Chapter 48
Christmas Day
Curled up on the couch with Riley and Quinn on either side of me, and Fiona next to Riley, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
Luckily their house wasn’t destroyed—just severely damaged.
So we’re currently staying in a rental close to their grandparents’ house.
I was surprised that Ethan didn’t want to stay with his parents, but I think he just wants time with his girls.
They’re all mourning and likely still in shock.
I’m just mourning, but they knew Ryan, had been to his and Ava’s house countless times over the years.
The betrayal is deep for them.
After a fairly subdued Christmas morning (the girls didn’t even care about presents and who can blame them) we’ve just finished watching Elf.
Ethan steps into the room with a tray of hot cocoa for all of us that he sets on the coffee table. “No pressure, but Grandma and Grandad would like to see you guys today. You up for a drive?”
We’re all still in our pajamas and I can feel the girls about to say no, but Fiona stands. “Yeah, let’s get dressed and go see them.”
I can tell Ethan is surprised, but he smiles at Fiona for the backup. She told him about the cameras the other night. And not to my surprise, he didn’t blame her for anything. At his core, he’s a good dad who loves his girls.
Ryan Chatelain is the only one to blame for anything. And I hope he rots forever.
He’s lucky he’s not out on bail because I have a feeling Marcus would have made sure he didn’t even make it home. And if he hadn’t… I’m not letting Ryan walk away from this either.
“Are you coming?” Riley asks as she stands, plucking up her mug, which is piled high with marshmallows. She bites one off the top.
“No,” Fiona says before I can answer. “Because she has plans.” She says the last word meaningfully.
“Oooh, right. Her daaaate,” Quinn adds with a snicker.
I don’t bother to argue with them as they hurry out of the room and up the stairs.
The rental isn’t as big as their place but it’s still spacious and the girls have their own rooms. “They sound like wildebeest,” I mutter as I pick up the mug with my name on it—Ethan retrieved all the presents and a few salvageable things from their kitchen.
Luckily the fire didn’t spread far. But the cleanup and construction will be a long project.
“So are you going to shower before you go over to Garcia’s or do you plan on looking like that?”
I’m surprised by Ethan’s light tone. I throw a pillow at his face. “Screw you.”
“I’m just saying.” Ethan sits on the opposite couch, still looking like an exhausted dad.
But the edge is smoothed out just a little.
We all know what happened and why. And there’s something to be said for closure, even if the truth cuts bone-deep.
“I don’t think you’ve washed your hair in… four days?”
“Three,” I mutter. “And it’s not like I haven’t showered.” Washing my hair has just been too much effort. And I’ve been living in pajamas. I haven’t left the rental since everything. Neither have the girls. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. We’re allowed to grieve.
As if he reads my mind, Ethan simply says, “You’re mourning. We all are. Pretty sure I’ll be mourning forever,” he murmurs. “But she would want you to go. And Garcia likes you.”
“No, his mother invited me to Christmas dinner.”
Ethan just looks at me like I’m a dumbass. And fine, maybe I am.
Then to my surprise he sighs. “Thank you. For what you did. I think Garcia was going to figure it out, or that’s what I tell myself. Either way, thank you.”
Garcia was there, had already figured out that Ryan was guilty, or at least heavily suspected it. Then I called about the fire and everyone had come running.
Garcia had finally gotten a warrant for all of Cara’s work files and had figured out the same thing I had about Ava, even before Alex had called him.
(It was why he’d picked her up for questioning.) But neither of us had realized that Ryan had been the one screwing with the majority of the testing files until he’d almost burned Cara and Ethan’s house to the ground.
Ryan had been using access to Ava’s computer to slowly change things. Then he’d been doing the same thing to Milo’s computer at work. And with the help of someone on their security and IT team, he’d been moving in and out of the building practically unseen. They were being prosecuted too.
“I can’t believe I never knew what you do for a living,” Ethan says into the quiet.
I finally told Ethan everything about my investigation and my work background.
I know I’m not supposed to, but I trust him.
Cara loved him, and he’s always been a good brother-in-law.
So while trust doesn’t come easy to me, and I doubt it ever will, I wanted him to know.
I hate lying to family. “Well I am a pilot. So how’s Gambler’s Anonymous going? ”
“Good. Tough, but good. I like my sponsor at least. And I’ve found a therapist who thinks I might benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy for the gambling.” He shrugs.
