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My heart slammed hard in my chest. I knew this wasn’t good. I ripped open the envelope. “What are you doing?” Disa asked watching me open my father’s envelope.
My eyes met hers. “Something is wrong,” I told her.
I peeked inside the envelope. There were some pictures. I closed my eyes and inhaled sharply. I knew at least one of them was of my mother. I could see her dark hair in the picture.
I needed to sit down. I reached behind me and locked the front door.
Then I guided Disa to the dining room where I could sit.
I sent a group text message to my siblings telling them to come to Mom and Dad’s, everyone except Seth. He couldn’t leave the pub anyway and I didn’t want him to alert Dad that something was wrong just yet.
Then I waited for them to arrive.
One by one.
Danni and Walker were first.
She wanted to know what was wrong. “Just wait until they all get here.”
She held India close to her. My sister was afraid.
AJ was next.
Then Heath who came alone leaving Lilah and Merci at his cabin by themselves. I guess I should have told him to bring them with him. Maybe they shouldn’t be left alone anymore.
Matt arrived with Justin. He put him in the living room with cartoons on the television. “What the hell is going on?” Matt asked.
“We need Elijah,” I declared. “Then we’ll talk.” My hand rested on top of the envelope. My brothers weren’t patient men.
Jenny and Elijah arrived a few minutes later. Elijah had come straight to Mom and Dad’s from work. He stopped only to pick up Jenny and Jeremiah.
“All right Ben, we’re all here but Seth and I noticed he wasn’t on your group text. What the hell is going on?” Matt asked me.
I opened the envelope. A letter was inside so I took it out first and read it to my siblings.
You became complacent.
Too comfortable.
You should have been more aware.
I’ve been watching and waiting.
I have something of yours.
Now the ball is in your court…
“What the hell,” Matt snapped. He snatched the letter from my hands.
I took out a picture of my mother and a sob escaped my throat. AJ snatched it out of my hand. He rubbed his hand across his jaw. Heath took the photo from him.
“Son of a bitch,” he snapped. Matt looked over his shoulder.
“What do we do?” I asked. “You declared war on the man and now he has our mother.”
“Give Lilah to him,” AJ said.
I heard Disa whimper. I knew what she was thinking. How could we? I understood her feelings about Lilah. The woman had stood up beside her at our wedding. I reached for her hand.
