Retribution Read online

  “How’s Zoey?” Tom asked.

  “Steven finally convinced her to let him hold her phone for her once the texts started pouring in as word got out. It was that, or I was going to take it from her. I do so love that boy. Too bad he’s gay and we can’t marry her off to him. I believe he’s the best and truest friend she has in the world, besides Willow, Mikey, and Adam. I let them go up to her room. The door’s open, but I wouldn’t be concerned if it were closed, and I don’t think we should interrupt them right now.”

  “That doesn’t answer the question,” Tom said.

  Tyler stroked Nevvie’s hair. “She’s…satisfied. This will die down, and her life can go back to something resembling normal now that it’s resolved. I believe she’s also angry because she feels Crystal used the rape to try to get closer to all of us and hurt Nevvie. She wishes to move on and not think about it. She also said she doesn’t want us involved in her counseling any longer.”

  “She needs to keep going to the counselor,” Tom said. “I’m puttin’ my foot down there.”

  “I know. She understands that. We struck a bargain this morning after you left.”

  Tom didn’t need to be a mind reader. “Steven goes with her?”

  Tyler shrugged. “He volunteered. She trusts him and knows he has no agenda beyond friendship.”

  “We’re her flippin’ parents!” Tom said. “Our only agenda is we love her!”

  “I think the problem is she doesn’t want to talk about…certain things around us. Even if we’re not in the room with her and merely waiting outside. She feels safe with him. Let’s let it play out, shall we? I’ve already called the counselor and talked to her, and she agreed perhaps if this is what Zoey feels she needs, we should allow it, for now.”

  Tom didn’t like it. He wanted to fix this for his little girl and knew that not only could he not fix it, his little girl wasn’t so little anymore. She was nearly an adult in some ways.

  Too many ways.

  Ways she shouldn’t have had to be an adult already.

  * * * *

  Tyler envied Crystal somewhat. Not that she was dead, but that she’d taken out Cole.

  Not that he enjoyed killing in the real-world. At least, not the one time he’d had to do it. Justified or not, killing Alex had left him with nightmares for months that had taken him going to a counselor to help him overcome.

  Vengeance. Cole had harmed their daughter, and Crystal had wielded vengeance.

  That was something that, even as Zoey’s father, Tyler couldn’t give her.

  He stroked Nevvie’s hair. “Angel, let’s go inside.”

  She nodded and let the men lead her into the house. “Should we…Willow and Mikey. Should we pull them out of school tomorrow?”

  “Why?” Tyler asked. “At least there they have a bit of normalcy to lean on, whatever that’s worth now. Zoey being the nexus of the whirlwind, it made sense to keep her home.”

  Tyler was surprised to see Zoey appear at the top of the stairs, Steven following like a shadow. They walked downstairs and Zoey headed right for Nevvie, giving her a long, silent hug, followed by Tom.

  “I love you,” Zoey said, wiping back tears. “I’m glad you’re both okay.”

  Nevvie cupped her face in her hands. “You’re glad we’re okay?”

  “She could have shot you guys if she’d gotten the gun.”

  “Oh, sweetie.” Nevvie pulled her in for another hug. “She wasn’t trying to shoot us. She wanted them to shoot her.”

  “Why?”

  “It…it’s complicated. Some of the things she did were things right out of some of Daddy’s books.”

  “Oh.” Nevvie released her and Zoey turned to Tyler. “Can I read them?”

  Tyler glanced at Tom and Nevvie for guidance, but they were focused on him, too. “Eh, well…sweetheart, they are rather…graphic. Augustine is a serial killer. He only preys on people he feels have committed horrible acts, but he’s still a killer. And there are…other things in the books. Violence. A few instances of sexual violence. I’m not sure it would be appropriate for you to read them yet.”

  “I’ll be sixteen in a couple of months. Poppa once told me he was reading Stephen King when he was a kid, and I’ve been reading his stuff for a couple of years, too.”

  She had him there. “I’ll make you a deal. You let us talk to your counselor first and tell her about the books, and let her weigh in. We go in as a family and discuss it.”