“I’m glad.” God, am I. I hope he stays on the right path. For him, but also for his girls. They need a solid parent.
He slides a wrapped box over to me, making me frown. “What is this?”
“I don’t know. I found it tucked into the branches of the tree when I grabbed all the presents. It has your name on it.”
I blink down at the plain green wrapping, detect just a hint of smoke in the air. God, their house came so close to being wiped out.
I shake it once. There’s a little tag on it and sure enough it’s my name, in Cara’s handwriting. I clasp it close to me, deciding to open it later.
Luckily Ethan doesn’t seem to expect me to open it now as he says, “Also…the girls and I have been talking about moving.”
I blink in surprise. “Like…permanently?”
“Yeah. While the house is under construction, I figure it doesn’t hurt to start looking.
But yeah. If it feels right then, I think it might not hurt to have a fresh start in a new house.
I’ll be able to sell our house probably even before the construction is done.
There’s a wait list to get into the neighborhood. ”
Yeah, I know that. I also know he’s right about getting a fresh start. It might be good for the girls to move to a house their mother wasn’t murdered in. He doesn’t say it, but I can’t imagine it’s easy for him or them to be there all the time. I know it’s on my mind when I step into their kitchen.
“There are a couple suburbs we’re looking at. And I’m just throwing it out there… Maybe you think about buying a place close to us? The girls love you and they wouldn’t hate you being around more. Maaaybe even in the same neighborhood.”
I blink in surprise. “I kind of love that idea.” My condo is a place I lay my head at night. I’ve only ever thought of home when I was with Cara. Because she was my home.
“Good. Merry Christmas, Sloane. And please go shower.”
I toss another pillow at him, but I get up and do just that.
***
I park behind Garcia’s truck on the curb because the driveway is full. There are a lot more cars than I thought. Feeling weirdly nervous, I call Alex.
She answers immediately. “Merry Christmas!”
I laugh lightly, glad to hear the joy in her voice. “Merry Christmas.”
“You change your mind about coming over?”
“I might actually. But…I’m sitting outside Garcia’s mom’s house.”
“First, you’ve got to start calling him Hector.”
Right. “I know. I will. I just needed a pep talk.”
“I think I miss the surly Sloane.”
I’m not surly, but I don’t argue.
“Just go in there, eat some turkey and cranberry sauce or whatever and be merry. You deserve a good Christmas.” She pauses. “And Cara would want you to enjoy yourself.”
I swallow hard because she’s right. Maybe that’s what’s been holding me back? I’m still sore from dropping off the roof, my fight with Ryan, and getting roughed up by Vincento, so I could have used that as an excuse. Hell, I don’t even think I need one. I’m still popping Tylenol and limping around.
Garcia…Hector isn’t the kind of guy who would question me if I said I couldn’t make it.
But after opening Cara’s present to me, I knew I needed to come today.
I have something to give him—the hard copies and a flash drive.
She hid everything she took from work in a Christmas present and addressed it to me.
Because who would have ever searched the Christmas presents? I certainly didn’t think to.
“Thank you. Go enjoy your wife.”
“I will. And I hope to see you later tonight.”
As we disconnect, I take a deep breath and get out—and I’m surprised to find Hector walking up to my car. He’s carrying two copper cups, one with a cinnamon stick in it. He’s also wearing a ridiculous sweater with a dancing Santa on it.
I grin as he hands me the mug.
“It’s horchata,” he says.
I practically moan as I inhale it. “I love this. But not as much as I love your sweater.” I lean against the hood of the BMW, delaying going in to meet the rest of his family.
He stands in front of me, looking more gorgeous than any man has a right to, especially in such a silly sweater.
“I lost a bet,” he says, but he’s grinning. “So my sister made me wear this.”
“It’s super hot.”
He lifts a broad shoulder, clearly confident. “I pull it off.”
He is not wrong. And how am I feeling flushed when there’s snow on the ground? I clear my throat and take a sip of my drink. “Any news?” I ask, needing to get the focus off me or us or whatever this is.
On the way here, I decided to tell him about the USB drive later. It’s Christmas Day and Ryan is in jail. I’m going to enjoy this holiday. But I still want to make sure Ryan is staying put.