she was headed out to get some clear soda for the kids. It was found not far from her body with the receipt inside the bag.
What do you know about what happened? I’ve not done anything to anyone but Margo, and I doubt very much she’d be sober or straight enough to know how to hurt someone. Rogen told him it was a professional. You mean as a hit? Who would do that? I’m assuming it has something to do with the kids.
I’m still looking. There are a couple of things I need to ask you when you get here. Also, I’ve hired a few people to tail you home and watch the place when you leave. I don’t know that Cindy told them anything, but I won’t take that chance with those kids. He thanked her. No need for that, Jonas. You’re a good man.
Can you do me a favor? Margo claims that she has a brother, someplace. I have no idea if that’s a fabrication on her part or not, but his name is Benson. That’s all I know. Last name is either Whitman or Winterman. She wasn’t sure either. Rogen laughed. I know. How could you forget your own brother’s name? Anyway, he might well have washed his hands of his sister and will take the kids as his own. I don’t care one way or the other. I’ll adopt them myself if it comes to that.
Rogen said she’d do that now. After closing the connection with her, he was ready to get the kids into the van. There was a meltdown from Thomas when Dad tried to help him into the van seat. It took them an extra twenty minutes or so to calm him down. Even then, he was still crying. Hailey didn’t want to get into the car seat. He finally had to have Dawson give both Thomas and Hailey something to calm them down.
Jonas wanted to cry. He wasn’t a whiny person, and he thought of himself as being made of stronger stuff. But this was stressing him out to the limit. It was Dad that took him aside and told him to get himself home by running as his tiger.
“I can’t do this to you guys. You’ve seen how upset they are.” Dad told him they could more than likely feel his stress too. “I’m upsetting them?”
“Yes. You don’t have to talk to see that you’re upset. You’re doing a good job of being a good man to them. But like all kids, they know. You just get yourself on home and let your cat out for a while. Nothing calms me faster than a good run. You’ll see, son, they’ll be right as rain when we get them to your momma.” He didn’t want to, but he knew he wasn’t his usually quiet self around the kids. Too much, he told himself. “Go on now. You go to the house, and we’ll be there soon. You’ll feel better for it.”
He did what his dad suggested. Jonas did feel better when he got home. Mom had been waiting for him with some clothes, so he was ready to deal with the kids better when they arrived. The entire house smelled like chicken soup. It was enough to make him feel like he was doing the right thing in bringing them all here to be with his family.
Sitting Bobby on one of the kitchen chairs with his leg propped up, he told his mom that he could eat a little. That he was feeling better. Sarah was holding onto Jonas tight enough that he was sure she was going to leave marks. It wasn’t until Allie and Beck showed up that she let Beck hold her. Thomas was still sleeping off the medication that Dawson had given him, and Hailey watched his mom preparing the soup. He was surprised when she asked for a bottle of water. Then she ate the soup. Jonas was so happy that he did a little jig.
Rogen joined them just as Thomas was waking up. She took one look at Bobby and asked him if he was all right. When the little boy dropped his head, Rogen pulled it back up and looked at him.
“When I ask you something, I’d like an answer, if you don’t mind.” He told her he was sorry. “Why? Because some fucktard hurt you? You have nothing to be sorry for, Bobby. You were hurt by a monster, and from what I understand,