Adele
After a lap around the block and up the hill toward the park, both He-Man and I were feeling better. It was dark now, and Finn should be back any time. I had stupidly left my phone on the counter when I was putting He-Man’s harness on. I hoped he got onion rings too.
The longer I thought about our discussion, the more I realized Finn was right.
We needed to process and plan. Acting rashly wouldn’t get me anywhere.
I risked offending people and causing more strife if I did.
So I’d put on my comfiest sweats and cuddle up with my Viking tonight and put it out of my mind.
The next couple of days would be intense, but together, we could do it.
I patted my tummy and smiled. I’d felt every single minute of this pregnancy so far. And not only because of the nausea or exhaustion. It had changed me. The book I was reading explained how the baby’s cells were already circulating in my bloodstream, and I swore I could feel it.
My world had shifted. My identity was shifting too. And although my list of worries was a mile long, I was calmer, more centered than I had been in years. I was a mom now. I could do anything.
Punching the code into the keypad outside the garage door, I stepped back and waited for the overhead door to open. As I approached the door to the kitchen, a vehicle pulled up in front of the house. Yes. Hopefully it was Finn with my cheeseburger.
Grinning and relishing the lightness in my chest, I spun, ready to call out. The truck parked on the street in front of my house wasn’t Finn’s, though. This one was blue, and it had only one working headlight.
The door opened, and the dome light illuminated the cab. Then Richard stepped out.
I froze as he sauntered toward me. “Richard, hey. What are you doing here?”
He remained quiet as he stepped into the garage. “Shut the door,” he finally said, his tone far more firm than I’d ever heard.
“Not going to do that,” I said. “Why are you here?”
He moved closer. His eyes were hard and his shoulders were tense. “We have a lot to talk about. I know what you’re doing. Old files, talking to Ellen, looking at those brakes the other night.”
My stomach dropped. “What I do in my shop is none of your business. Please leave.”
He reached behind him and produced a handgun from where it was tucked in the waistband of his jeans. Pointing it at me, he growled. “Shut the door.”
I hit the button on the wall next to me, and the door shut slowly behind him. It was dark, but my neighbors, especially Mrs. Dupont were nosy. Hopefully they’d see the strange car and call the cops.
With the gun still pointed at me, he stalked closer.
I held on to the wall for support. This was not happening. “What are you doing? Why are you pointing a gun at me? We work together. You’re my dad’s best friend.”
“Was. For a long time. But we hadn’t been friends for years before he died, sweetheart.”
Nausea roiled in my stomach so much more violently than it had over the last several days. What was he talking about?
“Your dad was a goody two-shoes who caused a lot of problems for a lot of powerful people. And when given the chance to actually make money, he refused. Righteous bastard. Not all of us are content to labor every fucking day until we die.”
He had lowered the gun to his side as he spoke, thank God, so I remained silent, letting him continue his story.
Shit, Finn was going to be so mad. After our whole heart-to-heart, where I promised not to confront Richard, that asshole showed up at my damn house.
Jesus, what was the point of emotional growth if a psycho with a gun was going to show up anyway?
With my heart in my throat, I willed myself to remain calm and nodded. “I get it. What happened?”
“I didn’t want him to die. I’d loved him like a brother for decades. But it wasn’t personal.” He shrugged. “It was business. Management felt it was necessary.”
“You killed my father?”
He shook his head and huffed. “God, no. My idiot nephew did. And Hebert. That guy’s the worst. Proud and greedy is a great combination. Makes for very useful idiots.” He shrugged.
What struck me most was how relaxed he was. Most people would be amped up. They’d be nervous and prone to making mistakes in a tense situation like this. But he stood before me like holding his best friend’s daughter at gunpoint wasn’t out of the ordinary for him.
“I was supposed to be named CEO after he passed. We’d talked about it years ago. The plan in case something happened to him. You kids would still retain some rights, but I’d run the show. And unlike your dad, I would be open to more lucrative…” He paused and scratched at his cheek. “Partnerships.”
“Drugs,” I spat. “You’re talking about drugs. I thought you were better than that, Richard.”
He shook his head and laughed. “Oh, sweetheart, how little you know about life. We have to play the hands we’re dealt.
There’s no money left in fucking trees. Too many regulations in the states.
Cheap lumber from China has ruined the industry.
The most valuable assets we have are the roads.
Private roads that go straight to Canada. ”
As he talked, his voice got louder and he spoke more quickly. He waved his right arm around to emphasize his points while he held the gun steady in his left hand. I inched along the wall toward my workbench.
He-Man had picked up on the tension, and he’d gone into guardian mode. He barked and growled, lunging on his leash.
“So that’s why you tried to kill Henri?” I asked.
He shrugged. “One of the reasons. I hadn’t counted on him thinking quickly enough to jump out like that, let alone surviving the injuries. And unlike with your father, it was personal. That prick sidelined me when he took over as CEO.”
I scoffed. “He trusted you and promoted you. How could you do this? You were a member of our family. Paz’s godfather, best man at my parents wedding. Why?”
