Page 113 of Wood Riddance
Silently, he looked from me to Parker and back again.
Parker had gone completely still, and I couldn’t tell whether she was going to throw up or stab him in the eye with a fork.
“I’m terrified too, okay? Is that what you want to hear?” he asked, his voice pleading. “When he told me, I didn’t want to believe him. In my mind, my dad is the big bad. He’s evil and manipulative and he’s always been a liar. So I didn’t give his warnings a lot of thought.
“But you’re right.” He ran a hand down his face. “I should have told you. It was wrong of me not to. I won’t keep information from you again. We’re a team.” He dropped into his chair and brought my hand to his lips.
“This is already hard enough,” I said softly. “We can’t keep secrets from each other.”
He hung his head. “I’m so sorry, She-Ra. But I’ll fix this.”
“Wewill fix it,” Parker said. “Adele, get your computer. Finn, get snacks.”
“No,” Finn said, sitting up straight. “Let’s go to the police. Or the FBI, or whoever. If my dad was telling the truth, then poking around could make things worse. I will not let either of you put yourselves in danger. Let’s work with the police, share what we know.”
I slapped both palms on the table and glared at him. “I’ve been working with the police for years, Finn. Newsflash, they haven’t done shit. The only reason your dad is behind bars is because of Parker. I met with the local police and the state police. I showed them the fucking brakes. Demanded to speak to supervisors and superior officers. Every one of them insisted it was an accident. Some even questioned my sanity.”
“I’m so sorry that they wouldn’t listen, She-Ra. But now they’ve got my dad and twelve other people in custody. Surely one will start talking. Then they’ll move up the chain. Parker, help me out here.” He turned to my friend, his eyes pleading. “They always want to get the big fish, right?”
Parker sighed. “Yes and no. I can reach out to my FBI contacts and dig for more information. As far as I know, not much has been done about Henri. The accident wasn’t fatal, so that lowers its priority. And right now, they’re overwhelmed with the complexity of the trafficking investigation.”
I huffed. “That’s not giving me confidence.”
She shrugged. “Same. But it’s the best we can do right now. While your trust in the law to get it right is sweet, Finn, it’s a bit naïve. I’m not saying we go full vigilante here.” She pinned me with a glare. “But I think taking a fresh look and gathering as much information as we can is a good idea.”
“So what do we do?”
“This stays between us,” she insisted. “I’ll reach out and see what I can gather off the record. I’ll go through the files again. I’ve still got everything on my computer. I’ll go through the personnel records from the day of Henri’s accident again.”
“You.” She pointed at Finn. “See what you can find on your end. Other associates or friends of your dad. People connected to the business. Anyone who used to work for Hebert Timber who seems even remotely shady.”
“What about me?” I asked, desperate to do something. Sitting around, growing a baby and spiraling about every possible danger did not feel like a good use of my time.
“Go back to the brakes. Study them. Study the trucks. We’ve got to be missing something.”
After an hour of strategizing and a round of snacks, I walked Parker to the door.
She pulled me in for a tight hug and rubbed circles on my back. “I love you,” she said. “And so does Finn. I was wrong to judge him. He’s a good man, and he’s clearly head over heels in love with you. We’re going to get through all this shit and come out on the other side.”
With a smile, I contemplated my amazing friend and soon to be sister. “You think so?”
She patted my cheek. “I know it. We’re mamas on a mission, and no one is going to get in our way. You deserve all the good things, babe. Breaking this news will be tricky, but when you’re ready to do it, I’ll be by your side, ready to punch anyone who even looks at you wrong.”
She gave me one last hug and headed for her car.
“Now go snuggle up with your Viking. You deserve it.”
Chapter38
Finn
It was actually happening. Meredith Aviation.
Owen had helped me file the paperwork yesterday. I officially owned my own business.
On Wednesday, I’d meet with the bank to discuss my loan application.
With a small investment from Owen, my savings, and a rock-solid business plan with a contract from Susan Stephens Multimedia for a feature next fall, I was well on my way to making my dream a reality.
