Lucky Break (Lucky 3)

At his words, Lauren’s blood chilled. “Oh my God. What if she recognized you? What if she already knows?”

“Recognized him how?” Thomas asked.

Jason placed a calming hand on Lauren’s shoulder. This time she did take comfort from his touch.

“Lauren and I visited her sister in prison,” he said.

Hank’s eyes opened wide, and without warning, he reached over and smacked Jason on the side of the head.

“Hey! What was that for?” Jason raised a hand to his head, rubbing the spot.

“For being an idiot! You went to see a Perkins in prison?” Hank yelled.

Lauren’s temples began to throb. “Look, we didn’t tell Beth Jason’s last name, so there’s a chance-”

“There’s no chance!” Hank insisted. “I heard when the police raided this house last year they confiscated files on almost every citizen. Especially us Corwins. Trust me, she knows.”

Lauren’s gut told her he was right.

“Could it be that the visit upset her enough to precipitate the breakout?” Thomas asked, always the polite, rational brother.

Lauren shrugged. “I don’t think it matters what precipitated it. She’s out. She has an agenda and I can’t begin to guess what it is. It’s not like she confided in me.” She paused, thinking about what she did know about Beth. “I can tell you two things for certain.”

All three men stared at her intently.

“One.” Lauren held up a finger. “Beth wouldn’t hurt me, and two, she’s not stupid enough to show up here.” She raised a second finger.

“That’s a lot of faith in a-”

“Don’t say it, Uncle Hank.” Jason grabbed his uncle’s elbow and started nudging him to the door. “We appreciate you stopping by to check on us, but as you can see we’re fine. And we have police protection.” He pointed to the street through the side windows near the front door. “So you two can go home and rest easy.”

“But-”

“No buts. I’ll call you in the morning and check in,” Jason said, his tone firm.

Thomas nodded. “He’s right. Let’s go.” The two men had started for the door when Jason’s father suddenly turned. “Ms. Perkins?”

Surprised, Lauren met his gaze. “Yes?”

“Try to rest easy. You can trust Jason to make the right decisions. You’re in good hands.” Thomas Corwin nodded at his son. Then he led his brother out the door.

Once the men were gone, Lauren retreated to the den once more. Jason followed, settling into a seat on the couch.

She eased down beside him, her mind on Thomas Corwin’s words and the love in his expression. She’d never known such unconditional love and acceptance from her own parents and never would. But she was glad Jason had found it with his dad.

Lauren smiled. “Your father is proud of you.”

Jason glanced away. “I don’t know why he would be.”

Lauren blinked, stunned at his words. “Why would you think that? You’re a son anyone would be proud of.”

He cocked his head to one side, struggling to find the right words. All it had taken was his father’s comment about Jason making the right decisions to bring his frustration and insecurity roaring back.

Not that he didn’t think of his failings every day, but since Lauren’s return, he’d been able to put them to the back of his mind.

Until now. “What’s there to be proud of? What decisions did I make that were so sound that you’d trust me to make the right ones for you? I blew the one thing I went after in life. I let myself be duped by a woman. I spent half my life training for my one big moment and never made it because I allowed myself to be led around by my-Never mind.” He rose from the couch and walked to the window she’d been looking out earlier.

“Now who’s unfairly blaming himself? Did you do drugs? Ingest them? Cheat? No, you did not. So I won’t have you trash-talking yourself!” Lauren was obviously appalled on his behalf. “Just where did this negativity come from?”