His face and tone said there was no love lost between he, and them and I guess he caught my questioning look because he rushed to explain.
“I remember your story from a few years ago. Pissed me off the way they went after you instead of trying to find your wife. I hate them almost as much as I hate the damn cops. Sorry!” He tacked on the last when he realized he might’ve said too much.
“No need to apologize.” I wrapped my free hand around my wife’s shoulders and took the first real breath since my brother called me hours ago.
It was only when the medical staff met us at the door and took over the care of the kids that I felt somewhat sane again. The same doctor who’d seen to her and I was there and for some reason that helped me relax a little.
I remembered his earlier call and why it now made sense. Zandi is going to hand me my ass and I deserve it. I’d allowed that toxic twat into our lives because I wasn’t smart enough to see through her disguise. Now I have to live with that shit for the rest of my life.
I kept the cops outside away from my kids while Zandi stood watch over the medical staff as they checked the kids over. Of course they were asking me questions to which I had no answers and I got the feeling, that Anderson at least wasn’t too pleased that he couldn’t find a way to pin this shit on me.
After his years of suspense and shit, he’d been wrong all across the board. Shit must be eating away at his ignorant ass.
Cade
“I see no signs of trauma, but they’ve not been fed very well in the last few days or so. Other than that they’re in perfect health.” That was the doctor’s assessment after an hour or so.
By then mom and dad had shown up with two new car seats and a change of clothes for the kids and the crowd outside had grown.
“Can we take them home?”
“I don’t see why not.” It was good that he gave that answer because Zandi was already getting them dressed with mom’s help, she was all the way fucking done.
“We need to ask Mrs. McClintock some more questions…”
“I can tell you now she’s not gonna answer shit, not today. Let us take our kids home and get them settled in. I’ll call you when she’s ready.”
I walked away before he could say anything else and went to be with my family. The day’s activities were finally catching up to me, mostly the fact that my kids were safe and relatively unharmed.
Getting out of the hospital parking lot was a trial, but when those fuckers tried following me home I damn near lost my shit. Mike drove into the garage and closed the door leaving our parents to park on the driveway.
“Where do you want them baby?” I had my boy in my arms heading for the stairs to the almost ready nursery. “Let’s stay down here for now.” She was still going back and forth between the one in her arms and the one in mine, touching them in some way like she was finding it hard to believe herself.
I didn’t let on when I passed my son off to mom, but they got the idea when I walked to my gun case and got my glock. Mike grinned and pulled his piece from his waist as we headed for the door with mom and Zandi calling after us.
“Mr. McClintock…” The vultures were in full swing, cameras, mikes, my damn lawn looked like a movie set.
“If you’re not off my property in the next few seconds I’m going to use this.” I held up my piece and barely kept myself from letting off a warning shot.
As they were scrambling to leave, Mike’s boys were pulling in. I’d forgotten all about them. “They’re going to stay around for a while, make sure no one gets close to the house. Smithy, I’m gonna need you to do your thing.” He addressed one of the men who looked like he’d swallowed an ox or some shit.
“You got it boss.”
“What’s he going to do?” I watched as the man headed around the side of the house.
“He’s an expert in high security. The system you have is good he can make it better. When he’s done you’ll be able to hear a leaf drop out here.”
It’s funny, you never think about how your shit will affect others, but I could tell my brother was beyond pissed. “I’m gonna send one of the boys to grab some food for this bunch, find out what mom and Zandi wants.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I can’t go back in there right now, I’ll flip the fuck out. You wanna go see where they held your woman for the past two years? The cops aren’t processing the scene until tomorrow. They have to wait for the CSI team to get in there so tonight might be our last chance.”