Page 53 of Heartless Legacy

Agreeing to use the cover story, Thea suggested explaining her disappearance was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I understand why she and Alexz think an explanation that most closely aligns with the truth was best. There are fewer details she has to remember, and shewasarrested while completing her end of semester challenge.

We’re assuming Michael hasn’t told anyone else what happened, because Malcolm never actually intended for Thea to remain in jail. His insistence that there would be no paperwork to find works in our favor. Ryker found a digital copy of the arrest warrant and fabricated the rest, to fit in with the narrative of jail overcrowding and administrative delays preventing her from being formally charged with a crime. The case file lists multiple lawyers as the point of contact, who were all reassigned after rubber stamping the case to move things forward.

Thea’s latest Public Defender of record is a Phoenix agent. She filed a motion to get in front of a judge. We returned to Palm Springs once the court date was set. That was two weeks ago.

A Phoenix asset employed at the jail helped smuggle Thea inside and got her settled in. She was oddly calm about breaking into prison. When I mentioned it was dangerous being on the inside, even with help, she told me going to jail feels more like a homecoming than going to Canyon Falls. I’ll be asking just how often she’s been arrested, after I get her safely away from here.

The hearing is this morning. We were all on edge until she emerged from the prison transport van. En route from the prison would have been the perfect opportunity for Malcolm or Lazarro to get their hands on her again.

I’m sitting in the back of the court gallery listening to her lawyer explain why the case should be dismissed, while casually hurling insults at the prosecution, for what she calls a failure on their part to give her client a fair trial due to their bias about her past record, and their desire to fast track high-profile cases to help the DA with his reelection bid.

The prosecution objects, insisting the delay, had nothing to do with politics or optics. It was just a simple run of the mill clerical error. They aren’t sure how they missed scheduling Thea for an arraignment, or the fact that she was moved throughout the county without anyone realizing she was never formally charged with a crime.

Thea’s lawyer calls the case file flimsy and points out that by the DA’s own admission; the prosecution has been unable to locate the witness that gave the statement which led to Thea’s arrest. She goes on to say that Palm Springs doesn’t even have jurisdiction over the case because the alleged crime happened in a different county.

The judge agrees to dismiss the case due to lack of evidence or a complaining witness. His signature on the paperwork is the last thing we need to make this real, just in case The League goes digging for proof. The only person to discount our version of events is Malcolm, and chances are almost nil that he’ll implicate himself in Thea’s arrest.

I stand in the back of the courtroom, waiting for her to finish up with her lawyer. I also needed a cover story to explain my absence. As far as the school is concerned, I’ve been on sabbatical. If The League asks, I’ll tell them I’ve been on another recruiting trip. Moreau’s people are thorough. A Phoenix agentdoubling as me has been bouncing around Texas, Denver, New Jersey and Montana since the moment I flew out to the ship, hitting up gyms and tournaments. These trips serve as prime recruitment opportunities for them as well.

The agent and I switched places in Palm Springs International Airport two days ago. Unlike the agent, I didn’t keep my head down as I waited for my luggage and exited the airport. If anyone goes digging through my phone, they’ll find a call from Thea’s lawyer, adding on another layer of protection to our story. The signal for my phone will show the call bouncing off of a tower in Helena, Montana, at the time the call came in.

Thea and I will be under a microscope from the moment we drive into Canyon Falls. I’m taking her straight to her parent’s house. As for getting in front of the council, we’re expecting Joshua to do what he does best. Use Thea’s return as an opportunity to save his reputation and get back into the council’s good graces.

Chapter 34

Thea

Deacon’s been surly from the moment we passed the sign announcing our arrival in Riverside County. Spending two weeks in jail was easy. It’s the streets of Canyon Falls, and what comes next that makes me want to call Alexz and tell him I’ve changed my mind.

I choose Moira as the first person I contact after my release, because her office number is easier to find. It also gives me more time before I have to hear Scott’s voice. I’ll have to look him in the face and pretend I didn’t just spend three months having dinners and meetings with his dad. I understand why I need to keep this from him, but I still feel like shit. Not because I want to facilitate a relationship between them, but because I want to tell him how much he and his father are alike. They both walked away from their children “to protect them.”

I tell myself what I need to do, what Ihaveto do, is forget that familial connection exists. Nikolaos Constantin doesn’t exist. Not to the outside world. Not anymore. The person running the Phoenix Foundation isn’t a man. He’s a menace. A vigilante. A fixer. A hero. A myth. A legend.Operations. His family are the agents and assets who work for him. His concern is for righting injustices in the world. So as much as I want tobe better than the adults in my life, as much as I want to be honest and tell everyone the truth, I want to protect the Phoenix Foundation’s employees and mission even more.

So, I stuff down all the snark I feel. I swallow the sarcasm, andyes, the lingering anger and disdain I feel about the men in my family never thinking of anything past their immediate circumstances when making decisions. I bury all of that in the same box where I keep all my other trauma, and commit myself to what I have to do.

Luckily, the words I’m about to say are true. The lie comes from omitting the other things that have happened to me since I’ve been gone. I won’t speak about it. Ican’tspeak about it. Not now. I don’t know if I ever will. Wolfe and Alexz know the basics. I don’t want to delve any deeper than that.

“Moira Hughes.” I say, when the person asks where to transfer my call. I stop my thoughts from spiraling and concentrate on this phone call. Blowing out a breath, I say the words that will toss me back into the Lion’s Den. “Moira. Hi. It’s Thea.”

In the week since I got out of prison, I’ve sat through interview after interview, recounting my story more times than I care to think about. My story changed slightly each time I’vetold it. Not the details. Just the words I’ve used and the way I recount what happened. I got more and more frustrated each time I rehashed it, which is another way to sell a lie.

Our emotions dictate how we relay a story. When we’re in the middle of processing a traumatic event, we might be cold, clinical, detached. But as that experience settles into us, and the shock wears off, our true emotions bleed into how we tell the story next time, and each time after that.

By the time I sat for my last interview, I let my annoyance show through. I was annoyed people kept asking, and annoyed about how much time I lost, being wrongly accused and incarcerated. The council said they’d review my statement and contact me when they’ve reached a decision. I’m not expecting to hear from them until after the New Year, because they’ll be spending time with their families over the Christmas holiday.

The twinkling lights on the tree mock me as I stare at the presents on the floor underneath it. I’m not in the mood for Christmas or festive cheer, but Moira, Scott, and Van insisted we celebrate my return. I didn’t want to ruin their Christmas joy, so I helped decorate the tree, but passed on attending the holiday party at the hotel.

I’m not ready to go out into the world just yet, but there is one other person I want to give an advanced warning about my return. She’ll be here soon.

“Thea!” LJ calls out as she rushes into the living room. She collapses onto the couch beside me. I brace for her embrace, but it doesn’t come. She stops short of touching me. I exhale, glad that she did, and slowly reach my hand out for hers. She grabs it, holding it between both of hers and squeezes.

“I’ve missed you so much.” She whispers. Her voice breaks, tears pool in her eyes.

I shift closer, allowing our shoulders to touch, to offer her a bit of comfort. “I missed you too, LJ. So much.”

“I thought you’d run away. If I would’ve known you were arrested…” Her voice trails off. “Are you suing the police department?”

“For?”

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