Chapter 15 #2
“Thank you for saving my life today.” The awe and sincerity in Tanner’s voice had April’s chest tightening. No one had ever thanked Violet for doing anything, least of all something having to do with her ability.
“You’re welcome. If Ned takes me away, will you keep my Aunt April safe? He’s always mean to her.”
April covered her mouth and held back a silent gasp. She had no idea Violet had noticed how cold Ned was to her.
“I’ll do you one better,” Tanner said, glancing up at April, then back at Violet. “I’ll protect both of you. How does that sound?”
Violet thought about it for a long moment, like she was considering if he was even capable of doing that, then finally said, “Okay.” Violet gave him her biggest smile of the day and threw her arms around his neck.
“And I’ll help,” she whispered in his ear just loud enough for April to hear.
April couldn’t hold back a smile, and didn’t miss the corners of Tanner’s mouth curving upwards.
“Deal,” he said.
It was taking every ounce of strength inside her not to tell this man that Violet was his daughter right then and there, but she still thought it was only right to tell Violet first. Her niece just had her whole world turned upside down. April would wait before putting more on her little shoulders.
“You good?” Tanner asked, standing back up to his full height.
April nodded. “Violet hasn’t had any kind of affection or praise in a long time from anyone but me. I was worried she’d be afraid of men, but look at her.”
“She’s strong,” Caden said.
“She’s a superhero,” Tanner added much to Violet’s delight.
“Like Wonder Woman?” Violet asked, a big smile lighting up her face.
“Better,” April said. “Come on, I think we’re going to meet more of Tanner’s friends. Would you like that?”
Violet grew quiet and pensive, then looked up at April. “Are they going to shoot at me like Ned’s friends?”
April let out a breath and hugged her niece tight. “No, Sweetie. No one is ever going to shoot at you again. Not if I can help it.”
“Hey,” Tanner said, getting Violet’s attention. “If anyone even tries to shoot at you, they’ll have to answer to me and my friends. And we might be really nice to you and April, but we’re very mean to the bad guys who try to hurt our friends. Do you understand?”
“Can I be your friend?” Violet asked.
“You already are,” Tanner said, giving her back a soft pat. “And you always will be. No matter what. Got it?”
Violet nodded, then looked to April for approval. “I think it’s going to be okay, Violet. Now, come on, I bet there’s going to be ice cream where we’re going.” April nudged her forward, but Violet stopped in her tracks and looked over her shoulder up at April.
“Really?” Violet asked, already forgetting about the seriousness of being shot at. It always amazed April how fast she bounced back. Still, April worried what kind of long-term effects this physical and psychological trauma was going to have on her when she was older.
“Count on it,” Caden said, pulling out his phone and sending off a text message. A few seconds later, his phone beeped and he looked up with a grin. “Do you like chocolate chip?”
“Yes!” Violet squealed with joy. She was now practically dragging April to the door. “Come on, Aunt April, let’s go.”
April smiled her thanks to Caden, and took one last glance at Tanner before following Caden out of the interrogation room.
They took the back exit out to avoid being seen by Ned and his crew.
April kept a close eye on Violet making sure her leg wasn’t bothering her, but she seemed to be doing just fine.
Once they were outside the building, Caden picked Violet up, and April hurried to keep up with him until they reached his black SUV. He put Violet in the back and helped April in after her. “I don’t have a booster seat for her so just buckle her in as best you can,” he said.
“I don’t think Ned had a booster for her either.”
“How did he travel with her?” Caden asked, once he was sitting behind the wheel.
“He didn’t as far as I know. She lived at DynaTech Corp headquarters and wasn’t allowed to leave. She hasn’t seen the outside of those steel and cement walls since before she was three. Until today.”
Caden put on his sunglasses, turned the key in the ignition, threw the vehicle into gear and drove out of the parking lot. “She’ll never see the inside of them again.” His jawline was tight and his hands gripped the steering wheel hard enough to make his dark knuckles turn nearly white.
April understood his anger better than anyone. She went home every night for the last three years feeling it, drowning in it, not knowing what to do about it. If Violet hadn’t spoken up today, they would probably still be there, stuck in the hellish world that Ned trapped them in.
