Impact (Suncoast Society #32)(47)

Landry cut him off. “I don’t want your f*cking excuses. I want to know how we’re supposed to explain to her daughter when she’s older that a paperwork snafu got her mother killed. Did you need this case to further your career, detective? Was it going to be a feather in your cap?”

“I’m sorry. I know how traumatic this is—”

“You know nothing, sir,” Landry said. “We promised her we’d help her. We promised her a chance for a new life. Now she’s dead and will never get to see her daughter grow up. Her infant daughter. Not even three weeks old. Do you have children, detective? She wanted her daughter to have a good life so she reached out to us for help, desperate to break free of her old life. She wasn’t some drugged out prostitute. She’d done the best she could under the circumstances. She was forced into crime by her boyfriend at the time, and ended up arrested for it. All her life she basically bounced around, feeling helpless. Well, the first time she finally finds agency, takes control of her life, it gets her killed. Great job serving and protecting.”

The detective took a step back. “If you don’t have any more questions—”

“Oh, I have plenty, but our attorney will be asking them of you on a witness stand when we sue you and the department of corrections for her death. Had you simply left her in our care, not only would she have helped you with your case and cooperated completely, she would still be alive. Well, now your case likely has been impacted, and she’s dead. Again, great job. You may show yourselves out.”

The men left.

Landry pulled Cris into his arms. Cris silently sobbed against him.

Landry rested his head against Cris’. “It’s all right, love. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

Cris’ low, keening wail took Landry off-guard, gutted him. Drew tears from even his stony heart.

“She wanted my help,” Cris whispered. “I promised to help her.”

“I know, love. I know.” Landry stroked his hair.

“We promised her a new life. A better life.”

“I know.”

“She trusted us.”

“We trusted the system.”

After a couple of minutes, Cris sat up. “Tilly.” He stood, but Landry caught his hand.

“Loren’s with her. I’ll go to her. You wash up first.”

“Fuck,” he whispered. “What’s this going to do to her? She’s going to feel guilty as hell.”

“I’m afraid we’re about to find out.”





Chapter Sixteen


For a sickening moment, time warped and folded and Tilly was lying there in Loren’s arms, crying over Cris. Reality set in and the baby cradled against her grounded Tilly to the present.

Cris was not the Guerrero for whom she mourned.

Not this time.

The door opened and she didn’t even look to see who it was, although she suspected Landry. This was confirmed when he climbed into bed on her other side and wrapped his arms around her and Loren.

And Katie.

He pressed his lips against the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, love.”

“This is my fault,” Tilly groaned. “All my fault.”

“No, it’s not,” Loren said. “You were trying to help her.”

“I wanted her to stay in jail,” Tilly said, the words almost physically painful to speak aloud. “I wanted Katie all to myself. I didn’t want Sofia to get out. I wanted her to be punished for what happened to Katie.”

“Love, if you ascribe blame in that way,” Landry said, “then I am just as culpable as you are. I wished for her to face punishment, too.”

“You did?”

“Yes. I wanted her to learn a hard lesson so she wouldn’t repeat it. This is not our fault. This is the fault of the system, and we shall make them pay for it.”

“Her parents,” Tilly said. “Her brothers. We need to locate them and tell them.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

Cris came in and sat on the end of the bed. He looked as gutted as she felt. “I’m sorry, Redbird.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“She was my cousin. I’m the reason you were dragged into this to start with.”

Loren let out a disgusted sound. “Jeezus, you three are incredible, you know that?” She pointed at the baby. “She is the only one who matters right now. Unless one of you actually snuck out this morning and murdered Sofia without us knowing, it, or one of you suddenly developed magical powers, none of you are to blame. So suck it up, buttercups, and let’s figure out what we need to do next.”

Tilly let out a snort. “Since when did you get so toppy?”

“Since the three of you apparently decided wallowing in self-pity was a valid option. Yes, this sucks. It sucks big hairy donkey balls. It’s not right. It’s damn sure not fair. And you have every right to mourn your loss. But it is what it is, the hand we’ve been dealt. So we need to play those cards and figure out the next step, because Katie needs you to be strong for her.”

“I’ll track down my family,” Cris said. “They might have disowned her and me both, but I won’t stoop to their level. They need to know what happened.”