Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
What was with the crowd of people?
Cillian kept his attention on the cluster of four adults as he crossed the street to the police station.
Two tall guys and two women, one sitting in a wheelchair, grouped in the courtyard some designer must’ve thought would help the police with their public image.
Whoever the people were, they apparently didn’t mind the cold since they were choosing to stand outside, all glancing toward the entrance as they chatted.
Wait. Wasn’t that Treese?
He should’ve guessed, since she wore a skin-tight skirt that ended mid-way down her thighs, despite the nineteen-degree temp. At least her fur coat was thick enough to cover whatever flirty top she was probably wearing.
He’d love to hear what Victoria would say about her sister wearing such a skimpy outfit. And maybe he soon would. When he’d stopped by the station again last night, one of the cops had told him she had a bail hearing set for this morning. He’d said if she got bail, she could be out by nine.
Must be why Treese was hanging out at five minutes to nine. Were those her siblings with her?
Could be, but Cillian wouldn’t wait to find out. All he wanted to do right now was see Victoria, free. He walked around the group and hurried toward the station entrance.
“Hey, Cillian!” The female shout made him stop.
He turned around to see Treese wave and smile. Now he’d have to stop by her. Couldn’t be rude to Victoria’s siblings. He headed back toward them, returning Treese’s smile. “Hi.”
“Are you here to see Victoria?” Treese’s gleaming white teeth didn’t stop him from noticing the glint in her eyes.
Just how much had she heard of his blowup with her dad the other night? Enough either to hear he was a bad boy, according to her old man, or get the idea he was into her sister. Good thing he didn’t care who knew either.
“Yeah.” He glanced at the other three, who watched him with curious stares.
“I was told she could get out on bail right about now.” Yep, they were definitely Westons.
Robert had probably changed the least since Cillian had seen him when the kid was about twelve or something.
Same dark brown hair and intelligent brown eyes, though the facial hair showed he’d matured.
The tall, skinny blond-haired guy didn’t look familiar at all, but his features favored his brother with a little of Victoria thrown in. Had to be the only blond sibling in the family, the youngest, Hank.
That left Spring, next in age after Victoria, though there was a gap of like three or four years, if he remembered right. But the only one who looked like the girl he remembered was the lovely brunette who sat in the wheelchair.
Wow. That had to be rough for her and the whole family, especially Victoria.
“I remember you.” The woman he was observing aimed big brown eyes up at him. “I wondered if it was you when Treese told us about a friend of Victoria’s visiting the house the other night.”
She put it so nicely. Like he was an old friend paying a social call. Was that really how Treese had painted his confrontation with their dad?
Cillian’s mouth twitched as he held back his amusement and nodded. “I remember you, too. Though you’ve grown up.” He swung his glance to include the whole group. “You all have.”
Robert stuck his hand out to Cillian. “I’m Robert. I remember you taught me how to make rubber band slingshots that time you were at our house.” He smiled as Cillian returned the handshake. “My dad wasn’t too happy with you for that.”
“Neither was Mom when you broke her favorite vase shooting pebbles with that thing.” Spring smiled as she shook her head at her brother.
“I’d say I’m sorry, but every man should know how to defend his family.
” Cillian grinned, and the siblings laughed.
He transferred his gaze to Hank, who matched Cillian’s height.
“You’re the only one I haven’t really officially met yet.
You were a toddler tumbling around when I saw you last. Hank, right? ”
“Yeah. Henry, Jr., but don’t hold that against me.” Hank accepted Cillian’s offered handshake with a firm grip and a smile.
Yep, Treese must’ve told them something about the blowup. “I won’t if you don’t hold whatever you heard against me.”
Hank chuckled. “Deal.”
“There she is!” Treese’s exclamation jerked Cillian’s attention to the police station entrance.
And dropped his heart into his stomach.
Victoria. She paused outside the door, her gaze seeming to find them. She wore the purple turtleneck and darker purple pants she’d been wearing when McCully had dragged her off to jail. Somehow, the clothes were as wrinkle-free as before, and she was as elegant and beautiful as ever.
“Victoria!” Hank jogged toward her.
Cillian’s chest squeezed as his muscles twitched. He couldn’t be jealous of someone’s brother. But he was. The run to her, the hug Hank gave her—it was everything Cillian longed to do.
Though she didn’t look like she needed it. Her spine was straight as ever, her posture perfect and strong as she walked with Hank toward her siblings and Cillian.
“You didn’t all have to meet me here.” She scanned her family with her eyebrows lowered. “You have work.” Her gaze ended its survey on Cillian. Lingered there.
