“Why didn’t you tell me that? Why the blackmail?” Brad asked his father.
“Because you wouldn't have come.”
“How the hell would you know that?”
“Because he's aware his particular brand of parenting hasn't been successful to date, so he fell back on what's always worked. Intimidation,” Ethan said. “You really are an asshole.”
“I need him to take over when I die.”
EG wasn't roaring now, in fact he just looked tired, but Brad couldn't find it in himself to be sorry for the man who had made his and Ethan's lives hell.
Ethan's cell phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket and answered it.
“I need to call you back, honey, I’m in the middle of something here. What? When? Okay, but she's all right, her and Billy?”
Every nerve in Brad's body twitched when he heard Ethan say Billy's name.
“What?”
“Brian's escaped.” Ethan held up a hand as Brad started to move. “She's all right, they're watching over her.”
“We're leaving now.”
Ethan nodded.
“You got transport?”
“You want to loan your nephews your jet, Uncle Mitch?” Ethan followed his words with a smile.
“You always were a smooth one.” Mitch shook his head. “I'll ready it. You want a lift to the airfield?”
“I hired a helicopter to get here,” Ethan added.
Brad's brain was turning circles. Macy must be terrified, he should be there with her, he shouldn't have left her. What if Brian got to her before he could reach Howling?
“Now, Ethan, we have to go.”
“She's safe, Brad.”
“I need to get to her. I’ll get my stuff, then we're gone.” Brad ran around the table and hugged his mother hard. “I need to go, this concerns her, the woman I love.”
She touched his cheek, surprising him when she followed it with a kiss. “Go then, and I'd like to meet her one day.”
He nodded, then reached his uncle's side.
“I'll take care of this,” Uncle Mitch said, looking at his brother, who was still slumped in his chair. “You call when you have time, and we'll talk about what we've decided.”
Hugging his uncle, Brad sprinted from the room, telling Ethan he'd meet him out front in ten minutes. He was back in nine. They were in the helicopter Ethan had hired seconds later.
“I’m flying; you look like shit.”
“Just a simple thanks would do.”
“Thanks, Ethan.”
“I missed you.”
“Me too,” Brad said as he took the helicopter up.