  She nodded. “Deal.” She turned and headed upstairs.

  Steven watched her go. “I think she can handle them,” he softly said. “I’ve read all of them. She’s strong enough.”

  “Are you all right, son?”

  He finally met Tyler’s gaze and the sadness there nearly broke his heart. “No. Because it’s my fault she got raped.”

  “What?”

  “If I hadn’t let her push me away that night, Cole wouldn’t have had a chance to hurt her.”

  Nevvie grabbed his shoulder when he tried to leave. “Steven, no. This isn’t your fault. None of what happened is your fault. By that logic, Mikey and Willow are guilty for letting her go off without them, and that’s not the case, either.”

  “But I knew he was a creep.”

  “So did Mikey,” Tommy said. “But like you, he didn’t think that creepiness extended to rape. You’re not at fault.”

  “If you want to play that game,” Nevvie said, “then I’m at fault for letting her go in the first place. We don’t blame you, or Greg Ironsides or his parents, or Mikey and Willow. The only person we blame is Cole Johnson, and maybe his father and the others for facilitating what he did for so long. That’s it.”

  Steven nodded, but Tyler could tell he wasn’t convinced. “Thank you for sayin’ that, but it’s how I feel.”

  “Oh, sweetie.” She hugged him tightly. “I know your mom’s flunked motherhood, but consider me your mom now, please? You’re our adopted son, and I’m not just saying that.”

  Tyler and Tom stepped in as the boy started crying. “I should have stayed with her that night. I knew how much she liked Cole and she didn’t see he was a jerk. I’m so sorry.”

  “Shh,” Tommy whispered. “It’s all right, son.”

  “I think,” Tyler said, “that perhaps we need to schedule you appointments with the counselor, as well. At our expense. This is very…complex. It’s time we all stop trying to take on blame we don’t own and focus on healing and moving forward. All of us, as a family, including you.”

  “Why couldn’t my mom accept me and Grandpa? Why is she like that? Why couldn’t she be like all of you?”

  Tyler suspected this was also a huge lynchpin holding Steven’s pain in place. His perceived failure, in his mind, was a sin against his adopted family, a family he’d admired from afar through Mikey and had longed to belong to.

  And now…now he did belong.

  Tyler took over, holding the boy’s face in his hands much like Nevvie had held Zoey’s moments earlier. “Listen to me, son. You are not to blame, and we love you. We love you even more for your dedication to her. From this point forward, you need to listen to us and let us guide you through this, understand? We’re going to see the counselor as a family—all of us and our children, including you—and we’re going to heal. This is temporary and we will overcome it. And if you wish to move in here with us, we can talk to Adam about giving you his room, now that he’s away at Athens. He can sleep in my office or Tommy’s, or over at my father’s house, when he visits.” Tyler kissed his forehead and released him. “You’re our son, and that means you always have a home, with us.”

  Steven hugged himself as his gaze fell to the floor. “I should probably stay over at Grandpa’s and Grandpa Andy’s. Chloe really likes me. She’s been calling me her brother. I’m okay over there, and I like being able to help them out. I can babysit for Karen and Bill after school, too. I don’t want to take over Adam’s room and make him move. He still comes home.”

  “Are
you quite sure?”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you.”

  “Dad,” Tyler said. “Dad, and Poppa, and Mom.”

  Steven finally smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

  Nevvie hugged him again. “Look at that! Medical miracle. Two dudes who had vasectomies give me an instant son without me having to give birth to him.”

  That finally made Steven laugh, and it was a good sound to hear.

  Chapter Sixteen

  They spent several afternoons in the counselor’s office, all of them together, except Adam, who was at school. Steven quit the football team, preferring to focus on studying and spending time not just with Zoey, but with his chosen family.

  Nevvie wanted to throat-punch Susan Jardine for not even attempting to contact Steven. Susan had given Steven’s old phone to his younger sister, Courtney. Courtney was now a secret conduit between Steven, and Sarah and Robert, the youngest two siblings.

