My Father's House

Chapter 44

Dinner was basic, but delicious. I'd never known fish and chips to taste so good. The fact that I was safe and no longer on guard was a relief. I knew this security couldn't last forever. For the present though, I imagined it would.

After I reviewed the events of my capture, Kael and Ava dominated much of the conversation. Trying to uncover Gideon's plans was a consuming topic for both of them. From what I could glean from the conversation, the man seemed to have a history of being elusive. But he had never gone without giving Kael some inclination of his intentions.

Again, I was the only person concerned for Garrett's well-being. Though I interjected several times on Garrett's behalf, I suspected any help Garrett would receive would depend on my own initiative entirely.

After observing her at dinner, I built a character profile of Ava. Strong and independent, she had once had a passion for the human race that had been altered by past experiences, most notably by my father. Now, she seemed almost ruthless in her quest to bring down the European smuggling business, especially her quest for Gideon himself. Her hardened heart no longer felt guilt or sympathy, only a yearning for justice.

Ava insisted I lie down after dinner to rest. Although I knew sleep was out of the question, I obliged. Ava left on business. I didn't ask, but I was sure it had something to do with tracking Gideon. According to her, Kael would help her find him while I waited at her home with a bodyguard who would arrive tomorrow and stay for the week.

Ava had loaned me a laptop. So before attempting to rest, I read the three emails Maria had sent since she'd left. She was having the time of her life, touring places she had always dreamt of seeing with the man she loved. Hearing the excitement in her words made me smile. She deserved this fulfillment and happiness in her life. The last email she'd sent was from a day ago. Her tone reflected her anxiety at not having heard from me. Though I wasn't always attentive to my emails, she felt I should have contacted her by now. Not wanting to cause her any worry, I sent a moderately long email. Only half the length of her shortest message, mine was light hearted with only vague details of my travels. I omitted the peril I had recently endured and the family I had encountered. I hadn't decided how much I was going to share. The information would cause her undue stress anyway. After finishing my emails, I considered checking my work email as well, but decided against it. There would be plenty of time to catch up later. Instead, I stretched out on the coverlet to try to rest. I knew I had a long, lonely week ahead of me locked in Ava's home with an Interpol agent. So, when I didn't fall to sleep after half an hour, I went in search of Kael.

Kael sat in the dark living room, his features illuminated by the laptop's screen. His legs were stretched out, taking up the whole couch. He saw me enter and slid them to the floor to make a place for me to sit.

"I can't sleep." I said as I tucked my bare feet under me on the couch

He half rolled his eyes but said kindly, "I didn't think you would." There was something else in his voice, I could tell. He watched me as if trying to decide if he should continue.

"What is it?" I pressed. By force of habit, I twisted my hair around my fingers and over my shoulder.

"It's Garrett. He's not on the hospital's database." Despite the dim lighting, he seemed to notice my face pale and reassured me with a promise, "I'll find out where he went first thing tomorrow."

I let my head fall against the back of the couch. "I knew it! We shouldn't have left him." I whispered frantically. Blood began to pulse in my temple as my mind raced with the possible explanations for his disappearance. None of them were good.

"Madeline would have killed him immediately. He's useless to her." Kael offered in consolation.

My head turned back to his direction. Trying to make out his expression, I squinted against the laptop's light.