THE FINAL
One month later
Naomi stood in the middle of the room, dressed in a simple blue tailored suit and matching pumps. Her hair was down, blonde curls pinned back neatly away from her face in a soft up-do that Senora thought made her look angelic.
The room was quiet while Naomi worked through her feelings and prepared herself for what she was about to face. Her family stood quietly behind her, her adoptive mother and father close but not overbearing. This was Naomi’s fight, and they were there to lend support and nothing more. They’d even gone so far as to rent their own place less than a mile away. They were retired, though they didn’t seem quite old enough to be. Mister Martin had made some smart investments in their twenties that had paid off, and the pair of them didn’t think twice about renting out their house in Spokane and moving to one of the many quiet suburbs outside of D.C.
“We have time,” Ty said. “Take deep, calming breaths. You’ve done your home study, background check, gone to counseling and all the recommended classes and more. You’ve got this. They’re not going to say no to the woman who raised this child for the first four years of her life.”
“She won’t be four in two more weeks. She was born on the fifteenth, and we always make sure to give her a big birthday party. And it was only two years, but it feels like four. In my memories, it’s four.”
“I know,” Ty said. “Just be as honest and vulnerable as you can without being weepy. They need to know that your heart is in it.”
Naomi nodded, then stood up straighter and took a deep breath.
“I’m ready for this.”
Ty smiled at her.
“We’re going to do whatever it takes to get her back,” he promised.
Senora watched him, and she was struck again by how wonderful he was. Unlike the hundreds in his field that she’d encountered that found the victim or their body then turned away, Ty was in it for the long-haul. He cared deeply about Naomi and everyone he’d ever rescued, and that made all the difference in the world. They were a lot alike, and his offer got more tempting by the minute. Maybe it was time to take her talents to the private sector and work each case the way she saw fit. She still hadn’t decided, and she had more vacation time and sick time left than she knew what to do with. Because she was still technically employed, she was accruing four hours of vacation and one hour of sick leave every single week. She could go an entire year before she had to make up her mind, but she had no intention of taking that long.
Naomi rode in the small SUV Ty had bought her as a sign-on bonus for joining his company. He’d offered her something a little flashier, but she’d gone with the CRV. She didn’t want to give the wrong impression to the judge.
Senora rode with Ty, too nervous to let him drive.
“It’s going to be alright,” Ty assured her.
“I know, but this is so important. I don’t know what she’s going to do if-”
“Don’t go down that rabbit hole. We’re almost there, and in a few short hours, we’ll know.”
She felt his hand on her thigh, and her body tightened in response. She loved the feel of his hands on her, and she didn’t know why she’d fought it so hard before. It had been a month, and he’d spent no more than three nights in his apartment. When his lease was up, if things were still going this way, she was going to take the leap and suggest he move in with her.
But she hadn’t mentioned it yet. That was still eleven months away, and she wasn’t quite ready to put her thoughts out there.
“Park over there so we can walk in with her.”
“Are you still worried about the flock?”
“I am. Matt and Chelsea are never getting out, but I wouldn’t put it past one of the members of HUB to come after Evie. With Naomi’s house under a fake name and everything else I’ve done to protect her location, this is the only place they have a chance of getting to her.”
“Have you heard anything that makes you think that’s going to happen?”
“I haven’t. But I have a feeling, and I always trust my gut.”
She nodded, collecting her badge and her gun.
“Just in case,” she said.
He smiled.
“That’s what I love about you.”
“I hope that’s not the only thing.”
He laughed, and they both got out of the car, swooping in to surround the Martins as they went into the courthouse.
The process was so much different than she’d expected, and instead of sitting in the stand, the judge called each person individually to stand in front of the bench and say their piece. The state represented itself, but it was clear that they were all for letting Naomi and Evie be reunited. The tension fled Senora. This was a technicality, something the state had to do to cover itself and prove that they’d done their due diligence. Even though Naomi had been kidnapped and forced into the cult, the state had to prove their belief that Naomi was not a member and therefore not a danger to the child.
When Naomi was called forward, Senora couldn’t help the tears that quietly descended her cheeks. The judge even looked like he was getting emotional, and when Ty turned to give Senora a thumbs up, she knew that he’d been right. Everything was going to work out.
The judge didn’t ask anyone else to the stand, and after quietly reviewing the documentation in his chambers for what seemed like an eternity, he returned through the door from behind the bench, then walked around the side to where Naomi stood.
“Mommy!” a tiny voice shouted, running from behind the judge’s robes and pulling free of his hand.
The judge stopped, his eyes already misty as he and the entire courtroom watched little blonde pigtails fly out behind the little girl. She launched herself into Naomi’s arms so forcefully that Naomi took a step back and plopped down into the pew-style seating behind the Plaintiff’s table.
Naomi squeezed her tight, her sobs so deep and visceral that she couldn’t hold back. She was laughing and crying all at once, and little Evie’s arms were wrapped so tightly around Naomi’s neck that Senora was sure that she was struggling to breathe. It didn’t matter; she had everything she needed in her arms.
Ty put his arm around Senora, pulling her close and wiping a tear from her cheek before kissing the top of her head.
“I told you,” he whispered.
“This is amazing,” she said.
“I know exactly what you mean.”
The judge waved his arm, and the bailiff announced that the courtroom may be seated. Senora looked around and saw that there wasn’t a dry eye in the room, including the people that were there awaiting their own turn to plead their case.
She saw a woman stand up from the other side of the room, and she braced herself, but she only went as far as the seat directly across the aisle from her where a man sat quietly. Senora couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she knew by the way that Ty was tilting his head that he could hear every word.
