Page 23 of Levi
What could he possibly have to explain?
I look over at Mitch and Tina, and see them shooting daggers at him.They aren’t trying to hide their distaste for him at all.
“You have to understand, when we got that call to come back home, it was the worst thing a parent could go through.Finding out that their child could die before you can even get a plane ride home was the most helpless feeling in the world.”He loosens his tie from around his neck.He looks like he’s aged ten years.“We landed here in LA and I received a call from one of the partners at the firm.They had someone from the police tell them of the arrest that was going to be made in connection with your car bomb.When I found out who it was I didn’t believe it at first, but then they sent me the videos of the fight you had at the restaurant and my mind started to go all over the place.No one ever wants their child hurt, and when it does happens they want to hurt the person right back.I am so sorry and you have to know that I’d take it all back if I could.”
What is he talking about?What does the fight Saylor and I had at the restaurant have to do with who put a bomb in my car?
“Okkkkay?”I’m still confused.
“What he’s trying to say is that he did nothing when Saylor was arrested as the number one suspect for the bomb, right here at the hospital, in front of your room,” Tina spits out while continuing to stare holes into my father.
“WHAT?”I yell, despite my sore throat.My chest begins to hurt, and I move my heavy hand to try and relieve some of the pressure.
“They handcuffed her and paraded her out in front of the press before driving her to the police station.”Tina seethes, not trying in the least to curb her distain for him.
The guilty look on my father’s face says it all.
“I…you…” I can’t even form words, much less a sentence.“Where is she now?Still not there, I hope.You better pray to God that she better not still be there!”I grit towards my father.How in the hell could anyone think Saylor would be responsible for something like that?
“She’s not there, son.She was…released,” He solemnly states, and then hangs his head.
“Oh, thank god!”I say, and let out a deep breath.
“Tell him the rest Daniel Thorne,” Mitch pipes up.He’s never used my family’s first name before, and he’s been with me for many years.
“There’s more?”I question.How can there be more?What in the ever-loving hell is going on?
“Oh, there’s more, little brother.A lot more.”Lincoln chimes in.
“I… I thought she was the one who set this entire thing into motion.I wasn’t thinking clearly.You have to understand, I was in a really bad place thinking that you were never going to wake, or even make it through the night.”He tries to justify his actions.“The Detective said they had enough evidence, and it was a solid motive.”
“Just say it.”
He huffs then starts, “I went to the station and she was just starting to be questioned by Detective Ford, so I interrupted them and got the room cleared.I…we spoke for a few minutes and then I told her that I couldn’t represent her, due to a conflict of interest.”
“Okay but you could have had one of your other associates be her attorney,” I say, trying to move this along so someone can bring her to me.“Or Lincoln could’ve had someone from our firm handle it.”
“I couldn’t do that because we were representing you.”
I know I just woke up after three months, but none of this is making any sense.Why would he represent me when I have my very own law firm with my brother?
“The firm couldn’t because we were handling your side of the divorce proceeding,” he says the ‘D’ word, and a white flash covers my eyes and my head starts to throb.
“The d-why in the fuck… who said anything about…”
The beeping from the machines start to go off, and my body is heaving from my breathing.
“Calm down, Levi or you’ll pass out,” Mom says as she rubs my arm, but right now the only thing I can think of is throwing my father out the nearest window.
I close my eyes and start to count to ten, but end up at two hundred and fifty-five.The machines have quieted back down and I train my eyes back on my traitorous father.
“Son, I saw the videos and thought that was what you wanted.You basically implied it and I wanted to protect you.The Detective said he had enough motive to start the arrest process.”
My ears are burning from listening to him try and justify his actions regarding my pregnant wife being tossed into a jail cell like some criminal off the streets.
Pregnant.Oh god, the baby.
“So, you left her there to fend for herself?Did she look like someone capable of causing a car to explode, Dad?”I spit so much venom out of my words.“She was four and a half months pregnant.Do you think she could’ve made the bomb in the back of her bakery, in between baking cookies and cake?”I scream.
