She did so, the brown contacts hiding her natural color as well as some of her panic. “I was afraid this would happen. He doesn’t want her, Jethro. He just wants to hurt me.”
“Okay.” Jethro brushed her jaw with his knuckles. “Just say the word and I’ll have both of you out of the country.”
Her eyes finally focused. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” He let his words sink in for a minute. “I think you should stick around and fight him, but this isyour decision.”
She swallowed and her graceful neck moved. “I just can’t handle this.” Then she took a deep breath. “Wait a minute. You can’t take off for another country with your brother out there framing you for murder.”
“I can and I will if that’s what you need. I mean it, Gemma.” He was a man of his word, and he’d promised her he’d keep her safe. Nobody was going to harm Trudy or use her to hurt Gemma. “We could be in the air in an hour. Maybe two.”
She clasped her hands together. “I don’t know what to do,”she whispered.
Scott returned. “Well, I spoke with Fred, and he says Monty just wants to talk to you.”
“No,” Jethro said.
Gemma looked at Scott.
Scott shrugged. “This is up to you. But we could meet at my office and you wouldn’t be alone with him.” He glanced at Jethro. “You might want to give this a chance before taking off for parts unknown. I mean, if you had that thought, which I don’t know about because I’m an officerof the court.”
In front of Jethro’s eyes, Gemma’s spine straightened. “I am so tired of running and being afraid. If he wants to meet, we’ll meet.” Her gaze focused fully on the attorney. “But I am not playing nice. He needs to know that right off the bat.” Then she looked at Jethro. “I appreciate the offer, but let’s try this first. Willyou be there?”
“Of course,” he said, his chest swelling at her courage. “You can do this.”
“I know.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Gemma sat in her office as Scott left to set up the meeting, while Jethro returned to his office to finish packing up for the week since they’d both be teaching remotely. She’d thought about doing this for a while but had never gathered the courage. Maybe this was the chance she needed—it was as close as she’d ever get. It was too late to turn back now. So she turned to her laptop and made a video call, figuring he’d be at his desk for lunch. Some habitsnever changed.
“Hello?” Dr. Jack Cameron slowly took shape on the screen, a fork in his hand and a diet soda next to him.
Gemma’s eyebrows rose even as bile swam around her stomach, threatening to make her puke. “You look a little the worse for wear, Jack.”
His hair had gone mostly gray and his skin appeared sallow. Lines extended from his eyes and lips, and his face was much rounder than before. His mouth droppedopen. “Gemma?”
“Yeah.” She yanked off the irritating blond wig and tossed it behind her back. If she was going to be herself, she was going all the way with it. With one hand she removed the contacts and flicked them across the room.
He quickly looked behind himself at his diplomas and then to the side, where the office door was located. “What are you doing?” he hissed.
She stared dispassionately at him, digging deep for what she needed to say. This was her only chance to save her daughter and remain with all their friends, and she had to try. “You let me down.”
His bushy eyebrows rose. “Why are you calling?” Panic rose in his voice.
She tilted her head, letting his panic feed her calm. “Do you even know where Montyis right now?”
Jack grimaced and threw out both large hands. Then he grabbed the hair above his ears as if he wanted to pull it out. “Yes. I heard that he found you and was on his way to DC. I’m so very sorry. I’ve been in a complete panic.”
That was exactly what Gemma had been hoping to hear. Even so, her chest started to burn. Tears threatened to derail her, but she banished them, seeking bravery, or at least the ability to bluff. But her words poured out on their own. “Do you patch up his new fiancée like you did me? Do you help Monty hide the bruisesand the cuts?”
Jack turned even paler. “What do you want?”
Yeah, that’s what she’d figured. Some habits never died. “He’s here, Jack. He’s here in town and he wants access to my daughter. Your niece.” Gemma leaned toward the screen, even her face on fire with anger now as she remembered all the pain Monty had caused her. “He doesn’t want kids. He doesn’t like kids. You know he’s only here making a stink because he wants to hurt me.”
Jack shoved what appeared to be a salad to the side. “I gave you money to leave. To get free and have that baby.” He sounded more like a whiny toddler than a successful doctor.
“That baby is a beautiful little girl named Trudy,” Gemma snapped. “You did give me money, but you should’ve done more. A lot more. You’re a doctor, for God’s sake.” Now she threwup her hands.
