Page 33 of Bound By Secrets

I nod and lean back into Brad’s warm embrace, needing a little more comfort before I face the other people in the room.

His arms band around me, pulling me in tight. Our chests are pressed so close that I can feel the cold steel of the knife that's stuffed into my bra, causing thoughts of Ryker to swarm into my mind again.

I can hear the hushed conversation that Kat’s parents are having from across the kitchen. When Sophie quietly gasps, I pull myself out of Brad’s hold and turn to face everyone.

Colin stares at me with a pained expression. The pity he feels for me is strongly evident. Sophie stands next to Kat, both of them looking equally concerned and confused. Nate stands off to the side, his eyes flicking back and forth between Colin and me. I take a deep breath and close my eyes before counting to five. As I breathe out, I open my eyes again and meet Colin’s gaze.

“I’m so sorry.” His words cause tears to form, and my sight gradually grows blurry. He stands from the chair where he is seated and takes a step towards me. “I shouldn’t be asking this, but can we sit down and talk?” His tone is soft, as are his eyes.

He gestures towards the table and I give him a slow nod. I wipe my eyes to clear away the tears that are threatening to fall and I wait until he’s sat at the table before I take a seat. I glance around at the others who are still awkwardly standing around the kitchen. Brad scratches at the back of his neck, looking towards Nate and then back at me. Clearing his throat, he walks over to the fridge and pulls out a pitcher of juice.

“Drink, anyone?” I internally chuckle at his awkward but sweet gesture. No one replies to him so he quickly shuffles over to the cupboard and takes out glasses for us all before filling them. I focus back on Colin who’s sitting opposite me, his hands resting on the table between us with his fingers interlocked.

“You know my Mum, right?” He glances nervously towards his family and then nods. He leans towards me and motions me closer.

“We can talk about this without everyone here if you’d be more comfortable with that?” he asks, his voice a hushed whisper so that only I can hear him. I shake my head immediately. I’d rather have them here. I’m still unsure of whether to trust Colin yet. Heseems genuine enough, but I’d feel much safer having Kat, Brad and Nate with me.

“I’m fine with having them here.” I look up at the guys, wondering whether they’ll think of me any differently after hearing the things that Colin is undoubtedly going to talk to me about. My gaze travels over to Kat and she gives me a reassuring smile, walking over and taking the seat beside me. She grasps my hand.

“This doesn’t change anything, Callie. I’m still your friend. Anything that I hear won’t change that. I promise.” She smiles at me sympathetically and squeezes my hand.

I take a deep breath, readying myself for this conversation. I quickly glance at Nate and Brad, noting that they’re quietly talking whilst making drinks and putting some biscuits on a plate. I lean forward in my seat, my gaze colliding with Colin’s.

“Some things I won’t be discussing with you. I just want to know how you’re connected to my mum and I want to know why I remember you talking to her three years ago when I was in the car.” Shock splashes across his face, but he nods, glancing over at the boys and back to me, sorrow clear in his eyes. I lean back in my chair, my sweaty fingers gripping Kat’s as tight as possible.

“I guess I’ll start with that first.” Colin clicks his knuckles and then rubs his hands together, seemingly not sure what to do with himself. “That night, when you and Crystal were in the car, was the first time I’d ever met your mother.” He clears his throat, threads his fingers through his hair and then drains half a glass of juice as soon as Brad sets them down on the table in front of us.

“I’d been looking into your dad for a while before that due to him being connected to a drug dealer we’d caught shortly before. I didn’t have anything to go on, but I had a gut feeling that something about him wasn’t right. No one else in my department agreed with me, so I took it upon myself to try andfind some dirt on him.” He pauses, looking around at everyone in the room. I’ve been so focused on Colin and what he was saying that I hadn’t noticed everyone now surrounded the table. Sophie's sitting next to her husband, her gaze ping-ponging between us while Nate and Brad are standing at the end of the table, just watching and listening, both of their brows furrowed.

“I’d watched him for a couple of weeks. I even followed you and your brothers a time or two as well and also your father's brothers.” His hands slide across the table in my direction, causing me to scoot back in my chair. His worrisome gaze holds mine, and he slowly pulls his hands back towards himself.

“The only thing I ever saw in those weeks was a few bruises on your mother that she’d tried to cover up and a few large deliveries to the house. My supervisor said I didn’t have enough evidence to look into him any further and told me to let it go. That’s when I decided to follow your mother that night.” He refills his glass before guzzling the contents down again.

“She’d stopped to get something from the store. She was coming around the car to open your door when I stopped her. I was surprised that she spoke to me. She'd told me about a warehouse that your father had, and she admitted to me about him beating her. I gave her the option to come with me at that moment. I thought I’d be able to help. She refused because the twins weren’t with her and in all honesty, I’m glad she did because, at that time, I had no way of really helping her. I gave her my card and told her to use it if she ever had a chance to run.” That’s when another piece of the puzzle clicks, a gasp escapes me, and everyone’s eyes fall on me.

How have I only just realised?

“You’re Detective Johnson, the one Ryker told me about!” He looks a little confused at my sudden outburst.

“Wait, the sexy guy has met Colin?” My eyes meet with Brad’s confused ones. His face scrunched up in thought. His eyes flickfrom Colin to me and then down to the floor before muttering “I’m so fucking confused.”

Nate elbows him in the ribs and hisses at him to shut up. I turn away from them and focus back on Colin. My grip on Kat’s hand had loosened during the conversation, but she’s still held on to mine, giving me a little support.

“Are my mum and Crystal safe?” I ask, hope rising in my chest as I await Colin’s reply. He smiles at me and nods his head.

“I’ve been keeping them safe ever since I saw your mother in that hospital bed after the incident with your father. I can’t tell you where she is, Calliope, but I could talk to her if you wanted me to, or you could write something for her.” I feel my lips pull up into a smile, knowing they are safe makes everything feel like it was worth it. I nod and bite down on the inside of my cheek to stop tears from forming in my eyes at the thought of being able to converse with my mum, even if it is through someone else.

“I’d like to do that, thank you. Is it okay if my brothers write something for her as well? It won’t take long, I promise.”

“Of course it is. I’m still home for a few more days before I leave, so just pop the letters over, and I’ll make sure she gets them.” He pauses, his eyes examining my face. “Is there anything else you’d like to know?”

“Are you close to being able to put my father behind bars and ensure he’ll stay there?” His gaze drops to the table and he clears his throat.

“I’m not at liberty to discuss the-” A hissed breath leaves him as Sophie pinches his forearm. He peeks over at her and she raises a brow, a stern look on her face. He huffs like a child being told no. “Truthfully, we don’t have much to go on at the moment.” My heart drops into my stomach.

Three years my mother has been gone, three years they’ve been looking into my father, and yet they don’t have anyevidence of any crimes that he’s committed? How is that even possible?

“We are trying our best, Calliope, but your father has some officers he’s in cahoots with. They help hide whatever he’s doing. Your mother and your, uh, uncle have been giving us locations of his warehouses and his storage lockers but every time we get there, everything’s gone, and there’s no proof of anything.”

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