Page 39 of Beyond Redemption

“No one needs a pissing match right now,” I said. “Naomi, if you think you and Spenser should be present, it’s your house. I’m not here to overrule you.”

Liis was too proud to huff, but her body language all but announced her frustration.

“Good,” Naomi said. “It’s settled. Moving on, I reached out to Travis as requested,” she said to Liis. “Filled him in as much as I was allowed. Told him the whole family is to meet you here. Airport pickup. Caravan in. Same arrival window.”

“What time?” I asked.

“Nineteen hundred hours,” Zeke said.

I exhaled slowly. “Falyn?”

Naomi’s expression softened, just a fraction. “According to Travis… she’s not okay.”

“Warranted,” Liis said quietly. “Which will make Taylor that much more on edge.”

Naomi leaned back in her chair. “How’s Stella holding up?”

“Tired,” Liis said. “But she’s always been a trooper.”

“And Olive and the boyfriend?”

“I’d be surprised if they weren’t still sleeping,” I said. “It was a late night.”

Zeke’s gaze drifted somewhere else for a moment. “I’m looking forward to seeing Taylor and Tyler,” he admitted. “Just wish it wasn’t, you know, like this.”

“They’ll be glad to see you, too,” Liis said, making a visible effort to smooth over the tense moment with Naomi.

Naomi rolled her eyes affectionately. “He misses his hotshot days in Colorado. Don’t let him fool you.”

I glanced at the photos on the mantel again. “How’s Trex?” I asked. “And Darby? The girls?”

Naomi grinned at the photo I’d just looked at. “Still wonderful.”

Liis managed a small smile. “He left the Bureau right before I arrived in San Diego, but my colleague, Val, was quite fond of him.”

Zeke shook his head, already laughing at whatever he was about to say. “Trex installed a new sprinkler system the other day. Forgot about it. Heard it gear up at three a.m., went out half asleep to check what the noise was, and got absolutely wrecked.”

Naomi erupted in laughter, wiping her eyes.

I laughed despite myself, grateful for the distraction.

“Colorado Springs is good for him,” Naomi said once she could finally get the words out. Once the table settled, she stood, setting the grape bowl aside. “You’re in good hands here. And if you have any problems inside the compound—anything—come directly to me.”

“Thank you,” Liis said.

We all stood. “See you tonight,” Naomi said.

A familiar sense of dread quickly returned. I nodded once, then followed Liis out the front door.

Outside, Ibarra was waiting again, this time to walk us back to the Longhouse. In full daylight, the compound looked different—less imposing than it had in the dark. The desert stretched beyond the perimeter, open and exposed, offering no natural cover. Every path, wall, and blind corner had been accounted for.

Militia members moved through the space with efficiency. No one lingered. Security was visible without being performative: armed patrols rotating positions, eyes up, hands free. It felt less residential in this area and more like an installation already fully operational.

A hundred yards later, there was a playground, a splash pad, and a line of Stella-sized shirts swaying on a clothesline.

The Longhouse sat closer to the outer edge of the compound, positioned near the gate, accessible, contained, and easy to secure, clearly intended for temporary stays or intake rather than permanence.

“Breakfast will be served in fifteen,” Ibarra said as we arrived. “I’ll be back to escort your family to Orientation, and from there you’ll be introduced to your semi-permanent residence.”