The Next Generation: The Legacy (Book 3)

Chapter 15 - New life, new rules ...

Chante

Over the next couple of days, the task team had us following up on every lead and every single tip that came through our offices and from other sources. As officer Campbell and I pulled out of the station parking lot the last time on our last evening shift, I frowned.

“Do you really think she will use the photograph now that everyone knows about it?” I couldn’t see her doing that and he sighed deeply.

“Honestly, I don’t think anyone can predict what she will do next.” We had a quiet last ride and returned to the station. I had found an apartment and over the next four days my mom and I were moving. The house hadn’t been sold yet, but I was sure as soon as people saw it empty, it would go quickly. All mom needed was to cover the mortgage. Between the two of us, we earned enough to survive, but we couldn’t afford that enormous mortgage that my dad had been paying.

His court case would also be starting soon, and I still hadn’t gone to see him. Mom was putting pressure on me to go with her, but I just couldn’t. Especially now that Cat had escaped. I couldn’t take the chance that my fellow officers thought I was giving my father information on the case to give to her. Most of them still believed he had contact with her even though she had escaped, and he was still in prison.

On my first morning off, I took mom to look at the apartment, and we had to rush home to meet with the movers. I wanted us to be settled by that evening. That would give us three days to settle into the apartment before I had to return to work. It was strange to leave the house I grew up in. I didn’t think it would affect me as much as it did, and when the last boxes were carried out, mom and I took a last look through the house to make sure we had everything.

I felt a knot in my throat as I noted the marks on the wall where she and dad measured how much I had grown. He really was my hero all my life. I couldn’t just throw all of those memories away. He wasn’t a bad dad or a bad husband. He was a bad cop. I sighed as we closed the door and made our way into the city to our new life and apartment.

The moves were quick and, since we couldn’t take everything that my mom had in the house, things were quickly put in their places. We had the extra furniture packed away in a storeroom for my dad. That was if he ever made it out of prison. I could see the sadness in my mother’s eyes and I couldn’t even begin to imagine how this must have felt for her.

I ordered some pizza and ran downstairs for a bottle of wine, and we sat in the middle of our new apartment having dinner with boxes all around us. I tried to make it better for her, but only time would heal the wounds she had. Only time would help her to realize that he probably wasn’t coming back. We said goodnight after agreeing on the time we had to get up, so we could unpack.

As I climbed into bed, I decided I had to go and see my dad. Even if it was just to tell him how much he had hurt me and mom. The only way I could see myself going, however, was if Freddie went with me. It was the only way I could think of to make sure that nothing happened that could jeopardize my job. He was my T.O. after all.

I woke up in the early hours of the morning, and mom had already started to unpack the kitchen. It was a huge relief to find a cup of coffee ready for me and I sighed deeply before telling her I wanted to go and see my dad. She looked happy at first, until I told her what I was planning. We went from happy to sad to angry in a matter of minutes, but I told her it was the only way I could think of that was safe for me to see him.

“I need air.” She glared at me before grabbing her bag and storming out of the apartment. I sighed. What else could I do? I carried on unpacking the kitchen. I knew she would be back since she had nowhere else to go. She would just have to make peace with the way things were now. When I was nearly finished with the kitchen, I started to get worried, and I called her cell.

“Hello, darling Chante. It is Chante, isn’t it?” The voice on the other side of the line wasn’t my mother’s and I froze as adrenaline pushed through every part of my body.

“Where is my mother?!” My voice was barely a whisper. I didn’t think anything would happen to her! How could I have been so damn stupid?! Where the hell were the guys that were supposed to have been looking after her?!

“Oh, she’s fine. She’s a little tied up at the moment. You should come and see her. I think she might be in a bit of trouble, but I suggest you don’t call anyone on the way. Don’t tell anyone. Your mom won’t like that very much.” Cat! It had to be her! I recognized her voice from the bits I saw about her on television during her trial. Why the hell did she take my mom?! What did she want from me?

“Where?” My voice sounded stronger than what I was feeling as I grabbed my keys and rushed out of the apartment. Cat gave me an address and I made my way downstairs. I found a taxi fairly easily and gave him the address. I considered calling Freddie but pushed the thought to the back of my mind. My mom’s safety was my first priority.