Chapter 22

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Lieutenant Gomez handed over the copy of the statement to Ingrid. Glen stood behind Ingrid, hands on her shoulders, lending his support. To make it more convenient for Gomez, less stressful for Ingrid, and get the complaints recorded immediately, they'd agreed to meet in Wayne's garage.

"You might be interested in a community self-defense class for women." Gomez removed a business card from his front shirt pocket. "It's free."

"Are you joshing me?" Ingrid's back straightened. "I got schooled on Sixth and Broadway, fighting off wandering hands and dodging needles. What are a bunch of women decked out in yoga pants with their gel manicures while wearing Fitbits going to teach me?"

"It's routine information the officers give out, Blue." Glen pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her ribs.

She looked at the card and slipped it into her pocket. "Is that all? Am I done?"

Her attitude had kicked in a few hours ago when he told her to pack her stuff. Not for the first time, he realized her mouth fought back when she was scared. She over-compensated. Every Notus member in the garage and the lieutenant understood what returning to her parents meant for her. There would be hurt feelings on both sides. They'd all grieved in their own way when Ingrid ran away. Only time and unconditional love would bridge the gap.

Lieutenant Gomez dipped his chin. "Call 911 if the police department can be of further service."

Ingrid placed her hand over Glen's. "Thank you. I don't mean to be ungrateful. I'm concerned. Will that report be going to Stew—Officer Kingsley?"

Gomez glanced at Glen. He'd already asked for a favor before he allowed the lieutenant into Wayne's garage. Ingrid needed time to talk with her parents, assuming they'd give her the support she needed to face Evan's father.

"I can't guarantee he won't learn about the allegations against his son when he gets to the station. But, that's all it is. Your word against his son's opinion. A formal document that doesn't have any prosecution power." Gomez's eyes softened. "Officer Kingsley starts his shift at four o'clock. That's three hours from now, so you have a small window to move forward knowing Officer Kingsley hasn't been informed yet."

"Okay." Ingrid palmed her forehead and inhaled deeply. "Thank you."

Gomez stepped away, spoke with Wayne, and left the garage.

Glen turned Ingrid around and lifted her chin. "Talk to me."

"I don't know what to say." She hooked her thumbs under his belt at his hips. "I don’t know what to tell my parents. I don't know what they're going to think about me. I don't know what Evan told them over the last two years. I don't even know if they'll welcome me back home after knowing I was homeless."

"Sh. Slow down."

"I'm going to shock them, then break their hearts, Glen," she whispered, hyperventilating. "I'm not the same person I was or the girl they raised. Not in looks or personality."

He laid his hand on her chest between her breasts. "Breathe. Big breath."

She closed her eyes and inhaled, exhaling in a rush. "What if they don't believe me?"

"All you can do is tell them the truth. You can't control how other people react." He ran his thumb under her eye, removing the smudge of makeup that Clara had given Ingrid earlier when they'd arrived to prep for the meeting with Gomez and then to see her parents. "Whatever happens, I'll be right beside you. If you want to leave after talking with them, I'll take you back to my place. If you want to stay, I'll swing back around and drop off your backpack."

She reached up and smoothed his lip. "If I stay with my parents, you're not going to disappear and not see me, right?"

He wasn't the runner between them. In the upcoming days, he'd have to watch over her more than ever. One upset, one conflict, one episode of fearing for her life, she'd run away. It was what she knew and was comfortable doing. He would make sure that never happened, and Kingsley never got close to her.

"Like we talked about earlier. You've got a fucked-up situation that needs repaired, and sleeping with you only made things more complicated for you. I want you to concentrate on you. I'll be here afterward. I'm not going any place. I'm in your life."

She shook her head. "No, being with you made everything better. I couldn't do this without you. What I feel for you is separate from what is going on with Evan and my parents.

"Then, you take what I give you and hold on to it. You've got the phone, you call me, day or night." He cupped her face and kissed her hard. "This isn't the end for us, it's the beginning."

She sniffed. "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." He kissed her again. "Why don't you go inside the house, wash your face and pull yourself together. Then, we'll go see your parents."

Clara walked into the garage and motioned Ingrid to follow her. When she was out of the room, Glen ran his hands over his face. It was easier to protect her when she stayed at his house. Away from him or at her parents' house, she became more vulnerable. A target for Evan Kingsley.

"Bro?" Wayne approached him. "I want to talk to you while Ingrid is with Clara."

"About?" Glen sat on the edge of the desk.

"If her parents had hired us to find her or the P.D. needed help on the ground search for a missing person, we've always held ourselves back from becoming involved with the family and if the search was successful, that included breaching the line between professional and personal with the person we found." Wayne stroked his beard. "I know it's not the same and Ingrid came to you differently, but you can't forget that she was a missing person, a runaway."

"I'm not walking away from her." Glen stood.

"Give her space," said Wayne.

"The kind of space you gave Clara and Gracie?" Glen whistled, unable to relieve the muscle spasm in his lip. "Fuck that."

"I hear you. I also understand where you're coming from." Wayne clapped Glen on his back. "Keep your head. Once you have Ingrid settled, get ahold of me. Notus has more business going on that I'll need to discuss with you. The investigator up in Seattle is going to call this evening about the results of his search for Rich, and every member will need to hear the news."

"Yeah. I'll either call or swing by, depending on what happens over at the Peterson's." Glen hitched his thumb over his shoulder. "I'm going to take her over now. We're running out of time before Officer Kingsley gets into the station and finds out what is going on."

"Are you sure you don't want us riding along?" asked Wayne.

He shook his head. "I don't think her parents are going to like four bikers pulling up to their house with their long-lost daughter. I rather have you keeping an eye on Evan Kingsley."

The faster he got Ingrid settled, took care of club business regarding Rich, he could hit the street and follow up with Kingsley himself. He wasn't going to let the son of a bitch near Ingrid.