Chapter 7 #4
“There’s going to be a press conference at 4 PM.
You and Dayton need to watch. I’ll address any reasonable questions the two of you have afterward.
” I explain what little I can, hoping it’ll appease him for now.
“Also, Andi’s going to be staying here until I can figure something else out.
As far as she’ll know, this place is hers, so keep my involvement out of any conversations you might have. ”
“Okay?” Col’s confusion comes as no surprise, but he presses his lips together to keep from questioning me.
After a few seconds of watching me frantically pack away any trace of Veritas, Col starts working on the opposite side of the room.
Without needing any guidance, he quickly follows my lead, erasing any sign of the nightmare that’s been haunting Andi for far too long.
Between the two of us, it doesn’t take long to box everything up and do a quick scan of the other rooms. I toss my clothes into an oversized trash bag, hangers and all, and rid the place of any personal touches.
I want this to be a safe space for her. Somewhere she can heal, away from prying eyes and nosy reporters.
They’ll be frothing at the mouth once the story breaks.
We say a quick goodbye after lugging my shit to the truck, and I use the twenty-minute drive to the precinct to make a few calls.
After speaking with someone about the old high school and arranging to meet this evening, I rush to join the others.
Without a second to spare, I take my place next to Chief O’Connor and eye the camera crews swarming the front steps.
It’s not every day they’re asked to join us for a briefing they know so little about ahead of time.
However, it’s imperative that we get ahead of this as best we can, and while there won’t be a way to stop public speculation, we can at least limit the spread of false information by dropping a few facts.
A few stations are already live, cameras rolling as they start to address their audiences tuning in at home.
Above the whispers, I catch a few of them mentioning a heavy presence of police activity on the outskirts of town.
It’s no surprise their scanners are dialed in to the happenings of Chaplain.
With a heavy exhale, Chief squares his shoulders and steps toward the podium.
“I’m sure you’re all curious as to why I’ve asked you to be here today,” he begins, giving them a brief rundown of the events that led to us obtaining a search warrant early this morning.
“While I can’t give you much more than that, rest assured, there is no active threat to public safety.
We’re going to take a few questions, but please bear in mind that this is an ongoing investigation.
Federal agents are already on site, and going forward, local authorities will be on standby to offer any support they might require.
” Hands spring up immediately, each of them chomping at the bit to be called on.
“Is Hudson Taylor in good health?” A female reporter questions.
“He appears to have no physical injuries,” Chief answers vaguely. We continue working our way through the crowd, mostly declining to comment to preserve the integrity of the investigation, and then I’m given the mic.
“We’d like to thank you all for being here today, and as frustrating as some of our non-answers can be, I ask that you be patient and allow our justice system the chance to do its job.
Lastly, this is a public plea to anyone watching—we’re in desperate need of volunteers to help these men and women acclimate.
If you can’t donate your time, we’d greatly appreciate any clothing or hygiene items, as well as food and water.
We’ll be converting the old high school’s gymnasium into temporary lodging, so please report there if you’d like to offer your assistance. ”
I make my exit rather quickly, expertly dodging the few lingering reporters, and head back to the hospital.
The second I lay eyes on Andi, a rush of relief makes the knot in my stomach untighten.
Once she’s given the all-clear from her doctor, I wait in the hallway as she says her goodbyes to a still-sleeping Hudson.
I know she’s saddened by the thought of walking away from him, but something tells me it’s not forever.
I’ll make sure to leave my number with Mr. Taylor, just in case he needs an extra set of hands during the rough weeks ahead.
“You did good, Andi,” I whisper proudly when she finally joins me. Her two-toned eyes are glassy, but I make an effort not to stare at them for too long.
“Thanks,” she responds with a smile, her chin quivering slightly.
“I found you somewhere to stay. You’ll be safe there, and I promise if you need someone or feel threatened in any way, it won’t take me but a second to reach you.” It’s not an outright lie, but I’m definitely embellishing the truth. “We can head there now, if you’re ready?”
“Sounds good.” She nods, her gaze sliding to the closed door of the hospital room. “Let’s go.”