Page 75 of Sutton's Shadow

“Jesus, Ronnie. What does it matter if I take her stuff? What are you going to do with it?”

“Sell it,” she sneered with a grin that looked out of place on her Botox-frozen face. Not a single forehead crease, no laugh lines, nothing to prove she was anything other than a wax doll. It made him sick to see her appear so fake. She had once been beautiful, but was all fabricated finery now.

“Nope. Not gonna happen. I’m taking her stuff, and you can’t prevent it.”

She cackled, a sound that made his skin crawl. “This gun says different.”

In a flash, he was in front of her and had wrenched the weapon from her grip. He ejected the clip and extracted the chambered round, pocketing them just as quickly. Flicking the safety back on, he slipped the Glock into his waistband at his back.

Ronnie let out a high-pitched growl, then let loose a barrage of curses.

“Sutton, can you pick up the boxes and get started in Bethany’s room for me?”

“Sure. You’ll be okay?” He could sense she was reluctant to leave him to deal with his mother alone.

“I’ll be fine, babe.”

She hesitated another few seconds, then gathered the boxes and a roll of tape and ambled down the hall.

“Who’s the slut?” Ronnie jeered.

“None of your business.”

Ronnie moved to the mantel; Wyatt watched her carefully, unsure if she had another weapon hidden somewhere. She grabbed a bottle off the mantel, unscrewed the top, and tipped it to her lips. She took a large swallow, then coughed.

“I see you’ve made some changes,” he stated, his eyes running over her.

“You like? I feel like a new woman.”

“And where did you get the money for your ‘new woman’ accessories?”

“None of your business,” she mocked, throwing his words back at him. He wondered why he hadn’t been told she’d been released from jail. It obviously had to have been soon after she’d been arrested in order to have the time to get the implants and other work done.

She took another swig from the bottle. The faux polish she had fabricated in her outward appearance obviously didn’t extend to her mannerisms.

“You gettin’ your jollies off with that girl?” She indicated with the jut of her chin to the hall where Sutton had disappeared. “So, tell me, how often does she spread her legs for you?”

Instead of answering, he turned and stalked down the hall, intending to help Sutton as Ronnie’s cackle followed him. The faster they could pack up her stuff, the faster they could leave.

Entering the room, he grabbed a box and started emptying drawers into it, not caring if things were packed neatly. Sutton gave him a look as if to ask if he was okay. He nodded and moved to the next drawer.

In silence, they packed up Bethany’s clothes, knickknacks, and other trinkets she’d collected over the years. Sutton found a photo album, which she flipped through quickly, her lips tilted up in a smile. He peered over her shoulder, noting most were photos of him and Bethany. A few were pictures he’d emailed to her from his time in the Rangers. The rest were of her school friends.

Sutton paused on a picture from the first time he’d met his baby sister. He’d had a couple of days of leave time and rushed home, excited to meet her. He’d fallen in love instantly as he’d held her in his arms. Things had been good then. Ronnie was clean, and he’d thought Bethany would be safe with her, so he’d returned to his team. But it wouldn’t last. Ronnie’s sobriety crashed and burned when Bethany was five, and Wyatt began his yearslong battle to keep his sister safe.

Sutton traced the images with her finger. “I like this one.”

“One of my favorites too.”

“She was a beautiful baby.”

“An angel.” That made Sutton smile at him over her shoulder. He kissed her briefly before turning back to the chore at hand. After several boxes were packed, he carried them out to his car, Ronnie’s seething eyes following his every move.

Finally, with the job done, he could walk away from this place and never have to see it again. But being who he was, he couldn’t leave his mother unprotected. He took the gun out of his waistband and handed it back to Ronnie.

“For protection, which is more than you ever gave to your daughter,” he snapped.

“You think you’re all high and mighty, don’t you? Think you’re better than me?”

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