Page 25 of A Burning Rage

It’s going to be a long, painful wait until we find out what the decision is.

Chapter 10 – Shane

Waiting for the parole board’s decision is nerve-wracking. For the next few days, we try to go on as usual, but it’s hard. The stress of the unknown is weighing on Beth. It’s weighing on me, too. Even Sam and Cooper seem unusually preoccupied lately. I get a call each day from Troy, just to touch base, but as of yet, there’s no news.

In this case, does no news mean good news, or bad news? It’s impossible to guess.

I can’t imagine how Andrew’s psychiatrist could possibly think he’s eligible for release. I remember looking him in the eye at the hearing. He was stone cold, disconnected, unfeeling. When he looked at Beth, which he did frequently, he showed absolutely no remorse. If anything, his demeanor seemed hostile, as if he blamed her for his incarceration.

A week later, as I’m sitting at my desk in my downtown office, Diane pops her head through the open doorway. “You have a visitor, honey.”

“Oh?” I’m not expecting anyone this morning. “Who is it?”

“Mr. Spencer,” she says before she steps aside to let him enter.

Troy walks into my office and closes the door behind him before he turns to face me. I meet his gaze, and when he says nothing, my stomach sinks like a stone. There’s only one reason he’d come to my office unannounced, and that’s to deliver bad news. If it was good news, he’d have called or texted immediately.

“Spit it out,” I say.

Troy approaches my desk, but he doesn’t sit. “The board approved Andrew’s release.”

“Damn it!” I shoot to my feet and swipe an arm across my desk, sending my desk lamp crashing to the floor. I begin pacing like a caged animal, running my fingers through my hair. “What the fuck are they thinking? He’s dangerous! Anyone can see that!”

In a blind rage, I reach for the closest thing—a glass vase holding fresh flowers—and hurl it into the wall. The vase shatters, and water, flowers, and shards of glass fall to the floor.

Troy stands. “Shane—”

Diane walks into my office, her eyes wide as she takes in the mess I made. She looks at me, then at Troy. “Should I—”

“It’s okay, Diane,” Troy says, motioning for her to leave. “He’ll be all right.”

She leaves, closing the door behind her.

I begin pacing behind my desk. “I looked him right in the eye at the hearing, Troy, and he just glared back at me, cold and completely devoid of feeling. He’s a psychopath, and they’re letting him walk free? Seriously? What the fuck!”

“Not exactly free,” Troy says. “There are stipulations to his release. He can’t just—”

“He’ll be a free man, Troy. He can go where he wants to.”

“Not exactly. He’ll have to wear an ankle monitor, and there are strict conditions on when he can leave his parents’ house. And they’re responsible for supervising him.”

“They can’t watch him around the clock. He’ll be alone for hours upon hours during the day. The Mortons both work demanding jobs and long hours. Who’s going to supervise him when they’re gone? Are they going to hire a fucking babysitter?”

Suddenly, there’s a hollow ringing in my ears as the news sinks in. It’s really happening. “How in the hell am I going to tell Beth? She’ll be devastated!” I stop pacing and slam my fist in the wall behind me, punching a hole in the drywall and ignoring the burst of pain radiating up my arm. “This is insane!”

Troy frowns. “I know. I’m sorry, Shane.”

“When?” I ask. “When the fuck is he getting out?”

“I’m guessing it’ll be a week or two while the paperwork is being processed. Once he’s out, he’s allowed to leave the house for medical appointments and for work, assuming he manages to get a job. He’s required to continue with weekly therapy. Other than that, he has to stay home. These conditions are in place for six months. After that time, the situation will be reevaluated, and if he’s abiding by the rules, they’ll consider giving him more freedom.”

This news is going to devastate Beth. Her life will never be the same. None of our lives will.

I glance down at my hand and see my knuckles are bleeding. “Don’t say anything to anyone yet,” I say. “Not until I can break the news to Beth.”

Troy nods. “Of course. I’m sorry, Shane. I wish I had better news.”

After Troy leaves, I spend the rest of my day mentally strategizing how to ensure Beth’s safety. When Andrew is released, I’ll reassign Miguel from his current assignment to join Beth’s protection detail. I’ll assign Jake’s team to do surveillance on Andrew so we know his whereabouts at all times. I won’t give him a chance to harm my wife.