A Wolf's Purpose

•Chapter 103• Small Answers

The following morning Jade shifted comfortably underneath her sheets. An arm was wrapped over her middle and she felt it immediately as well as the head that was partially on her chest. Her right hand was free. She placed it on his hand and into Casper's hair giving him small head scratches. Casper groaned softly. A large breath came out of his nose as he sighed. "That feels so good," he mumbled with his eyes still shut tightly. He could wake up like this every morning for the rest of his life. It felt so peaceful and cozy. The sheets smelled like her and Casper liked that. He was very careful to not touch her wound or the area around it just so he wouldn't hurt her. "You're warm," Jade whispered to him and hugged him a little tighter. "That's a good thing because you were a bit cold. I'll be your personal heater, boss. That'll be my new job." Casper said with a sleepy voice. Jade smiles as her hand continues to softly scratch his head. "Does that mean I have to pay you for this now too?"
"Actually, I wasn't going to ask you, but sure. If you're offering, I won't decline your offer, of course." Casper grinned against her. Jade gave him a slight tap against his head and chuckled along with him. She slept through the entire night, a deep sleep, and she felt rested because of it. She couldn't remember a day that she'd woken up this well-rested before. Casper lifted his head slightly, resting his chin on her chest. "How did you sleep? Didn't take long for you to fall asleep. After three minutes or something, you were out like a light." He said. Jade didn't remember much about what happened after Casper sneaked into the room. "Slept like a baby," Jade answered him honestly. She kind of wanted to go back to that feeling. It felt so warm and cozy, how could you not want to go back to that? Casper started to push himself off of Jade's body to get off the bed. "Where are you going?" Jade asked him almost sad that he slipped off. "Getting you a glass of water. You need to hydrate."

Jade felt her heart flutter at his gesture and words. "You're always good to me, Cas. Thank you." He looked at her from over his shoulder while filling up a cup of water. "Happy to help. That's what I do." He walked back over to her and handed her the water. He sat back beside her on the bed. "You sure you're feeling okay?" Jade nodded whilst taking another sip. "Good. Good." A faint knock sounded on the other side of the door. "That's probably the nurse to check up on you." He was preparing himself to answer a nosy nurse who was very strict with the rules of the hospital. "It'll be okay." He pressed a kiss to the side of Jade's head just before the door opened. The person that came in, though, was not the nurse. It was Hayden Smith and right behind him Donna followed. "You." Casper said, "You're not supposed to be here." He rose from his seat again to stand in front of Jade protectively. Louis gave strict orders. "Neither of you are talking to her." Casper added in a stern tone. "You shouldn't be here either, kid," Hayden told him. Donna was the first to raise her hands in the air. "Easy. We just want to ask her if she wants to talk to us without her uncle intervening in some way. We want to hear it from her. That's all." She used her sweet motherly-like tone Jayden warned Louis about. She used that to try and gain their trust when they were locked away. She wanted nothing more but to get them to talk and confess to something. Anything at all. "Casper, it's okay." Jade spoke up behind him, "I can talk." Casper turned to her. He wanted to tell her off and send Donna and Hayden away. "She needs to rest. Recover." He said. "Casper," Jade called. He didn't have to look at her to know that she wanted him to stand down. Without saying another word, he backed up to stand right beside Jade. Donna glared at him. Of course, she wanted to talk to her one on one. That was not happening.

"We want to talk to you. Not him." Donna said calmly. "You'll have to pick him up and take him out yourself, lady." Jade replied. Hayden took a step toward Casper, whose muscles tensed up. "That was not a request or suggestion. Step back, Brown." Even in a fragile state like this, Jade managed to keep a stern and determined tone in her voice. Casper really loved it when she talked like that. He found it a little sexy. That's why she's the boss. Hayden did take a step back, away from Casper, and let out a sigh. "He stays," Jade added. She didn't want to talk to these two all by herself. Casper wouldn't speak for her or take over the conversation, she was more than capable of doing that herself. "If you want me to legally testify, you have to wait a little longer until my uncle comes back. If you are going to ask me some questions, I'll answer the ones I want to answer. Got that?" Donna grinned. "Your brothers told me you're a feisty one. Not something you'd say at first glance." Donna gestured to the chair. Jade gave a slight nod and allowed the woman to pull it up and sit by her bed. "I'm not here to take your statement, Jade-"
"Miss Salvini, if you will," Jade told her. It was better to keep these things formal. This was one of the people who kept her brothers locked away, she was part of the reason why they didn't get a fair trial. Jade still feels guilty over what she did – it was her fault the triplets got arrested in the first place – but Donna talked to them, she knew they were innocent, and she didn't do anything. "Miss Salvini," Donna corrected herself, "I just want to talk with you about what happened. With your father, your brothers, and you." Jade fluffed the pillow behind her back and straightened her back. "Not a happy story, ma'am," Jade replied. "I would still very much like to know everything. You seem very cooperative." Jade shrugged a little. "I can be. Go on. Ask your questions." Casper seemed to be glued to her side. He was still staring at Hayden. Poor little detective. Grief was written all over his face. The man didn't deserve to die, he was an asshole, but he didn't deserve it. Not like that at least.

