Page 143 of Freshmeet
“No!” she hissed. “I’m not losing my daughter because you refuse to be wrong. This boy almost died for Sarah. The least we can do is have a pleasant dinner with the kids.”
“Mom,” Sarah choked out, her hand tightening around mine as she looked at Mrs. Tilney in disbelief.
Mrs. Tilney came around the table and took Sarah into her arms. This hug was tighter and more natural than the first one. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
Sarah’s composure slipped, and she wrapped her arms around her mom, breaking into sobs.
Rubbing Sarah’s back, Mrs. Tilney murmured soothing words until her daughter quieted.
“I’m sorry, Sarah.” Mr. Tilney’s voice was low and uneven.
I looked at him and was shocked to see all the arrogance from just five minutes ago was long gone, replaced by care for his daughter.
He cleared his throat and cautiously stepped toward his wife and daughter. “I’m so happy you’re okay.” He wrapped his family in a tight hug, and the three Tilneys rocked back and forth.
Despite the words being simple, the raw gratitude in his voice left no question of how the man felt about his daughter.
The Tilneys just might be all right.
The memorial service for the Kirksville Killer’s victims was emotional and awkward.
Word had gotten out that Carter was Jamie and my half-brother. So, while Jamie was still in the hospital healing, I had the privilege of being stared at and whispered about.
Luckily, I had Sarah and Mom by my side. As we walked out of the church, a man stepped in our path, his attention all on me.
“Not now, Craig,” Mom said, stepping between me and the middle-aged man.
His blue eyes dropped to my mom, and his face went white. “Colleen, I?—”
“What? You finally remembered you have two more sons?”
Mom’s words hit me like a brick, and I really looked at the anxious man in front of me.
Fuck. That’s what I’m going to look like in twenty years.
“It’s okay, Mom. Let him talk.”
Craig ran a hand over his short blond hair. “Can we maybe go somewhere not so out in the open?”
I laughed. “No. What do you want?”
He swallowed, his eyes darting all around. “I wanted to see if you and your brother were okay.”
“Try again,” I said, taking a step toward him. Toe to toe, I had a couple of inches and about fifty pounds on him. “You haven’t been worried about us all these years, but now your precious baby boy ends up being a psycho serial killer, and you want to what? Play good father to the sons who aren’t locked up?”
Craig’s gaze fell to the ground. “I was hoping we could solve this like a family.”
“You son of a bitch,” Mom growled from behind me.
“Craig, we aren’t a family. We were the dirty little secret you abandoned. Your family is that fucker who tried to kill me, my brother, and my girlfriend.”
He frowned but didn’t say anything.
“You know what? I’ve got some time. What is it you think I can do for your real son?”
Craig cleared his throat. “Our lawyers think it would go a long way if you were with us at Carter’s pre-trial hearing.” His gaze flicked to Sarah, and I immediately stepped in the way. “He’s still in the hospital, so you have time to think about it.”
“Not a fucking chance. Is that all?”
