Page 13 of Viktor

Her father pursed his lips. “I’m still not sure…”

“Mr. Grafton, the last domestic violence case I worked, the husband killed her because she didn’t listen to us when we told her how dangerous the situation was.”

“You can’t be that good if you let that happen,” Roy said.

Gabe looked haunted when he finally answered. “I wasn’t there. She assumed she was safe, despite everything I told her to the contrary. I did my homework on her husband. He had a temper that seemed to get worse around her. She decided she didn’t need our services and sent us home. Three weeks later, her sister called to let us know he doused her with gasoline and set her on fire. I went back to keep their son safe and apprehended his father when he tried to take the boy.”

“He set her on fire?” There was no mistaking the horror in her father’s voice. It matched her own. Who would do that to someone?

“Yes, sir. Men like this, like Roger, they’re evil. There’s no telling what they’ll do, and from what I’ve been told, your son-in-law fits the bill. He’s already violated the restraining order multiple times. He gets mad enough, he could do some serious harm to Sara or Delia. We’re here to prevent that from happening.”

Her father was quiet for a very long time, staring hard at Gabe, who never blinked. “Whatever you can do to keep them safe, I’d be grateful.”

Gabe nodded. “I want to check the perimeter to look for weak spots. As soon as I’m done, I’m going to take up my post on the front porch. If you need anything, Sara has my cell number.”

“Well.” That was all Roy could say after Gabe left the kitchen.

“I’m sorry if this puts you out, Dad…”

“No.” He held up his hand. “I had no idea things could go that sideways. Setting someone on fire…” He trailed off, unable to finish the thought. “I don’t know if Roger is capable of something like that or not, but I don’t want to take any chances with my girls. Whatever we need to do, we’ll do it. I’m taking you down to Sam’s tomorrow, and we’re getting you a gun.”

As much as Sara wanted to say no, she couldn’t. Her father didn’t understand how bad it had gotten with Roger. He wasn’t there to see the beatings she took, feel the pain of the bruises left behind. Roger would have killed her if she’d stayed. She knew that now. It wasn’t until after she’d escaped that she’d been able to look at the situation with any real clarity. He’d escalated in his beatings. She might have survived it another year at most.

Guns were dangerous, and she had a healthy respect for them, thanks to her dad. He’d taught her to shoot a BB gun at the age of six, and she was firing a rifle by the time she was ten. He’d instilled within her a good dose of fear and then showed her how to properly handle a gun. Her father always impressed upon her the age-old adage, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” And it was true. While she had no intention of killing Roger, a gun might give him enough hesitation for her to escape.

None of them would leave a loaded gun where Delia could get her hands on it either. Kids didn’t know any better. They were curious and could easily pick up a gun and shoot, not understanding what they were doing. Sometimes that ended in an accidental death. Anyone who left a gun and ammunition out for their children to get their hands on needed to be prosecuted for sheer stupidity.

“Good idea, Dad. I think Delia’s old enough to dig out my old Daisy BB gun too.”

He nodded and stood. “You might be right. I think I’ll go look for it now.”

Sara and her father stopped in the hallway when they saw the boxes still neatly stacked by the stairs. The luggage sat at the top of the stairs. Gabe had no idea where her makeshift office was, so he’d left them in the hallway. He’d had the good manners to haul the luggage upstairs.

“You go on, Dad. I’ll move this stuff into the spare bedroom.”

Sara picked up the first box and walked toward the room off the kitchen. She worked until she had them all stacked neatly in one corner. There really wasn’t anywhere else to put them.

This would be Viktor’s room while he was here, and at the moment, it looked like a hurricane had passed through. Getting ready for a signing was messy business. All the paper, empty boxes, and excess swag strewn about was testament to that. Shaking her head, she set about cleaning up.

Two hours and one aching back later, Sara wound up the vacuum cord and put it into the hallway closet. The spare room once again looked like a bedroom, albeit with a few boxes and plastic bins stacked in one corner.

Going into the kitchen, she found her mother starting lunch. Her parents firmly believed in breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Delia usually had lunch at school, and Sara skipped it most days. Living here had been a death sentence for her waistline.

“Need some help, Mom?” She went to the sink and washed her hands.

“Can you do the salad?” Sue Anne waved to the ingredients she already had sitting out on the island waiting to be chopped and assembled.

“Sure thing.” She took out the salad bowl and set to chopping. “I never asked, Mom. Are you okay with Viktor being here?”

“He’s…” Her mother looked over at her. “He scares me a little.”

Viktor was a big man who looked mean. There was no denying that. “Mom, let me ask you something. Would you have ever guessed Roger would hit a woman just by looking at him?”

Sue Anne let out a sigh. “No. He looks so normal. Your father never liked him, but he seemed so charming and nice. I get what you’re trying to say. I just can’t help feeling a little afraid of him.”

“Do you want me to ask him to find somewhere else to stay?” She put the lettuce in the bowl and started on the cucumber.

Sue Anne took her time in answering. She thought about it. Sara could see the frown forming as she worked through it. “I want to say yes, but I know that’s not the right thing to do. He’s here to keep you safe. I’m not sure Roger will do anything. I know he’s come around a few times, but he knows he’ll get arrested. Then again, what if I’m wrong? I’d rather have Viktor here to stop him from hurting you or Delia.”

---