Chapter 52
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
RAVEN
K at throws her hands up in the air when the bell chimes as I walk in the door. “Bitch, where the hell have you been?”
Her greeting brings an instant smile to my face. I open my arms as she rounds the counter and runs to me. We crash in a crushing hug.
“I’ve been so worried about you.”
“I’m so sorry,” I mutter.
Kat snickers as she pulls back but keeps her arms around me. “And I see you brought your guard dogs.”
My head turns, finding Griffin and Knox right behind me with Noah between them. Griffin winks at us and barks. “Woof!”
After the other night, Griffin and Knox basically quarantined Noah and me in their house.
The fights we had over leaving the house were more violent than WWE.
Griffin and Knox finally acquiesced when Noah started to climb the walls.
But I’m only allowed at pre-approved locations of their choosing.
Their protection was adorable at first, but if they smother me anymore, I just might murder them.
My suppressed smile threatens to take over at their antics. Noah darts forward, and Kat and I break apart. “Miss Kat!”
“Noah!” Kat bends down, embracing him.
Sending Griffin and Knox a pointed look, I remind them, “You said you wouldn’t hover.”
“We’ll be at the table over here,” Knox promises, taking Noah and Griffin with him.
Kat turns back to me, pointing her finger. “I’ll make the coffee. You pick a table and sit. And get comfortable too because you’ve got some explaining to do.”
I give her a salute and sit down in our usual spot. The familiarity of the situation soothes the part of me that has been on edge for days.
Kat plops down in the chair across from me, setting down a hot coffee and a fresh chocolate croissant. My stomach growls, craving the pastry on the table, and I’m not even hungry right now. I ate before we left the house.
“Raven, what’s been going on? The library was blown up, and then someone broke into your house?”
“Yeah…” I trail off. I talked with Griffin and Knox many times about what to tell Kat. The answer was simple—the truth.
So, I give it to her.
I tell her about my brother, my parents, my time in Mystic River Psychiatric Hospital, my kidnapping, and New York. The entire time, Kat doesn’t say a word, but her face gives away every emotion. Anger, sympathy, frustration, sadness, pain.
When I’m done speaking my truth, Kat reaches for my hands. She holds both of mine in hers. Her chin quivers. “I am so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Kat.”
“I know, but…” Kat trails off, blinking. “Are you serious about shutting down the hospital?”
“Absolutely,” I affirm.
Kat nods, staring down at the table. “I have an idea.”
Less than an hour later, Kat has sent her employees home and closed the curtains over the windows.
Griffin folds his arms. “Why does this feel like we’re about to meet with the mob?”
Knox backhands Griffin’s arm. “We’d have to be in an Italian restaurant or something for that. Not a café.”
I glance over at Noah, who is occupied with my phone and a pair of headphones. When Kat started to shoo Annabelle away, I set him up with a movie.
“Mom? I’m hungry!”
Knox and Griffin snort at Noah’s louder-than-normal volume, always a side effect when wearing headphones.
“I got it,” Kat claims. She grabs a paper plate and loads it with one of everything from the bakery display case.
Noah wiggles with a huge smile as Kat adds each item to the plate. “Thank you! Thank you!”
Kat gives him the food and turns back to us. I hop up on the counter next to the cash register, Knox leans back against the display case, and Griffin stands sentry by the door.
Holding my hands out with my palms up in question, I try to get the ball rolling. “Sooo…What’s your big idea?”
“He should be here any minute,” Kat replies.
Knox squints. “He?”
We all hear the door from the back of the shop in the kitchen open and close. Knox stands, and his hand goes to the small of his back under his leather jacket as he turns to face the sound. The shuffle reveals the grip of a handgun sticking out of his jeans.
“You’re not gonna need that,” Kat comments bitingly.
“Knox, where did you get that?” I chastise him.
Griffin scoffs. “This is Texas, Sunshine. Everyone has a gun. You should know that.”
My attention switches to Griffin, who also has a hand at his back. I hop off the counter and run over to Noah, standing in front of him. The less he sees the better.
How did I not know they had guns? I might’ve suggested more sleepovers if I’d known sooner.
“Kat?” A voice calls out from the kitchen.
Is that…
“Out here,” Kat answers. The door creaks open as my skin prickles with alarm. The man who steps through is not who any of us expected.
“Camden?” My eyes scrunch.
Knox and Griffin relax, releasing their guns and leaving them in their place.
Camden looks ready to bolt out the way he came. “What’s going on, Kat?”
“Hear her out, Cam.” Kat gestures to me.
“You said you wouldn’t tell anyone.” Camden’s voice grows thick.
Kat puts her hands out to calm him down. “I didn’t tell them anything. Just talk to Raven and listen to what she has to say.”
My lips tighten. “About the hospital?”
Camden freezes. “What do you know about the hospital?”
I rub my hands on my shorts. “A lot.”
