A Thousand Lies (5 page)

“Like hell,” Anson said softly and started toward Brendan with his fists doubled.

“Oh, we’ve already been down that route,” Brendan said and pulled a handgun from the back of his belt and aimed it straight at Anson’s face. “The urge to pull this trigger is so strong I can taste it,” he said softly. “You burned her bad, you son of  a bitch! It’ll be weeks before she will be able to wear a shoe, and several days before she can walk. For a human being, you are a worthless piece of shit.”

Anson grunted. “You boys gonna stand there and let him point that gun at me?”

Sam looked at Brendan but didn’t speak.

Chance glared. “You shouldn’t have done that, Daddy. Mama is a good woman and didn’t deserve that.”

Anson’s eyes narrowed as a cold smile spread across his face. “I’ll remember this.”

Sam looked up. “So will we.”

Anson caught movement from the corner of his eye and saw Linny standing in the shadows of the closet like a mouse, watching to see what the tomcat did next. Still convinced he could handle this situation, he pointed.

“Fine, but she stays with me.”

With the gun still aimed, Brendan moved between them. “No. She’s a little girl who needs her mama. And right now, Mama needs her, too. She’s gonna have to be Mama’s feet until she heals. If you don’t like it, suck it up. You brought this down on yourself, Anson.”

Anson doubled up his fists. “I am your father, goddamnit! You do not call me Anson.”

“I have no father,” Brendan snapped.

Enraged, Anson started to lunge.

Brendan pulled the trigger. The hat on Anson’s head went flying as Anson froze mid-step.

“You tried to kill me,” he whispered.

“If I wanted you dead, we wouldn’t be talking. Now stand back.”

Anson was in shock. Brendan has just as good as castrated him in front of his children. He thought about going for a gun, but from the temperature in the room, he knew he’d have to kill them all to walk away, and he wasn’t ready for that. He lifted his chin, staring Brendan straight in the face.

“You’ll pay for this,” he said softly.

Brendan didn’t flinch. “Linny, what’s next on the list?”

“Mama’s nightgown.”

“Right. Maybe you better get a couple, and her robe, too.”

Linny stepped out of the closet, slipping past Brendan with her head down, she began gathering up the rest of her mother’s clothes.

Anson turned and walked out.

“We’ll keep an eye on him,” Chance said, as he and Sam followed. “Just hurry.”

Brendan went back to the business of getting what they’d come for. “So, little sister, did we get all of Mama’s stuff?”

She nodded.

“Then let’s get your things and we’ll be done.”

“I’ll get my clothes and Rabbit. I don’t want to forget Rabbit.”

Brendan followed her out, kicking Anson’s hat aside as they went down the hall to her bedroom.

When she began gathering her things at a frantic pace, he couldn’t blame her. What just happened was a hell of a thing for a kid to see.

She threw her stuff inside the bag without folding it, anxious to be gone. The old stuffed rabbit she slept with was still sitting on her bed, so faded the pink fur almost looked white.

“Don’t forget Rabbit,” he said.

“I won’t,” she said, tossing in clean socks and underwear, a hairbrush and some bands for her ponytail, and then she grabbed Rabbit. “I’m ready, Bren.”

“So am I. Let’s blow this joint.”

She giggled, then put a hand over her mouth as if she’d just committed a social faux pas.

“Just stay beside me,” he said.

She hooked a finger through his belt loop as they left the room. Hugging Rabbit a little tighter, she eyed the pistol in the waistband of his jeans and lengthened her stride to stay up with his step.

Instead of another confrontation, Anson was nowhere in sight, which elated Linny. Brendan stopped in the kitchen to get Delle’s cell phone and found it in the cabinet beside a stack of plates.

When they got outside, he noticed his brothers’ trucks were gone, as was Anson’s. All of a sudden, he thought of the women in his apartment on their own.

“Hop in the car and buckle up, honey.”

Linny got in the SUV as he loaded the bag in the back. He paused for a better look, hoping to see Anson’s truck parked down near the shed or catch a glimpse of it disappearing in the trees on his way to one of his grow patches, but it was nowhere in sight. In fact, the whole place was too quiet. Not even a bird was calling. The world was holding its breath, waiting to see what happened next.

