Chapter Twenty-Two #2
Blake hurt for her sister. They would never know for certain if Beth had figured out what was going on, but Blake liked to think she had.
That’s why she had been so angry the day she had died.
That’s why she had been so scared when the man named Eric, a favorite employee of Elijah’s, had come after her while driving that day.
Eric never said a word on the matter, but a security camera outside the hospital had caught him fleeing the scene after he killed Ray McClennan.
Chase had become Ray’s voice in the end, admitting that Elijah had paid Ray to try to stop Liam at all costs from digging into Missy’s death.
At the time, Ray had lied to Chase about what was happening, saying that the sheriff was a bad man who had done bad things.
It was only after Cooper Han had heard what had happened that he had told his best friend Chase about the code.
He hadn’t realized that Ray had been listening.
Or that Ray would raise the flag of alarm to Elijah, who had had no idea there was a code floating around out there somewhere. That’s where the panic had come in and that’s where he’d gotten sloppy.
He’d wanted Beth’s laptop, sure she had a copy of the code.
In his mind, the only way to get what he wanted was to use the kids to threaten Blake to find it.
His panic had only ratcheted higher when Blake and the sheriff were seen around town together.
He’d been sure they were looking for the code too.
So, in came Ray McClennan. A young man who had his own set of daddy issues. He’d been more than willing to do whatever for the youngest Grant.
Too bad for him that Elijah had always planned to frame Ray for whatever misdeeds took place.
They’d find that out later, when Glenn Lowell, the man in the baseball cap, finally opened up.
The ambush at Blake’s home had been Elijah’s plan.
The car chase had been Ray’s bad makeshift first attempt after seeing the sheriff and Blake outside of the restaurant that Chase worked at by chance.
“All these seemingly smart guys sure made a lot of bad decisions, all because they were worrying about two women who were chasing the truth,” Ryan said after a moment. “I went to tell you at the school gym that day, but I lost my nerve. I wish I hadn’t. I wish I’d helped Missy even more.”
Blake looked at Ryan with new eyes.
He looked right on back and was as serious as she had ever seen him.
“I know my brother wasn’t a good husband or dad, and I’m really sorry for him.
I’m also real sorry I didn’t step up like you did.
But I tried to make things right. As right as I could.
From us. From Tim and me. Because Beth was a good, good woman.
So was Missy. They both deserved a long, happy life.
That’s why I killed Elijah without an ounce of doubt in me, and that’s why I’m not sorry for it. ”
He shook his head.
“Though, I suppose I am sorry for the trouble it might bring you and the kids in town. I’m sure Mr. Grant isn’t going to be happy with our family after I killed his son.”
Mr. Grant, and the steel mill, would be in a fierce legal battle for the next year, until eventually an outside company would purchase it. The jobs would stay for the Seven Roads employees, but the name and management would change.
But, at the time, Blake wasn’t worried about any of that.
“There are some things you could apologize to me for, Ryan Reed,” she said. “But that’s not one of them.”
He nodded and stood. The story was over, and it was time for him to leave. He paused though and seemed to become a little sheepish.
“Maybe if it suits you and them, you could send me some pictures and updates about y’all,” he said.
“I know I won’t ever be uncle of the year to the kids, but maybe I can be kind of like a distant uncle who sends them birthday cards and asks after their grades on occasion. Only if it’s okay with you though.”
Despite herself, Blake agreed. She also surprised herself by hugging the man. His parting words hit deep in her heart.
“Take care of our family, Blake.”
She smiled, her eyes starting to water.
“I will.”
Ryan seemed satisfied with her answer.
Then he grinned.
“And keep that sheriff around too,” he added. “He seems like he’d be one of those really good husbands and dads.”
Blake didn’t say it then, but she absolutely agreed.
RYAN ENDED UP getting sentenced to several years in prison with the chance of parole.
In his first letter home to Blake, he said he accepted the sentence but couldn’t deny he was also glad he didn’t get more than what he had.
Blake wrote back with more or less the same sentiment.
She included a picture of them at Clem’s preschool graduation and recapped the whole affair, right down to when Bruce squealed for his sister so loud that it started a wave of giggles from the crowd.
The next letter would talk about Bruce starting to run. His first long sprint was the same week that Clem started kindergarten.
Both kids used his new ability to play chase with Liam, but the boy really seemed to enjoy their game the most. He would squeal and laugh, running around the yard full tilt.
It was only when Liam had to slow down because of his hip that Bruce would slow down a little too, as if trying to help Liam out.
If he wasn’t paying attention too closely, however, Clem would run past Liam and catch her brother for him.
This became a little game all their own while Lola and Blake usually chatted from the front porch in their chairs, watching.
It was on those chairs one day that Lola finally told them that she had decided to divorce Blake’s father.
“We all know that life changes quick,” she had said. “In a perfect world, maybe your father and I could have been happy. But life happened, and I think it’s better for the both of us that we go on our own paths now. I’m okay and I think he will be too.”
Blake had been supportive of whatever Lola wanted but made sure to let Lola know that she could change all she wanted, but her home never would. Lola had laughed.
“Oh, I’m not going anywhere,” she had said. “I wouldn’t miss this chaos for anything.”
Liam had helped her move the rest of her things into the house one day later. Blake’s father hadn’t been there, something Blake had been worried about. Lola had pulled Liam aside before leaving.
“Don’t worry,” she’d said. “One day he’ll come around and realize how sorry he’s been. Until then, all we can do is love Blake hard and love her true. The rest will work itself out.”
Liam had liked the advice and thought it was more than easy enough to take.
Together he and Lola buckled down on giving Blake love and support until she was finally comfortable enough to talk about her own future.
Since she had helped solve quite the scandal and mystery without the help of a badge, they suggested Blake officially end her time off from work and join the McCoy County Sheriff’s Department.
Something that garnered a lot of support, mostly from an unlikely source. Gossip Queen Corrie Daniels was pro-Blake becoming the law again.
“Can you imagine the optics of you working alongside your sheriff boyfriend? I mean, just think about it. You solve a case as a civilian, start dating him, and then y’all are working together on another case and saving each other from bad guys in the nick of time, like in the movies!”
Blake had laughed and so had Corrie’s sister, Cassandra. Lola had admitted it would be fun to see Blake even run for sheriff. Price did too. He lightly punched Liam in the shoulder as he laughed while they were all sitting around a table at the coffee shop.
“What if she really did become sheriff? Could you really be okay with that job switch?” he asked.
Liam had laughed.
“Hey, you’re not the only one who is a fan of Sheriff Trouble.”
By the time Clem’s birthday came around, Blake had decided she would in fact start up her law enforcement career again. What position she wanted to apply for, however, was still up in the air. Liam could see even just the talk of it made her happier.
He also bought a ring. Theo helped him pick it out and was mighty proud of it. Despite Liam moving into Blake’s house, no one had minded Theo making the guest bedroom his home away from home. He spent several nights a week with them, much to the little ones’ delight.
Now he, Lola, and the kids were all inside the house fast asleep. Liam, sitting back in his lawn chair on the front porch, had his hand wrapped around Blake’s as both rested on her lap. She was sitting next to him in her own chair, staring out at the rain that had been falling for a few hours.
There were toys scattered around them, a pair of Theo’s shoes by the door, and a glass that had held sweet tea Lola had been drinking but forgot to take in when done in one of the cupholders.
Liam took them all in.
Blake noticed his new attention. She raised her eyebrows.
“What is it?” she asked.
Liam smiled. The answer was simple.
“Breadcrumbs.”
Keep reading for an excerpt from Captured in West Texas by Barb Han.