Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 14798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 74(@200wpm)___ 59(@250wpm)___ 49(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 14798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 74(@200wpm)___ 59(@250wpm)___ 49(@300wpm)
Carol’s not hiding her disappointed look, but she hasn’t wasted any time either by the looks of it. A man stands by her side, his arm around her in defiant support.
It’s Carol’s husband, Mark. The house is still dotted with enough photos of the couple for me to recognize him in person.
It’s the face of a supporting husband giving his wife a second chance if I’ve ever seen one. Both parents narrow their protective eyes once I have Allison in my embrace.
But nobody’s pulling us apart or even saying a word. We’re all invited by Stanton to take a seat. The remaining troopers are waved off by him, thanking them for their time and assuring them the situation is well at hand.
Allison grips my hand firmly and squashes up next to me.
All eyes in the room shift to me, and Stanton gives his nod of approval. This is my only real chance at making any sense of this, for Allison’s sake more than anyone else.
The good doctor gets me started, reminding me of something that stings every time I hear it. His tone is firm, almost accusing, but it finds its mark.
“Trap isn’t real, is he, Killian?”
My head shakes from side to side rapidly. Carol’s suddenly sympathetic look shifts from me to Allison, and I feel her hand gently pressing my arm, giving me the instant calm only she can.
“No… No, he’s not,” I stammer, feeling the air sucked out of me. Allison’s hand moves, and she rubs my back.
Stanton already told Carol everything about me and my past. She told Allison enough to help her make her mind up if a maniac like me is something she really wants in her life.
Stanton gives me a brief summary of what everyone here already knows, skipping the gruesome details, thankfully.
The part of the story where I’m nine years old, coming downstairs to see what all the noise is. Finding my parents, their bodies barely recognizable. Everything else of value in our very well-to-do house was untouched, but the killer—or killers, whoever they were—took the only thing worth anything to me.
Family.
That was the night Trap was born. The shadow that’s haunted me since, mocking me at every turn as I try to find and punish a ghost.
Allison’s been the only thing to stop it, to still that storm in me.
“Killian was in custodial care in a maximum security prison. A terrible example of a man slipping through the cracks into a place he didn't belong. It was by sheer chance the hospital happened across his case, and I’m glad we did. It took some doing, but through his family’s legal team, we arranged for his sentence to be completed in our care.”
“So he’s going back, right?” Allison’s dad frowns, looking braver once he sees a chance to put some distance between a man like me and his daughter.
“Not unless he wants to,” Stanton says, keeping his eyes on mine and lifting his brow. “Killian’s a private patient now. His unsupervised release from the hospital is his sentence served. And when he’s well enough, his family’s legacy is waiting for him. Pending approval from shareholders, of course.”
“And what about all those cops?” I grunt, still expecting the worst when it comes to me and Allison.
Stanton gives a real smile, looking extra pleased with himself. “Oh, don't worry about them. Your neighbor at number sixteen is keeping them busy enough. They only came down to see what we were doing here, which was waiting for you. I knew you’d come back.”
I give him a quizzical look.
“Well, you might have some explaining to do about the car,” Stanton cautions me. “But the man they’re here for is a few doors down. Wanted in three states. Your own little stunt is the least of their concern right now.”
I feel Allison’s hand finding mine and squeezing it again. I turn to face her, stuck for words as much as I’m relieved this has worked out.
“We’ll get through this, Killian. I told you I’m not going anywhere that you’re not.”
I crease a smile. “I will do better,” I remind her, feeling some of the old me returning.
“We’ll do better together,” she corrects me, kissing me gently as if we’re alone, showing the doc here firsthand just how easily she can manage me.
“I’d like you to come back to the hospital, Killian,” Stanton says, getting up like he's already done here. “But I think you’ve found the one thing that therapy can never give you.”
“And what’s that?” Carol asks suddenly, sounding just as surprised as I do that this the worst is over.
“A stable, loving relationship,” Stanton clips, as if we should all know that already.
He pumps my hand, letting me know he’ll wait outside if I want to go with him to the hospital. “But better than that, a family of your own is going to be the best therapy of all.”