Page 98 of Free to Believe
When I searched the address last night, I learned I’d be going to a place called Hudson Investigations. Even though Em never gave me their last names, I quickly recognize the owner profiles on the site as her brothers-in-law. Their first names are so distinctive, there’s no way it’s not them. There’s also no way after reading about Hudson operations online I don’t recognize I’m not headed into an interrogation.
It’s a quarter to nine. I glance up at the receptionist, who looks like he could take me down with one hand tied behind his back. I haven’t seen anyone enter or exit since I came up the elevator with a security escort ten minutes ago. I wonder if one of their techniques is going to be to make me wait while they’re all late.
Behind me the elevator pings with a soft ding. My head swivels so fast, I might have given myself whiplash. It’s not anyone I recognize from the website. In fact, the person doesn’t look to be much older than Jenna. He’s carrying a thick white envelope almost reverently. Placing it directly into the admin’s hands, he hands over a piece of paper to be scanned and signed. Turning, he doesn’t glance my way before striding rapidly back to the elevators.
The man behind the desk stands with the envelope in hand before heading toward one of the closed doors. Less than a minute later, he’s back at his desk. I’m dying to check my watch again, but some gut instinct tells me not to.
Within the next few minutes, the door the admin went in flies open and the man I recognize as Keene Marshall steps out. I immediately stand. He smirks. “Anxious to get this party started, are you, Madison? Tony, when Caleb’s off his call, have him meet us in the conference room. Once he’s joined us, you can show Mr. Madison in.”
“Absolutely, Keene. Do any of you need anything?” Tony asks. He leans back in his chair to include the men in Keene’s office.
“We might need tarps,” a dark voice calls from within the interior.
“Colby, you can’t kill anyone,” a smooth voice says exasperatedly.
“You’re a killjoy, Jason.”
“I’m a doctor,” he retorts.
“Children,” Keene says mildly, still staring at me. “It’s so much more…funjust to talk. After all, words have so much power.”
The other office door opens. Caleb Lockwood steps out, his face carved in granite. “I couldn’t agree more, brother.”
It’s then I realize I wasn’t sent here to be able to get to Em.
I was sent here so I could never see her again.
* * *
“We all knowwho you are, Madison. This told us quite a bit.” Keene taps the thick file he pulled out of the white envelope I saw being delivered earlier. “But I believe in being cordial whenever possible.”
Jesus, they ran a background check on me? I don’t let my discomfort show even as my lower stomach begins to cramp. And the day I believe this man believes in being cordial is the day I sell my sax. “All right.”
“Everyone here is associated with the Freeman family to an intimate degree. To my left is Colby Hunt—Emily’s younger sister Corinna’s fiancé. To his left is Jason Ross—Emily’s brother Phil’s husband.”
“Good to meet you both,” I offer. I receive a look from Colby Hunt that could slay me if the silver of his eyes could become daggers. From Jason Ross, his face is blank, but he nods.
Keene resumes talking. “To my right is Caleb Lockwood, Emily’s older sister Cassidy’s husband. And next to him is Charlie Henderson.”
“Caleb.” I nod even as I meet his frosty stare. “Mr. Henderson? I’m afraid Em never mentioned you.”
Charlie goes to speak, but Keene interrupts him. “She wouldn’t have until you were fully brought into the fold. It appears she started to do that, and she was shunned. I felt Charlie should understand we might have a security risk at hand.”
Woodenly, I parrot, “Security risk?”
Keene ignores me and continues. “Let me finish the introductions and tell you how I’m related to the family. Cassidy Freeman isn’t just Caleb’s wife—she’s my biological sister. Additionally, I’m married to Emily’s younger sister Alison.” My eyes widen a bit.
Suddenly, this meeting takes on a whole new life. There are secrets within secrets in this family. Em trusted some of hers to me, and due to the way I blew us up, her family can’t trust a thing I say. “It’s going to take a lot more than the abject apology I owe Em, isn’t it?” I say warily.
“First, if we allow you to get close enough to Em, that apology will be on your knees so she can kick you through your balls right to your ass if she wants,” Caleb sneers.
“Second, boy, if you think this will be less painful than what that woman has been living with the last few months, then you are severely mistaken,” the man named Charlie growls.
“Not to be offensive, Mr. Henderson, but what do you have to do with the Freemans?” I ask boldly.
“He’s their guardian angel,” Colby states.
“He saved them when few others would,” Jason says softly.
