Plan of Action by Christy Barritt

Author:Christy Barritt [Barritt, Christy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: River Heights
Published: 2019-05-28T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“Spit it out, Abbott.” Cassidy stared at him, her impatience growing with each passing second. Why was he so hesitant to share the truth with her?

Nature seemed to agree. Thunder rumbled, and lightning lit the sky as the rain pounded harder.

“Look, I didn’t want to tell you this, but . . .”

“Yes?” She clamped her jaw shut, gritting her teeth, as she employed every ounce of self-control to stop herself from using brute force on the man.

He rubbed his forehead, which was now sweaty. “My nephew joined, okay? Are you happy now?”

Cassidy blanched. “What?”

Had she heard him correctly?

He nodded. “It’s true. Dietrich is my nephew.”

“Dietrich? The guy who convinced Serena to join?”

Abbott’s eyes squeezed shut for a moment, as if demons battled inside him. “Yes, he’s the one.”

Cassidy threw her hands in the air in exasperation. “Why was that a secret?”

“Because I’m law enforcement. They don’t take kindly to having family members who are trouble.”

“What do you mean? Everyone has troubled family members. What’s the big deal?”

“I mean that, when I applied for this job, I had to list any family members who were felons. I didn’t mention him.”

“Because you’re ashamed?”

Abbott’s entire face clamped shut. His eyes. His mouth. Even his nostrils seemed to suck in. “Because I was afraid I wouldn’t get the job. I mean, Dietrich is a good kid. And being in a cult isn’t a crime. But it’s not exactly smiled upon either.”

“But you said felon.” His story wasn’t making sense to her.

Abbott sighed. “Dietrich was heavy into the drug culture as a teen and into college. He was a good kid who got in with the bad crowd. He started dealing drugs and spent some time in jail for it. He’s always had some issues. I can’t deny that. I never thought he’d do this, though.”

Things began to click in place in Cassidy’s mind. “Is that why you keep coming to Lantern Beach? To try and reach Dietrich?”

“Yes, that’s why I requested this area be part of my jurisdiction, and that’s why I’ve been spending so much of my time off here on the island. His mom is my sister, and she’s been worried sick about him. We’d hoped he would go to rehab. Instead, he joined a cult. I’ve been trying to contact Dietrich and convince him to get out.”

Cassidy’s irritation turned to compassion, though she still told herself to keep the man at arm’s length. She needed more details before she’d relax around him. “Have you had any luck?”

“No.” Abbott frowned, staring out the waterlogged window. “Dietrich won’t speak to me. The one time I was able to catch him by himself here in town, he told me to leave him alone. He insisted that he knew what he was doing and that nothing would change his mind.”

“I see.” Cassidy’s voice softened as empathy invaded her irritation. “I’m sorry to hear all of this, but I’m still not sure why you wouldn’t share that with me earlier.”

Abbott wiped his forehead again using a napkin that had been tucked into a pocket in the door.

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