With the lights in her face, Tina couldn’t make out any of the grownups past the first row, but that was bad enough. Mr. Franklin stood right at the center and stared at her.
The woman who came and got them clapped her hands again to get everyone’s attention. “Big smiles, kids! We’re going to take some photos and do a little filming.”
The last thing Tina wanted to do was smile. Just because she couldn’t see Mama or Camden it didn’t mean they couldn’t see her. If she frowned, they would know something was wrong. They’d come up and ask her and she’d tell them about the horses right there in front of everybody. So she gave the biggest frown she could, just to show everyone how upset she was.
“Smile, Tina,” Mr. Franklin said. “Everyone likes pretty little girls who smile!” He pushed the corners of his mouth up with his pointer fingers into a fake smile.
And then he pointed in front of his chest toward the side of the stage. She glanced that way—and saw her mama standing next to the old man. He had his arm draped around her shoulders. They were both smiling at her, but their smiles were totally different. Mama’s looked happy and real, while Rock’s looked mean.
That’s when Tina put it together. If these men’s friends would shoot horses—they’d shoot her mama, and Camden, and Tina, and anyone else who they didn’t like. That’s what Mr. Franklin was trying to tell her with his pointing and fake smile. And it’s what Rock said too, with his arm around Mama’s shoulders. They could tell their horse-hating friends, and there was nothing Tina could do to stop them.
“Smile, everyone! Smile!” Mr. Franklin shouted.
Except stay quiet. And smile.
So, she did.
Until the next day, when she couldn’t smile anymore.
Twenty-Five
It’s my fault. My Goddammed fault. Camden wanted to find both Rock Higley and Larry Franklin and tear them apart for hurting his little girl. And it was on him for allowing her to be in harm’s way.If I hadn’t told her about the damn sundial. If I hadn’t allowed Elena to get involved in the case. If I hadn’t met them in the first place.
Elena has every reason to hate me. When he looked into her eyes over Tina’s head, he saw nothing but anguish.
“I tried to be brave like Bette, Mama. I tried to protect you and Camden. But the horses.” The little girl dissolved into sobs.
“Sweet baby. Oh, my Pepita. It is not on you to be that brave, or to protect me or Camden or anyone else. That’s our job, to protect you and keep you safe and happy.”
Camden got up and knelt on the floor in front of Tina. He took her face in his hands.
“Youarebrave, Mermaid. You are the bravest person I know. Braver than any SEAL. Braver than Bette, and we both know that’s saying a lot. Nobody’s gonna get hurt, not you, not me, not your sweet Mama, nobody. There are no horses, sweetheart. Those bast—men—were talking about something else, something you don’t need to worry about. But you know what, Mermaid? A lot of people who were in danger are going to be safe now because of you.”
He kissed her forehead. “I’m gonna have to do my job now, and you helped with that. So much, when you never should have…” Camden squeezed his eyes shut against the guilt. When he opened them again, he said, “I made you some breakfast and you need to eat. That bad scare you had made you sick, and so we’ve gotta make sure you’re okay. You and Mama are gonna go in the kitchen and eat, but I’m not taking my eyes off you. We’re gonna figure it out, okay, brave girl? My Mermaid. I love you.”
He looked into Elena’s eyes. “I love both of you. So, so much.”
Elena took his hand and squeezed it. Tears coursed down her cheeks, but she nodded and mouthed the words,I love you.
They went to the kitchen where Elena encouraged Tina to do more than pick at her food. Camden sat on the couch in the living room in the meantime, keeping an eye on them via the kitchen passthrough while talking quietly on the phone with Lachlan. Then they conferenced in Jake, Gina, Nash, and Costello.
“I can’t believe Higley is involved in this,” Lachlan said. “And the son of a bitch is untouchable.”
“He slipped right under our radar,” Jake said. “Jesus Christ, the man’s been waving an American flag longer than I’ve been alive.”
“Career politician, and yet he seemed to keep himself out of scandals. Too good to be true. When do you think they approached him?” Costello asked.
“I don’t fucking care when they did,” Camden said, fighting to keep his voice low and even so as not to scare his woman and his girl. “All I care about is getting Elena and Tina into a safehouse fucking yesterday until we figure out the level of danger they’re in and where it’s coming from.”
“Already done,” Lachlan said. “I’m texting you the address now.”
“Thanks, boss. I have an idea about how I want this to go down, to keep Elena and Tina as safe as possible and still fulfill the objective of flushing out the operatives,” Camden said. “How many people can I get on security for the job?”
“I can’t speak for anyone else in this room, but you’ve got me, brother,” Jake said.
“I’m in,” Gina said.
“We all are,” Lachlan added.
