Page 169 of The Secrets She Keeps

And the young woman kneeling next to him.

He cried out as he fell to his knees beside them.

The woman pointed a flashlight in his face.

"Timothy."

For a moment, in the dim light of the streetlamp above he almost thought…

"Angelina."

133

"Angelina."

Brianna recognized her father's voice. It was coming through Crispin's laptop. Brianna's feet were free. She'd rolled herself closer to the desk earlier. She needed to know what was going on.

"No, Timothy. I’m nother.Do you not recognize your own daughter? I’m Summer, Daddy. And this is the man Trey shot.”It was Summer. Brianna was learning to tell them apart. Summer was the bossy one. Samia, too, but she was quieter. Cashlyn said odd things.

“Summer? What are you doing out here? It’s not safe for you out here tonight. You should go home. Right now.”

“Do you even really care?”

“Of course, I care. I am your father.”

“Is that what you call what you are? News to me.Normwas more my father than you ever were. Norm andHeather.”

“Don’t…be angry with me. I really didn’t have much choice back then. Heather made…”

Powell’s brother Mac almost snarled. He was very angry. Brianna had known him long enough to figure that out fast enough.

"Quit blaming Aunt Heather. You left us, remember?” Summer said sarcastically.“She was just a kid too.”

“Yes, I suppose she was. Make certain Heather understands…I just lost my temper. I was angry. I did not ever mean to hurt her.”

“You punched her, Dad. Right in the face. How was that not supposed to have hurt her? Just like before. You think Eddie, Sam, and I don’t talk about that day? Do you think we ever forgot? It was the day we buried our mother!”

“I know you couldn’t, baby girl. I was so angry then, Summer. At everything. At the world, mostly. At your mother too. And there she was. Heather. With your mother’s eyes, just looking at me with my own failure for me to see. I know I never should have hurt her. Or Marcia. What I did to Marcia—unforgiveable. I know that. I would like to apologize someday.”

“Sure you would. Is that why you are running away?”

“I…can’t get caught. I can’t. You need to understand that.”

Brianna stayed right where she was and listened.

Until someone pounded on the door.

134

Powell leaned over him.Terror almost robbed her of words. Almost. “I, oh, you…you are such a barbarian, Gunnar Nils Erickson. Always have to be the hero. I was getting myself out of the way. I was getting myself out of the way, you know.”

“Always…protect…you.” Beautiful blue eyes just stared at her. “Always. You okay? Baby?”

“We’re just fine. And we’re going to kick your butt, as soon as I can. When it’s more of a fair fight.” She wrapped her hand around his. “I love you, you know. I think, maybe, you need a keeper, or something. And no one else is quite up to the job. After this…after this, you are moving into my house. We are going to nest together. Make it a home for our baby. And then the next one—or possibly two—who comes along. We’ll be a family, Gunnar. You, me, the babies. All of us. Together. Don’t you dare leave me. It’s just not allowed.”

Tears fell from her eyes. To land on his chest. To mingle with the blood.

Then someone was there.

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