Chapter 9

She bent over, hugged him, and said, “It’s okay, sweetie, you don’t have to go back to Monroe if you don’t want to. I’ve already told Philip and Charles that you can stay here as long as you like.”

Charles had come into the room during this exchange and was standing by the door, listening.

Steve got himself under control and said, “Thanks, Mom. You know I’ll miss you and the girls, but I don’t think I’ll ever feel safe anywhere near where that bastard is.”

“Well, the bastard’s in jail right now,” Charles said, “if that makes you feel any safer.”

“Not much. Mom, Jeff and Rob said that they’d drive back to Monroe and get my stuff from the house.”

“Baby, that’s over seven hours each way. That’s a lot,” she said.

“I think Charles can handle that,” I said. “He just happens to fly his own airplane.”