Camden’s hands slip into his pockets as he eyes Griffin and Knox, who look back at Camden with worry. Knox rubs his chin while Griffin worries his lip.
“You can tell us, Cam,” Knox reassures him.
I glance back at Noah and find that he’s still blissfully unaware. With measured steps, I approach Camden. “He hurt me too,” I tell him sincerely.
Camden pinches his lips and looks down at his feet. “It was a little different for me.”
Linking my arm with his, I lead him over to a table and we sit together. Griffin and Knox stay in their respective spots they took up earlier, and Kat joins Camden and me at the table.
“My father sent me to Mystic River Psychiatric when I was sixteen,” Camden confesses.
I cock my head to the side. “Why?”
“Please tell me that’s a joke. Tell me he didn’t.” Griffin’s tone is threatening, but we all know it’s not Camden who’s in danger.
“I’m missing something here,” I comment.
Camden clears his throat nervously. “I’m…bisexual.”
My forehead furrows as I look to everyone else to clue me in, but no one clarifies for me.
“Okay…? I don’t see the problem. What does it matter who you’re attracted to?
Love is love. What does that have to do with…
” It all finally dawns on me mid-sentence, and my chest constricts.
My hands fly to my mouth as I gasp. “There’s no way that’s legal. ”
Camden nods. “Gay conversion therapy is very much so legal and still is.”
“Part of me can’t believe the sheriff sent you there for that, but I’m also not surprised. He’s a close-minded dick,” Knox adds.
“Sheriff Jackson is your father?” My eyes just about fly out of my face.
“He wishes he weren’t. I haven’t spoken to him in years.”
Blinking, I ask, “But doesn’t he come to the bar for lunch? Does he know you work there?”
“Out of sight, out of mind. It works both ways,” Camden comments sardonically.
I always thought Sheriff Jackson was annoying, and I knew he was ridiculously prejudiced. But I figured he was incompetent and ultimately harmless. Like a gnat that won’t go away. But knowing what I know now, I’ve never wanted to wring someone’s neck more.
“I’ll kill him,” Griffin promises.
“Hell yeah, we will,” Knox joins.
Camden waves his hands, denying their offer. “He’s not worth it.”
I slap my palms on the table in frustration. “How do we put a stop to it all? How are we going to shut down the hospital?”
“I have a way, but…” Camden trails off.
“But what?” Knox asks, prompting Camden to continue.
“They could help,” Kat encourages him.
Camden interlocks his fingers, resting his hands on the table. “My father has videos.”
Griffin flexes his fists, trying to keep it together. “Videos of what?”
“Dr. Whitlock would bring in...” Camden struggles to finish his sentence. “Women. He said it would make me like them and only them.”
I think I’m going to be sick.
“How old were these women?” I inquire as I will my stomach to keep its contents.
“I don’t know for sure, but they were older than me.”
“I know for a fact that’s not legal,” I remark. Texas doesn’t have a statute of limitations on statutory rape. “Wait, Dr. Whitlock took videos of you with those women? And sent them to your dad?” My voice gets louder and higher with outrage the more I talk.
Camden bites the inside of his cheek, so Kat speaks up for him, “Yes. And we’re pretty sure his father still has them.”
“What!” I jump from my chair and begin to pace.
“So, not only is your dad aware of what Dr. Whitlock did to you, he also has the proof and kept it.” Each step I take does absolutely nothing to slow the rapid increase of my heartbeat.
Pausing my angry steps, I look to Griffin and Knox.
“I want in on the ‘end the sheriff’ plan.”
Griffin smirks, and Knox gives me a swift nod.
I flip back to Camden. “Are you willing to give the videos to the police? That would mean multiple people have to watch them. If you’re not okay with that, we’ll find another way.”
Camden sits up straight. “I’ve thought about it a lot over the years. I’m okay with it. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Striding for Camden, I pull him up so he’s standing and wrap him in a big hug. He’s older than me and way taller, but I still pour every ounce of pride and admiration into the embrace. He’s being incredibly brave.
He wipes his eyes when my arms fall away from his torso. “There’s a problem, though. I’m pretty sure he keeps them in a locked drawer of his desk at the police station.”
“That’s definitely a problem,” Griffin agrees.
“We’ll figure it out. Between the five of us, we’ll come up with something,” I reply.
One at a time, Griffin and Knox hug Camden, whispering words into his ear that the rest of us can’t hear.
Camden’s nervous energy finally dissipates.
I can understand his hesitance. We live in a town where acceptance isn’t common.
I can only imagine the ridicule and persecution he’s had to endure his whole life here.
It’s not right. If people focused on their similarities with others rather than their differences, this world would be a much happier place.
And I’ve had enough. I’ve had enough of the torment and the cruelty.
Resting my hands on my hips, I look each person here in the eye. “Let’s go get this son of a bitch.”