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Leave it to Dahlia to nail exactly what Dylan hadn’t been able to put into words.
“Yeah. I feel like we’ve been robbed.” That was exactly how she felt. In every way possible. “I feel like they took our entire identities from us, took our family from us, and lied to us our entire lives. Did they feel like they were doing the best they could back then. I don’t know. Do I believe them that there was no way they could have defeated these so-called Tylers of Masterson County? I think that’s silly. No one family can bethatpowerful.”
Dylan half thought she hated the Tylers of Masterson County. If what her parents had said was true anyway. Tylers had destroyed their family. She wouldn’t forgive that, ever.
If it was true anyway.
Dylan really didn’t know what to believe anymore.
“Unless they are like part of the mob or something?” Dorie had a wild imagination. She liked to read thrillers and romantic suspense and just all sorts of unrealistic books that Dylan always found silly.
Dylan was more the vampire-romance type herself.
Because, you know, vampires were just sorealistic.
Books were herescape.Who wanted realisticescape? Dylan didn’t like to read books about stuff that couldreallyhappen at all. They were a little too scary for her sometimes.
“We have to face the fact—these siblings might not want anything to do with us. They may have been split up, or adopted out, or just…not nice people.” Devaney was their most pragmatic one. There was no denying that. “And considering that they were abandoned and replaced—which, like it or not, it does seem like it—we might not be a welcome sight.”
“So what do we do about that?” Dahlia asked.
“I think we should just not…identify ourselves right away. Let’s ask around. See if we can figure out who these siblings are.” Devaney was the strategic one of them all. No denying that. Dylan—well, Dylan had always had problems with impulse control.
Her dad had always told her it would get her into trouble some day. He was probably right aboutthat.
“Hi, strange gas station attendant or diner waitress, can you tell me about any kids who were abandoned twenty-three years ago by their parents? We’ll get run out of town that way, I think.” Dylan could just imagine. “I think we should start on the safe side. We’ll figure out who and where these so-called extremelydangerousTyler guys are first. Then…find out who our brothers and or sisters just might be.”
“That…may be easier said than done.” Devaney, so wise. So wise. And a wee bit pessimistic sometimes.
“There is always hope, Dev.”
“Oh, just…watch the road. We’re going to have to find a hotel or something soon. This snow is getting worse. And we’re hours from the Wyoming border. We might just have to wait it out for now,” Devaney said. “How much money do we have?”
Dahlia was the one who did the money. She was really good at it. “Not that much. We’re going to have to all share one room. I just hope we can get one soon. I’m tired.”
“I just want to not be out here driving any more,” Dorie said. “It’s…anyone could be out here tonight.”
Well, she wasn’t wrong.
Dylan’s hands tightened on the wheel. First hotel she saw, she was getting her sisters off this road. It just didn’tfeelright out here tonight at all.
If this was a novel, there would be werewolves out there or something. She just knew it. No. Vampires. Tonight just called for vampires or something. Her hands tightened on the wheel. And she just kept driving.
34
Fred would never forgetthe look in her eyes. The fear for their daughters.
Damn it, he was going to tan Dylan’s hide when he caught up to her. He never had spanked her before, but maybe he should have.
His wife was at his side in the passenger seat of the old van he had bought with cash from a man who dealt in used clunkers, supposedly so he could tinker with it in his spare time. Truth was, he’d bought it long ago because it was plain, and big enough for him and his wife and the girls to take off in, if needed. But she would never show him her fear tonight. Not tonight.
Geena—he had never fully thought of her as LaDonna or any other name she’d taken before—she would always be his Geena—wasn’tstrong.
She was holding herself together with everything she had. And probably prescription drugs now. His Geena had always been so fragile, at times. She’d been orphaned by seventeen. A year later she’d walked into the inn looking for a job where he had been manning the desk, angry that he had had to. He had imagined running the inn was beneath him then, though the business had supported his family for decades and was something a man should be proud to be a part of. He hadn’t known what had truly mattered then.
He had learned a great deal about what mattered since his stupidity had destroyed his world. His mistake had cost her so much. He had never fully forgiven himself for that. Fred probably never would. Until he made thingsrightsomehow.
His mistake had defined their destiny.
