Chapter One
Gabby went quiet asshe slowly shook her head.
Gina looked up at her daughter and asked quietly, “What are you thinking about?”
Gabby walked over to the bed and knelt at her mom’s side.She reached for her hands and said, “Someone told me a long time ago that I couldn’t let rage take over my heart or one day I wouldn’t recognize the woman looking back at me.The night we were attacked, everything inside me was locked behind a door, all my memories, all the good things in my life were just gone, locked behind that damn door.I forgot everything you taught me about being good and kind.The rage grew stronger every year I survived those damn foster homes.”
Her mother looked pained as she squeezed her hand.
Gabby went on, “Then those memories started seeping back ever so slowly.You were like a voice in my head telling me stuff I didn’t remember but I heard your voice in my head at odd times.It took me a while to remember them but I did remember your voice.You helped me survive the pain those bastards inflicted on me.Then one day, the rage began to lessen and I could finally think clearly again.I learned to be strong again.I learned not to scream when they would beat on me.Your voice brought me back from the abyss every time and I began to watch everything around me.All this time I thought you were gone, then when I got here and your attorney arrived to speak to me he asked me questions that you gave him to ask.That’s when the door finally broke open in my tiny mind and I...I remembered everything that happened.”Tears ran down her face.“I finally remembered your face, your touch and while I couldn’t see you, I could feel the love you had for me and I knew that you loved me.”Her voice fell away.
The room remained quiet as they all listened.
Gabby continued, “I remembered everything from those years, all the times Sarah and Lester used to come over and harass you for money.I saw that same greed in Sarah’s eyes when she came here to demand I turn the money you left for me over to her.I saw something else in her eyes that day, it was more than just the money she was after.She wanted to break me and she didn’t care about the fact I was her niece either.Hell, she showed her cards and she didn’t even care that Andy was her daughter or that you were her sister.She seemed to think the whole world revolved around what she wanted, what she thought she deserved.Then you told us your dad wasn’t really in charge and that Sarah was the brains behind it all.You were right about them not stopping until they got their hands on everything.She showed the whole room exactly who she was and everyone saw the real her.They showed her the door and when she demanded Andy come with her, Bullet asked Andy if she wanted to leave with her mom and when Andy said no, Sarah nearly blew a blood vessel.She said Andy had turned her back on the family and she would pay for that.Then you tell us she’s the real power, the real genius behind Lester and you know what?I can see that clearly now.When she was here demanding that I turn everything over to her.She demanded that I turn the money over toher, not her and Lester, but toher.”
Shilo shook his head and said, “I guess I never really listened that well to what she was actually saying.In my mind she was demanding the money be turned over to her and her father.”
“Well, I wasn’t going to give it to either of them at any rate.”Gabby scoffed.“It wasn’t their money to begin with.It was my mom’s and right now, it still is.As soon as possible, she’ll get it all back.”
Gina shook her head.“No baby girl, that money was supposed to go to you.”
Gabby smiled at her.“But mom, you aren’t dead yet and that money was supposed to be paid out upon your death.”
“And I have been dead for years really,” her mother replied.
Gabby shook her head.
“You had to survive as a child without me as I was legally claimed as dead.The pain and misery you suffered with.The cruelty of what they did to you...”Tears filled her eyes.“All because of fucking Sarah.”
Gabby squeezed her hands.
“There’s something we haven’t looked into yet,” King broke in.“What is Sarah doing with the money her family turns over every payday?”
Andy looked up and nodded.“I know who we should reach out to.”
“Who?”Train growled.
“Avery March.”Andy nodded.“She’s the one who keeps the books for mom and grandpa.And I don’t think she’s happy about it either.Mom is only paying her minimum wage and she expects more out of her than what that wage is worth.”Shrugging, she added, “I think Mom’s using something against her but I can’t prove it.Like blackmail, I mean but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what’s happening there.Mom is an absolute bitch and she would press it as far as she could.But maybe Avery can help you take my mom down?”
Ryker smiled at her.“I can get behind that.Maybe she can fill us in on everything those two have their fingers in.They say the bigger you are the harder you fall and I really want to see those two ole heifers fall hard.”
Andy nodded at him.“Then you should call Avery.She keeps the books and she can tell you where to hit them first.”
King stared at her for a long moment then had to ask, “Is she another relative?I can’t see your mom or granddad letting anyone not related to your family have that kind of power over them.”
Andy shook her head.“No, she’s not related.She was a homeless person when my mom found her on the streets.But mom saw something in her she couldn’t resist.You see, Avery has an uncanny way with numbers.Some would call her special but there’s nothing wrong with her, she just sees things most people just overlook.But she knows more about mom’s business than anyone else.”She shrugged.“Then there’s the fact that she has an eidetic memory, a fact my mom counts on every time she needs it.”
“So do you know what blackmail Sarah is using against her?”Ryker asked her.
Andy shook her head.“No.Sarah never voices it outloud but you can see the fear in Avery’s eyes everyday.You don’t know what it's like living with my mom or working for her.She’d skin Avery alive if she ever defied her.Then after she stripped her of everything she had, she’d toss her back to the streets, bloody and bruised.Avery knows that and that’s why she stays.She was running from someone when Mom found her and mom would tell the person exactly where he could find her.I think that’s the blackmail part actually.We didn’t get a chance to talk much before I finally got away from my mother but I could see the fear in Avery when I did see her.”
“You think she’s in danger?”Ryker asked as he looked concerned.
Andy nodded as tears welled in her eyes.“Yeah, she’s in danger, my mom is just batshit-crazy-mean.”
“How do we get in touch with her?”Ryker asked as his jaw hardened.
Andy shook her head.“I’m not sure she’ll even answer the phone, sometimes she just shuts the whole world out.But maybe there is one way.”She reached for her phone and sent a cryptic message.She texted the words12 bells.Then she looked over at Bullet.“We have to meet her under the bridge near the pier at midnight.If she gets that message, she’ll show up.”
