“But you knew who he was all these years and never said a word to him. He could’ve taken his place in the organization by now.”
“Does Colton strike you as the type to bow down to dictates? To dance to the beat of anyone’s drum?”
“I knew since he was a teenager that he’d never fit in. It only strengthened my resolve that I was right. I kept my eye on him, I promise I did…”
‘That’s not the point is it. What he is-is ingrained, but without our backing he could’ve landed himself in a world of shit by now. All of them could’ve. Your heart may have been in the right place but you made a shitty call.”
“You cost us a lot of valuable time. Lucky for me, they’ve already bonded in a way so I don’t have to start from scratch.”
“Isn’t it strange how they still found each other without any help or prodding from us? Law’s daddy died before he could tell him anything, Creed’s been on his own for so long.”
“It’s natural, they’re drawn to each other without knowing it. I don’t have what you have, you and Wilson. I only have my five senses so I have to come at this thing with what I’ve got what I was born with…”
“Your little one does.”
“Does what?”
“She’s got the gift.” I clenched my hands into fists. Their ‘gift’ is often times more of a curse. Burdened with the ability to see what most others can’t. “I’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
“She’s stronger than Wilson you know.”
“Is she?” So that’s why he asked me if she was a boy or a girl and couldn’t see it himself, I found that strange, now I know I guess.
“By the way, when are you going to tell those boys? The SEALs I mean.”
“Tell them what?”
“Who they really are?”
“I’m working on it.”
Todd
Another hard day coming to an end. We spent most of the day trying to place the truck and location from the video. All we knew so far is that it’s somewhere close by or within the radius that the drone could travel. There was no license plate to go by because it was gone, but we do have the color and maybe the make.
Mancini called Jace and the others who were getting ready to finish out the semester, but Jace told him he wasn’t bringing his wife and kids here if it was this messy so we’d have to wait until he takes them home to Cali then he’d be here some time next week. I didn’t even know you could tell him no.
I was switching off between two worlds. The world where I spend all day in the office with her dad and the team, and the one where I have to brush that off and spend time with her without letting it interfere. It’s getting easier and I’ve had lots of practice while working for Mancini while away at college, but this shit is up close and personal.
I got up from the chair I’d been sitting in for the past few hours and stretched. “I gotta go get my girl.” They all looked up from what they were doing, each on their own computer. When Colton just nodded and went back to looking at the screen I felt that little blip in my gut that I get each time he shows me that he’s learning to let go.
They were probably glad to see me go anyway since I got the feeling that there was something going on with them other than what we were working on here. It wasn’t what had happened the night because earlier Mancini had assured me that he had already taken care of it.
Brian was finally awake but was still under observation since he remained in critical condition. Last update said he still couldn’t talk but they were hopeful. As if reading my thoughts my father in law looked up again when I reached the door.
“You be careful, and not just because Caitie’s with you. That demented fuck’s still on the road and he’s worst than his son.”
“Yes sir.”
“Only my wife…Shit, you can call me Colt.” I grinned like a fool and left the room feeling lighter than I ever have.
Downstairs I said hi and bye to the women who now that I think about it, spend most of their days sitting around doing pretty much what their men are doing. No home shopping network for these women. Every time I walked into a room where they were congregated it was obvious that they’d changed the subject as soon as they heard me coming.
I left the house and went to pick up my girl with her dad’s warning in the back of my mind. He was being really good about giving us space, so though the security detail still followed me to the school because they had to follow the bus back, no one followed her and I.