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My worst fears were realised. Whether on purpose or not, Earle’s care had been sabotaged by Doctor Turner. Fuckin’ asshole was on my list.
Doc Gibbons had got Earle stabilised, and he was coming home to Rapid City. Phoe was organising a medical flight, and Texas, Gunner, and Doc would travel back on that.
Naturally, I blamed myself. I should have known better. Lettie was beside herself when she was told, and I genuinely believed she’d given Earle the best care. Worse, Lettie was also being let go because they were over-staffed. Funny that shit, as Lettie was the only nurse being given marching orders.
I’d promptly hired her to care for Earle in RC if she wanted, and Lettie had accepted gratefully.
Doc Gibbons had sent off several complaints about Doc Turner, as had some of the other doctors who’d been involved in accessing Earle. I knew Turner faced losing his licence, and I didn’t care. There was blood to be spilt.
Carefully, we’d packed everything in Earle’s room, and Harley had put it into the SUV and done two trips to transport it all to the jet. I was checking nothing had been missed—as I didn’t trust those assholes to send shit on—when the door opened.
To my surprise, my father walked in.
“What the fuck do you want?” I snapped, glaring at him.
D. J. looked at me briefly and then at the empty room. “Came to pay my respects and offer my best wishes,” D. J. Ellison said.
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me? Where were you when this town turned on him? Villainised him and then victimised him? What use are you now? Should have stepped up forty years ago, D. J.”
“You don’t know what it was like!” D. J. shouted back.
“No? I know that you were such a coward you told those assholes about Earle. Anything to save your dick, yeah? How did that work for you? You ended up remaining a prisoner for extra months. If you’d shut your mouth, Cletus wouldn’t have found Earle and given him brain damage!” I yelled in return.
“It was rape!” D. J retorted.
“Yeah, I know. I’m the product of it. And I tell you now, they raped your dick; I’d let my ass be fucked raw before I ever gave a kid up to be beaten and left. You stole everything from Earle. Earle got you help in the end, and you still left him to swing in the wind,” I bellowed.
“Son—”
“No, D. J. You made that fuckin’ clear. Your legitimate kids made that plain. You don’t get to come in here and act like your shit doesn’t stink. This town may buy your victim status and your holier-than-thou bullshit, but I see straight through you. I know you sold Earle out to save your dick for one bastard night. Cletus hunted him straight down and nearly killed him. All so you didn’t have to shag Loretta or Sandie’s dirty cunts. If you’d sucked it up, you’d have been free. Fuckin’ coward. Sacrificing an eight-year-old boy for your fuckin’ cock. You motherfuckin’ asshole, walk in here and pretend you care? Get the fuck out, D. J. Now!” I screamed.
“You’ve got no idea what it’s like to be held hostage, given drugs, and raped. None, son. Think I did you bad walking away, but I couldn’t look at you. Buck, I wanted to love you, and all I could see were their cunts. And you suffered? Boy, I was in hell every day because I had a child and couldn’t love him like he deserved. You were a victim just like me, and I couldn’t overcome it.
“That’s the difference. I’d have done anything to not wallow in that shit. D. J., you wallowed and loved it. Everybody said how you’d suffered, but you sat back and watched them punish me, and you never told them to stop. One word from their tragic hero and they would have done. Fuck you, D. J., you were a poor excuse for a man and still are. You’ve no idea the depth of hate I have for you. And worse, you left Earle swinging in the wind. Earle’s I.Q. was off the charts, and he lost that chance at a golden life, but you kept yours, didn’t you? Take your money and shove it.
“I learned a lesson you never did, D. J. Family is more important than anything else. It took me a while, but I found one. I would sacrifice for any of them. Because they’re worth it. Funny shit is? Some of them have been through worse than you, but they picked themselves up and moved forward. You like being a victim, so you’ll always remain that. But not me. Hope you understand I got out and made life fuckin’ good!” I snarled.
D. J. opened the door and stepped back as he saw the corridor filled with people. Some were even filming, their phones held towards us.
“Leave!” I yelled, tearing my voice chords.
D. J slammed the door and raced away. Once he was gone, I sat down heavily and sighed. I guess that had been a long time coming.
“Sorry, Uncle Earle,” I whispered.
Earle had never wanted this confrontation, and he’d be mortified to know it’d finally come to pass. But the pipers had to be paid before we left, and I meant to make that happen. D. J. was just one of them.
Chapter Ten.
Savage
I wiped my hands and stared at Doc Turner. The blindfold remained in place, and he’d suspect but never be able to confirm that I’d broken every single finger in both hands. Even if the medical board didn’t take Turner’s licence away, I’d ensured he would never practise again. I’d not only broken them but shattered them with a hammer. Turner had passed out long ago, but I’d continued, ensuring there’d never be another Earle.
When I’d taken Turner, I had whispered Earle’s name in his ear, and he’d pissed himself. Turns out the good doctor was one of those who liked to blame an innocent kid for the sins of the mother. Turner would never do that again.
With D. J., my revenge had been simple. For years, a private eye had watched him and collected all kinds of shit. Tomorrow, a journalist would write the story of his life and destroy D. J., showing the world the coward he was. Maybe I could forgive D. J. for outing Earle, although I despised his actions. Maybe I could even excuse him for abandoning me. Still, I’d never forget how D. J. treated and allowed others to treat Earle afterward.
Parsons was another who’d pay. The fat, useless piece of shit was about to have a shitstorm land. Phoe had made her usual waves, and Parson faced the chopping block. As we rode back to the hotel, I glanced at the Appalachians. There were now five additional graves hidden up there.
