Torn Away (The Torn Series Book 1) Read online

  Drew considered, nodded. “Fine. We’ll say I believe you for now.”

  “You oughta,” Frank snapped. “You know I’m a man of my word. And I told you what I’d do. I don’t suppose that’s what happened.”

  Drew tensed. “No.”

  “Well then, there you go,” Frank said. He took a drag and the tip of the cigarette glowed bright. “I had nothing to do with it. But this wasn’t part of our arrangement.”

  Drew stepped forward. “I’m changing our arrangement. I’m back and this time I’m staying.”

  That statement had all traces of humor draining from Frank’s face. “That’d be a mistake. You’re not wanted here. By anyone.”

  Drew raised his chin in defiance. “I’m needed here.”

  Frank laughed again, scratched an itch on his arm. “You mean your sister’s brat. He’s better off without you.”

  “No,” Drew responded. “He’s better off without you. I want to make sure you understand that. Ashley thinks I’m here to find out if you plan on showing up to the funeral. She thinks you might have an interest in meeting your grandson. I know better. I’m to make it clear you know better. You stay away from Ashley, you stay away from Cole, and I’ll stay away from you.”

  Frank reached back to his neck. Rubbed and stretched out. “You’ve got balls, coming into my home and telling me what to do. I may be a little older, but I can still beat your ass to the ground.”

  Now Drew smiled. “Anytime you want to try, feel free. But you stay away from them. Or I’ll do to you what you used to do to me.”

  Frank put his hands on his hips. “You threatening me?”

  Drew slowly inched to his right. “You bet your ass.”

  The two men stared at each other, each waiting for the other to blink.

  “Lucky for you,” Frank said. “I’ve got no interest in him. But you want to keep something in mind. Kelli may be on a slab at the coroner’s office, but you’ve still got another sister. And now you’ve got a nephew to think about. So be real careful about your next move.”

  The General had to hand it to Drew, he was right. He hadn’t thought anything in this house would surprise him. He was wrong.

  “Are you actually threatening to have your own grandson harmed?” The General said.

  Frank’s eyes slowly slid towards the General. “Harmed? If Drew here steps out of line, I don’t think harmed is the word I’d use. Drew knows what will happen to him.” His eyes returned to Drew as he blew out smoke. “He knows.”

  Drew inched closer, further to his right. Staying on his father’s left, ready. “You’ve made yourself very clear. Now let me make something else clear. Anything happens to them. Anything at all, I’ll end you.”

  Once again, Frank was silent. He took one last drag, blew out more smoke and stubbed the cigarette out. Slowly, he reached to his back pocket. “That so?”

  Drew waited.

  Frank grabbed the gun and swung it towards Drew’s head. Blow them both away and claim they threatened him. That was the plan.

  The General had his sidearm in his hand, aimed it at Frank’s chest, his finger on the trigger.

  Drew moved in, twisted the gun out of his father’s grip, grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his father’s back, slamming him face first onto the counter. Quickly, he placed the gun to his father’s temple. “Well, isn’t this something? Seems to me, last time we spoke, our positions were reversed. Except if I recall, you had your gun in my mouth.”

  Frank started to curse and threaten, until Drew twisted his father’s arm tighter. “Let’s lay our cards out on the table. I didn’t come back here to clear my name. I don’t give a shit what anyone thinks of me. I’m not looking under that rock. But if you come anywhere near my family, I’ll bury you under one. I’m not the same kid. Despite popular opinion, I hadn’t taken a life back then. I’ve been to war since. I’ve killed. I know how to do it. I will do it and I won’t give it a second thought. You stay away.”

  Drew gave his arm one last twist, took a sadistic satisfaction in the cry of agony from his father, and stepped back. In a quick move, he dropped the clip out of his father’s Glock, slid out the chamber and let the pieces fall to the floor. He nodded to the General and together, they headed for the door.

  They didn’t speak as they left, and neither bothered to close the front door as they headed to the SUV together. As soon as they were inside, Drew slammed the car into drive and took off.

