Stolen (Sequel To Capture)

Forty-Two

The house itself was pretty much the same. The rattle of the tea cups from the kitchen forced my gaze away from the photos I'd been looking at on the piano top. "Here dears." Karen smiled kindly as she handed each of us a cup of tea.

"Thank you Mrs. Payne." Casey smiled kindly accepting her cup last.

"You're welcome love," Karen sat down. "How is this even possible?" She looked at me. "I mean, we went to your funeral."

"I was in trouble. My death was faked so I could go into witness protection. It was safer for everyone to think I was dead."

"I never knew you were in trouble like that Liam, you should have told me."

"If I told you it would have only put the family in more danger. I'm sorry."

"So why now?" She frowned. "Why come back from wherever you've been now?"

"Seattle." I answered simply. "My finace and I came back," Karen looked shocked for a moment.

"Congrats you two." She addressed Casey and myself. I looked to Casey who slithered away from my side on the couch trying to distance herself from me.

"Oh- no," I shook my head.

"We're not together." Casey stammered too.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you said fiance and you two just seem close."

"This is Casey, my fiance's Emma's best friend."

"So where is Emma?" Karen frowned working out the relationships in her mind.

"Mum do you remember when dad died, they told you about a gang related issue."

"Yes, but I don't understand."

"It was my fault." I blurted out. "I had a fight with a gang leader and he killed dad to get back at me."

"I read it in the paper that you were gang affiliated." She spoke sadly. "But what does your father's death have to do with your fiance?"

"We came back to London on holiday, Emma and I, the gang member who killed dad, he took Emma. Kidnapped her in broad daylight, now were trying to get her back."

"Oh heavens!" Karen exclaimed holding her hands up to her mouth. "How terrible."

"Listen mum, there's something else," I scooted forward in my seat. "We need to talk to Jeff."

"How do you know about Jeff?" She asked. "He was born after you'd gone."

"I didn't know about him until maybe an hour ago, but a friend of mine told me he was there."

"Jeff?"

"Mum, I don't know if you know this or not but Trey has recruited him into the same gang I was in."

"Liam, he's 10. He isn't in a gang." She brushed me off.

"I was at the same age. Messing around on the streets when you and dad went to work you learn things, meet people, many of whom are gang members."

"You aren't Jeff." She snapped harshly.

"I know you blame me for dad's murder, I blame myself, but right now I'm trying to do what's right."

"I don't blame you." She shook her head. "I blame myself."

"What?" I asked genuinely confused by her answer. "Why on earth would you blame yourself?"

"I was a bad mother. I let you get into some bad things and I never even knew about half of them, obviously I still don't seeing as you showed up risen from the grave with three armed agents. I'm sorry I failed you as a mom."