He reached for his phone.

Chapter Three

Julie was in the living room watching television when her cell phone rang. When she saw it was Brendan, she smiled.

She’d never been in love like this before. The simple act of watching him walk into a room made her weak in the knees.

“Hi, Brendan, is everything okay?”

“It is now. Are you two all right?”

“We’re fine. Your mother is a sweetheart. She’s been asleep almost ever since you left.”

“Don’t open the door to anyone but me.”

The warning was unexpected and frightening.

“What’s wrong?”

“Anson didn’t take well to the news that Mama and Linny would be staying with me.”

“But didn’t you tell him how badly she was hurt?”

“He doesn’t care, Julie. He’s the one who burned her in the first place. For him, it’s all about control.”

“Why did you tell me not to answer the door?”

“Because I just found out he’s not here and we did not part amicably.”

“What happened?”

“I put a gun in his face.”

She staggered, then backed up to the wall to keep from falling. “Oh, Brendan.”

“It was that or fight until one of us was dead. We’re on our way. Be there in about fifteen minutes.”

“Okay. We’ll be fine and I won’t go to the door.”

“If he shows up before I get there, just call the police.”

“Oh my God.”

Brendan heard the fear in her voice and was immediately ashamed. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I put you in this position.”

“No. I’m fine with that. I just can’t imagine being afraid of my parents.”

“It happens. You’re one of the lucky ones. I gotta go. See you soon.”

“I love you, Brendan.” But she’d said it too late. He’d already hung up.

Now she was uneasy. She hurried to the front door to make sure the deadbolt was on, then fastened the security chain as well. Now she needed to find something that would serve as a deterrent should the need arise.

She dug through the coat closet until she found a baseball bat and took it with her to the sofa. She leaned back to continue watching her show when she realized if the sound was up, she might not hear danger until it was too late. So she left it on mute and sat in the quiet, clutching the bat with her gaze fixed on the door.

****

Anson drove without caution. All he could think about was that gun going off in his face. He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact he’d fathered a child who just tried to kill him. It had shaken his confidence. The analogy of a younger bull challenging the old bull was not lost upon him. He kept thinking of a thousand ways in which he would make Brendan pay. He just needed to bide his time and do it right.

By the time he hit the city limits of New Orleans, he was on an adrenaline high. He was determined to get Delle and bring her home. It didn’t matter that she wouldn’t be able to care for herself, and he had no intentions of doing it for her. It was just a knee-jerk reaction to having someone else make a decision for him.

He’d never been inside Brendan’s apartment, but he knew where he lived. He made it a point to know everything there was to know about all of his kids. Never knew when some information would prove important in swaying them to his side of a situation.

He pulled up in the parking lot and got out with his fists doubled and his head down. He would have Delle home before they knew what was happening.

****

Julie was watching the clock and trying not to panic when she began to hear footsteps coming down the hall at a hasty pace. Her heart began to pound as she tightened her grip on the bat.

To her relief, the footsteps passed. Moments later, she heard someone knocking at a door down the hall, and then a familiar voice was calling her name.

“Julie! Juliette! Are you there? It’s Dad.”

She quickly unlocked the door and leaned out. “Daddy! Daddy! I’m here.”

When Grayson saw where she was, he frowned, well aware of who lived in that apartment.

“Come in,” Julie said, and then she put a finger to her lips. “Brendan’s mother is here and she’s asleep.” She closed and locked the door behind him.

He would’ve thought nothing of the fact that she’d locked the door until he saw she was also holding a bat.

“What the hell is going on here?”

“If you’ll talk to me in a normal tone of voice, I’ll be happy to share,” she said shortly.

He glared and sat down at one end of the sofa as Julie sat at the other. She knew him so well. He did not look a day over forty, even though he’d turned fifty last year. Well-groomed hair as blonde as hers was a perfect foil for his tan skin and beach-boy good looks. She knew he didn’t like her choice of apartments, or her friends, and this was going to make it worse.

“As I was about to say, Brendan’s mother is here. She suffered bad burns on her feet this morning, and after he took her to the hospital, he brought her and his little sister here to stay while she recovers.”