  “You want to tell me what the hell that was all about?” the General said. “What deal did you make with that man?”

  Drew didn’t look at the General as he sped through the streets. “I think you should be able to guess.”

  The General looked behind them to the house they’d left. “Your father threatened your sisters if you came back here? He threatened to have them killed? And you believed him?”

  Drew clenched his jaw. “Yes. To all of the above.”

  “Then how do you know he didn’t kill Kelli?”

  Drew pulled over to the side of the road, bringing the car to a screeching halt. “Kelli was killed quickly from behind. Her throat was slit. She bled out.”

  The General waited for more. It didn’t come. “And that means what?”

  Drew closed his eyes. “She wasn’t sexually assaulted. She wasn’t raped. If my father had done what he threatened to do, she would have been raped.”

  The General had no idea what to say. “And you’re sure he really would have done it?”

  Drew opened his eyes, locked them with the General’s and prayed to God he would take his word for it when he replied. “Without a doubt.”

  Cole sat on the bed in the room where his mother slept for just a few weeks. She hadn’t fully unpacked. He knew it was so they could quickly leave if she decided they needed to run.

  Three days before she was killed, she’d asked him if he liked living here with his Aunt Ash and Lilly. He’d sat under a tree in the backyard, reading a book Lilly had given him from the store. Smiling, he’d said, “Yes.”

  He wondered now, if he hadn’t been so quick to tell her that, would they have left that night? The next morning? Would she still be alive?

  Cole managed to swipe another few singles from his Aunt. He almost got caught. His uncle had been there, but he’d looked away long enough. He didn’t like stealing from Aunt Ash or Lilly. He was still scared of his uncle. He had started to be less afraid, to believe maybe he was a ‘good man’ like his mother said.

  Then last night he heard what Ollie said to him. What he didn’t hear was his uncle deny it.

  Aunt Ashley came out of the closet and placed two outfits down on the bed near him. Both were his mothers. They were plain, which could be said of everything his mom wore. One was dark, with white lines on it. The other was a lighter, pale blue with pink flowers.

  “Okay, this is the last decision,” Ashley said. “What should she wear? Are you okay to help with this?”

  Cole nodded. It was hard, but it was probably the last thing he would be able to do for her. He wanted to be a part of it. It meant something.

  “This one,” he pointed to the pale blue one. “She liked that one better. I remember her wearing it.”

  It was the one Ashley hoped he’d pick. She folded it up neatly. “I’m going to take this over to the funeral home. They’ll dress her. They’ll make her pretty.” Ashley sat next to him, careful not to be too close. “Her funeral in Sunday. You know it’s okay to cry. I’m sure I’m going to.”

  He didn’t answer.

  “I can barely remember when my mom died,” Ashley said. “What I do remember is being very sad. I cried a river that day I’m sure. In fact, I’m pretty sure I made a scene somewhere along the line. Your mom cried too, but she was a silent weeper. I remember her telling me it would be okay. Trying to get me to hush. Drew just let me wail. I even hit him.”

  Cole looked up. “Why? Did he hurt you?”

  Ashley shook her head. “No. I was just angry and I want
ed to hit someone. That someone was Drew.”

  Cole thought about that. He’d seen pictures of his mom with Aunt Ash and Uncle Drew. He was bigger than they were. “What did he do? Did he get mad?”

  Ashley wanted to take him in her arms and hug him, but she knew he hated to be touched. “No. He just let me. I’m pretty sure I hit him more than once. He just let me until I was done. I knew he wouldn’t hit me back.”

  Cole looked over at the dress he’d helped pick out for his mother. “But he did hurt you. That's why you’re angry with him.”

  Ashley nodded. “He did. But I know he’s trying to make it better.”

  Cole reached out, took her hand. “Yesterday, he said he screwed up. Well, he didn’t use that word, but you get mad when I say shit.”

  Ashley was so moved he was holding her hand, she didn’t point out he just used that word again.

  “Anyway, I’m pretty sure he knows he screwed up,” Cole said. “He’s sorry. I don’t know if you care.”