“He was getting close to learning the truth. Then Remy had to marry that meddling little bitch. Once she started sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong, we had to change our plans. Making sure Hebert took the fall was easy, but you nosy Gagnons destroyed a decade of work and planning.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m doing my job, living my life.”
“God, you’ve always been such a mouthy bitch. I know exactly what you’ve been doing. I have access to the security cameras at the shop. Have to admit you’re smart, but I figured you’d drop it after a while. Should have known you’d rather get yourself killed than let it go.”
“Put the gun down,” I pleaded, willing my heart not to beat right out of my chest. “We can talk about this. I have neighbors. You can’t shoot me.”
“Sure I can. I’ve got powerful allies. Including some in law enforcement. Management will protect me. And honestly, I’m tired. Shooting you is the easiest option. Sometimes it’s best to keep things simple.”
His mouth kicked up in a nasty grin, and he raised his gun.
As I stared down the barrel, the world fell away.
I became singularly focused. There was no way I was getting shot.
Protect my baby played on a loop in my head.
Slowly, subtly, I reached behind me and snagged a wrench off the wall.
Then, without a second of hesitation, I threw it as hard as I could and dropped to the floor.
The axe-throwing I’d done for years came in handy at that moment.
The wrench hit him in the shoulder, and the gun went off, piercing the air.
The sound sent a violent tremor through my body, but the shot was wild.
He-Man darted forward, yanking his leash from my hand, and ran toward Richard, teeth bared.
With my head tucked to my chin, I crawled toward the kitchen door. If I could just get inside…
Behind me, He-Man was barking more viciously than I knew he was capable of, and Richard was swearing.
I risked a peek and caught sight of my heroic pup biting at my attacker’s ankles. Richard was still cursing and shaking his leg, trying to dislodge He-Man.
My legs were shaking so badly I could barely move, but I channeled all my fortitude and pulled myself up. Luckily, my fall had knocked several things off the workbench, so I gathered them to use them as weapons. I was not going down without a fight.
Richard stomped forward, but He-Man persisted.
“Fucking dog,” he said, raising the gun again.
In the next second, a deafening crash—more of a crunch, really—echoed around us, and Richard’s eyes went wide. The garage door buckled, and debris scattered. I covered my head and ducked as wood and plastic rained down around me.
Where the mangled steel stood was a truck. Finn’s truck. He had driven right through the door. Richard was on the ground in front of his grill. And so was the gun.
Finn hopped out of the truck and launched himself at Richard.
Richard lunged for the gun before Finn could tackle him. My heart stopped for an instant, and then I let out a scream of warning. But before he could get it, He-Man was on him again. This time, he sank his teeth into Richard’s hand.
Overtaken with the urge to protect not only my baby, but the man I loved, I ran toward them, ready to pummel him.
“Adele, get back,” Finn yelled, straddling Richard and grasping him by the front of his shirt.
Ignoring him, I stayed on course and snatched the gun off the cement floor.
Richard was fighting back, but he was no match for my man, who had pinned him to the ground and unleashed on him. Finn landed one punch after another to the asshole’s face.
With the gun in one hand, I hovered nearby, my entire body shaking.
Over the ringing in my ears and the pounding of my heart, I could just make out the sound of voices outside the mess that had once been my garage door.
“You motherfucker,” Parker yelled, running toward the garage.
Paz’s Beemer was parked haphazardly in the street.
My best friend was wearing pajama pants and a Taylor Swift T-shirt. The getup was in total juxtaposition to the gear she was equipped with. In one hand, she held a handgun, and in the other was a pair of handcuffs.
“Jesus, Finn. The guy will have no face left,” she said. “I brought cuffs.”
At her insistence, Finn rolled Richard over, then Parker knelt on his back.
“You’re not a cop,” he spat. His cheek was pressed to the ground, and his nose and hand were bleeding.
“It’s still fun to cuff you, asshole. I knew it,” she growled. “I knew it.”
Paz hopped over the debris scattered around Finn’s truck, surveying the scene. I was sobbing and holding a gun, Richard was bleeding and in handcuffs, Parker was gloating, and Finn’s truck had driven through my garage door.
“Why am I the only one who has no idea what is going on?”
Parker looked up at him. “Oh, sweetie. I’ll explain later. Go to the street and direct the cops, please. They’re on their way.”
“I told you not to jump out of a moving car, Parker.” My brother shot her his signature glower.
“You can’t do that shit now that you’re pregnant.
” He kicked a large chunk of steel out of his way and picked up He-Man, who was wagging his tail at him, happy as could be now that our aggressor had been detained.
“Stop being so bossy. I was trying to save your sister’s life,” she snapped. “Though it looks like Finn gets credit for that. Well done.”
Without a word, Finn got up off the floor, stalked over to me, and took the gun out of my hand. He took the magazine out and emptied the chamber, then he set the weapon on the workbench next to me.
With tears in his eyes, he grabbed my face and kissed me hard. It was hungry and messy and exhilarating.
Then he dropped to his knees, pressed his head to my stomach and hugged me while I continued to cry.
“Anyone want to fill me in on what’s going on?” Paz asked, though the words were more of a demand.
But his rant was interrupted by sirens. Finally.