“I see that might work for you but what you are not gettin’ is that’s not gonna work for her. Whatever it is, she’s convinced herself she’s the one done wrong and I don’t know what went down but I know Cady and I know that shit’s not right. But you got that twisted in her head and I’m not thinkin’ it’s good you got more chance to twist shit in her head.”
It was after he suffered those blows that it belatedly occurred to Coert that, as illuminating as this was, it was a waste of time.
Therefore he turned from Elijah, saying, “Good to meet you,” and walked to his truck.
“Man, you give even the littlest shit about her,” Elijah called as Coert opened the door on his truck, “you’ll let her family do their work.”
If he gave the littlest shit about her, he wouldn’t let her family anywhere near her.
He didn’t know who this sister was, but he was wondering even if Caylen continued to be estranged, maybe some unfortunate female had married him and it wouldn’t be a surprise Cady got close to her.
The two other sisters, he didn’t know and at that time, he didn’t care.
“Have a good holiday,” Coert called back, swung up into his truck and did a three-pointer in Cady’s lane to turn around and head back to town.
When he was on his way, he called her.
She didn’t pick up.
He left a message.
“Went to the lighthouse this morning and Elijah says you’re heading down to Connecticut. I get that. But I need to know you’re okay, Cady. You don’t have to call and talk to me but when you stop for a break, just text that you’re okay. Please, honey. Just text me you’re okay.”
He disconnected, shoved most of what Elijah said in the back of his mind and concentrated on the fact she’d be back.
The problem was, she’d be back and “the family” was spending Christmas with her.
He didn’t know if her mother or father (it would be the mother) got hold of Caylen and sorted him out, but he couldn’t imagine any visit from them, including and especially a holiday, would be good for Cady.
She’d want it.
They’d ruin it.
So now he needed to see her, really needed to see her when she got back.
For more than one reason.
Her text came half an hour after he sat down at his desk at the station.
I’m fine. Thank you for checking.
He didn’t hesitate to text back.
Call me when you get home.
His reply was immediate.
Her reply took fifteen minutes.
I appreciate your concern and you’re being very nice. But you don’t need to be concerned. I’ll be OK.
He didn’t make her wait fifteen minutes for his reply.
Please just phone when you get home. We need to talk.
Her reply came quicker that time, only a few minutes.
You’re off the hook, Coert. This is very sweet but truly, I’m taken care of. It’s done now for the both of us. Be happy and have a Merry Christmas.
His reply was again instant.
Just call when you get home.
And her reply that time was instant too.
Goodbye, Coert.
He returned, See you when you get back.
She didn’t respond.
Coert looked at the wall of his office, that beyond it was the lighthouse.
Not a word outta your mouth was anything but shit. We all got buried under it but she was fuckin’ it. You were good with that mouth in a lotta ways, I can tell. Bet you talked your shit real pretty to her. Gave it to her good with that mouth. The man she was so fuckin’ addicted to, she couldn’t tear her eyes off you anytime you were anywhere near.
He’d needed to take care of his daughter. He’d needed to sort things with her mother.
And he’d done that. Thanksgiving worked well. Janie didn’t seem to change but that didn’t mean she didn’t like having her mom and dad around, getting along. He knew she was feeling it, the way they were when they changed hands with Janie. Kim calling because that outlet was loose in her bathroom and she wanted him to come and tighten it up. And he did when he had Janie, bringing her back to her mom’s house. Doing that for her mom. Sitting down to dinner after.
Janie was still just Janie. Sweet. Cute. Smart. A good kid.
It had only been weeks. Maybe she wouldn’t change, turn into a terror because she knew her parents would still love her anyway, and he definitely wouldn’t mind that just as long as he knew the other stuff was how it needed to be for his little girl.
The bottom line of that was that it was important he and Kim were working on giving her better parents.
And it had only been weeks but he’d had time. He’d had time to face his past and the fact that Cady was in his present and find his way to deal with all that had happened.
He just couldn’t find it in himself to face it.
To face her.
So he’d screwed it up.
Royally.
Again.
She was a mess last night, man.
Shit, he’d made a mess.
He’d made a mess of Cady.
Again.
And he was scared as hell, just like he didn’t last time, that he wouldn’t find a way to clean it up.
Two days before Christmas Eve, Coert stood in his living room with the Christmas tree lights on, a lamp by the couch, these the only things illuminating the room.
It should be cheery, especially since Janie liked colored lights on the tree and from the time she was two he’d taken her on a special outing and let her pick a bunch of ornaments, every one on the tree her choice. So the entire tree was of her design, childlike, unsophisticated, nothing matched, it was just bright and unpredictable and gorgeous.
Even with the coolest Christmas tree in Magdalene, Coert was not feeling in a festive mood.
He was staring down at his phone seeing a one-sided text conversation that he’d had with Cady the three days since she’d left.
You get to Connecticut OK?
You good?
Cady, is everything good?
You home?
Cady, phone me.
She didn’t phone or text back and Coert felt like a fucking stalker.
Which was something he latched onto because it was better than focusing on the fact he was just a fucking asshole.
He needed to go back to the lighthouse. That Elijah guy was there and that probably wouldn’t go well. And Midnight might no longer be his biggest fan if Elijah and Cady gave off that vibe, which they would. Not to mention her parents and Caylen might be there and he had no idea how they took the news she was with an undercover cop she didn’t know was an undercover cop but he didn’t like them (and he’d hated Caylen’s guts) as Tony, and since he was Tony, just Coert playing Tony, and a cop and who he was to Cady, he didn’t figure that was going to change.
But she’d had her time.
And her time was up.
He was just about to pocket his phone and haul his ass into his truck when a knock came on the door.
He looked that way and was going to ignore it when another knock came, louder and it didn’t stop for some time.
He could still ignore it but he was the sheriff. It wasn’t frequent people showed at his doorstep—mostly neighbors thinking he was not only the sheriff but a one-man neighborhood watch that would drop everything and help look for lost dogs or get in his car and cruise the streets to find teenage girls who’d stormed off in a fit of teenage dramatics—but it happened.
When the knocking stopped and started again immediately, Coert went to his front door, a door made out of windows, to see man he’d never seen in his life.
He unlocked it, stepped to the side and opened it enough to put his body in it.
“Sorry, don’t got a lot of time,” he declared.
“Please don’t close the door,” the guy replied immediately and Coert’s shoulders grew tight when he went on, “I know this is not right. Totally not right. I want you to understand that I know that and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel it was urgent that I come. But I’m Pat Moreland, Cady’s brother, and I need to speak to you.”
Coert stood staring at Cady’s stepson, a man who was maybe a decade older than her, a man who said he was her brother.
“Please,” the guy said, eyes locked to Coert’s. “I’ll try not to take up much of your time, but something’s wrong with Cady, something bad, we’re concerned and we’re desperate so I need to find out what it is. I need to find out so I can fix it.”