  Ashley nodded and started to cry. “I do. I’m trying to forgive him.”

  Cole looked up, saw her tears. He figured sometimes women cried and a guy had to do something about it. He moved closer and hugged her. “I won’t let him hurt you again.”

  “You’re quiet,” Ollie said.

  “Hmmm?” Sam replied.

  They sat in their squad car, in the parking lot of the station, each with a clipboard, filling out paperwork.

  “I said you’re quiet. And distracted. What’s up, partner?”

  Sam didn’t want to dump on Ollie, but decided she had to dump on someone. “I was thinking about the Duncan case. Have we looked at the father?”

  Ollie was taken aback. “As a matter of fact, yes. He’s got an alibi. He was in a bar full of ex-cops. From what I understand, they had to pour him into a cab, which happened about an hour after the time of death window closes. He was too drunk to do much anyway. Why?”

  Sam didn’t answer. “I guess it doesn’t matter.”

  “Sure it does,” Ollie said. “Out with it, partner.”

  With a sigh, Sam dove in. “I saw Drew last night.”

  Ollie blinked. “You what?”

  Sam rolled her eyes. “Oh, relax. I was jogging in the park. I saw him burst right by. Nearly ran right into the barricades. We talked a little bit and he was pretty on edge. I thought he could use someone to talk to, so I invited him for a cup of coffee. I don’t want to go into detail unless it’s germane to the investigation.”

  Ollie did his best to stay calm. “And you’re saying what you talked about wasn’t germane?”

  Sam shook her head. “Not if the father is in the clear.”

  She went back to her paperwork, with Ollie staring daggers at her.

  “Don’t let him fool you, Sam,” Ollie said. “He’s not a good guy.”

  Sam looked up. “He loves his nephew and sister.”

  Ollie scowled. “He’s still a person of interest in Molly Winter’s disappearance. You’re a cop. Hooking up with him for a thrill isn’t going to be good for your career.”

  Sam’s eyes narrowed. “You know damn well there was no real evidence against him. And yes, he was an ass to you, but that was a long time ago. And right now, you don’t have room to talk about someone being an ass.” She reached for the door handle, swung it open and started to get out. “I know you blame Drew for a miserable childhood and I’m sure he deserves it, but don’t blame him for the fact you haven’t been able to get together with Ashley. You’ve had years without him to make that happen and you haven’t. I think Drew just may have grown up over the years. Maybe it’s time you did the same.”

  Before he could respond, she slipped from the squad car, slammed the door and stormed into the station alone.

  Ollie hadn’t planned on mooching dinner off of his mom. He hadn’t even planned on going to see her. But when he got to the turn off to his place, he kept going until he got to hers. When he pulled up into her driveway, he figured he’d just stay a few minutes at best. After all, she probably had better things to do.

  When he walked in and she smiled, he knew he was staying for a while. “Ollie, how nice to see you. I was just about to order dinner for myself. Have you eaten?”

  Ollie shook his head, and she told him to go ahead a make himself comfortable why she ordered for them. He wandered into the living room and collapsed on the couch while his mom ordered dinner. Strange, he thought, how she doesn’t even need to ask what I want.

  Ann Miller knew her son. She knew exactly what he wanted for dinner when they had Chinese; how to tell when her son was bursting at the seams with great news he couldn’t wait to share, and the look he got on his face when he had something he needed to talk about, but wasn’t quite ready.

  Ann raised Ollie without help. It hadn’t been easy, especially with her blossoming career as a police officer, but somehow they made it work together. Ollie never resented the fact she often worked late or even through the night. Ann made her career mostly in the larger Albany departments, not in her own home town of Ember Falls. She’d known she had no place in a department as corrupt as the Ember Falls PD, but when the police sheriff died of a heart attack under less than stellar circumstances, they asked her to come in and help reform the place.

  When dinner arrived, it was exactly what he would have ordered for himself. Mothers, he thought as he scooped lo mein noodles into his mouth. As they ate, they talked about work. Mostly, she talked and he listened.

  When dinner was done and the leftovers packed away, Ollie figured he’d head home, but found he was in no rush.

