Sin (The Waite Family) (38 page)

Payton could almost feel sorry for Cain.
He was glad that they had ignored her request when she had been hurt
,
but Payton didn’t think
he’d
ever forget her anguish that night.
He shuddered when he tho
ught
about what could have happened had he not followed her outside.

“Let me try and talk to her.”
He wasn’t sure i
f
she’d listen to him either
,
but he needed to try. “I can make her see reason. She’ll—
”

“She’ll not trust you either,” a familiar voice said behind him.

Payton turned around to see his mom.
“What
are you doing here?”
He took a deep breath when she raised a brow at him.
“I’m glad to see you
,
but shouldn’t you be resting?”

“Peshaw.
I’ll rest when I’m old.
Let me go in to speak to her. I know that she’ll listen to me. She and I have something in common the rest of you don’t know.”

Payton had told his mom everything when he didn’t have any luck with
David
Patterson.
He’d gone to the hospital to see her and his sister after
David had told him he couldn’t help him, it was a military issue.

“You’ll have to clear it with David.
He’s in charge. Mrs. Cooperider…Payton
,
you both should be aware, they’ve found two
other
bodies in the building with them.
That isn’t counting Shipley and another man.” Cain looked
uncomfortable
as he continued. “They’ve both been murdered and it’s been awhile.
”

Payton nodded then looked at his mom as she spoke.
“Thank you
,
young man. You don’t worry about your sister. I’ll make sure she’s fine.”

David met them at the entrance. He looked pissed and Payton had to bite his lips to keep from laughing at him.

“She is the most stubborn woman—do you know she threatened to sho
o
t my dick off. Then she had the nerve to—
”
David stopped pacing and looked at Payton’s mom.
“Beg pardon
,
ma’am.
Captain Waite brings out the worst in me at times.”

She smiled. “I would imagine she brings out the best as well.
Let me go in with Payton and we’ll have her out in no time.”

So they were lead to the seventh floor of the building were six MP’s were standing around with their weapons drawn and pointed
a
t the back of the room.
It wasn’t until David had them move back that he could see Sydney.

She looked like hell. She had been running her fingers thorough her hair again
,
he could see. It was a habit he’d noticed she had when she was deep in thought.
It stood up on end and curled everywhere. Her face was pale
,
her lips looked like they were swollen
,
and there was no color in them either.
She was covered in blood
;
her arm hung lank at her side.
But it was how she was sitting that disturbed him.

Shipley was leaning against the wall
;
his eyes were closed.
Blood covered his chin and his shirt was red
it was so saturated.
Even from the doorway where he stood Payton could see he was no longer breathing.
But the closer he got
,
the more his heart broke.

Sydney was holding her gun in her left hand. She wasn’t pointing it at anyone
,
but she did have her finger on the trigger.
She was sitting between Shipley’s outstretched legs
,
but not touching him. She was protecting her man and friend
even
after
death.

His mom moved forward. Payton wanted to tell her to be careful
. H
e’d even opened his mouth to do so
,
but she sent him a look back that had him snap his mouth closed.

“Stop where you are,” Sydney said to her.
“I don’t have any idea who you are
,
but I will sho
o
t your fucking head off.
I’m waiting for the military to get off their fucking asses and tell me my man is gone. Until then, I’m not fucking moving.”

“It’s nice to know our government moves like our police force does,” his mom said as she sat down on one of the crates near them.
“You know they waited a full hour when my husband was killed before they remembered someone should have called it?
I’m sure it wasn’t something that happens every day
,
but—
”

“I wouldn’t count on it. Every
time you think the rules are in stone
,
some fuck
-
tard goes and changes them. When I said no
heroics
, I fucking meant no
heroics,” Sydney snapped as she lifted the gun.
“You’re a civilian. You should get out of here.”

Payton watched the MP’s move as one toward the two women.
But backed off immediately when David snarled at them to stand down.
Candace Cooperider didn’t bat an eye.

~~~

“A long time ago
I married
Payton’s dad.
He was a lovely man. I believe he would have like
d
you
,
Sydney.
And you do know me
,
by the way.
You saved my life
yesterday morning.”
Candace looked at the young woman and saw all sorts of emotions flitter over her face.
“In the mall f
rom
that dreadful man who hurt my son.”

“He’s dead.”
Sydney lowered her gun and Candace let out a slow
,
long breath.

“Yes
,
he is. Thank you for that.
The man behind you, is he your friend?”

“Yes,” Sydney said as she gla
nced at him then back at Candace.
“Yes, he was one of my men when I was in the service.
H
e
said that he wanted to go out with his boots on. I can’t let them take him until I’m sure.”

Candace nodded.
“Did Payton tell you he was adopted?
So is his sister Shaller.
You’ll love her too
,
by the way.
She can’t wait to meet you.” Candace moved off the box and onto the floor and was happy when Sydney didn’t lift her gun again.
“He was about three. They didn’t know when exactly he was born
,
so they guessed.
His mother wasn’t sure. Anyway, we adopted him and brought him to our home.”

“I guess he told you I was damaged,” Sydney said softly.
“Did he tell you I tried to eat a bullet too? I can’t figure out why he’d care.”

“Don’t be stupid
,
girl,” Candace snapped.
“He loves you
,
that’s why.
”
Candace didn’t need to turn around to know Cain had walked in and that he hadn’t been aware of her attempt on her own life.
But she didn’t have time to deal with that right now.
“And that moron that said that you were damaged is being dealt with.”

“I can’t…I never knew I wanted rug
rats until they told me I couldn’t have them
.”
Sydney brushed at the tears falling down her cheeks.
“It’s probably just as well. I’d probably fuck them up mentally anyway.”

“Probably,” Candace agreed with a small laugh.
“Of course
,
you might not either.
You strike me as a fairly intelligent woman. Do you now or have you ever eaten worms or t
ri
ed to dress a dog in a dress?”
Candace laughed at the expression on Sydney’s face before she finished.
“
Payton ate worms as a child and poor Bagley
,
our dog
,
would run for cover whenever Shaller came into the room.
The dog had a horrible fear of dresses for years after that.
”

Sydney looked down at the gun in her hand as she spoke.
Candace held her breath and hoped this was
going
to be the breaking point.
And in a good way.

“Shipley said…he said that he loved me.
Said I was the daughter he’d never had. I couldn’t let
them
take him without being sure. Without being sure he was gone.”
She looked up at Candace.
“He begged me not to let them make him into some pin
cushion
all in the name of medical science.
”

Candace felt her heart go out to the young woman. She was hurting so badly for what she was doing and not one of the men in the room with them could see it.
She
moved
closer
to her and put out her hand.

“I know you couldn’t
,
dear.
I need you to be sure too.
I need that as well
,
I believe.
When I was younger
,
I was a
coroner
of the state of
Virginia. If
you hand me your weapon
,
I’ll check for you and
me
both.
”

Candace wasn’t sure she would do it.
Sydney was hurt, not just physically
,
but mentally too. But she was sure that for as much as the girl hurt, Payton would care for her and love her.

“There’s something that you have to make sure only David gets. Something Shipley gave me.” Sydney held out a small
,
blood
-
covered bo
x in her hand as she whispered.
“They’re going to arrest me
.
I know that
.
S
o you have to promise you get this to David.”