Page 11 of Broken Halo
I don’t say another word and he answers his own question. “Yeah, you’re a Montgomery and I work for MI now, which makes you my job—a job I intend to do well because my name is attached to it, despite who my client may be. If you even think of finding different representation, there’ll be hell to pay.”
My face turns hard and my filter dissipates. “Fuck you. I’ve had enough people dictating my life and I’ve already paid hell hand over fist. I’m done.”
He leans in so close, the silver flecks in his eyes glint in the afternoon sun shining through my west-facing windows. But unlike his eyes, his voice turns dark and guttural. “You’re not the only one who’s paid hell, Ellie.”
My tears spring to life and I fight to swallow them away. “Fine. You want to spin your wheels on my behalf? Be my guest but I don’t want to see you.”
“Like I wanted to see you at my mother’s funeral today?”
My stomach drops because that’s a low blow. If he only knew how much I loved Faye. “If you need to communicate with me, do it through my sister.”
“Do what through your sister?”
Neither Trig or I move but we do look to the kitchen where Jen is standing, staring us down with her head tipped and a hand on her hip.
“Nothing,” Trig says at the same time I spit, “If he wants to talk to me, he can do it through you.”
Jen exhales and lifts her cell, giving it a wiggle. “Eli is going to look into everything—Carl, Teresa, even the CPS worker. I told him she was aggressive when there was no reason to be.”
“Great.” I switch Griffin to my other arm. “I’ve got a private investigator, an attorney, and a CEO to manage my crisis. I’m set. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to put my son to bed and hope to God he’ll take a nap. I might take one myself.”
I move around Trig, wanting and needing to escape. Today has been too much.
“Ellie, come back down and let’s talk about what happened,” Jen calls as I start toward the stairs.
I look over my shoulder. “Sorry. I don’t want to be a neglectful mother or anything.”
“Ellie.” Her voice lowers into a plea.
I’m halfway up the stairs, but more significantly, I’ve run away from Trig like the pro I am.
I get Griffin settled and pray he’ll rest. Then I flop down on the bed I’ve been sleeping in next to his ever since Robert died. I can’t stand the room we shared and I really need to think about selling this house sooner rather than later.
I pull a pillow into my chest and mutter to no one, “Creative, Ellie. Run like you always do. You’re officially the weakest person I know.”
3
Lost
Don’t wander through life. Time is brief and precious. To waste that gift is as sinful as murder.
Trig
“You gotta be kidding me.” I lean back in my office chair and look out my window to the sun setting on downtown Dallas. There are days I wonder what the hell I’m doing. Working at Montgomery Industries was never on my radar. Hell, forget about my radar. I never thought I’d have anything to do with any Montgomery ever again.
And I just found out the man I have to thank for that has been released from jail.
Charlie is the prison guard in Huntsville I’ve been paying under the table to keep tabs on things for the last few years. He’s not cheap but when my mother refused to leave the Lone Star State, I had to have eyes inside that prison. I was more than happy to pay it.
“When did he get out?” I demand.
“Last week,” Charlie huffs, his voice ragged as he jogs. “Sorry, man. I was on vacation and last night was my first day back on shift. I knew he was going in front of the parole board but I didn’t think there was any chance he’d get it. I called as soon as I got off work.”
Irritated with him, my week, and that my fucking father is breathing free air, especially right after my mother died, I bite out, “I haven’t shelled out enough over the last few years for you to call me before you go for a run, huh?”
“Don’t be that way—I just got off an hour ago.”
I scrape my hand down my face. “Fucking parole. What the hell did Ray Barrett do to get an early out? I had five more years of him rotting away behind bars to look forward to.”