Grayson had the grace to be ashamed. “That’s too bad. I’m really sorry to hear that.”

“She’s very sweet, Daddy, and a really beautiful woman.”

He shrugged. “I know what LaDelle looks like. We were all in school at the same time. She was one of those girls every guy wanted to date, but she only had eyes for Anson Poe and his pretty face.”

Julie frowned. “I didn’t know you knew them personally.”

“It’s because I know him personally that I do not approve of your association with his son.”

“You raised me to be honest and fair-minded, and blaming a wife and children for one man’s sins does not seem to fall into either category for me.”

He ignored her and pointed at the bat. “It still doesn’t explain that.”

When his daughter lifted her chin defiantly, he knew he wasn’t going to like the answer.

“The burns on Delle’s feet didn’t happen by accident. Anson poured hot coffee on her bare feet on purpose. And she has an older bruise on her face. I don’t know what hell she’s going through, living in that house, but Brendan is sick at heart and wants them with him, which is what’s going to happen for the time being until she’s healed enough to walk again.”

Grayson paled. “The burns are so bad she can’t walk?”

Julie nodded. “She has first-degree burns on the bottoms of her feet and second-degree burns on the tops.” Julie’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Daddy, she’s in so much pain and she’s being so brave. And she has the sweetest little girl. She’s only nine and quite a beauty, although she seems older.”

“Probably seen too damn much of the hard side of life,” Grayson muttered. “So where are Brendan and the girl?”

“They went back to Wisteria Hill to get clothes for their stay.”

“I still don’t know why you have the bat.”

“Brendan called me. He said he and his father had a big fight about them staying here, and as they left the house, he realized his father was gone. He just told me not to open the door to anyone until they got back.”

His cheeks flushed red with sudden anger. “I can’t believe he left you here on your own and put you in danger.”

“He didn’t leave me in danger. I volunteered to stay with Delle in case she woke up. He had no way of knowing how all this would unfold, and he’s already on his way back. He’s already apologized profusely to me over the phone, and that’s all I’m going to say to you about it.”

Grayson glared.

Julie glared back.

And in the middle of the angry silence, they heard a thud and then a shriek of pain.

Julie was up and running before her father could move. She rushed into the room to find Delle sprawled on the floor. She dropped to her knees and cradled Delle’s head in her lap.

“Oh, honey! What happened?”

Delle moaned. “I dreamed I was running away.”

Then she looked up past Julie’s head and saw a man in a tan linen suit standing in the doorway. By the time she realized who it was, she was already embarrassed to tears and trying to cover up her bare legs.

“I’m sorry to intrude,” Grayson said gently. “I was just visiting my daughter when we heard you cry out.” He walked into the room and then squatted down next to Delle and lifted a lock of hair from her eyes. “It’s been a long time, LaDelle. I’d ask how you are, but it seems obvious you’re in considerable pain.”

“Grayson.”

He smiled. “Yes, ma’am, in the flesh. Now, I’d like to continue this conversation, but how about we get you back in bed first? May I?”

She nodded.

He slid his arms beneath her body and lifted her back up on the bed, then carefully pulled the covers back over her legs.

“Thank you,” Delle said. “I’m embarrassed for anyone to see me like this.”

His eyes narrowed angrily. “And I’m sorry for your suffering.”

All of a sudden, there was a loud shout out in the hall, and then someone pounded on the front door.

Delle’s face lost all hint of color. “Oh my God, it’s Anson.”

Julie pivoted to get the bat when Grayson stopped her with a look.

“I’ve got this,” he said. “You stay here with LaDelle. This won’t take long.”

Delle was shaking. “Anson will hurt him. You have to stop him. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should never have come here.”

Julie sat down on the bed beside her and reached for her hand. “It’ll be fine. Just listen and you’ll see.”

Grayson grabbed the ball bat on his way to the door. Anson was still shouting and pounding when Grayson opened it.

Anson froze, his fist in mid-air.

“Uh—”

Grayson rolled the bat in his hand, just like he used to do in high school before he stepped up to the plate, then jabbed it in Anson’s belly just sharp enough to back him out into the hall, then followed him out, shutting the door behind him.