Page 49 of Sins of the Fathers
“Stay in touch,” Gibson told them. “And keep your eyes open. The guy tonight didn’t act alone. We’ll keep working on our end. Let us know if you think you’ve found anything.”
Grady was quiet on the drive to Denny’s house. Now that the adrenaline had crashed and breakfast settled in his gut, Dawson was ready for a shower and a long nap. But he knew that before those could happen, he needed to clear the air with Grady.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Dawson said quietly.
“Oh, really?” Grady sounded sad, not angry, which made Dawson’s heart ache even more.
“What Gibson said about the Richardson angle, it’s—”
“True.” Grady turned to look at him. “Grandpa Frank started this war. And if Grandpa Michael hadn’t adopted Dad, the witch’s vendetta against Frank wouldn’t have gotten tangled up with the Kings. It’s our fault.”
Dawson veered into the parking lot of a darkened store and stopped the car. His expression silenced Grady’s questioning look. “None of this is your fault, or Uncle Aaron’s, or Grandpa Frank’s. They did what they were raised to do—hunt creatures who use their abilities to hurt people. And sometimes, those creatures fight back.”
“This vendetta killed your parents,” Grady protested, sounding miserable.
“My parents were hunters,” Dawson countered. “They knew the risks. Dad considered Aaron to be his brother just as much as he did Denny. I’m certain he and Mom started looking into Frank’s notes because they stumbled across the connection and then because he worried about harm coming to Aaron—and you and Knox.”
“But—”
“No ‘but.’ Even if another family had taken in Aaron when Grandpa Frank died, what’s to say one of the King brothers wouldn’t have gotten involved somewhere down the line?” He shook his head. “Please, Grady—don’t take this on yourself. I don’t blame you, and Denny doesn’t either. And I promise you, we’re going to find that Ophelia bitch and end this.”
Grady looked hopeful and heartbroken. Dawson leaned over to kiss him, careful not to move fast enough to make his seatbelt catch. Grady kissed him back, more reassuring than heated.
“Come on. Let’s go back to Denny’s and go to bed. We can fill everyone else in after we’ve gotten some shuteye.”
8
GRADY
“Wake up,sleepyheads. It’s already noon.” Denny’s voice accompanied several loud raps on the door to the room Grady shared with Dawson. Angel barked, adding emphasis.
Grady groaned and poked Dawson in the ribs. “Do we gotta?”
“Why doesn’t sleeping four a.m. to noon feel the same as midnight to eight?” Dawson grumbled.
Denny hammered on the door again. “Lunch is going to get cold. I’m not heating it up for you. And the sheriff wants your asses down at the station to give statements.”
“We gotta.” Dawson sighed. “Fuck.”
They had showered to get the stink of the fire out of their hair and the ash off their skin before collapsing and thrown their smoky clothes in the laundry room. That meant it only required getting dressed and a quick turn through the bathroom before they stumbled to the kitchen.
“I feel hungover, and I didn’t drink anything but coffee,” Dawson muttered.
“We’re getting old,” Grady commiserated.
“Oh, quit whining,” Denny said, overhearing the comment. “I’ve got T-shirts older than either of you.”
He pointed a spatula toward an iron skillet filled with hash brown casserole. “Eat.”
Grady paused long enough to draw the curtain back and look outside. “Ugh. Looks like those predictions about the storms are holding true. Those black clouds look like trouble.”
“They’re coming in faster and harder than the Weather Service said,” Knox commented as he passed Grady on the way to the table. The certainty in his voice suggested this was an insight from his ability, not just an observation.
“Good to know.”How long did we all just brush off Knox’s “opinions” instead of realizing that he had a gift? No wonder the guy had issues.
Denny gave the table over to the four younger men and leaned against the counter as he ate. Angel lay at his feet but kept an eye out for any dropped food.
“I’m going to double-check the wardings on Aaron’s house—yours and Dawson’s now—and this one, and on Colt and Knox’s apartment,” Denny announced. “I still think that until we get this shit resolved, Colt and Knox are safest here. Can’t do as much to protect rented property.”
