Page 106 of After All The Wreckage

This wasn’t the loose, one-handed hug I’d become used to over the last decade. This was strong and sure and full of love. Ahug that whispered all-but-forgotten memories of my childhood and feelings of safety I’d long ago pushed to the recesses of my mind.

More tears came. These were slow. A drip, drip, drip that echoed the pounding of my heart.

“I’m so sorry, Kora,” Dad said to my grandmother. His voice vibrated through his chest and into my body.

Nan sniffled, and when I opened my eyes, I saw her reach for the tissues on the side table. She blew her nose and wiped at her tears.

A doctor appeared at the door, and Dad took over. “Explain to me what the hell happened here today.”

The doctor tugged at the collar of his white coat. “When I came in today, the order to remove life support was in my box. I assumed Ms. Bishop and Mrs. Marlowe had already come and said their goodbyes.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t understand. The order had Ms. Bishop’s signature. It was witnessed and stamped by a notary.”

“I’ll need to see it,” Dad told the man. “I’ll need copies of it and all camera footage for the day.”

The doctor nodded, spinning around and leaving.

Dad took me by the shoulders, pushing me away enough to scour my face.

“Now, tell me why you think this has anything to do with you.”

I swallowed hard. I still didn’t want to tell him. Still didn’t trust him because his client was tied up in this. Was Dad with the Lovatos as well? Was he being blackmailed into helping them?

“I didn’t heed a warning to back off.”

His eyes narrowed. “And you think they did this”—he looked over at my mom’s lifeless body—“as retaliation?”

I didn’t answer.

“Who?” he demanded, voice turning stony.

“The Lovatos.”

His jaw ticked and his throat bobbed. Was it a sign of guilt? Regret? “Damn it, Rory. I told you not to fuck around in your mother’s case.”

The fact that he already knew the connection caused fury to blaze through me. I was almost grateful because it pushed aside some of the guilt and overwhelming sadness. Pushed it aside enough to give me a purpose and a person to direct all my emotions toward. And I did.

“You knew! You knew the cartel was involved and didn’t tell me? I can’t believe you!”

I sidestepped him, going toward my gear that Gage had left on the love seat, but not quite getting there before his words halted me.

“I suspected. I didn’t have proof. I told you to stay the hell away from this.”

“Well.” I whirled back around. “If you’d trusted me enough to tell me what was really going on, maybe I wouldn’t have stumbled into the middle of the hornet’s nest unaware. Besides, I was working on a different case. It just happens to tie together with Mom’s.”

Disbelief appeared in his eyes, but I didn’t give him a chance to say anything.

“I don’t care if you believe it or not. It’s true.” I waved a finger at him. “And you and your cushy little political friend are involved too. I just haven’t decided how much of a villain you really are in this story.”

I expected him to be angry, to maybe even raise his voice when it was something he rarely did. Instead, sadness greeted me. “You think I’d do this? You think I’d endanger you and the woman I loved?”

I scoffed. “Loved. You didn’t love Mom. I’m not sure you know how to love anyone. Not even your own daughter. I wasa tool for you to wield, and when I disappointed you and Mom wouldn’t let you use me anymore, I became even less important. Something to forget rather than keep close.”

He rubbed his hand over his eyes. “I’ve made mistakes with you Rory, but I’ve never once given you a reason to doubt I loved you.” I didn’t respond, and he moved on. “If you don’t believe that, then at least believe I would never risk everything I’ve built working with the Lovatos. And I sure as hell wouldn’t let them put Hallie into the Potomac.”

I didn’t know what I believed. My emotions were too wound up. My thoughts were too convoluted. I had to step back. Step back and look at everything from a clearer angle. I had to do it before more people got hurt. Nan or Gage or his siblings. Demi might already be dead.

Bile rolled up the back of my throat. The bitter taste was an apt reminder of what I’d done. Of the failures hanging on me tonight. But the voice on the phone hadn’t threatened three people. Only two.

Did that mean they were done? That as long as I stopped, they’d walk away? Or would they keep cleaning house, sweeping aside any debris that could land back on them? I needed to finish this. I needed to stop them before they hurt more people I loved.