  Courtney reported that Steven’s father and mother were not doing well, and they’d even overheard a fight between them the week before where their father talked about getting a divorce and taking the kids with him so he could have contact with Steven again. He’d apparently been against Susan filing the motion with her brothers to get control of Colin and his finances.

  Courtney had also asked Steven if he thought Colin and Andrew might let the three siblings move in with them, too.

  That broke Nevvie’s heart, and she wanted to jump in and offer Steven’s dad help with legal costs to file his divorce, since Susan was bleeding their finances dry with her boondoggle of a case to try to get control of Colin’s assets. Bob, however, put the brakes on that idea, and told Nevvie to hold off until after the hearing. Not that Bob thought Susan would win, but anything Nevvie did that might be seen as trying to influence the outcome could backfire. He rationalized to her that a couple of weeks wouldn’t make a difference, and finally convinced her to wait it out.

  Meanwhile, as the court date approached, Nevvie wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Tyler drove them that afternoon, her and Tom. They’d offered to pick up Colin and Andrew and drive them, but they politely declined the offer and said they’d meet them there, that they had things to do first.

  When Andrew and Colin finally arrived at the judge’s chambers with Colin’s attorney, Nevvie thought she would blow a gasket. They’d cut it awfully close on time, and she couldn’t understand how Andrew could remain so stinkin’ calm through this. Hell, he looked practically smug, him and Colin both, as they took their seats.

  Sure, this was a slam-dunk for them, but at least be nervous about the process. Colin appeared serene and unflappable, both men wearing smiles Nevvie dang sure didn’t feel like donning.

  Nevvie, Tyler, and Tom occupied seats along the wall, at the far end of the room and next to the door, while Colin and Andrew sat at the conference table, next to Colin’s attorney.

  Seated across the table from them, Susan and her brothers didn’t speak to their father. They shot him—and Andrew—dark, narrowed glares Nevvie wanted to slap plumb off their faces.

  Once the proceedings were called to order and everyone was sworn in, the judge started by having Susan’s attorney go first, since they’d filed the motion and were the plaintiffs. Nevvie clenched her hands in her lap, fingernails digging half-moons into the flesh of her palms to keep herself quiet.

  The attorney claimed Colin was now caught in the grip of severe dementia, they wanted to have him examined by doctors, wanted to have his will changed, a power of attorney issued for Susan and her brothers—on and on. A litany of points Nevvie could boil down to one truth—

  We don’t like our dad is gay and living with another guy and we want to make sure we get our money when he dies.

  It disgusted Nevvie.

  They also brought into play Andrew’s faked confession during the Cole Johnson murder investigation, which Colin’s attorney had warned them might happen, but to not worry about.

  But Nevvie wasn’t expecting it when, upon Colin’s attorney’s turn, he handed the judge a single piece of paper.

  “The situation has changed, your honor. As of 9:22 a.m. local time today, Mr. Dawson is now legally Mr. Paulson, as you can see from that certified copy of their marriage certificate. The ceremony was conducted here, at the courthouse, in the clerk’s office.”

  He passed over more papers. “I have already filed his amended will, power of attorney, and other paperwork necessary to reflect his husband’s status. Mr. Andrew Paulson is now his legal heir, power of attorney, medical power of attorney, and the executor of his will and sole recipient of his estate. He is also co-owner of Colin Paulson née Dawson’s home, paperwork also filed this morning.

  “I also have a notarized statement from Colin Paulson née Dawson’s physician of over fifteen years, dated yesterday, stating that he has fully examined him, and testifies to his mental soundness, and that there is no sign of dementia or reduction of his mental faculties. He is willing to appear in open court or via phone to testify to the same. Likewise, I have a sworn affidavit from Andrew Paulson’s personal physician, dated yesterday, stating that he is also of sound mind, and shows no sign of dementia or reduction of his mental faculties, and will also appear in person or phone.