The woman stood and walked out of the courtroom, through the doors where lawyers and clients went to have a private conversation. She emerged a few minutes later with a man who was obviously a lawyer behind her and another lawyer that motioned to the man with a barely contained smile that he should come to the meeting room.
When the man left, Senora leaned in and looked at Ty.
“Did I just see what I think I saw?” she said, still watching Naomi a few seats ahead, receiving Evie’s sweet kisses and staring at the child as if she couldn’t get enough of the sight of her.
“Apparently, Evie’s story touched an ex who was here to slaughter that poor man in court. She told him that he was a good father, and if he could forgive her, she was willing to find a way to make fifty-fifty work.”
Senora let out a sigh.
“That’s amazing,” she said.
“I have a feeling that she won’t be the only vindictive woman or man to have the wind drop out of their sails after seeing this.”
Naomi stood and looked back at them and her parents.
“Let’s go home,” she said, still cradling Evie against her chest.
Senora gave up on holding back the tears, getting in front of Naomi and her family while Ty brought up the rear. They went out the side door where a security guard watched the cars that agents and law enforcement parked out of the way, just in case. Senora had used her clout as an FBI Agent to get Naomi’s car into the lot, and she was glad they had.
Ty got into the CRV with the elder Martins, and Senora slipped into the driver’s seat of her Audi while Naomi got into the back seat with Evie and helped her into the car seat.
“Thank you,” Naomi said.
“It’s no trouble at all. We can’t risk a tail.”
“Who has a tail?” Evie laughed, covering her mouth with her hands as she laughed at the silly thought.
“Do you have a tail?” Senora teased, and Evie dissolved into fits of laughter as Senora pulled away from the curb and started on the route they’d agreed upon before court.
Ty went another way, and two unmarked cars followed them, just in case.
Senora watched her mirrors, never letting her guard down. So far, HUB had been quiet, folding into their own when Matt and Chelsea had been convicted and sentenced two weeks before. There hadn’t been a peep out of the group, and Senora knew that they would have to be vigilant long after they thought they should. HUB wasn’t going to let this go, but as she pulled into her garage and ushered mother and daughter through the house to the front door where Michael waited in an SUV to take them to their home with her parent’s inside, she could feel in her gut that today wasn’t that day. HUB was laying low, and they could all breathe a little bit easier. At least for now.
Ty appeared behind her as she watched the Martin family drive away. He slipped his arms around her and pulled her close.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“That was something,” she said on a heavy sigh. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much.”
“So much what?”
“Just so much. It was so amazing to see that much love. It doesn’t matter what genetics say and whether she’s technically her aunt or not. Naomi is Evie’s mom.”
“She’s the only mom Evie has ever known. Jessica died right after she held Evie for the first time.”
“I know. I can’t imagine that level of sorrow. Even for Matt. If he loved Jessica at all, I’m sure that was hard for him. It doesn’t make him less evil, but it’s hard for me when good and bad aren’t clearly defined.”
“Men like Matt can’t have a softer side.”
“Exactly.”
The SUV disappeared from view, and Senora turned and buried her face in Ty’s chest, his arms still around her.
“I’m so exhausted. I don’t think I can take any more today.”
“Then let’s go to bed, shall-”
The ringing of her phone cut her off, and for a brief second, she considered ignoring it. But it was Betty’s personal ringtone, which meant that she wouldn’t be able to relax until she knew why Betty had called.
“Hey, Betty Boo,” she said, mustering more pep than she felt.
“Girl, hold onto that good mood because I have news, and you’re not going to believe it.”
“Good news?”
“I don’t know.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“I’m sorry. So, I got a call and I couldn’t believe it, but it was J. I used my handy dandy computer and doublechecked to make sure that the call was originating from where it is supposed to originate when he calls, and sure enough, it was him.”
“Enough with the explanation. What’s going on? Are you getting a promotion?”
“Me? What? No. This isn’t about me. The call was about you.”
“Why would he call you instead of calling me?”
“Because he, well, I don’t know.”
Senora took in a slow, measured breath. Betty was a genius, but when she got excited, she was a basket case. This was one of those times, and Senora was getting frustrated.
“Spit it out.”
“He’s coming.”
“What?”
“To your house. He should be arriving any minute, and he’s coming to see you in the flesh. No more disguised voice, no more crazy hoops to jump through to contact a nameless, faceless boss. He’s coming.”
“Now?!” Senora said.
“Yep, now.”
As if on cue, there was a soft knock at the door, and Betty squealed and hung up without saying goodbye.
Ty’s hand was on his holster, ready to fire, but Senora wasn’t afraid as she approached the door. Anxious, nervous, giddy, and about to jump out of her skin with excitement, yes. But not scared.
She’d been waiting for this day since she’d first picked up the phone and found out that she was accepted to the elite unit run by a mysterious man straight out of the academy.
The door swung inward, and Senora opened her mouth to say hello. Her breath caught, and she stiffened at the sight of him. Her stomach dropped, and she felt almost light-headed with shock.
“Hi, Senora. Can I come in?”
Senora stood there, mouth still agape, still frozen in disbelief. When she was finally able to speak, she shook her head and swiped away at the tears that rushed down her cheeks. She stepped back to let him enter, at a complete loss for words, staring at the familiar face that stood before her with a smile she’d never forget.
When she finally found her voice, she said the only word she could think of amidst the jumbled thoughts running through her head.
“Dad?”
THE END
Dear Reader,
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Angela x x