Though,no one’ssafety was more important than that of Avery, his eight-year-old daughter. The kid was the center of his world, although he wasn’t with her mother anymore.
Eastern looked up. “Hey. Thanks for coming in.”
Cody lowered to the seat across the desk. “Is everything okay? You look tired.”
Dark circles shadowed his eyes. That wasn’t unusual for his brother either. But it also wasn’t great.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Cody didn’t believe that for a second. “Eastern. It’s me. What’s up?”
There was a brief pause while Eastern ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s Jaime. She left.”
Cody straightened and leaned forward. “What do you mean, she left? Did she take Avery with her?”
“Nope. I had Avery for the weekend, and Jaime just never came to get her. When I called, she didn’t answer, but she sent a text a day later to say that she’s gone away because she needs abreak, and she’s not sure when she’ll be back.”
Anger shot through Cody. “A break fromwhat? Her daughter? Being a mother?”
“That’s a damn good question. One I’d love to know the answer to.” Eastern dropped his head into his hands. “I haven’t told Avery. Fuck, she’seight, man. How do I tell her that her mother left town and I don’t know when she’ll be back?Ifshe’ll come back?”
“You think she’s gone for good?”
“I don’t know. Since I got back to town, she’s made a few references to how she can finally do some of the things she wanted to do with her life, now that I’m here. But I never thought that meant leaving.”
“I’m so damn sorry. But Avery will be okay because she has you, and you’re a great dad.” The best.
“There’s more.”
Fuck, what more could there be?
“Avery’s been telling me about Jaime’s…drinking.”
Cody narrowed his eyes. “Drinking?”
“Yeah. Apparently, she was drinking a lot—to the point she was passing out at night. Avery was getting to school late. Some days being sent without lunch and clean clothes.”
“Shit! Man, I’m so sorry.” Cody felt awful. He’d had no idea. Jaime had barely let him visit his niece. He’d tried. Hell, he’d texted the woman almost daily when he first came home. Asking to see her. Speak to her. Spend even an hour with the kid to give Jaime a break. But she’d refused his help. Kayden’s too.
Because she knew they’d see her problem?
Eastern looked up again, pain crossing his face. “It’s my job to protect her. She’s my kid, and I didn’t see what was going on.I hate myself for that. I would have come home earlier. I would have looked into things, made sure she was safe.”
“Hey.” Cody leaned forward. “You’re here now. And you aren’t leaving her.”
“You’re right. And I’m documenting everything. Making sure that if Jaimedoesreturn, she’ll have to fight me to get Avery backperiod. I want full custody. And I’ll get it.” He sighed and shuffled some papers around his desk. “But that’s not why I asked you to come here.”
Eastern pulled out a piece of paper and pushed it across the desk. Cody lifted it and frowned at the printed news report. It featured a guy named Rodney Rain, who was released early from prison on good behavior after serving most of a ten-year sentence.
Cody quickly skimmed the article.
The night of Rain’s arrest, neighbors heard a scream from his home and called police. Upon arrival, police found the fifty-six-year-old in a drug-fueled rage after having physically assaulted his wife, son, and daughter. The fifteen-year-old daughter was sent to the hospital for immediate medical attention. Rain was convicted of drug possession and aggravated assault.
He glanced up at his brother, who looked as solemn as Cody felt. “Is this…”
“Harper’s father,” Eastern finished for him, confirming his thoughts.
“That son of a bitch,” Cody growled. “He sent her to the hospital?”
