Page 23 of Wrath’s Nightingale

“Holy fuck!” Tyler exclaims.

“Dad, call the cops,” Micah says.

We come around a group of vehicles to see the SUV. It’s been trashed. The windows are all busted out. Spray painted on the side in red are the words“Nigger Lover”.

Looks like Aaron decided to take his frustrations out on the vehicle. Millie immediately comforts Lisa while Brian calls the police.

?

Three hours later, we’re all sitting around the Barnes family table eating cold leftovers. We waited nearly an hour for the cops to show up due to the non-emergent nature of the crime. After we all gave statements, a friend of the family picked us up in a passenger van.

While everyone in the family is upset, they’re taking it well. I want to find Aaron Barnes and put my fist in his face for upsetting his family.

“I’m sorry you had to see this side of our family,” Brian says.

I shake my head. “Aaron’s actions are his own and don’t reflect on any of you. It’s not the first time, nor will it be the lasttime I deal with bigotry. Aaron came tonight to cause trouble. That much is clear.”

Everyone around the table nods in agreement.

“How did he know we’d be there is my question,” Millie states.

“We always go to a show then have dinner at Bella Luna’s,” Lisa supplies.

“We ran into Scarlet at the Artist Colony earlier today,” Millie says.

“That explains it,” Brian says. “Scarlett is my granddaughter's mother. She and Aaron never married, but Scarlet is fiercely loyal to him.”

“It’s sad really. Scarlet follows him around like a lost puppy, surviving on whatever scraps of kindness he feeds her,” Lisa adds.

Millie stands up and stretches, dropping a kiss on my cheek.

“I’m beat. I’m going to spend some time with Soldier if you don’t mind.”

“Want some company?”

She shakes her head. “I need non-people time.”

I understood that. Animals have a way of healing us that no one else can emulate.

“Text me when you're ready?”

She smiles and nods her head. “I will and thank you for understanding.”

It was hard to watch her walk out the door, knowing she was hurting. I feel a hand on my arm and look to see Lisa smiling at me knowingly.

“I know how tough it is to watch her walk away when all you want to do is wrap her up in your arms until it’s all better.”

I nod. That’s exactly how I feel. I want to wrap her up until she feels better. If only I could make her brother disappear. Alas, I can’t make Aaron disappear. Not yet anyway. But I cando something good to wipe tonight’s memory out of her head. I smile as an idea forms in my head.

I have a day to pull it off and I know all the people to do it. Some of them are sitting around the table with me.

“What would you think about packing up the bikes and horses and going to Tennessee for the next two weeks?”

“Millie would love it,” Brian says, immediately.

“We could leave our dickwad brother far behind and enjoy a family vacation,” Tyler says.

“He’s on probation and can’t leave the state,” Micah adds.

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