m down.” Denver took a seat. “The rest of you, make a list of the pizza you want. I’ll have Boone pick it up on the way over.”
Nettie nearly choked, having been surprisingly quiet until now.
Denver looked at her. “You and him are going to have to get over this eventually.”
“I’ll rot in the pits of hell first.”
Denver just shook his head. “Jesus Christ.”