  “So what’s on your mind Ollie?” Ann asked as she joined her son in the den.

  “What makes you think something’s on my mind?”

  Ann smiled. It was one of the things Ollie loved most about his mom. Growing up, no matter what was going on, she always managed to smile through it. She usually got him smiling too.

  Even now, when she was past fifty, she still had a smile that could light up a room. Her dark, shoulder length hair was graying a little. Her frame a little heavier than it used to be, but as long as she had that smile, she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

  “Alright,” Ollie said. His face flushed. Fact was, after all these years, at the heart of it, he was still a mamma’s boy. “Drew Duncan is back in town.”

  Ann nodded. “He returned for his sister’s funeral.”

  “No,” Ollie said. “He’s staying. At least that’s what he’s saying. According to Ashley, Kelli emailed him a few days before she was killed. He just got the email early that morning. He was in Mexico on business. He kept his old email account open, but didn’t check it every day. So he found out, replied, and that’s how Lilly got his number to call him.”

  Ann closed her eyes a moment. “That’s very sad. If he’d checked a day or so earlier, he could have talked to her. I’m sorry he never got that chance. Did Ashley say what he was doing in Mexico?”

  “Yeah,” Ollie replied. “Although I’m not sure I believe her. I mean, I believe Ashley, but I don’t know if she was told the truth.”

  Ollie filled his mother in on the story the General told Ashley, leaving out Ashley’s use of colorful adjectives. As he finished, he his mother nodded.

  “I’ve heard of McAlister Securities. I was at a conference recently where one of the police sheriffs in another town worked with them. A family had a teen girl go missing. All evidence seemed to point to it being a runaway, but the family insisted it wasn’t. They hired McAlister Securities to come in and investigate. As I understand, the detectives in charge of the case weren’t happy because they felt like they did their job, but the family had the means to hire private. According to the sheriff I spoke to, he said McAlister’s people came in and worked with the cops. Turns out they were right, the kid did run away, but the McAlister people also found out the kid got in trouble while she was on the street and was being held, helped the family locate her. How long has Drew worked for them?�
��

  Ollie shrugged. “Not sure. Whenever he got out of the Marines, which I didn’t even know he’d served. Anyway, the point is, Drew was told his sister’s dead. Now he comes back into town and he’s saying he’s here to stay.”

  “Well good,” Ann said. “I’m sorry he didn’t get the chance to reconnect with his sister, but I think it’s good he’ll be there for Ashley and Kelli’s son.”

  Ollie grimaced.

  “You disagree?”

  Ollie sighed. “I don’t know. My first instinct is to say no. But Ashley tells me he’s connected with Cole. He brought Cole to the station you know. Cole wanted to ask questions and see his mom. I thought Drew was nuts, taking Cole there. Hell, I thought he was being a bastard. But when he was there, he was downright gentle with the kid. You could tell he cared. Let Cole decide what to do, what to ask. Gave him the option of backing out and even told him he was scared.”

  Ann hadn’t met Cole Duncan yet, but she’d seen plenty of children who had to deal with the death of a parent. Some needed to be protected from the sight of their parents, others needed to see it for themselves.

  “How did Cole handle it?”

  Ollie closed his eyes, as if that could shield him from the memory of seeing the little boy’s pain. “Cole just got this stone cold look on his face. He turned to tell Drew he was ready to leave and saw Drew crying. And dammit, that was what the kid needed. He finally broke down and cried his heart out and let Drew hold him. Something the kid has never liked.”

  Ann raised an eyebrow. “Cole doesn’t like to be touched?”

  “No,” Ollie said. “He won’t talk about what happened, but from what I understand he and Kelli had it pretty rough. I’ve talked to him a few times. He’s a cool kid. Smart, asks interesting questions. He’s mostly quiet, but within seconds I could tell he was afraid of me. At the same time, I think he likes me. Does that make any sense?”

  Ann nodded. “Sure. You’re a likable guy, but you’re still a man. A decent sized one. If he was abused, it’s normal for him to be skittish.”