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And they had Madison with them. She was in hospital scrubs—probably her mother’s—and a bandage over her eye. There were bruises forming—and horrors in her light brown eyes.
Jarrod jumped up. He just hugged her. “Mads, hell, babe. I’m sorry you had to go through that. So sorry.”
Skinny arms went around him. “Me, too. Any word? Heather?”
Heather had stood, when the rest of Major Crimes had come in. She’d backed herself against the wall immediately. Defensively. Jarrod could see that on her beautiful face.
And could see the knowledge of what she’d done so instinctively on Daniel’s. Daniel finally understood her now—Heather was afraid of him. Of them all.
Just like Jarrod understood now, too.
No wonder that beautiful, wonderful woman didn’t trust any of them. The TSP were her actual nightmares.
The TSP had hurt her in unimaginable ways. For years. And it still was. Now it was her baby sister being hurt. No wonder Heather’s eyes…
Heather shook her head. “She’s… I don’t know… if there… when they will get to her…”
“She’s being prepped now,” a voice said behind the crowd. They parted. A smaller woman in dinosaur scrubs stood there, pale and quiet. “We have a surgeon prepped and waiting. He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen, Heather. I promise that. Is Bonnie here yet? I can’t assist with Hope, but I can stay in the operating room with her, if you’d like.”
Heather pulled in a breath. “Yes. Thank you, Nikkie Jean. Bonnie…I don’t know yet. Murdoch went to tell my family. I don’t know where Cash or Sam are. Or Joy.”
“They are on their way up now. They had to answer questions downstairs,” Jake said.
Heather jerked in his direction. The fear in her eyes at his words would stay with him forever.
“No! I don’t want my family speaking with someone from the TSP without me. Ever.” The fury in Heather’s words was unmistakable. Her entire body shouted defensive in that instant.
Hell, Jarrod understood that, too.
He would have said more, but he looked up.
And there they were. The Colesons. All of them, he thought. From Heather’s sister Bonnie—all the way down to that sweet baby Heather who was her aunt Hope all over again.
Jarrod just backed up to the wall and watched. Gave them all room in the far-too-small space. This was for Heather and her family now.
“What in the hell happened, Foster? What’s going on?” a voice asked behind him.
Jarrod turned, to look at the man who had come in with the Colesons. Six foot seven, built like a tank, and cuddling a toddler in his arms—Miguel Rodriguez’s eyes were full of questions. And fear.
“All hell broke loose, Mig. That’s what in the hell happened. And Haldyn… and Hope… and Heather… are paying the price.”
Heather went toward her family. Toward the teenager standing there with a baby carrier in her hands. Jarrod recognized that kid from the Eastman shitstorm just four months earlier. Penelope’s twin.
Heather bent down, unlatched the straps. Heather lifted her fussing baby from the carrier. And just held her close. Right in the center of them all.
There was a look of utter emotion on her face, as her family closed ranks around her.
Jarrod would never forget how Heather looked in that moment.
Holding her baby, her family all around her. Her older girl, looking so much like Heather, reached for her mother, too. Heather pulled her close, as they waited.
He didn’t look away, until Gunnar stormed in—Powell and her family with him.
Demanding answers of their own.
Answers Daniel stood up to give them all.
Jarrod just sat in his chair and waited.
