Something about the way she said it… "What does that mean?"
“It means Luc has some ideas about his family that he probably needs to think about again. I’m sure you’ll figure out what I mean once you meet them all. I do mean once you meet all of his sisters. All of his family. That kind of thing. Just…this will be good for you, I think. And for Kai.” Payton's face softened. She was looking at him like she could see into his soul again. "Pierce Sawyer Asher. Listen to me. Sometimes you have to forget all your previous assumptions and see what is right in front of your face."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're so busy thinking about what could go wrong that you're not seeing what could go right. For you or for Kai. Texas could be a wonderful place for you—and that little boy."
"Payton—"
"End of the week. Give Luc an answer by then; I’m tired of listening to him go on and on about it. And give Kai a kiss from his auntie. I love you both very, very much."
The call ended. His sister could be such a brat when she thought she knew what was best for them all. She always had. There were eight years, and seven brothers, between Payton and their oldest brother Peterson. She’d always just quietly stubborned her way through everything.
Pierce set the phone down on the counter. The monitor still showed Kai's room in grayscale. Kai was in the same position, the glow of Jilly Silly in the corner.
Forget all your previous assumptions.
See what is right in front of your face.
How traumatic were major moves for kids Kai's age? Pierce didn't know. He was going to ask Miranda about that in the morning. She had the degrees. And she had a son. One who was just as traumatized as Kai. Maybe together…
Hell, at this point, he would look for any answer. He just wanted normal for his son. Was that too much to really ask?
He turned back to the witness statements spread over his damned table and started arranging them again. Closest to the victims first. Family went in one stack. Teachers, church members, friends, colleagues, in others. He worked through the pages, sorting and ordering, until the table looked like a grid.
Forget all your previous assumptions.
Assumptions.
Hell, maybe this whole case had been built on nothing but assumptions. Not like they really had anything else to go on.
The monitor flickered. Kai was sitting up. Pierce set his phone down and went down the hall. Kai's door was still at the gap.
Kai was sitting up in bed, crying. Calling for his daddy. In a tone that told Pierce Kai still didn’t trust Pierce would always be there when he called.
"Kai." Pierce kept his voice quiet. Kai didn’t react well with sudden noises. "Hey, buddy. I’m right here. Daddy’s right here, it’s okay."
Kai blinked and focused on Pierce, then looked down at himself. Saw what had happened. The pull-up had leaked again. That happened sometimes.
"It's okay."
"You're okay," Pierce said. "This happens sometimes."
Kai didn't answer. Sometimes when he was upset, he wouldn’t. Pierce just took care of his son, thoughts twisting on what Payton and Luc had said.
Fresh pajamas from the drawer. He dressed his son quickly. “It’s Wonkus on your jammies now. I bet he’s sleepy. Those bubbles are hard to make, I think.”
Pierce tucked the covers around him and put the Jilly Silly doll back under his arm. And waited, not saying a word, until his son drifted back to sleep. He had no more answers than when he’d first started this case so long ago. How much more could he give?
He was going to have to just give up. Unless they found the answers somehow.
He left the door at the gap and went back to the kitchen.
The case files were still spread across the table. Right where he’d left them. Waiting.
Pierce picked up his phone and dialed Miranda.
She answered on the second ring. "Hey, Pierce. What's up?"
