Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
"But I can't be that black and white," Nicky said piteously. "I won't. Why did you call us down here if we're just going to have the same old fight again?"
Luther was unmoved by Nicky's heartbreak and said calmly, "Things have come to light recently that made us question our current situation. We have committed to repairing this family," he glanced at Maria, who nodded in happy encouragement, "but we understand it will be a long, uphill path. We brought you down here so we could decide on the first steps together."
"Enlighten us," Andrew said, leaning forward over his plate like he couldn't wait for the answer. "If the first step isn't tolerance, where does a pair of bigots begin in fixing a mess like this?"
Luther met Andrew's stare with a calm one of his own. "With reparations for past mistakes. That is why you are here."
"Oh, no," Andrew said. "I am only here because Neil whined at me until I agreed to come along. Leave me out of this."
Luther frowned. Across the table from him, Maria held up a calming hand and said, "Let's eat. This kind of conversation is too difficult on an empty stomach. We'll eat and try again, and then reward our efforts with dessert. There is pie in the oven. Apple, Nicholas. It used to be your favorite."
It was a meager peace offering considering the harsh words it interrupted, but Nicky was desperate for any glimmer of hope. He nodded and tucked into his dinner. Silence reigned over the table for a while before Aaron finally broke it. He asked about people and places Neil didn't recognize, likely people he'd known when Tilda first moved him here eight years ago. It was a neutral topic that was easy for Luther and Maria to keep up with, and it bought Nicky time to calm down.
Andrew got up toward the end of dinner and went inside. Luther pushed back his chair and followed to speak with Andrew in private. Neil heard the hum of their voices through the screen door but couldn't make out their words. He strained his ears, listening for the sounds of violence. He thought he should go play referee, but his presence would kill their conversation. Luther had said he wanted to atone for the past. If he was apologizing, Andrew needed to hear it whether he wanted to or not.
Emphasis on the not, Neil decided, because Andrew's voice was getting louder. Neil caught snatches of words, but Maria started speaking loudly to cover up the racket. Neil almost shushed her before he realized she was talking to Nicky about the season. Neil wanted to hear what Andrew was saying, but more than that he wanted Nicky to make things right with his mother. He kept quiet and kept his eyes on the back door. If Luther screamed in pain they'd hear it no matter how loud Nicky and Maria were.
Luther came back alone, looking worn and defeated but otherwise unharmed. Andrew didn't follow him. Luther took his seat again and turned his attention on Aaron. Neil waited, counting seconds and then minutes for Andrew's return. Andrew's medicine would soon throttle his temper and reset his bad mood back to apathy. Neil would wait it out, then figure out what answers he needed to trade Andrew for insight into that kitchen conversation.
Maria went inside to check the pie. She came back looking pleased. "Five minutes, I think."
Andrew still wasn't back. Neil thought for a second Andrew took the car and left them, but Neil had never seen Andrew drive while drugged. He couldn't; his medicine made him too restless and hyperaware to focus on the road. Then Neil thought of his racquet in the kitchen and Luther's expensive car in the driveway.
Everyone looked at him when he stood, so Neil said, "I'll clear the table."
"Kevin and I will help," Aaron said with a significant look at Nicky. "That'll give you guys a few minutes to talk without us."
Neil stacked plates as quickly as he could without breaking anything. Kevin had a free hand for the door, so he went in first, and Neil almost stepped on his heels in his hurry to follow. He looked for his racquet first and was relieved to find it right where he left it. On the heels of relief was confusion and alarm, because Andrew was nowhere in the kitchen.
"Neil," Nicky called as Aaron was letting the door swing closed behind him. Neil set his armload of dishes on the inside table and opened the back door. "Is Andrew, uh—" He rethought what he was going to say and switched to German. "Make sure Andrew isn't breaking anything valuable, would you?"
"That's rude, Nicholas," Maria said. "Please use a language everyone can understand."
"I'll find Andrew," Neil promised in English.
"There is no need to worry," Maria said before Neil could duck inside again. "In fact, I think it's promising he has been gone this long. He'll come back when he's finished speaking with Drake."
Neil's heart skipped a beat. "What?"
"This dinner was not originally our idea," Luther said. "One of Andrew's former foster brothers came to us for help. They parted on unfriendly terms years ago, and it's been so long since they last spoke he's afraid their relationship is irreparably damaged. It made us think of our own familial problems and we were inspired to reach out again."
Luther's voice was a buzz in Neil's head, overlaid with Higgins' insistent pleas for Andrew's help. The investigation into Richard Spear was a dead end, Higgins said. Richard wasn't the man Higgins wanted to charge. He wasn't the one the Spears' foster children were too afraid to implicate. Higgins had a new suspect in mind, but Andrew threw him out of South Carolina as soon as he heard Drake's name.
"Drake," Neil said. "Was his last name Spear? Was he Richard and Cass' son?"
Luther looked hesitant. "Andrew has spoken to you about him?"
Neil let the door slam closed behind him and bolted across the kitchen. Andrew had been gone a while. Either Drake was dead or Andrew was in serious trouble. Neil didn't know which one it was but he wasn't going to this showdown empty-handed. He was good at picking fights, but he rarely won them. That didn't mean he couldn't stack the odds in his favor. He grabbed Aaron for backup because Aaron was closer than Kevin was and snatched his racquet on the way into the hall.