Page 26 of Wreckage of Us
“Tell us what you know,” Devereaux instructs, not giving him a chance to backtrack or get distracted.
“I don’t know that much,” Colton starts moving nervously from one foot to the other. “I just got home today.” He stops and glances at me, but doesn’t look very impressed. “She told me about the baby. And how you don’t want it,” he adds in disgust, making me hate myself a little more. “Her phone dinged, and when I looked, it was this weird message about someone wanting to chop her head off.” The more he talks, the more emotional he gets, and the more sick to my stomachIget.
“Who sent it to her?” Devereaux asks in his cool voice.
“I don’t know, but I downloaded an app on her phone that shadows everything she does on it.” The kid sounds so proud of himself, I can’t help but smiling.
“Smart,” I give him a nod of approval.
“I need all the information for Malone to look into it,” Devereaux explains.
“That’s not all,” Colton’s scared eyes meet mine.
“Talk,” I prod him. Unfortunately for him, I don’t have it in me to comfort him in any way right now, or ever, really.
“This woman showed up at our door…”
“Woman?” Ma’s eyes get big in shock.
“Yeah, and she told Becca that she needed to stay away from Oliver,” Colton explains. “He’s a doctor at the hospital…”
“Yeah, I know who he is,” I bark at him, cutting his explanation short.
“So, she’s the one who sent Becca the messages then?” Ma asks, although she doesn’t sound convinced, and neither am I.
“She said she never sent any messages,” Colton shrugs. “But she looks crazy for sure,” he continues. “I told Becca to call you and tell you about it,” he looks straight at me. “But she didn’t think you could do anything about it anyway. She said she’ll go to the police if necessary, but…”
“Let me pack a bag,” I murmur, decision made. Wyatt had already planted the idea in my head, and knowing what I know now, there is no way I’m going to stay away from Becca.
“A bag for what?” her little brother eyes me with confusion.
“I’m going to stay with you guys until we know for sure what the fuck is going on,” I explain as I turn around to head toward the large staircase that leads to the bedrooms upstairs. I catch the proud smile of approval on Ma’s face as I walk out.
“I don’t know if Becca will like that,” Colton jogs behind me to catch up with me when he realizes I am serious about it.
“She’ll have to deal with it,” I shrug. No way I can stay away. And Wyatt is right, this is the perfect opportunity to talk to Becca and try to fix things with her.
“Dude,” Colton tries again. “You can’t just come stay with us.”
I stop dead in my tracks, and he almost runs into my back. I turn on my heel and watch him carefully.
“So, you’d rather she was there all alone when you were at practice and wherever else you need to go?”
“Well,” he hesitates, “she’s always been able to take care of herself.”
Commotion from the side interrupts us.
“No,” Alison’s voice echoes from the hallway. “We’ll go right after, I promise.”
“Ali,” Wyatt sounds frustrated with his wife. The chick is way too aggressive for my easy going brother, I decide.
“Please, Wy,” her voice sounds so much softer now. “And it’ll be good for Ethan to meet her with us here, don’t you think?”
“I… Fuck,” he sighs.
“I want to stay for another day, Unka Wyatt,” Ethan’s small voice butts into their conversation. “My dad didn’t show me the guitar,” he adds. Fuck, I forgot that Wyatt had told him I could teach him how to play the guitar.
“Fine,” Wyatt finally concedes. “But just for the one day, Al,” he insists. “Trust me on this, babe, okay?”
