Page 5 of Darkwater Lane

He stabs at his salad, the tines of his fork scraping discordantly across his plate. “Not when the press can label you a school shooter without repercussions.”

I exchange a glance with Sam. Navigating the emotional fallout of the past few months hasn’t been easy, and I’m unsure what the best approach is here.

Lanny doesn’t hesitate. “For fucking real, Squirtle” she says with a decisive nod.

I know I should probably say something about her language, but when I notice Connor smiling, I decide to let it go. More than any of us, Lanny seems to have figured out what Connor needs at any given point. She was even the one to suggest he try equine therapy which has been an absolute godsend.

Lanny turns back to the conversation at hand. “So, if we can’t send those podcasting jerks to jail, can we at least sue the pants off them?”

“We’re looking into it,” Sam says. What he doesn’t tell her is that we sent cease and desist letters the moment we heard about the podcast––which they ignored. The next step is litigation, and the quotes we’ve gotten from lawyers to sue the Lost Angels have all been in the five figures, and that doesn’t include the potential cost of going to trial. That would push it well into the six figures––an amount the Lost Angels can afford, but we can’t.

Lanny slumps back in her chair, crossing her arms. “Maybe I should just embrace the notoriety.” She shoots a smirk at Connor. “We could get T-shirts made:Kid of a serial killer. OrMy dad’s a serial killer. How about yours?”

Connor snorts. “My dad can kill your dad.”

She laughs. “Can you imagine if I wore that on our field trip to DC next weekend? Definite ice breaker, that’s for sure.”

At the mention of her upcoming field trip, I wince and exchange another look with Sam. “Yeah, about that?—”

Lanny jerks upright in her chair. “No. No way.” She shakes her head. “You’re not canceling my trip.”

Sam’s expression is sympathetic, but resolute. “Your mom and I talked about it, and in light of the podcast?—”

“No!” Lanny’s eyes fill with angry tears. “The weekend in DC is a rite of passage for seniors. I’ve been looking forward to it since we moved here.”

“I know, honey,” I start to say, but she isn’t interested.

“You’re the ones who said we can’t let this stuff interfere with our lives. ‘No more letting fear dictate our lives.’ That’s what you said, Mom. That’s what you promised!” She slams her hand on the table in emphasis.

She’s right. I remember sitting in the rehab facility with Lanny, Connor, and Sam and declaring that from then on, we would live our lives on our terms and no one else’s. More than anything else, I want to give that to her: a world where she can forge her own path without worrying about who her father was and what that means.

It’s so fucking unfair.

If I could change the world for her, I would. But I can’t.

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “It’s just too dangerous right now.”

She doesn’t back down. “If you’re that worried, can’t we just do what we did with Reyne U before? One of you come with me?”

Sam shifts in his chair. “The podcast puts a spotlight on all of us.”

“Seriously?” She looks between the two of us, trying to figure out if either of us will bend. She quickly recognizes we won’t. We don’t compromise when it comes to her security.

After that, we continue eating in silence. Lanny pushes her salad around her plate for a bit before asking, “The stuff about Callie, and you…you’ve never really talked much about your relationship with her.”

Sam considers this for a moment before saying, “That’s becausethere isn’t that much to tell, unfortunately. Callie and I were close as kids, but after our parents died in a car accident when I was eight and she was four, we were orphaned. She got adopted, and I didn’t. We lost touch. I never expected to see or talk to her again, but then she tracked me down while I was serving overseas. We video chatted often as we could, getting to know each other again. The thing about siblings is that even when time passes, no matter how much, it doesn’t matter. You’re still family. Your hearts and souls still recognize each other.”

Lanny and Connor exchange a glance, and I can see in both their eyes that they understand what Sam is saying. They definitely have their moments and get on each other’s nerves, but at the core of their relationship there is a deep sense of love, respect, and enduring dedication to one another.

I know that at the end of the day, they will always be there for each other. Theirs is a bond that will last their entire lives, even after I’m gone. It’s a thought that brings me comfort.

“We were supposed to meet up once I returned home, but…” He clears his throat. “She died before that could happen.”

I’m not the only one who notices his choice of words.

“Your sister was murdered by our biological father,” Connor points out. “You can say it. It’s not like it’s a secret.”

Sam shifts in his seat. Sometimes Connor’s bluntness can be uncomfortable, especially when it comes to Melvin.

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