Chapter 15 - HIS MOTHER
“Back up.”
Gregory wrapped one arm around Elaine’s neck.
His mother did not scream.
That frightened me more.
She simply closed her eyes.
Ortiz’s officers stopped.
Gregory looked at me.
“This is your fault.”
“No.”
My voice remained level.
“This is yours.”
“Shut up.”
“You chose the bat.”
“Shut up.”
“You chose Celia.”
“SHUT UP.”
“You chose your mother.”
His face crumpled.
For one second I saw the frightened boy Elaine had described.
Then it disappeared beneath the man he had decided to become.
Martin emerged from the stairwell.
Two security officers followed him.
He had somehow convinced them he could calm his son.
Gregory looked relieved.
“Dad.”
Martin raised his hands.
“Listen to me.”
Elaine’s face changed.
Her fear returned.
Martin stepped closer.
“You’ve made a mess.”
Gregory stared at him.
Not are you hurt.
Not let your mother go.
You’ve made a mess.
Something shifted behind Gregory’s eyes.
“I did what you told me.”
Martin’s face hardened.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You said Ashlynn would sign if I scared her.”
I felt Ortiz glance toward the body camera clipped to her uniform.
Recording.
Martin realized it too late.
“I never said that.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Gregory.”
“You gave me the bat.”
Martin’s voice became colder.
“You are emotional.”
Gregory stared at his father.
“You said Celia was my fault because I lost control.”
Celia stepped forward.
Martin went pale when he saw her.
For six years, he had believed she was dead.
“You.”
Celia smiled without warmth.
“Hello, Martin.”
Gregory loosened his hold on Elaine.
Only slightly.
Enough.
Elaine drove her elbow backward into his stomach.
It was not elegant.
It did not need to be.
She dropped away from him.
Security surged forward.
Gregory tried to run.
He made it four steps.
Ortiz’s officers brought him down and cuffed him against the deck.
Martin began shouting for an attorney.
Nobody listened.
Elaine crawled toward Celia.
The two women stared at each other.
Six years of guilt sat between them.
“I’m sorry,” Elaine whispered.
Celia’s eyes filled.
“You tried.”
“Not hard enough.”
Celia knelt.
Then she took Elaine’s hand.
Behind them, Gregory screamed at his father.
“You promised you could fix this.”
Martin said nothing.
Gregory laughed suddenly.
“You think I’m taking this alone?”
Martin’s face changed.
Gregory looked toward Ortiz.
“There’s another contract.”
I stepped forward.
“What contract?”
May you like
Gregory smiled through bloodless lips.
“The one your uncle signed before he died.”
