Martin raised a hand from the backseat. “I know a guy. He does all sorts of hacking. He’s not too concerned with the legalities of it all. If you need information, he will find it.
“Let me have his number.”
“He’s my friend. I think it will be better if I talk with him.”
I stared at Martin for a moment and decided it wasn’t worth the fight. “Fine. But at least tell me who he is.”
“AntMan. He goes by AntMan.”
Chapter Thirteen
BEX
It had been almost three weeks since Dominic and his siblings had shown up. Twenty-one days of baby cuddles and silent toddler tantrums. Or, more accurately, the tantrums were not silent but they were wordless. Though Landon gave me a fair share of goodnight kisses, as well.
He still hadn’t spoken a word to either me or Logan. My gut told me it was not time to worry yet, and Logan agreed. Still, I needed some advice and my sister-in-law was a Trauma Counsellor for children
Brie was back from her honeymoon. Knowing I could ask her advice went a long way to easing my anxiety. She had been quick to reassure me that things would take time. Of course, she wasn’t surprised to find out I had a teenager and two young children living with me. Mason had shared the history with her and one of our friends had likely filled her in on the present. I think that was what shocked everyone more than anything else. Our circle was not known for keeping secrets. It wasn’t our strength. And yet we managed to keep this one for more than a decade and a half.
It didn’t bother me that everyone knew what was happening. I had bigger problems. Mostly, I wanted to know what to do about Landon.
Brie had agreed to meet at Julie’s apartment. For one I didn’t want to be too far away from the kids. But also she wanted to catch up with her sister. While Brie analysed my family situation, Julie put together a plate of crackers and cheese.
“Bex, he cannot tell you what he is feeling.” Brie sat across from me at the kitchen counter that mirrored the one in Logan’s apartment. “He went to bed having parents and then woke up without them. Then he was removed from his home and taken to a strange house.” She frowned at me as she continued. “You know how big and scary the people who watch over you are when you’re under protection. Just imagine that from a kid’s perspective.”
I glared at her. “How would you know? You had my brother, remember? Was he big and scary?”
“You know what I mean.” She smiled as if remembering the time she spent in the house with my brother over a year ago. “You and Logan are doing everything right for those kids. Victoria is thriving, and so is Landon. He just doesn’t want to talk. Give him time. When he has something important to say, he will say it. You may need professional help at some point, but let’s limit the number of adults who poke and prod at him for a little longer.”
“Okay.” I leaned back in the chair at the huge country style kitchen table. “Now tell me, what are we doing here?”
Brie smiled as Julie placed the snack on the table and fetched the soda from the fridge. “We need some girl time. And you needed time away from mommy duty.”
“Mommy duty?” Was that what I was doing? I was exhausted. Despite Victoria sleeping through the night, she was still both a night owl and an early riser. I went into the office for a few hours each day and Logan worked shifts at the hospital. Most days I could have the kids with me. Otherwise, I could commandeer a babysitter. “I’m just doing what needs to be done.Dom was doing it all for those days he was at the San Francisco safe house. I just needed to lighten his load.”
Julie pulled up the stool next to her. “That’s the job, Bex. Doing what needs to be done. All day, every day.” She motioned for Brie to bring over the cake she had brought. “Just because you don’t know what the future holds, doesn’t mean you don’t need a girl’s night. Or afternoon, as the case may be. Besides, it's the only time all of us were free.”
“Who areall of us?” I used air quotes, causing both women to roll their eyes.
It was a legitimate question. All my life it was Debbie and I. Then, when she died, I had no female friends. As my brothers started getting paired off, my sisters-in-law became my friends.
Of course, the women in the house became friends, too. From having no friends, I was now blessed with an abundance of them. I loved my brothers and I knew they had my back. But my girls? Yeah, they were everything to me. They made it possible to be me.
I could be the weirdo I was around them. Too much of a tomboy to be girly and far too sensitive to truly fit in with the guys.
A knock to the door got my attention and Julie got up and opened it.
Sue, the receptionist at Salinger Security walked into the kitchen holding two large mint green cake boxes. “I went to the bakery and took two of everything. I figured since we have two pregnant ladies, we needed extra sustenance.”
Which meant both Cassie and Anna were on their way too.
Sue had moved into Forte Femme when she started working at Salinger Security, just over a year ago. It was obvious she had secrets and that she had a history with Jared. Then again we all had. Julie had armed guards to protect her against her father in law.
I hoped that eventually we would solve that for her. Then again, who was I to talk to?. It was also obvious she was grieving. I just wasn’t sure who, since she was the one who killed her husband in self defense, after he killed her best friend.
I eyed the mint green boxes and as soon as she placed them on the table, I opened one and pulled out a glazed donut. Lots of dessert and processed sugar had been eaten at our kitchen tables, starting with the wedding cake samples we were tasting when I was engaged to Curtis.
I repeated my question. “Who all is coming?”