Donna let out a small breath. "Maybe you can start telling us about your father? Get the tough parts out of the way." She started, "Is your father alive, Miss Salvini?" Jade shook her head slightly. She already lost her father once, and now she's lost him again. It didn't feel like anything had changed and yet it had. "Not anymore. Bill Salvini is dead." Hayden narrowed his eyes behind Donna and crossed his arms over his chest. Threatening. "Then who shot my partner? A ghost?" He spat back. Jade remained calm. She looked up at him and inhaled deeply. What more harm could come from this? Bill is already gone. "Bill Salvini, my father, did shoot and kill your partner in cold blood out on the streets." Jade admitted, "I do not want to justify what he did, because it's horrible, and I do apologize. I'm sorry for your loss. My father wanted to protect me. Your partner rammed his car into ours. He left him for dead." Jade said and looked up at Casper. "He could have killed him just like he killed your partner. He's lucky to be alive today. Bill was alive. He's not anymore." Donna narrowed her eyes slightly. "He shot himself. After he shot me, that's what I've been told."
"And you believe that? Even if you didn't see it?" Jade nodded her head again. Her brothers wouldn't lie. She heard the gunshot. If Bill was alive, he would've been here by now to get her out of the hospital and risking her life. All to make sure she wouldn't talk to the cops. He never showed up. Not even in her dreams. He was gone. "I know my father. Killing himself would be his last resort. His last and final escape. He's dead. Trust me. I know it, my brothers know it, my uncle knows it."
"If Bill Salvini, your father, is indeed dead, how come there's no body found yet? We've got people looking all over the place for clues ever since the ambulance picked you up." Donna didn't sound threatening or impatient. Jade understood, suddenly, why she was assigned to talk to the triplets in prison. "I don't know. I really don't." Jade answered. She pulled the duvet a little higher over her lap. "What about your brothers? They didn't have anything to do with that Greenwood girl?" Donna questioned. "Of course they did. Just not in the way you think." Jade started, "It started on their birthday a few months ago. My dad decided that it was time for them to know what really happened. Like any of us knew what that meant. He told us what happened with Megan's mother, in the cabin, in the woods. All those murders. He confessed to everything. And he told my brothers that he wanted to finish the job but he couldn't. It was perfectly planned when you think about it. He wanted Megan's blood but he always wanted his perfect revenge for what happened with my mom."

"My brothers would do the kidnapping and the killing. In the end, they would get caught and Bill could go free. And that's what happened. He's a psycho, and my father, but he's not stupid." Donna couldn't disagree with her on that. Everyone in town knew about Bill Salvini and his crimes. They all knew him as some sick bastard and that is exactly who he was. "No, he is not, Miss Salvini." Donna replied. "He never expected what I would do, though. Long story short, I called in my brothers because I lost my mind, my brothers got out again with Megan's help, my father came back from the dead, and after a lot of running away and hiding we're here. Answering your questions." Jade felt Casper's hand on her shoulder. He felt bad for her, she knew he did. It was her father. And some things she would have to live with for the rest of her life. "And your uncle? He's a good friend of your father's is he not?"
"He is. And he's the only family we have left." Jade said, "Our mom's dead. Dad too. Louis is the only one we can trust. He cares for us." Donna smiled a little. "That's why he was standing in front of your door like a guard dog, keeping us from getting in. And why he sent you." She pointed at Casper. "No, no..." Jade looked up at Casper, "He's here because I need him. I can count on him. Casper protects me, not because Louis told him to, but because he cares."
"That I do, boss." Casper smiled sweetly at her and leaned down to press a small kiss against her head. "Any other questions, ma'am?"