Violet fell asleep leaning on April’s shoulder as they drove, and April silently stared out the window. She wanted to believe Caden that Violet would never have to see Ned or DynaTech Corp again, but things in her life had never really worked out before. She had no reason to believe they would now.
It wasn’t long before April recognized the road they were on. “Garrett’s house?” She asked Caden quietly, careful not to wake Violet.
“It’s out of the way, and there’s no record of him being on the case. You two will be safe there for now.”
Safe. The word echoed in April’s mind like a boomerang, hitting every corner and bouncing off, like it just couldn’t stick.
The truth was that April hadn’t felt safe since the day Casey died.
She’d stupidly turned to drugs, which had almost cost an innocent first grader his life.
Sure, it was just months after her sister’s death, but that was no excuse.
April knew she had no business being behind the wheel with how she was feeling that day.
It didn’t matter that she’d been sober for almost a week, or that the drugs were in a locked drawer back at her apartment.
When she hit the gas instead of the break, and hit that little boy, April knew her life as she knew it was over.
If Ned hadn’t stepped in with all his lawyers, and thrown a lot of money at everyone involved, she’d probably still be in jail.
Instead, he made her an offer she couldn’t refuse, doing a job that she loved and hated in equal measure.
But none of that mattered now. Due to the NDA she’d signed, if Ned Dynam ever got his hands on her, he’d likely throw her right back into the jail cell he bailed her out of, and pay everyone off to make sure she never got out again.
“We’re here.” Caden’s voice and the sound of the tires on the gravel driveway pulled April from her thoughts.
She was tempted to just carry Violet inside since she was still sound asleep, but as soon as April went to open her door, Violet sat straight up, wide awake, as if she was expecting to be dodging bullets all over again.
“Easy, Sweetie,” April said. “We’re here.”
“Can I stay in the car? It’s nice here.”
Caden chuckled from the front seat. “Thanks Violet, I appreciate the compliment, but I actually would love for you to meet my friends. I promise, they’re very nice, and they’re going to love you.”
“And there’s ice cream waiting for you inside,” April reminded her. That got Violet moving, and April helped her down out of the SUV until her feet touched the ground. The place looked the same as it did before, but somehow being able to share it with Violet made it feel bigger and more beautiful.
“Wow,” Violet said in appreciation. “Your friends live here?” She let go of April’s hand and glanced around the large front yard.
“One of them does,” Caden chuckled, checking his phone. “Garrett’s inside and he said the door is open. We can just go right in.”
“Aunt April, do you have a house like this, too?” Violet asked.
“I wish, Sweetie,” April smiled. “I live in a small apartment.”
“That’s nice, too,” Violet said, skipping to the door like she didn’t have a care in the world. She followed Caden inside who was smiling as he went in.
“Kids are so resilient and accepting,” April said.
“That they are,” Caden agreed. “And I think Garrett would love to have you both over whenever you want, isn’t that right?”
“You bet,” Garrett said, slapping Caden on the back in greeting before turning his attention to Violet. “You must be Violet. I’ve heard a lot about you, and I am so excited to meet you.”
“Really? Why? Is it because of the bullets?” She asked.
Garrett glanced up at Caden, then at April.
She gave him a “not now” shake of her head, and he turned his attention back to Violet.
“We can talk about those later. But for now, I hear you’re craving ice cream.
I stopped at the store on my way home and got us a carton of chocolate chip. What do you think?”
“It’s my favorite. I haven’t had it in forever,” Violet said enthusiastically.
“Awesome,” Garrett said. “Then it will just taste even better. My girlfriend, Reese, is in the kitchen if you want to go help her scoop it out.”
“I want to help,” Violet said, and she was off, not needing any additional prodding.
“So, you want to tell me what’s going on, and why a six-year-old is asking me about bullets?” Garrett asked. His tone mirrored the beginning of the anger that April, Tanner, and Caden were already feeling about the kind of life Violet had endured thus far.
April knew it was only going to get worse, but since Caden said he invited all his friends, she wanted to wait until everyone was there and just tell them all at once.
She didn’t understand why Tanner and Caden wanted all their friends to know about Violet, but she figured since they were all in law enforcement, and Tanner trusted them, she wouldn’t question him.
He had promised to keep them safe, and even told Violet that no one would ever shoot at her again.
If Tanner thought his friends could help keep her niece safe, April would welcome them in their life.