Page 93 of Holding On

“You were amazing, Tinsley. You got him to admit to crimes no one even knew he did, and an FBI Agent witnessed his confession of crimes across state lines. Walker already made calls, and Rick is being arrested for violating the no-contact order you have on him, and with all the bullshit he pulled today—in addition to trespassing, breaking and entering, he will now also be wanted in connection to the car crash in New York, Roman and Fiona’s deaths, and apparently, also your father’s death in Florida. He is totally fucked. And Debbie Jo confessing to your mama’s murder? She’s just as fucked.”

“But even if Rick was involved in our father’s death, that was over thirty years ago.” Not that my father doesn’t deserve justice, but it was so long ago.

“Yeah, but we were listening to everything, girl. I googled it, and do you know what we found out after he admitted that?” Allie brushes a piece of my hair back from my face. “Florida doesn’t have a statute of limitations for murder cases, so it doesn’t matter how long it’s been.”

Whoa. Even with Thor and Allie rattling all those crimes off, I still expect Rick to somehow find a way to walk out of here because that’s just who he is—he has always gotten his way. He has always won, and I’ve always been the one to pay for it. “What happens now?”

“Agent Bennett said Rick, Kane, and even Debbie Jo will be taken into federal custody and eventually transported to a federal holding facility. Rick will go before a judge in the next forty-eight to seventy-two hours and they will sort out the different states that have claims to him, but his actions today will likely result in additional federal charges.” Allie squeezes my hand at that bomb.

“What? What did he do today that would qualify for federal charges?”

“Agent Bennett will walk you through everything. We’re just going to sit tight until we know they’re in custody, and then we will get you checked out by a doctor for what’s making you wince and hold your left side.” Thor gives me a knowing look as Allie jumps back like I’ve electrocuted her. “And then we can go from there.”

All of it just sounds like too much right now, too complicated and too hard, amplified by the fact that everything in my body hurts from today, and as I gently touch the back of my head, I’m pretty sure that asshole also managed to pull some of my hair out of my scalp at one point. There’s a loud commotion in the living area and I go on full alert.

Thor raises a hand and points to an earpiece I didn’t realize he was wearing. “It’s okay; it’s just the local authorities arriving to join the party, but the EMTs will be close behind.”

I close my eyes and lean into Allie. I’m exhausted and sore beyond belief.

But I think for the first time in my life … I might actually be free.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

It’s been a blur of activity since we arrived at the hospital, and even with a private wing for Tinsley, apparently it still requires a lot of people to check her out after everything that happened. As soon as Allie and Thor leave to escort Tinsley and her medical team to get yet another scan, my brother slips in, asking to speak with Wells and me privately, before shutting the door after a handful of assistants and lawyers leave the room.

Ryan nods at me and Wells, not wasting time with pleasantries. We saw him when we first got here a few hours ago, but this is different.

And I already understand why he wanted to clear the room.

He has a name.

The red haze of anger starts to build back up. The adrenaline of the break-in and the attack has calmed down, but my anger is roaring back to life. “Who was it?” I demand.

Ryan lifts a finger, dialing a number and a cheerful voice fills the room. “Hey, Ry Guy. Do we have the head honchos in the room now?” Ryan looks up, the right side of his lips slightly lifting. That’s as close to a smile as he’s going to get right now, but my mood is far worse than his and my patience is non-existent.

“Who’s this?” I bark.

“My apologies. I’m guessing that’s Jack, as it sounds just like Liam and Ryan and the rest of you fifty-two Callahan brothers. Hey guys, I’m Sophia. I work with Liam on … well, everything, but I assisted with your situation a bit today.”

“I’m here too. Jack, don’t be a dick,” Liam chimes in from the background.

Well, too late for that. “Shit. I’m sorry, Sophia. Honestly, I owe you so much for what you did to help today, not my anger. It’s been an emotional day, and you’ve gone above and beyond for my family and those I consider family more than once. I really do apologize.”

“It’s okay, big guy. It’s been a shit show of a day, but I’m glad Tinsley is okay.”

“I hope to one day be able to thank you in person, but really, thank you.”

Liam huffs. “I didn’t say make it weird, Jack. Anyway, it’s been a fucking day, we all agree on that, but unfortunately, the day is not over. Soph, you want to explain what you discovered and then I’ll fill Wells and Jack in on what’s been happening since we found that?”

In the background, a rhythmic melodic sound that’s not quite consistent chimes. He’s on a boat somewhere, I knew it. I shake my head.

“Happy to. So, when we upgraded everyone’s security after last fall’s … incident with Savannah, the only way to access your residence specifically was one of three ways: the security team approving the arrival via the elevator entrance in the lobby, or accessing the residential elevators utilizing a passcode, or one of the very few all-access cards. Everyone following?”

“Yeah.” I look to Wells.

He points at himself. “Literal genius. I’m good.”

“The system confirmed, along with the video evidence that Rick and Kane accessed the penthouse via your residential floor, Wells,” Sophia continues as Wells rears back in shock. “But that didn’t make sense because we know you and Max aren’t involved with this bullocks. So, I followed them on the security feeds, and they accessed the building from the staircase that opens to the street by your surface parking lot and parking ramp entrance. That’s a secured entrance, but they walked right in because someone had given them an all-access security card.”