Finding Eden(74)

Agent Glenn continued. "However, it's unlikely we'll be able to prosecute Clive Richter for the crimes against you and Eden. There simply isn't enough evidence after three years. It's Eden's and your word against his. I'm sorry for that." His expression told me that he truly was.

I swallowed heavily and took in a big gulp of air.

"He shot me," I said.

He nodded, frowning slightly. "I know. And if only you'd saved the bullet, this would be a whole other story."

I blinked at him. "Saved the bullet?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yes, each bullet is specific to a gun. If we had the bullet, we could match it to Clive's duty weapon. That would be the piece of evidence that would make it easy to charge him with the crimes against you."

I stared at him. "I did keep the bullet, Floyd," I said. "It's still in my leg."

His eyes opened wide in surprise. He paused for a beat and then a slow smile came over his face. "Well this changes everything," he said.

I released a huge breath. Kristi's friend had said that with the placement of the bullet in my leg, it would be safer just to leave it where it had lodged. Which was lucky considering he didn't have any operating capabilities anyway.

"Are you willing to undergo a small operation?" he asked.

"Hell yes," I said, running my hand through my hair.

Floyd smiled again. "Okay, then." He shook his head in disbelief.

I studied him for a few minutes as he wrote something down. He looked kind, trustworthy. He was on our side. Something inside me relaxed and felt suddenly set free.

He looked back up at me. "You'll probably have to testify against Clive in court."

I looked steadily back at him. "Happily," I said.

He nodded, looking pleased. He tilted his head, studying me. "I come across a lot of cases in my job, Calder. What you and Eden went through . . ." He shook his head. "It's hard to imagine. And I can count on one hand the number of missing kids I've seen returned in my twenty years as an agent." Something moved behind his eyes, sorrow perhaps. He looked at me pointedly. "Treasure the second chance you've been given. Be proud of yourself. You don't hold responsibility for any of it—not one piece. You were victims. But don't live like victims. Live like survivors. I hope you'll take my words to heart."

I thought I moved my head up and down, but I couldn't be sure. "Thank you, Floyd," I said, gratitude overwhelming me and making my voice extra raspy.

He nodded once and as I stood up, he held out his hand to me. I shook it, looking up into his kind face. "I'm proud to shake your hand," he said. He smiled quickly and then turned and walked toward the door. I followed, feeling numb, overwhelmed.

Outside the door, Eden was sitting on a chair, waiting for me. She smiled up at me and as she stood, I gathered her in my arms and hugged her. "Ready to go?" I croaked out.

"Yeah." She smiled.

We got back in the police car waiting for us outside and were driven back to Eden's mom's house. I held Eden's hand loosely in mine, thinking about Clive Richter and Agent Glenn, thinking about how there were good and bad people everywhere, and that somehow today, I had let go of the last piece of the fear I'd been carrying around for so long. It might take a little longer for guilt to lose its malicious hold on my mind, but what Agent Glenn had said would help that, too, I imagined. It was time—time to move forward. Without fear, without guilt, but with my morning glory. I leaned back on the seat and exhaled a breath.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN




Calder



After the meeting with FBI agents Glenn and Malloy, another weight lifted. Later that day, Eden waited for me in a private room while I underwent a quick thirty-minute surgery that resulted in a small bullet being abstracted from my thigh. I had always hated that ugly scar—a physical reminder of the worst day of my life. But suddenly, what had been unsightly to me before, now looked like victory.

I felt like I was actually using two lungs to breathe again. And now Eden and I could finally get our plans underway. I woke up early the next morning filled with energy and purpose.

Yes, it might take a little time for charges to be brought against Clive for his crimes against us, and yes, we'd have to testify eventually, but the win for us was that we weren't afraid of him anymore. Freedom came in many forms–we had finally been set free from fear.

And so we began planning our trip.

Eden didn't agree when I told her I thought I needed to be the one to tell her mom we were leaving for a while, but she gave in anyway. I had tried to be understanding when it came to her mom—Carolyn had been without Eden for so long. I had told her I knew what that felt like, and obviously I did, better than anyone. And so I could appreciate her wanting to make up for lost time. But dealing with it twenty-four hours a day was exhausting—and I had to believe that was true for not only me, but for her as well. I was going to be in her daughter's life for a long time, so we needed to come to some sort of peace, or at least an understanding.