Mackey hadn’t expected it. Hadn’t fought back. Not at first, anyway.
Errol had taken him so much by surprise that he’d dealt a blow to Mackey’s head that had caused a traumatic brain injury that had permanently disabled him.
Mackey never got to meet his baby like he should have.
Even worse, he would spend the rest of his life only able to do the most basic of things.
Wendy knew who her dad was.
Knew that her daddy had an accident before she was born.
However, Mackey would never be anything more than just a person she knew.
Mackey’s parents, upon hearing about the attack, had decided to move him to Nepal where they now lived. It was very, very rare that we would get to see him now. And, even worse, he didn’t have the same cognitive ability to understand. He was like a child and could only do the most basic activities of daily living.
He knew who I was, could respond with a smile. But he couldn’t talk well. Couldn’t walk much at all. Had to have help eating, showering, and taking care of his every basic need.
I missed the hell out of my friend.
And I hated Errol fucking Fuller with the power of a thousand suns.
Even worse, he never saw jail time for what he’d done.
The judge had ruled it an accident.
But I knew better.
Errol was a jealous asshole who thought he could have something I wasn’t willing to give.
And his stupid fucking club had protected him.
“Love you, Mother.”
I tugged lightly on Wendy’s braid and headed out, waving to my mom in the falcon cage as I left.
She waved back, her new favorite love Tots on her gloved arm, and went back to what she was doing.
I slid into my SUV, a new Ford Expedition that had ‘excellent snow and ice capabilities’ according to the salesman.
The drive to Bozeman from Bear Pass was pleasant.
And pretty.
So. Dang. Pretty.
I’d never visited Montana before, though I’d always wanted to.
Alabama had been my home since I was a child, and I’d never thought that I would leave it.
I was wrong, though.
I realized that I’d do just about anything to protect my daughter.
That included moving thousands of miles away to a mountain town that made me slightly nauseous nearly all of the time.
I’d do anything for my girl. Murder. Nausea. Snot.
Nothing was off the table when it came to her.
