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“I need to take the battery out of this, Lindsey. It can be GPS tracked. You need to use one of our phones while you’re here, okay?”
I nodded. I hated being without my phone.
I got settled in and played with Bryce most of the afternoon. Mom and I made plans to go Christmas shopping the following day. I had done nothing in the way of shopping.
Mom, Bryce and I shopped the following day from dawn to dusk. I finished all of my Christmas shopping. We even did a Santa Claus stop for Bryce, perching him on Santa’s lap for a picture.
Darcy called me in the evening. She picked me up and we went out clubbing for a while. I shared with her what had happened that evening when Slate came to pick me up at the apartment with Taz in tow.
“You’ve got to be shitting,” she cried. “That is absolutely so fucking perfect.”
“Here’s the great thing,” I said, “Mom and Slate are having a Christmas Eve get-together. Taz is invited. I’m waiting to see who he brings this time.”
We both dissolved into laughter at that one.
Christmas Eve turned out to be a sunny but extremely chilly day. I spent the morning helping Mom wrap all of the Christmas presents.
“Boy, Bryce is making out like a bandit I see,” I commented, wrapping yet another one of his presents.
“Sounds like someone has a bit of the green-eyed monster going on,” Mom commented, grinning.
“Hardly, Mom. I know that Christmas is for the little ones.”
“This is almost like his first Christmas,” she replied. “The first one that he kind of has a clue that something is going on. It takes me back to when you were that age. You used to call Santa Claus ‘Canta Coz’,” she said, sounding wistful. “Babies grow up so fast.”
“We used to have some pretty great Christmases, Mom. The last two have been kind of strange, I guess.”
I noticed she was biting her lower lip. That meant she was worrying about something. I suspected I knew what it was.
“Mom, you don’t think Daddy is going to show up around here, do you?”
She gave a heavy sigh.
“I don’t know what to think, Lindsey. I had almost gotten to the point where I could relax with my life now, not be worried that he was out for revenge of some sort. With what happened to your car, my sense of security has evaporated.”
“Why would Daddy want revenge?”
“It was me that took those financial records to the authorities. It officially tied him into the money laundering, insurance fraud and racketeering. He has likely figured that out.”
“What would he gain though by seeking revenge on you?”
“What would he lose, Lindsey? He stands to spend thirty to forty years in prison. How much worse could it get?”
“I don’t see Daddy as wanting to exact revenge on you. I just don’t.”
She smiled, reaching over and brushing my hair back.
“My bigger worry is that he wants to make contact with you. I know your father would never hurt you, Lindsey, but I do believe he would try to use you and your soft heart to his advantage. That would be a horrible position to put you in.”
“Don’t worry, Mom. It would not be difficult for me to do the right thing. Do you really think I could be tempted to help Daddy continue to be a fugitive from justice?”
“I just think it would be a difficult position for you. I know that you still love your father.”
“Yes, I do. I love Daddy; I don’t like him, though. I would never allow him to drag me into his criminal activities. I have too much self-respect for that.”
“That makes me feel better, Lindsey. Still, I hope like hell he doesn’t get near you. Let’s change the subject to something more upbeat. I’m wondering when you’re going to tell me about your new boyfriend.”
I cocked an eyebrow at her.
