but I watched enough cop shows to know that I should have a parent or lawyer with me, but my mom wouldn’t come, and I didn’t trust any lawyers. I already told them everything, but I guess I’d have to say it again.
“The night after…he adopted my sister and me, he came into my room…”
I didn’t make it any further because the door opened, and someone else came in. Someone I knew. My chest went tight, and I couldn’t breathe.
“Ambrose Check. I’m Delia’s attorney.”
“What the hell are you doing here?” Detective Russell asked.
“I’m her lawyer.”
I wanted to say that he wasn’t. I didn’t want anything to do with Uncle Ambrose. He hadn’t hurt me, but he wouldn’t help me either.
“You’re his brother.”
The world shifted.
“What do you mean my mom’s not coming? Where is she? Where are you taking me?”
My hands were shaking, and no one would talk to me. I was all alone, and I didn’t know what was happening. I couldn’t breathe, and my heart was about to come out of my chest. I’d never been this scared before, not even when he was hurting me. Then, I knew it would eventually stop.
But now, I didn’t know anything.
The world shifted back, and I found myself gripping the arms of the chair, my pulse racing from all the adrenaline that had been dumped into my system. As far as flashbacks went, that one had been pretty mild, but that didn’t mean it’d been fun. I could work through it alone, though, which was good. I didn’t need another long interruption while I got help to deal with my shit.
Less than ten minutes later, I was ready to put down on paper what I now knew: the law firm Min Wu represented was connected to the law firm employed by the family she’d hired me to investigate on behalf of her clients. Whether she’d known that or not, I couldn’t tell, but since Check & Sons had been the Traylor family’s lawyers for a couple generations, Ambrose had to have known when he’d sent Min Wu to me.
Seeing Ambrose’s hand in this made me wonder if he’d been pulling strings other places too. I’d never really understood him, which meant I couldn’t figure out his motives, but no matter why he’d put this case in my path, I’d find the truth.
This wasn’t for him. It was for the Douglasses and the Huxleys and all the other families like them who’d gone so long without justice.
I knew all too well what it was like to be in that position, and if there was anything I could do to help, I would do it. No matter what happened with Bradyn and me, I’d see this through to the end.
Twenty-One
Bradyn
I’d always considered myself a patient person, but my patience was coming to an end.
The kids had actually stayed pretty good for me after the whole ice cream situation, especially after I’d allowed Betsy to paint my finger and toenails a brilliant florescent pink. She informed me in a devious tone that Pawpaw had told her she wasn’t allowed to paint her brothers’ anymore because men didn’t wear nail polish, which gave me an additional reason to let her do it. Being able to play with my niece, get her to behave, and annoy my father was the ultimate trifecta.
Of course, I insisted we take pictures of a job well done and send them to everyone in the family. The wicked smile she’d given me when she asked if Pawpaw was going to get one just confirmed that she would be the Lester to look out for. If my father had thought I was rebellious and headstrong, he was going to be in for a big surprise in a few years when Betsy started coming into her own.
The three of us played a couple board games and watched a movie – one with a princess, of course – finishing up not long before Warren and my mom arrived. I got the update on Clancy, who probably would just be getting out of the hospital around Halloween, and then made a little small talk as I gauged how long I had to stay before it wouldn’t be rude for me to leave. I hadn’t minded watching the kids – Betsy’s near-tantrum aside – but now that my help was no longer needed, the files in my car were calling my name.
Without Ashley here, I doubted anyone would notice what I’d taken, but I didn’t want to