A Necessary Evil(34)

He tried to talk to her once they pulled out onto the city road, but Mollie only answered with a shake of her head, a nod, or a shrug. Eventually picking up on the fact that she wasn’t ready for chit-chat, Pops gave up and turned on the radio. Jazz music. The last thing Mollie wanted to hear.

The black Cadillac pulled into the driveway of her home at the end of the cul de sac, and her mother flung herself out the front door and ran barefooted toward the car. Her white terrycloth robe trailed behind her as she came to Mollie’s side with arms wide open.

Mollie’s heart leapt in her chest at the sight of her mother, her best friend. She gulped back a lump that formed in her throat and opened the passenger side door before the car had even come to a complete stop. Within seconds, Mollie was in her mother’s arms, crying into her chest, and falling to the ground in a mixture of happiness and relief.

“Oh, Mollie,” her mother said as she stroked her freshly shorn blonde hair. “You’re home. You’re safe. Oh, my God.”

Kitty gently held her daughter at arms’ length and inspected her daughter, head to toe. Seemingly satisfied with what she saw, she pulled Mollie back into a tight embrace and rocked her side to side, just like she had when she was little. Mollie could smell the subtle fragrance of her Chanel No. 5, mixed with her fruity shampoo, and it smelled like home. She gave in to her feelings and let it all out.

Her pops leaned against the hood of his car with his arms crossed over his chest and a proud smile on his face. Mollie could see him over her mother’s heaving shoulders. She wanted to shout at him. Ask him why he looked so smug. Remind him she wouldn’t have needed saving if it weren’t for what he’d done to the man’s father. There would be a time and a place for that conversation, but it wasn’t here, and it wasn’t now. If she could keep her mother from knowing it was her own father’s fault her daughter had nearly been killed, it would save her further grief.

Once they’d managed to pick themselves up and walk into the house, Mollie’s mother poured them all some fresh chamomile tea. As Mollie sat at the kitchen table, slowly stirring honey into the steaming hot amber liquid, she tried to push away all the unpleasant images of the man that kept popping up in her mind. She’d never learned his name, but it didn’t matter. She was sure she’d hear it soon enough. Eventually, there would be reporters parked on their front lawn and detectives trying to drag information out of her.

Her mom had begged Pops to hold off on calling the police, just for a little longer, to give Mollie some peace and quiet and time to adjust to being home before the maelstrom began. Pops had easily agreed and even made a comment about giving it time first. Time for what, exactly, Mollie was unsure, but she could guess. She knew her pops wasn’t going to hand the man over to the police, because he’d already instructed Bruno to take him to the lounge. Mollie wasn’t sure how she felt about this. She wanted to see the man pay for what he’d done to her. But she also wasn’t sure how she felt about Pops putting their whole family at risk by hiding a known killer from the police. And now that she knew exactly what her grandfather was capable of doing, she also had to decide how she felt about the man’s fate. Would it be better for him to rot away in a prison cell? Or would it be better to let Pops do what he wanted?

“Well,” Pops said, breaking her train of thought. He stood from the table and hiked his pants up by his belt. “I’d better get going. I’ve got a lot to take care of, and it’s getting late.”

Mollie’s mother gave Pops a knowing look. “Please be careful, Daddy.”

Pops nodded once. “Always. Now, wait another hour, then call Detective Jamison. Do you have his number?”

“I still have his card from when he stopped by,” she answered.

“Good.” Pops turned his focus to Mollie, who was picking at a scone and forcing herself to take tiny bites. “Mollie, my dear. I’m so glad you’re home, with your mother, where you belong. Call me if you need me.”

Mollie didn’t respond. She didn’t even meet his gaze. She just placed a piece of scone into her mouth and forced herself to chew. Though her stomach was growling from lack of food, her nerves made eating difficult.

“Give her some time,” her mother said. “She’ll come around.”

“All right.” Pops kissed Kitty on top of the head, turned, and walked out the back door.

“I’m going to my room,” Mollie said a few minutes after Pops had left. She pushed her chair back and slowly stood. Her knees still felt like soggy noodles, but she managed to stay upright.

“Holler if you need me,” her mother said as Mollie brushed past her and walked toward the stairs. “And, Mollie?”

Mollie stopped right at the base of the stairs with her hand on the knob and looked at her mother. Kitty’s eyes were swollen, red, and full of fresh tears.

“Please, if you need anything…anything at all, do not hesitate to ask. I’m here if you need me.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Mollie said. “I love you.” And with that, she turned the knob and headed up the steep steps toward her converted attic space.

She sat on the edge of her bed and looked around. Her room was pretty much as she’d left it, except her mother had apparently made her bed at some point. As she scanned the room, she tried to accept the reality that she was actually home. That she had survived. She never thought she’d see these things again. The pictures of her and her friends, her vanity where she sat and got ready every morning, her favorite stuffed teddy bear. It was strange to see all these things looking exactly like they had the last time. Nothing had changed at all—on the outside, at least.