Curves For The Agent Cowboy

Chapter 29

The drive from the hospital to Maire and Jack’s home was quiet — the kind of silence that came not from discomfort, but from the sheer weight of everything that had happened.

By the time the small caravan of cars pulled into the long gravel driveway, the evening sky had softened into dusky gold. The family home stood like an anchor against the chaos that had threatened to tear everything apart.

Inside, the familiar scent of Maire’s candles — lavender and cedar — wrapped the air, grounding them all in something that finally felt safe.

Everyone gathered in the wide, open living room. The mood was calmer now, though it carried the subdued energy of a family that had survived something none of them could’ve imagined.

Catalina sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, her legs curled beneath her as Kerian lingered close — never more than a few inches away. His protective presence hadn’t faded since the attack, and even now, his eyes followed her every move.

Her parents sat nearby. Maire’s hand rested gently on Catalina’s knee, while Jack leaned back in his chair, his arm around his wife’s shoulders, the quiet strength in his posture saying what words couldn’t.

Across from them, Claire and her husband sat together, her expression tender yet tired. Brian and his wife were there too, their children safe elsewhere with her sister. Jantrece and Nick shared the loveseat, his father having taken their daughter home after the hospital visit.

The kids were all elsewhere tonight — protected, away from the storm the adults were still cleaning up.

Erica stood near the window with Jonathan, both of them reviewing notes and information, speaking in low tones. The flickering light from the nearby lamp caught the sharp lines of concentration in their faces — the faces of people still trying to untangle something far from over.

When Jonathan finally turned to face the room, everyone grew quiet.

“Before we can really move forward,” he began, his voice calm but carrying an edge of hesitation, “there’s something you all need to know.”

Kerian looked up immediately, his instincts sharpening. “What is it?”

Jonathan exchanged a look with Erica before continuing. “We’ve confirmed how they found you, Kerian. It wasn’t random.”

Kerian’s expression hardened. “Then how?”

Erica stepped in, her voice soft but direct. “They were tipped off — by our father.”

The words hung in the air, still and heavy.

Catalina blinked, her breath catching as she glanced at Kerian. His jaw tightened, eyes narrowing in disbelief.

Jonathan raised his hand before the tension could rise. “He didn’t do it on purpose. From what I’ve pieced together, he was approached months ago — someone pretending to be from a security division. They used him to access relocation files. He thought he was helping a clearance audit, but it was all a setup.”

Kerian leaned back slowly, exhaling through his nose, anger and pain flickering behind his eyes. “He always said he’d protect us,” he muttered.

Erica nodded quietly. “He still thinks you’re gone. He had no idea you survived.”

Maire looked between them, worry clouding her face. “So… he’s been manipulated?”

“Yes,” Jonathan confirmed. “But once I started cross-checking the data leaks and communication logs, it became clear — he was their gateway, not their ally.”