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Luke raised his mug to that.
“Her dad’s got that six-seater Cessna,” Dylan said. “That could be a good option. We’ll get there quicker and have room to bring Nixon back if need be.”
“Sheriff Dans is calling the Child Protective Services as we speak. They’re coming to get Nixon,” Chief Blake said.
“He’s not going into Child Protective Services,” Luke growled.
“Bro, we can’t just appear and take him,” Jack said. “There is a process we need to go through, especially if she didn’t put anything in writing.”
None of them would ever call that woman Mother.
“There needs to be proof he’s your blood. Plus that the father doesn’t want him,” Dylan added. “It was easier with Gracie, because her mother wrote that note stating she wanted Pip to have her.”
“There will be shit-all chance of her having written a will,” Joe said. “Fine upstanding citizen that she was.”
“Look, I get you’re angry with her.” Dylan raised a hand. “Understand the hell you went through and that forgiving her isn’t likely when you’ve disliked her as long as you have. But, remember that she may have changed just like you did.”
The Trainers all stared at Dylan, surprise on their faces.
“I’m not saying you have to forgive her, but you know what your father was like. She had to live with him too. Maybe she ran because she had no other option.”
“I survived by hating her,” Luke said.
“Which I understand. But if there is a brother which there likely is, it’s possible he had a different relationship with your mother than you lot had. You can’t bad mouth her.”
Luke exhaled slowly.
“I know you’re right, Dylan. But it’s a hard thing to accept that the woman who should have at least tried to love and protect you from the beast who was your father, may have changed for the better,” Jack said.
“I know, but just think about it. It’s time you let go of hate.”
The brothers nodded.
“I’m coming,” Piper said. “You may need someone to intimidate people.”
There was absolutely nothing to laugh about, but they all found themselves doing that. Pip was the smallest of the Trainers. Plus her husband could be a mean son of a bitch if he needed to. An FBI profiler, Dylan Howard looked like he was cool, and mostly was, unless anyone threatened his family.
“Between us we can watch the babies,” Aunt Jess said.
“Yes, we’ve got them,” Mr. Goldhirsh said.
Bailey nodded. “You do what you need to do to bring that boy back to us.”
Joe kissed his wife gently, whispering something no one but them heard.
The front door opened, and the sound of feet told them the children were back. In burst the four of them with Fin and Maggie on their heels.
“We hyped them up on sugar for you,” Maggie said. Her red hair was pulled back with a band around her head. Fiery and loyal, Luke considered Maggs one of his people. Her and the big man with her.
“Family.” He nodded, face solemn. “I need you all to fill me in now. All we heard from Dylan when he dropped off the kids that sh-stuff’s gone down.”
The noise in the kitchen rose significantly as Mr. Goldhirsh and Aunt Jess handed out hugs and cookies to both adults and children.
Joe told Fin what had happened. Findlay Hudson had lived with the Trainer family when he followed his best friend Joe here after they’d bonded at a camp to straighten them out.
“So what’s the plan?” Fin said when Joe had finished.
That the plan would include him was in no doubt as far as Luke was concerned. Fin was their brother in every way but blood, as was Dylan.
