Page 94 of Finding Home with You

Three hours later and we are pulling into the prison parking lot. I called on the way down to arrange our visit and even though a part of me was hoping it would be denied, we’ve both been granted permission.

Before I even have time to question Erin on whether she really should be doing this given everything that’s happened today, we’ve both been searched, signed in and are now waiting in the same room I saw Fitzgerald in only days earlier.

“I hope this is the last time I ever have to be here,” Erin says as the door opens and her father and his lawyer walk in.

Neither of them says anything as they both look us over before walking across the room and taking the two chairs opposite us. Once again, Fitzgerald is uncuffed and allowed to sit with his hands free, the guard avoiding my eyes as he leaves the room.

“To what do we owe this pleasure?” the lawyer asks as he slides his brief case on to the table.

“Did you do it?” Erin asks, ignoring him.

Fitzgerald glances at me before turning to look at his daughter. “Are you alright?” he asks, his voice sounding strange, as though he might actually give a shit.

Erin nods once, but doesn’t answer his question, instead repeating her own. “Was it you?”

Fitzgerald turns to his lawyer now. “Give us a minute,” he says.

“Sir, I don’t think that would be a wise move,” the lawyer says.

“Get the fuck out, Archie,” Fitzgerald yells, his face red.

With his words, I realize in addition to being his lawyer, Archie is also his fixer. The man who must have passed on the details of the hit Fitzgerald set up when he phoned Hamish two days ago.

The lawyer pauses, looks as though he wants to say something else but then thinks better of it, before grabbing his suitcase and angrily walking from the room.

Fitzgerald turns back to us, this time focusing on me as he says, “I’ll take the plea.” He pauses, allowing his words to sink in, before he continues, “But in exchange for what I’m about to tell you, I don’t want any additional charges. I don’t want to be connected to this in any way.”

“That’s not my call,” I say, leaning forward in my chair. “Not my decision.”

Fitzgerald smiles as if to say that’s bullshit. “Then best you find a way to make it your call,” he says. “Because if you really want her to be safe…”

He trails off, the implied threat meaning there’s no need for him to finish his sentence. I stare back at him, my jaw tight as I try to find the words I need to say. Fitzgerald sighs and turns back to Erin.

“He needed to be taken out,” he says calmly, almost as though I’m not even in the room, let alone that we’re talking about murdering someone. “After the car incident,” he adds, briefly glancing at me before turning his attention back to Erin. “Well, I couldn’t let him get away with that.”

“Because it never should have happened?” Erin asks, her voice bitter. “Or because it happened to me.”

Fitzgerald raises an eyebrow, confirming the answer. “He was getting arrogant and sloppy,” he continues. “That’s not how I run things.”

“So I guess you fucked up,” Erin says. “Taking him on in the first place.”

I watch as her father stares back at her, his face emotionless. A part of me wonders if he doesn’t believe her words, whether everything would be different, including his involvement in his own daughter’s life, if he had only picked her over Anthony all those years ago.

He turns to me now. “She’ll be safe,” he says. “They won’t come after her anymore.”

“And me?” I ask, my words sarcastic.

Fitzgerald offers me an ironic smile. “Well, if you can make that plea happen…”

Again he trails off and it’s taking everything I have in me not to lean over and punch the smug fucker right in the face. But I also know I need to do my job right now. That I need to stop being Erin’s boyfriend for a second and be a detective again.

“I’ll make it happen,” I tell him, hoping to god I can convince the DA on this. “But you’ll have no more contact with her,” I add. “Ever.”

“I’m her father,” he says, still smiling. “If Erin wants to see me, who am I to stop her.”

“I won’t be seeing you,” she says, the words cold.

Fitzgerald turns to her now, a flicker of something that just might be regret, flashing across his face. “I never meant for this to happen, Erin,” he says, his voice strangely quiet. “You are my daughter and I never…”

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