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“I don’t know. I really wouldn’t put anything past her. She’s broke and every time I’ve talked to her, she’s drunk and high.”
“You…you still talk to her?” Adam asked.
“Just to get information and watch her. Like I said she’s…unhinged. Crazy. I don’t want her anywhere near you.”
“Let her try to fuck with us,” Nash said. “Others have attempted to start shit here. They all failed.”
“I don’t think you understand,” Maverick said. “Our mother isn’t going to just call him names or try to use him for money. She wants her old life back. She’d return him to the farm if she could.”
“The farm? What’s the farm?”
“It’s the place that our stepfather would send us when he wanted to punish us. The worst of his congregation ran the farm. Sixteen hours of hard labor, sleeping on the hard concrete, and corporal punishment. It was horrible.”
“You had to spend time there?” Nash’s voice was colder than Lucas had ever heard. It was a reminder that while Nash was laid-back and cute most of the time, he was a detective and badass in his own right.
“A lot of time. My stepfather hated us,” Adam supplied.
“Where is he now?” Lucas asked. He would tear that man apart with his own hands. No one, especially children, should ever be abused in the way he was imagining. Lucas knew that his crew would help him.
“I’ve been trying to get the authorities to shut the farm down for years.” Maverick shook his head.
“Where is this farm?” Lucas asked.
“Las Vegas,” Adam replied.
Nash leaned forward. “It’s a good thing that we have contacts there, isn’t it?”
“You do?” Maverick asked. His eyes lit up. “Police contacts? Because I’m not getting anywhere with the authorities.”
Lucas grinned. “Tell us everything.” He looked over at Nash. “Notebook?”
“Yes, please.” Nash was already starting to shift in his seat. “And some coffee wouldn’t hurt.”
“I’ll make the coffee,” Adam said. “You get Nash what he needs.”
Lucas followed Adam into the kitchen. “Hey, baby.” He drew Adam into his arms. “How are you doing? Really?”
Adam swallowed hard before he cuddled into Lucas’s chest. “Relieved. Worried. Happy. Sad. I'm a bunch of things right now.”
“That’s okay, baby.” Lucas nuzzled the top of Adam’s head.
“I’m happy to see my brother again and relieved he seems okay. But I’m sad that we’ve missed so much time together.”
“And worried about your mother and stepfather?” Lucas guessed.
“I should have told you guys sooner. If I had, Nash might already be looking into my stepfather. I just didn’t want to think about that time in my life. I got away and I’m so much happier now.”
“Don’t think about that now. We can help now and that’s what matters.”
“You're right,” Adam said. “Coffee. I’ll make coffee and you get Nash his notebook. We’re going to make sure that no one else is hurt or sent to that farm again.”
“That’s my baby! I’m proud of you.” Lucas kissed his baby.
“Thanks, Daddy,” Adam responded in barely over a whisper.
* * * * *
Nash
