Page 36 of Fury
Time to start digging
Bethany
She’d been seated at the table in the window of the coffee shop for an hour, waiting. When she reached out to pick up the oversized mug, Bethy studied her fingers impassively, watching the tremble caused by too much caffeine.If she’s not coming, she would have texted. To prove to herself that the girls’ lunch they’d planned was still on, she picked up her phone and unlocked it, going to the last message from Dot. Nope, still just theSee you therethat was a definite meeting notice.
Tipping the cup, Bethy lifted it to her mouth, draining the contents. The next time the waitress came by she shook her head, declining a refill for the moment.Come on, Dot.
The door opened and she looked up, smiling when she recognized Ty’s mother. Rising to her feet, she opened her arms for a hug, sighing with relief when a moment later she was wrapped in warmth and the soft scent of Dot’s favorite perfume. “How you doin’, Miss Bethy?” The whisper in her ear was light, airy, and Bethy returned the soft greeting.
“I’m well, Dot. How are you doing?”
While she’d been in west Texas, Ty had another turn. Without her there to look out for him, it had gotten bad before help was called. Dot had walked in on her son casually playing a version of Russian Roulette, and the bullet hole Bethy had patched in the apartment wall testified to how close things had been.
“Oh, you know me. I’m fine, honey. Just fine.”
Bethy narrowed her eyes, assessing, and then called Dot on her lie. “No, you aren’t. Have you heard from Sarge?” They pulled apart, and Bethy flicked a finger at the girl behind the counter, getting a nod in response. Dot was looking down, avoiding Bethy’s eyes as they seated themselves. “Dot, have you gotten an update from Sarge?”
“Tyrell is doin’ fine.” Dot was still looking anywhere but at Bethy. She murmured her thanks when the girl placed a cup of coffee in front of her, studiously adding three packets of sugar to the drink. “He was hurtin’, no denyin’ that. But he’s going to be fine.” Dot’s eyes darted up, then down. “What did Sarge tell you?”
“Just that Ty was back in treatment at his place, and I had a mess to clean up when I got home.” She had, too, Sarge hadn’t lied about that. There had been at least two weeks’ worth of takeout trash and spoiled food to dispose of, followed by a couple of hours of dishwashing and tidying. “He’s always terse with me, so I hoped you had a better update.”
“Tyrell was bad, Bethany.” Dot’s gaze lifted, focusing in on Bethy’s face. “Real bad, honey.” Tipping her head to one side, Dot asked, “Anything you want to tell me?” On guard now, Bethy shook her head. “You sure, honey? What happened in Lamesa?”
“What do you mean?” She shrugged. “We had a concert. Then I stayed over a few days to sort out details.”
“Ty said he got a call from a man asking him to come out and help guard you.” Bethy froze. “When he asked the guy what was going on, the man told him that you were in danger. Put my Tyrell into a tailspin, knowing his best friend was in a situation like that and hundreds of miles away.”
“Oh, no.” Bethy blinked fast, clearing the stinging wetness from her eyes. “No.”
“Yes, Bethany.” Seeming to change directions in the conversation, Dot waited until Bethy had herself under control to ask her next question. “Who is Michael?”
The bottom of Bethy’s coffee mug clattered against the tabletop as she tried to set it down without spilling. Dot’s warm hand settled over hers, fingers curling tightly, holding on as Bethy folded in half, bending far over her knees and breathing deeply. “Honey.” Dot’s soothing voice settled on her like a blanket. “Baby girl, what’s happening? What happened in Texas? Who is Michael?”
With holes punched through her words by sobs, Bethy told her. Ty was the only one who’d known, the only one she’d ever spoken to about Michael. There were the Marshalls of course, but they weren’t her family. Ty and his mother were closer to her than anyone other than Mason, and Bethy would never be able to tellhimabout Michael. So she told Dot the story, how she’d been pregnant when dropped on Ty’s doorstep, how he’d helped her every step of the way, been there for her and for Michael.
And Dot returned the favor, telling her how Ty had sobbed, explaining to his mother that it was only Bethy and Michael who had kept him from taking that final step. Dot reached into her large handbag, pulling out the album Bethy and Ty maintained, something she hadn’t even missed when cleaning the apartment. He’d been holding it in his lap the night Dot found him, cradling it to his chest like a child.
“So you already knew who Michael was?” Bethy tried to keep her chin from quivering, feeling somewhat betrayed.
“Yeah, honey. I knew. But he’s yours, and you deserved to be the one to tell me.” Dot shook her head, a small, sad smile ghosting on and off her lips. “And I deserved to hear it from you.”
Shame and pain swept over Bethy, and she twisted her neck, trying to bury her head against her shoulder to hide her tears. A moment later and strong arms circled around her, pulling her close to Dot’s chest. “Hush, now, honey. No more secrets between friends. Life’s better when lived in the light.”
“Oh, Dot,” Bethy cried, turning to return the hug, resting her wet cheek in the curve of Dot’s shoulder. “This is how I’ve lived my whole life, hiding my secrets in the dark. I don’t know how to be in the light anymore.”
“Sure you do, Bethany. You are the light, most days. Just gotta pull the curtain back a little bit, show it to the world.” Dot paused and her arms tightened. “I’m surprised as anything, Mason and Mikey letting you give that little fella up.”
“Not so little anymore. Michael’s sixteen. He gets his driver’s license in another week.” Bethy licked her lips, trying to take in a breath that didn’t hitch or break, and failing. “He’s sixteen, Dot.”
“Just a baby, still.” Dot’s words were firm. “Still, doesn’t answer my other question about your brother. He’s got a boy the same age, right? What does Michael think about his cousin?”
Shoulders shaking, Bethany admitted, “Mason never…he doesn’t know. Neither does Mikey. I had asked so much from both of them, I couldn’t…Ty’s…he’s the only one who knows. Michael…his adoptive family is so good to him, I never wanted him to know where I came from. He doesn’t know I have a brother, much less a cousin.”
“Oh, Bethany.” Dot’s voice was soft with sympathy. “Just a babe yourself, taking so much on your shoulders. My Tyrell loves you like the little sister I never gave him. That boy’d do anything for you. Even keep a secret like this.” Her arms squeezed and Bethy’s convulsed in response. “So, tell me what your next steps are?”
Bethy pulled in a shuddering breath, glad her tears had stayed relatively silent instead of the braying cried that had tried to escape. “Call Sarge, see if I can go see Ty. I need to see for myself that he’s okay. Then,” she leaned back slightly, looking up at Dot through her clumped lashes, “I’ll have a chat with Michael.”
“And then you talk to Mason, and Mikey.” Dot shook her head. “Juanita’s going to be fit to be tied, you keeping her from being able to shower your child with presents.”
