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“We need to take Chas back to Steppen Island.”
Eddie checked the time as well. “Yeah, after the Shetland pony show.”
“No, right now.”
Although I wasn’t certain how we’d do that on a dirt bike. I’d have to ride in a cab with Chas while Hawk followed.
“Chas pinky promised that she’d wear the flower girl dress Odette chose without a fight as long as she could watch the show. Unless you want more tears, you’ll need to wait.”
“What if someone calls the police? Or the FBI?”
How would I explain my disaster of a family to my former colleagues? I’d be the talk of the office again, and I didn’t even work there anymore.
“They won’t. Clarice will hold them off.”
Was she capable? I had to concede she was an excellent liar. She’d pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes for over ten years. Plus nobody at the hotel would want to believe there was a problem, not today, not when Odette was due to tie the knot with Stu in less than three hours.
Which meant I had a decision to make. Eddie’s revelations had left me reeling, and jumbled thoughts careened around inside my head. I could insist on taking Chastity back to the hotel this second, and I didn’t think he’d stop me. A part of me wanted to reveal Clarice’s hypocrisy to the world, to show that she wasn’t the perfect wife she pretended to be, but how would that help Chas?
Eddie wasn’t going anywhere for the moment, that much was clear, and when I motioned to Hawk, he left Eddie’s side and came to mine.
“We need a minute,” I told Eddie.
“Sure.” He shrugged and turned to face the riding arena, a faint smile on his face.
Hawk gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Chin up, Lerner. This wedding weekend’s been more fun than I expected. I figured we’d just stand around eating hors d’oeuvres most of the time.”
“What the hell should we do?”
“About Chas?”
“About Chas, about Clarice, about this whole non-kidnapping.”
“All we need to do is take the kid back to the hotel. The rest of the shitshow is Clarice’s problem.”
“But Clarice has been lying about everything.”
“And if you announce that at Odette’s wedding, how do you think it’ll go?” Hawk settled his arms around my waist. “I get that you’re angry, and you have every right to be. Clarice hasn’t made your life easy.”
“And thanks to her lies this morning, we nearly got totalled by a semi.”
His lips flickered into a smile. “Nah, babe, there was plenty of room.”
“So you think we should cover for her?”
“Who’s the most important person in this situation?”
I answered with no hesitation. “Chas.”
At least she was smiling now. Eddie was a better father than Buckley, and I actually kind of liked the guy. Yes, he’d been an absolute dick when he was younger, but he’d learned and grown from his mistakes, and he was doing his best to be a father to Chas in the limited way possible.
“And what do you think would be best for her?” Hawk asked.
“If all the adults in her life avoided a fistfight at her aunt’s wedding?”
“Exactly. We’ll take her back, keep our mouths shut, and let the chips fall where they may.”
I let the sweet taste of revenge slip away and nodded. Fine, we’d take Chas and bite our tongues through the ceremony, but I would be having words in private with Clarice later.
