Chapter 9
Paige mopped the tears streaming down her face as Roxanne disconnected the call. Hearing the pain and hope in Will’s voice during that call had nearly done her in. She was toxic and that was what she’d done to this man.
Natalie handed her another tissue. “Oh, my gosh, Paige. He loves you so much.”
“I know, and that’s why I have to leave. He’ll do something stupid to try and protect me.” The pressure from crying made her head fell like a balloon in a wild wind.
Roxanne dropped onto the sofa and draped her arm around Paige’s shoulder. “Shhhh, don’t cry. We’ve got you.”
“I know, and I love you guys.”
A cup of coffee was shoved into her hands. “Here, drink this. I looked for some hooch to put in it, but all Natalie has in her fridge is a wine cooler. Hey, Nat, the eighties called and they want their liquor back.”
Paige snorted and almost blew coffee out of her nose.
“Haha.” Natalie gathered her mane of blonde locks into a ponytail. “I like wine coolers, sue me.”
“I’m pretty sure your parents can’t do anything to you legally.” Paige said. “The statute of limitations on anything you would’ve done as a minor, short of murder, have run out. So technically there’s no reason for you to run.”
Paige set the coffee cup aside and shoved her hair from her wet face. “I don’t care what they do to me. It’s what they could do to Will and his father. You don’t know them. They’re ruthless. They don’t care about me or anyone else, just themselves.”
Roxanne crossed her arms over her chest and raised one of her delicate brows. “You do know my family, right?”
“I promise mine is worse and far more dangerous.” Paige leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. “Once, they planted evidence on a local pastor who’d inherited a ton of money. There were pictures of him with underage girls in horribly compromising situations. Every bit of it was fabricated. I know because I posed in some of the pictures that were then doctored to include him. Plan B, if he didn’t cooperate after being shown the photos? Angelique and I would publicly accuse him of molesting us.”
The silence that hung in the air was nauseating. Even her friends hadn’t known the extent of the treachery she’d grown up with and participated in. “I know, it’s shameful.”
Roxanne took her hand. “Paige, look at me.”
She could barely see her friend through the water pooling in her eyes.
“How old were you when that happened?”
“Thirteen.”
Natalie gasped. “Oh, dear Lord.”
“I know it was terrible. I should’ve done something to stop them.”
“That’s bullshit,” Roxanne erupted. Her friend jumped up from the sofa and began to pace back and forth . “First of all, you were thirteen.” Every word was pointed and enunciated. “Second, what were you supposed to do? You were as much at the mercy of your parents as that pastor. Third, you got away from them as soon as feasibly possible. You’re not the bad guy in this situation, Paige.”
“Roxanne’s right, darlin’,” Natalie put in. “You haven’t done anything wrong. Well, apart from lying to Will all this time.” Natalie’s hand flew to her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I just mean it sounded like Will forgave you for that and he got over being mad.”
“I think what Natalie is trying to say, is that anything between you and Will can be worked out,” Roxanne added.
Natalie rubbed little circles on Paige’s back. “Yes, that’s what I meant. And besides, we’re here to help you with your family.”
“No!” Paige jumped from the sofa, almost knocking Roxanne over in the process. “No. Then they’ll come after you guys. I can’t take that risk and that’s why I have to leave.” She gathered her purse and gazed at the two best friends she’d ever had. “I can’t thank you guys enough for our friendship. I never had friends until I met you.” Fat, sloppy tears trailed down her cheeks. Geez she was sick of crying, but somehow she thought she’d be crying for a long time to come.
Roxanne blew her nose. “You idiot. We love you too.”
Natalie hugged a pillow to her chest. “I don’t want you to go.”
Paige knew that was true and her heart jackknifed in her chest.
“I hope someday you all can forgive me. I do have one favor to ask.”
“Anything,” Natalie managed to squeak out.
“Will you try to talk Will out of going to the church again? But if you can’t?—”
“Which we won’t be able to do.”
Paige gave a resigned sigh. Roxanne was right. If Will said he’d be there then he’d be there. “Then will you make sure you’re there too? I don’t want Will to be alone. I know he’ll show up, because that’s who he is.” She took several stuttering breaths. “But I don’t want him standing there by himself.”
Roxanne wrapped her in a hug. “Sure.”
Paige left before the scene got any uglier. She couldn’t bear to hurt anyone else. For a brief second she considered changing her mind and facing this with the people she loved. But just then her phone chimed with a text from her father.
Come by the hotel. We need to talk strategy.
She chucked the phone out the window, threw the car in reverse, and made for the county line.
The hot waterran over Will’s head as thoughts of Paige rolled through his mind. The longer he was on the internet and phone this morning the more amazed he was by his woman. She’d come from bad people, she was right about that—conniving, amoral criminals who’d left a path of devastation across six states, and those were just the incidents he could find. They were slippery. They’d run their con then vanish without a trace.
Something they’d taught their daughter well. One thing Paige had proven was that she was an expert at disappearing. “Where are you, babe?” The helplessness he’d been fighting off since she walked out the door swept through him again, but he beat it down. If she didn’t show up at the church, then he’d figure out how to find her.
He shut off the water and grabbed a towel. The plan he’d been mulling over began to take shape and he knew exactly what he had to do.
The next hour was spent dressing with meticulous care and making one more phone call.
“Hank, it’s Will Sinclair.”
“Hey, Will. Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your wedding?”
Will laughed, hoping it didn’t sound as forced as it felt. “I’m on it. Hey, can I get a little local police support in about an hour?”
The man’s voice went from teasing to all cop in half a second. “You got trouble?”
“Yeah, I do.” He told him what he’d learned about Paige’s family and what he planned to do.
“Nothing we can get them for?” Hank sounded a little too eager.
“To my knowledge, they haven’t broken any laws since they got to town, so not right now. But there is a long list of states that would like to have a good, long chat with Richard Rohan and his family.”
“Where does Paige fit into all of this?”
“Not a damn place, except by DNA. Any involvement she had happened when she was a minor, and she doesn’t have any outstanding warrants.”
“Hey, man, I like your fiancée, but I just want you to be aware they may come back with something on her.”
“I hear ya. She thinks they have something, but anything they could accuse her of would only incriminate them. I just need you to position your squad car outside the hotel where they can see you.”
“You got it. Hey, If you want to come to the house after this is over for a beer or twenty let me know.”
“I appreciate it, but I have to be at the church at four.”
“But…I thought you said Paige left town.”
“She did.”
“Sooooo, why are you going to the church?”
“Because I’m getting married today.”
“Okay.” The crazy was implied.
That was alright. He’d do this, then he’d go do the bravest thing he’d ever done—wait for his bride at the altar.