Grant breathed out a sigh of relief at the words. “Thank God.”
Sierra swallowed hard. “I went there…and I wanted to kill her. I really did. I just…wanted her to pay for what she’d done, for all the pain she’d caused. She nearly killed Julia!”
Grant pulled Sierra closer to him in a half-hug and kissed the top of her head. “I know, baby. And I think that’s what made everyone go there.”
“She just…never stops. And I wanted to stop her.”
“But you didn’t,” Julia said.
Sierra shook her head. “No. I…lost my nerve. I’m not as tough as I’d like to pretend.”
“That’s not true. You are very tough, Sierra. You’re just not a killer. And that’s a good thing. You confronted her, but you didn’t stoop to her level.”
Sierra raised her teary eyes to Julia before she pulled her into another hug. “She said some awful things to me again, but I didn’t care. I just…I told her I had a mother now. And I didn’t believe anything she said. She laughed at me. But I said she’d see when you adopted me. She got mad about that and threw a glass at me. I left after that.”
“Good,” Grant said as he cupped his daughter’s face. “She could have hurt you.”
“Now I can’t stick it to her with those adoptions papers.”
“Another good thing. Your adoption shouldn’t be about sticking it to your mother. It should be about our bond.”
Sierra wiped a tear from her cheek as she offered them a shaky smile. “Yeah. You’re right. Our bond.”
“I love you, Sierra. And I’m really glad you didn’t do anything to Lydia.”
“Well, what’s going to happen to me if the police find out I was the last person who saw her alive, though? They’ll think I did it. Just like you did.”
“You’ll be the most likely suspect,” Grant said with a nod. “But Mitchell can–”
“What? Work a miracle? Evie wasn’t even dead, and you nearly went through a murder trial.” Sierra shifted her weight, chewing her lower lip.
“No one is going to see that tape, Sierra. So if anyone spotted you there, we can cast some doubt on the time they say you were there.” Julia squeezed her hands. “We’re not going to let anything happen to you.”
Sierra nodded and sniffled. “I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for. This could have been any of us in this position, Sierra,” Julia answered. “Weallwent there to confront Lydia. All of us. This could have happened to any of us.”
Sierra sucked in a breath. “Well, good thing we all stick together.”
Julia pulled her into a hug. “Okay, well, you go do your sibling things with Kyle. I’m going to talk to Alex. He says he found something else. Let’s hope it’ll clear all of us.”
“Keep us informed, okay?” she asked.
“We will,” Julia answered.
Sierra kissed her cheek before she crossed to Grant and did the same. “Thank you, Daddy.”
He pulled her into a tight hug. “I love you, baby.”
“Love you, too.”
She left them alone, her footsteps fading as she stomped her way to the kitchen. Grant flicked his gaze to Julia.
“Well, that was good news,” she said with a shrug.
“Yeah…thank you, Julia. I…don’t think I could have handled that without you.”
“I’m sure you could have. You raised her.”