The Last Straw (The Jigsaw Files #4) - Sharon Sala Page 0,70
what Junior said. So prepare yourself. Your dirty secret is out, and if you so much as lay a hand on your boy’s innocent little head for telling a truth, I’ll report you to CPS myself. It would serve the both of you right if they came and took all your kids. You don’t deserve to be parents.”
“Judy didn’t know anything,” Farrell said, and the moment it came out of his mouth, he realized he’d just confirmed her suspicions.
“I knew it!” Mildred said.
She whipped out her cell phone, snapped a picture of his face, then ran to her car and locked herself inside.
Farrell was in shock.
Why would Mildred take his—oh no!
She was going to turn him in for the money!
Now the whole world would know his face. They wouldn’t understand how he’d believed he was doing the right thing. They would only see a man willing to kill. He turned and ran for the house as Mildred drove away.
Judy was in their bedroom with their youngest in her lap, sobbing.
He sat down beside her, but when he went to put his arm around her, she pushed him away.
“I’m sorry, honey. I’m so sorry. Mildred threatened something about telling Child Protective Services. We need to leave. I can’t lose you and my babies.”
Judy shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere. I didn’t go to that church. You did. You’re the one who needs to leave. This is my home. Daddy left it to me. You did this to us, not me.”
“But, Judy! You can’t mean this!” Farrell cried.
As she stood, their toddler was all big-eyed and teary at the shouting, sucking his thumb at a frantic pace and still riding her hip as she held him close.
“I do mean it! Now, you get your clothes and get out of here.”
“You can’t manage this place by yourself!” Farrell shouted.
“I’ll figure it out. But I won’t be shamed by your actions, and I won’t have my children shamed, either,” she cried.
“They’re my children, too!” Farrell yelled.
Judy took a step back. “You weren’t thinking about me or our babies when you left out of here to go take a woman’s life. Get out! Get out! I can’t take any more of this.”
Farrell was in shock. He packed without thought, throwing clothes in a bag, and then his razor and Bible in on top of it.
He paused in the doorway and looked over his shoulder. He’d never seen hate on Judy’s face before, but he was seeing it now, and he knew it was over.
“I need to go tell the kids goodbye,” Farrell said.
She shook her head and waved him away.
“You will do no such thing. I’ll tell them what they need to hear, and when they’re older, they’ll all know the truth. Just get in the car and drive. I don’t want to know where you are, or where you go.”
“Are you gonna divorce me?” Farrell asked.
“In a heartbeat, and I’ll be changing our names,” Judy said.
He stormed out of the house, threw his bag in the car and headed out of the drive.
He glanced up once in the rearview mirror. His youngest daughter was standing on the porch, waving goodbye. He looked away and just kept driving.
Fourteen
After Charlie put Wyrick to bed, he went to his bedroom and sent a text to Millie, asking her to keep them updated on Rachel’s progress, then stripped and got in the shower. The need to remove the filth in which they’d found Rachel Dean was overwhelming. He washed and scrubbed at his skin until it was tingling before he finally got out.
Tragically, Rachel wouldn’t be able to wash away the memories of what had happened to her with soap and water. They had to find this man. He needed not to be walking free ever again.
By the time Charlie got down to the kitchen to make dinner, he was heartsick and tired to the bone. He didn’t know what Rachel Dean had endured, but it was remarkable how hard she’d fought back. Such a smart little thing—somehow getting a knife away from him, then thinking to put out the light to give herself a fighting chance.
He put potatoes in to bake, then started the grill. He’d promised Wyrick steak, and she was getting steak, even if it was after midnight before they ate.
The grill was still heating and the steaks were still marinating when he went back upstairs to check on her. He expected her to still be asleep, but the bed was empty and he