Page 47 of Closer Than You Know

Then again, what was normal?

Besides, Elizabeth Baker had no right to judge anyone. Damn it. She had organized no fewer than three kidnappings. Held people hostage—drugged them. Set up all sorts of evidence to suggest poor drug-addicted Fisher Owens was the perpetrator. She’d even admitted to finding Nolan’sphone on her own front porch the night he disappeared—obviously left there by the person who’d actually abducted Nolan to make sure she understood someone else was in charge of her little game now. Elizabeth had hidden it along with the other evidence in that metal shed at Owens’s place just to make it look as if the victims had all been held there. What worried mother took the time to hide her son’s phone that way when he was missing? The woman was a psychopath if Vera had ever seen one.

She tightened her arms around her chest and turned in the other direction to pace some more. Dropping her arms to her sides was not an option with Nolan’s blood staining the front of her sweatshirt. Better to keep it covered as best she could.

She had sent a text to Liam Remington to let him know Nolan had been found and was undergoing a medical evaluation of his condition, which she believed was relatively good, under the circumstances. Liam had headed this way immediately. Then she’d called Eric and updated him about Baker and the new message left to her on the poor guy’s back. Eric was going to brief all the folks in Memphis who needed to hear the news before the media blitz that was no doubt coming. She’d warned Bent that MPD would likely be contacting him.

“Vera.”

Startled, she turned to the man who’d spoken.

Carl Baker, one arm around his wife, peered up at her. “You should sit down. You must be exhausted.”

Elizabeth pointed a glare at her that said she did not feel the same way as her husband. Maybe that was the reason Vera decided to take him up on the offer and collapse in the nearest chair already pulled away from the table. Getting off her feet had her body aching with relief. She was exhausted. Disgusted too.

“We,” Carl said, sitting a little straighter in his chair, “appreciate all you did to help Nolan. Todd Wiley, one of the paramedics, told us how you were comforting him when they arrived.” He looked away a moment as his emotions visibly got the better of him. “It means a lot.”

Elizabeth pulled away from his hold, her glare still intent on Vera. “But she’s the reason this happened,” she snarled. “That monster came here and took our son because of her.”

“Liz,” Carl murmured, “don’t do this. Our son is alive. We need to be thankful.”

“Alive?” She aimed her fierce glare on him now. “Yes, but look at what was done to him. He may never recover mentally. My God, PTSD can devastate your life.” Her head moved side to side. “His career may be over. He will be heartbroken.”

“I’m just glad he’s alive.” Carl looked away from her.

Vera decided it would be in her best interest to keep her mouth shut. You couldn’t win in a situation like this one. People saw what they wanted to see. Changing their minds was rarely possible. And when it involved a child—even a grown one—things could get ugly fast.

“You have nothing to say?” Elizabeth demanded.

Then again, sometimes the choice was taken from you.

Vera met her furious gaze. “You want an apology?” The emotions she’d ignored for the past two hours shook her hard. “Yes, I am very sorry this happened to Nolan. I would never have wished this nightmare on my worst enemy.” She pressed her lips together to prevent a tremor from showing. “Happy now?”

“No.” Elizabeth’s face pinched with mounting rage. “You’ve brought nothing but pain to this community since you came back. Your family is rotten to the core. Look at those people who were buried on your farm! What kind of person helps hide a body when they’re barely seventeen years old? You and your sister are just evil.”

Sister.She’d left Luna out, which was only fair. Vera lifted her chin but kept her lips pressed tightly together. What could she say? The woman had her there.

Elizabeth stood, leaned over the table, and braced her palms against its smooth surface. “They should run you and Eve out of this town.”

Carl attempted to usher her back into her chair. “Liz, please.”

She jerked away from him. “Look at what the two of you did to poor Luna.”

Vera flinched. She was well aware of what they had done to Luna, and no one regretted it more than her. But to argue with this woman would be a waste of time.

Elizabeth straightened to her full height, pointed a finger at Vera. “This is your fault. You’re the reason my son was almost killed.”

“That’s enough.”

Vera’s head snapped toward the door.Bent.

Thank God.

He closed the door behind him, his presence suddenly flattening the escalating tension in the room. “Nolan is doing well. The doctors say he’ll make a full recovery. The damage was almost entirely superficial.” This he directed at Carl and Vera. Then he turned to Elizabeth. “I understand this is difficult, but you need to be careful how you proceed from here.”

Elizabeth shot him a dismissive look. “I’m aware of your relationship with Vera. I’m not surprised you would take her side.”

Vera almost laughed out loud. Where was the terrified mother who had begged Vera to find her son? Oh well, once a bitch, always a bitch.

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