  “The ‘confession’ opposing counsel refers to was simply a loving grandfather’s misguided attempt to protect his innocent family, nothing more. If anything, the calculated nature of his actions provides further proof of his mental acuity, not a sign of dementia. He might be guilty of giving a false statement to the police, but considering they did not press charges against him for it, then the court shouldn’t hold it against him, either.

  “Andrew Paulson was also added to all of Mr. Paulson née Dawson’s bank accounts earlier this morning, and is now the listed beneficiary of his life insurance policy, a certified copy which was electronically filed with them today. And he has already initiated name change procedures for all the previously referenced items, in addition to filing a name change with the Social Security Administration and Medicare. He already changed his driver’s license to reflect his new name before coming here.”

  The attorney passed over more papers to the judge while Susan went white in the face. “You can’t do that!” She glared at Andrew. “That’s not right! That’s not even legal! A man can’t marry another man!” Her attorney tried to quiet her.

  “Pipe down, madam, or you’ll be found in contempt for disturbing my court.” The judge looked over everything and spoke to Colin’s attorney. “Court recognizes the respondent’s legal marriage to Andrew Paulson, and recognizes the respondent’s legal name change. But for this proceeding, the Court requests you continue to refer to the respondent as Colin Dawson for simplicity’s sake, and to avoid confusion with his husband, Andrew Paulson. Let the record show Colin George Dawson’s legal name is now Colin George Paulson.” He continued scanning through the other papers the attorney handed over.

  Nevvie, barely able to contain herself, reached over and punched Tom in the thigh in her excitement, until he grabbed her hand and held it in place. She stared up at him, grinning, noting his own wide, pleased smile.

  Tyler stared at his knees, lips pressed into a firm line as he idly picked at the crease in his dress slacks.

  She wondered how he could remain so calm, knowing his father had legally married Colin. It took her a moment to realize he was desperately trying not to burst out laughing, which was why he wouldn’t so much as look at her right then.

  He didn’t want to disrupt the court.

  No wonder the two older men appeared so smug and confident when they’d walked into the judge’s chambers—they’d effectively decapitated Susan’s entire case at the ankles by simply saying two little words to each other in front of a clerk of the court.

  “Your Honor,” Colin’s attorney continued, “in summary, considering Andrew Paulson is now Colin Dawson’s legal spouse, and we’ve updated all paperwork to reflect that, and we’ve already provided proof of Mr. D
awson and Mr. Paulson’s sound minds and unimpaired mental faculties, I plead with the court to grant respondent’s motion to deny all of plaintiff’s motions and to dismiss plaintiff’s case with prejudice. My client’s relationship with his three children has been strained for a decade, ever since he came out to them as being gay. He sees their filing as nothing more than an attempt to deny him happiness while trying to seize control of his assets and property for their own selfish gain. His relationship with them is irretrievably broken, and he wishes to have no contact with them.”

  The judge slowly nodded as he went from paper to paper and finally looked to the opposing counsel. “Do you have any additional evidence to present?”

  “We want to have Mr. Dawson examined by our own doctors.”

  “Denied,” the judge said. “Don’t think that’s necessary. Without any actual evidence presented to show potential diminishing of his faculties, if his own regular physician says he’s mentally sound, I’m sure he’d know him better than some doctor who’d never seen him before and who was being paid by you to say he wasn’t. Anything else to add or other evidence to present to this court?”

  The lawyer shook his head. “No, your Honor.”

  “In light of this morning’s developments, the court hereby recognizes Colin Dawson’s husband, Andrew Paulson, as his legal spouse, heir, executor, and power of attorney, and all other legal benefits and obligations pertaining to their union, as per law. The court denies the plaintiff’s motion in full, with prejudice, and finds in favor of the respondent.” He turned to Colin’s attorney. “Order on my desk by end of day for my signature.”

  He handed over several copies of paperwork. “Already prepared, your Honor.”

  “Excellent. So granted. Court is adjourned.” He gaveled it and started signing papers.

  “What? We can’t be done!” Everyone stared at Susan. Her attorney tried to quiet her, but she slapped his hands away and stood. “This…no! I won’t allow it!”