Rason & Eliza - Cee Bowerman Page 0,41

voice, and I hated myself for bringing this problem into our family.

“Wait a minute. The detective is here and I need to ask him a question.”

“I’ll wait,” Dad assured me.

I looked up at Detective Lake and took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, trying to get my emotions under control.

“My parents live just outside of Vega at County Road 8 and Firebridge. I’m trying to get my parents to pack up and leave town for a while. They had a trip planned to go visit my relatives, and I’m hoping they can just go a little early. Can you call a sheriff's deputy or something and have them make sure they’re safe until they can get away?”

Detective Lake nodded. “I can do that. Give me a minute. Tell them to lock up and sit tight. I’ll have someone there as soon as I can.”

“Rason.” I heard Lout’s voice from behind me. I stood up and turned around to look at my friend, my guilt at the thought of how badly his sister could have been hurt eating at me.

“I’m sorry, Lout. Fuck. I’m so sorry.” I ran my hand through my hair with one hand while I held the phone against my chest with the other.

“You didn’t do shit, man. This is not on you,” he growled as he pointed his finger at me. “Listen to me. Tell your dad to pack and stay inside. The cops can stick around until we get there. I’m going to take some guys and go escort them to the airport or wherever they need to go and we’ll stay with them until they’re on a fucking plane to wherever. Hank’s already got Eliza at his house. Atlas and Jaz are taken care of too. Sonny’s on his way to pick you up. He’s going to take you to a friend’s until we get back and figure out where to put you until this bitch is locked down. So calm the fuck down and tell your dad we’re on our way.”

I shook my head, too overcome with emotion to speak.

“I’ve got a unit three minutes from your parents’ house now.” Detective Lake looked from me to Lout and back again. “Your friend's plan is sound. You need to disappear and I don’t have the resources to protect all of you. Keep your phone handy and I’ll be in touch. You call me if you see anything suspicious.”

“Tell your dad,” Lout ordered. “We’ll head out now. Sonny’s on his way to get you.”

I put the phone up to my ear and could hear my mom’s rapid-fire Vietnamese and my dad’s calm voice telling her to hurry.

“Dad?”

“Son, I heard everything they said. I don’t like it, but I understand. I’ll have your mom ready when your friends get here. A deputy just drove up.”

“I love you, and I’m sorry I’ve put you in this position.”

“You cut that shit out. LIke your friend said, you didn’t do this. She did. Let the cops do their job. I need to call our travel agent and help your mom pack. I’ll let you know our flight information as soon as I’ve got it.” Dad took a few measured breaths before he softly said, “Stay safe, Rason Dai. I love you.”

The phone cut off and I dropped it down by my side.

Lout squeezed my shoulder as he and Grunt walked past me to their motorcycles. The two of them roared off and Detective Lake and I watched them go.

“As much as I hate to say this, your parents are probably safer with an escort from those guys than the deputy I’ve got at their house right now.”

I chuckled, finally calmer now that there was a plan in place and I knew everyone I loved was going to be okay. “I get the feeling that they might be.”

“Rason?” Shannon, Atlas’s mom, called to me from the front door of his house. “Come in here and sit down for a while, honey. There’s nothing you can do out there.”

“Go on in, but get with me before you leave,” Detective Lake instructed before he turned and walked away.

“Come on in, Rason. Let’s get you something to drink. I know they checked you out, but I want to get some ointment on those cuts so they don’t scar.”

“I’m okay, Shannon. Thanks though.” I smiled at her as I walked into the house.

“I don’t care how old you are, Rason. You’ve had a really shitty afternoon, and you need some good vibes