Page 44 of Sins of the Fathers
“You don’t have to earn your place,” Dawson reassured. “I’m sorry if anyone made you feel like that. Even if you never use your talent, it’s okay. The hardware store is important to the community. You don’t have to hunt. Just—accept what you can do, and don’t worry what anyone else thinks.”
The relief on Knox’s face made Grady’s heart break a little. Colt still looked defiant and protective, and Grady loved him for watching out for Knox.I’m glad Colt accepts him for who he is—in all ways—but Knox should have felt that from the rest of us all this time.
“I never thought much about what happened to Grady’s Grandpa Frank until Ethan and Jackie got killed,” Denny confessed. “Then I found all the research Ethan had done and the files that belonged to Frank. I hid them, figuring nothing good could come of it. I didn’t realize that Aaron had started digging into the past until after he died, and I found his notes—everything except for the journal.”
“Ignoring what they learned didn’t keep us safe. So if you want to pick up where they left off, I won’t stand in your way,” Denny went on. “Hell, I’ll help any way I can.”
Denny set his cup in the sink and went to the storage room while Grady and the others cleared the table. Angel seemed to realize the food was gone and padded into the living room. When Denny returned, he was carrying two large boxes.
“This is everything—except for that journal you held onto,” he said with a nod to Grady. “There’s a lot here, so everyone take a stack, and we can work through it. I brought some tablets and pens for taking notes—you can bring your computers tomorrow if you’d rather. Here’s my thought—Colt and Knox, take Aaron’s notes. Dawson and Grady, go through Ethan’s. I’ll work on what Frank left us. We’re not going to read everything tonight, but we can at least get a feel for what’s here.”
Colt and Knox took their pile of papers into the living room. Denny took one side of the kitchen table while Grady and Dawson took the other.
For a long while, no one said much as each group inventoried their part of the information. Grady poured over the pages in front of him. He bumped shoulders now and again with Dawson when he could tell that his partner was becoming overwhelmed by the emotion of sorting through his father’s notes.
“I know what it feels like,” Grady told him quietly. “That night you found me reading Dad’s journal—in my mind, I read every word in his voice.”
Grady didn’t expect that they’d get much further than just organizing the piles in front of them, and he was correct. After a couple of hours, all of them were yawning and bleary-eyed. Despite the urgency, he knew that pulling an all-nighter would do more harm than good. Angel had collected pats and ear scratches from everyone and stretched out on the floor, snoring quietly.
“I’m going to call it a night—for all of us,” Denny said just after midnight. “Might as well get some shut-eye and start again tomorrow. Don’t want to miss something important because we were falling asleep.”
The others reluctantly agreed. Grady felt glad for the break since he could see that the files were taking a toll on Dawson’s mood.
“Come on,” Grady said. “Denny’s right. We’ll get a fresh start in the morning, and you’ll feel better. I’ll even help make French toast for breakfast,” he added with a grin.
They said good night and traipsed off to the room they always shared at Denny’s. Once the door shut behind them, Dawson pulled Grady into a kiss.
“Thanks for watching out for me. Seeing all that in Dad’s handwriting—it brought back a lot of feelings,” Dawson explained.
“I’d offer to take your mind off things, but after the day we’ve had, I’m honestly beat. Let’s set an alarm and catch some sleep—and if we wake up horny and do something about it, that’s a bonus.”
“I like the way you think,” Dawson teased, but he didn’t argue as Grady headed to the queen-sized bed and climbed under the covers. Grady dutifully set the alarm on his phone so that they stood a chance of waking up at a decent hour.
Grady realized how quickly he’d fallen asleep when he heard Dawson mumbling under his breath as his body began to buck and jerk.
Shit. It’s a vision.
“Daw? C’mon Daw—wake up. You’re safe. We’re home. Whatever you’re seeing—it can’t hurt you.”
“No…stop…don’t…” Dawson’s fitfulness continued as if he hadn’t heard anything Grady said.
By now, Grady had grown used to Dawson’s visions, but they never ceased to make him wonder and worry. He didn’t know how Dawson received the information from his dreams—and neither did Dawson—but he was never wrong, although a lack of details and context might make the reality different from the appearance.
“Daw—please. I need you here with me. Wake up and we’ll handle it together,” Grady cajoled.
Dawson’s body lost its tension, and his features relaxed, shedding their stress. His eyes blinked open, and his gaze darted frantically around the darkened room before he saw Grady.
“You’re home. We’re safe,” Grady soothed. “Breathe.”
Dawson shook his head. “Not safe. Fire. Need to warn Denny and Knox.”
“Someone’s going to set fire to Denny’s house?”
“No. The hardware store. Someone’s going to try to burn it down.”
7
DAWSON
