Page 104 of Is Anyone Listening?
"She was with Sophie at my parents' house when I left. She told me Jeff sent her there to talk to Cole, but he hadn't shown up. She mentioned that you were in her house looking for photos, and she hoped Jeff was taking care of you, and I thought that was odd, so I came straight over."
"I'm glad you did, because if that wrench hadn't worked—" Tears pooled in my eyes, but I didn't want them to fall, not yet, not when there was still stuff to do.
"It did work," he said quietly. "And I'll text Sophie to keep both Cole and Dorothy at my parents' house. She can stay there overnight if she needs to."
"I thought Sophie and Cole would be on their way to New York by now."
"Cole got delayed by his dad, who'd figured he was trying to leave. They got into another argument, which is why he was late. I'll text everyone now." Finn opened the car door for me and then sent his texts as I got into the car and fastened my seat belt, my body aching from head to toe. But I was safe, Jeff was going to jail, and I finally knew what had happened to Natalie. I just had one more person to talk to, one more person to confront.
Finn got in the car and started the engine, and I felt a wave of relief as we drove away from Dorothy's house. I know she hadn't meant to put me in danger, and it had been my idea to go and see her. But I thanked God that I'd been able to battle Jeff and come out on top.
As I looked down at my hands that were still shaking, I wasn't sure when I'd start to really feel safe, but it certainly wasn't happening yet.
Finn kept shooting me looks of concern, and I tried to give him a weak smile in return. "I'm okay," I said.
"I should have been with you. I shouldn't have left you alone today."
"I didn't think going to Dorothy's house was dangerous. I never imagined it was Jeff who had hurt Natalie, who had forced her to disappear. If anyone, I thought it was Tom or Ray, not Jeff."
"And yet in some ways, it makes sense," Finn muttered. "The Holloway family has a long history of violence."
"Jeff said his father used to knock him and Tom around, that Tom did the same to Lily. He couldn't understand why Lily would want Tom, or even my father for that matter, because he didn't think David treated her well, either. But she only had eyes for them. She never saw him, and he was right there in front of her. It drove him crazy that women always chose the wrong guy when he was the right guy. I think that's what he said. It's all a jumble in my mind, and he wasn't always making sense."
"Because he's mentally ill," Finn said. "I wonder if Tom knew."
"He didn't. Jeff said the best part of it all was knowing that Tom had no idea what he was doing right under his nose."
"Then Tom is in the clear?"
"For killing Natalie, but according to Jeff, Tom and my grandmother were trafficking women, and he used their operation to find his victims. I hate the idea that she's been doing that."
"You should let the police talk to her."
"Who knows when they'll get to her? She might disappear before then. And I want to look her in the eye. I want to hear her try to excuse what she's been doing."
"She could be as dangerous as Jeff."
"Well, I'm going, and I’m hoping you’ll come with me," I said.
"Oh, I am definitely not letting you talk to her on your own."
"Thanks." I paused. "I don't want my grandmother to be a trafficker or a murderer, but maybe my dad was right. Maybe it was a mistake to ever want to know her."
Chapter Twenty-Four
When we pulled into the inn's parking lot and got out of the car, I saw Ellen standing on the porch, her arms crossed, her expression troubled.
She'd obviously heard what happened. Tom must have called her the second he'd left Dorothy's house. I was surprised she hadn't run. But then, this inn was her home, probably the only place she'd ever wanted to be. Unfortunately, her next place of residence might be a jail cell, and it might be because of me, her granddaughter.
I squared my shoulders, knowing I needed what little energy I had left. Ellen had intimidated me since the first moment I'd arrived, but not anymore. I'd just fought for my life against a madman. I could handle anything she was about to dish out.
"Cassidy, are you all right?" she asked.
"Jeff Holloway tried to kill me."
"Come in. Let's talk."
"You're not surprised."
