Page 143 of Mercy (The Sins Trilogy 3)
I stare, incredulous over his hypocrisy. Does he hear himself or understand what he’s asking? Has he not seen how Mother was at dinner? She wasn’t even the slightest bit contrite. “It’s too late. Even if Ivy were willing, I’m not. She ruined both our lives for nearly a decade. The only thing you can do is help Charlene get justice.”
“Who’s Charlene?”
It’s so messed up that he doesn’t know who she is, even though he paid for her cremation. “The girl who everyone thought was Ivy in the Lexus. Surely you haven’t forgotten that somebody died that night?”
He pales. His hands shake, and he flexes them before placing them firmly on the table.
“She was from Augustine. She was there, in the blue dress, because she turned Ivy’s music for her at the concert. Her parents have been wondering what happened to her all these years because Mother helped Sam and Caleb cover up what really happened that night. And you know Caleb’s the one who rammed into Ivy’s car.”
“Your mother was just worried about her image. She was only lashing out yesterday out of shame,” Father says in that oddly lifeless tone people use when they’re trying to convince themselves of what they’re saying.
“It doesn’t change what she did. It doesn’t change the fact that Charlene lost her life.”
“Oh lord.” Father lowers his head.
Pity and sympathy tug at me. What does it feel like to love someone only to realize that what you’ve loved all along is an image, a delusion? I don’t doubt Father loves Mother. He dotes on her, indulges her, caters to her whims. That’s probably why he didn’t make any effort to defend me. He loves her too much to hurt her by doing that, especially when she was grappling with the loss of Katherine.
You’re my son, but she’s my wife, and I love her.
My phone rings. It’s Harry. One of two people I consider my true family. I answer it, not caring if I’m being rude, while Father tries to come to grips with all the horrible outcomes of the night Caleb ran Ivy’s car into the bayou.
“Harry, how are you? I was going to call you to see if you want to fly—”
“Where are you?”
I pull back in surprise. He doesn’t sound upset. He sounds…urgent. “At the company headquarters. Why?”
“I came to get my stuff from the house, and ran into Jonas. He said Sue Ellen came by earlier this morning after Dad left for work. Mother told her you and Ivy were staying with Edgar. Then Sue Ellen immediately walked out, saying how she needs to go say hello to her old friend.”
Panic punches my heart, my whole body throbbing with dread. I jump to my feet. I don’t trust that bitch at all. She threw Ivy to Caleb and his friends at the party before, watched while that bastard tried to rape her. And now, she’s married to him, knowing the kind of subhuman animal he is.
“I have to go,” I say to Father.
He looks up, his eyes tired. “What’s going on?”
“Ivy may be in trouble.”
Heart in my throat, I rush out. Bobbi’s with Ivy, I tell myself. Bobbi will wipe the floor with Sue Ellen if she tries anything…but the thought doesn’t provide much comfort.
There are so many ways you can hurt someone, not all of them physical.
I call Bobbi while running out to the parking lot. No answer. Then Ivy.
Nothing.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.I grip the steering wheel and floor it, terror rippling up my spine.