Then he saw it. A hint of the expression he’d seen on the faces of trauma survivors who had developed an exterior facade that usually fooled everyone. She had been bothered, shaken by spending the night in jail. But she would hide that from her family, from the world because she thought she had to.
His gut twisted. He should just pull her into his arms right there, never mind if her siblings were watching.
“We can take off for family emergencies, Vicki.” Robert’s reply pulled her gaze away, stopping Cillian from acting on his instincts.
Vicki. So somebody in her family had given her a nickname, too. Good for Robert.
“And this definitely qualifies as an emergency. I couldn’t believe it when I heard.”
“Yeah, of all the people to put in jail.” Hank wrapped his arm around Victoria’s shoulders. “Vicki? It’s insane.” His frown and protective body language showed how much he must care about her.
About time someone in her family appreciated her. Maybe all the siblings did, since they’d shown up there. They’d better, given all she’d done for them.
“What’s that on your ankle?” Spring’s strange question drew Cillian’s attention to her. She was staring at…He followed the angle of her eyes…Victoria’s ankle?
Victoria tugged up her left pant leg slightly.
A steady light shone, a red dot in a black device wrapped around her ankle.
“They didn’t…” Cillian’s shocked statement choked on a new wave of frustrated disbelief.
She met his gaze, her cheeks flushing red. Like she had something to be ashamed of. “Wearing an ankle monitor is a condition of my release. I’m not allowed to leave the greater Chicago area.”
“They can’t possibly think you’re a flight risk?” Robert’s incredulous, irritated tone was a weak echo of the raw anger that burned in Cillian’s chest.
“They’ve gone way too far.” And Cillian needed to do something about it. McCully couldn’t monitor her movements and basically shackle her for doing nothing.
“This confirms it, you guys.” Hank shared a look with his siblings, the set of his mouth firm.
“Confirms what?” Worry lined Victoria’s forehead.
“We’ve all talked about it,” Treese answered first, “and we’ve decided we need to help prove your innocence.”
“No, you do not.” Victoria adopted a motherly tone as she stared at her family. “You’ll let the police handle this.”
“The police are the ones who put you in jail.” Treese tilted up her chin in the same stubborn way as Victoria.
Cillian stifled a smile. Treese probably had no idea she’d picked that up from her big sister.
“What she means to say, Vicki,” Robert cast Treese a tolerant, fond gaze before swinging his focus to Victoria, “is that the police seem to need help in this particular case.”
“And we are not going to sit by and let our sister be falsely accused of murder.” Spring’s tone was as serious as her expression.
Victoria opened her mouth, probably to protest.
But Spring spoke first. “Even if you don’t think you need our help, we’re not going to let you face this alone.”
Victoria shut her mouth, meeting Spring’s stare for a few seconds as they seemed to communicate something silently between them.
“I appreciate that.” She lifted her gaze to scan the others.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for any of you to become involved in this.
” She held up her hand when at least two of them started to speak. “But I’ll consider it.”
Though she stood as tall and undaunted as ever, apparently the leader of their family when her dad wasn’t around, Cillian didn’t miss the exhaustion that paled her cheeks and filled the eyes she aimed his way. His ribs squeezed tighter.
She probably hadn’t closed her eyes once all night in that place. How could she? Perfect Victoria who’d followed every rule in her life in a jail cell?
It was beyond unfair. It was cruelty and injustice. If he ever saw McCully again, Cillian might do something that could get him arrested.
“Let’s pick this up later, guys.” Cillian tossed her siblings a quick glance, then stepped closer to her. Exactly where he’d wanted to be the whole time. He cupped her elbow through her coat as he bent his head slightly toward her. “I’ll take you home.”
“Good idea.” Robert’s reply drew her attention to her brother, but she didn’t pull away. “Sleep will really help right now. How about you take the day to rest, and we’ll meet at my house tonight at six for dinner.”
“You’re going to cook?” Treese raised a carefully plucked eyebrow.
“My favorite dish.” Robert grinned. “Pizza from Renny’s.”
“Of course.” Treese rolled her eyes as Hank and Spring laughed.
“You’re welcome to come, too.” Robert looked at Cillian.
Surprise filtered through him. He probably would’ve insisted on showing up with Victoria anyway, but to be invited by a Weston was unexpected. Apparently, Robert didn’t share his father’s prejudices. And neither did the others, judging from the smiles they gave him.
He glanced down at Victoria. She didn’t look his way, but she leaned, just slightly, into his supportive hold. His pulse stopped altogether. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”