15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

H ennessy walked out the door, off the porch, and down the steps, trying to control his temper when what he really wanted was to drive to the prison and use his fists to teach Percy he’d stepped over a line. He got inside the pickup, closing the doors because he didn’t need anyone dissuading him from his path.

He dialed, waiting until Quinton picked up. While he was in the house, he texted that the boys were okay but explained what had been received. He’d wanted to inform them as soon as possible because all the Nelsons had received the Code Ross text, and he didn’t want them all heading to Bluff Creek when it wasn’t needed.

“How are they?” Quinton asked when he picked up. Quinton didn’t waste words.

“Scared but okay, I think. They texted for help immediately, but how the fuck would you feel if you opened a box that looked like a present but instead got a dead rat? I fucking hate that man,” Hennessy barked. He needed to hit something or scream because the pressure inside him was expanding until it was all he could think about.

“You and me both. I’m assuming I’ll be receiving pictures. I think we need to file all the legal things, but Hennessy, Percy doesn’t give a shit about consequences. He obviously has money to bribe someone to do that or contacts on the outside who owe him. He needs to be stopped. The Wise Ones said to let them know what you need and anything is on the table.”

Hennessy thought through what he wanted and how to go about it. He needed his family safe and whole. Although his dad and uncles were probably itching to deliver a warning, Hennessy wasn’t going to let anything blow back on his family. What he was planning was to ensure their safety, not jeopardize it.

“Do the legal things to make my boys safe. I’m going to make another phone call to check on something,” Hennessy said. Check on something wasn’t quite what he was doing, but Quinton might need deniability, and Hennessy was providing it.

“Okay, I don’t need to know anything else and probably shouldn’t for everyone’s protection,” Quinton said, then hung up. A man of few words who was on the same wavelength as Hennessy.

Once he did this, there was no going back. But when he imagined Sutton, Ellie, Morgan, or Elijah in danger because of Percy, he knew what he had to do. Percy wouldn’t stop at scaring the boys. He’d continue doing something and wouldn’t care who else he hurt in the process. There was only one option open, and Hennessy was taking it.

Hennessy opened the console in the dash and pulled out the burner phone he’d received from Pit after the wedding. He guessed Pit was always prepared because he had gone back to where they were staying and returned with the burner after Hennessy had talked with him.

Hennessy dialed the number Pit had given him.

“Hello, Ruthy’s Flower Shop,” a female voice answered.

“I’d like to order the I’m Sorry bouquet to be delivered as soon as possible,” Hennessy said the phrase Pit had given him.

“Okay, just a minute. One I’m Sorry bouquet delivered as soon as possible. Oh, and it looks like we have the delivery address on file. Perfect. It looks like our deliveries are pretty full. It might take two to three days. Would that be satisfactory?” the voice asked.

“Yes,” Hennessy said. He’d always followed the rules. Well, almost always, really did they think you’d follow the speed limit exactly? Hennessy considered it more of a guideline, but this was going a little further. But he would never allow that man to hurt or scare his boys again. This would be taken care of today.

“I don’t seem to have an email on file, which is fine. We’ve been having computer problems. You can call back in three days for a delivery confirmation if you’d like.”

“Thank you, I will,” Hennessy said, then hung up. The passenger door opened, and Locks settled into the seat beside him, closing the door.

“You okay, Hennessy?” he asked.

“I will be. Those boys deserve to feel safe,” Hennessy said softly. He wasn’t a man who cried, but the relief from knowing those boys weren’t hurt was almost overwhelming. He’d held it together, but when that text had come through, he’d thought the worst. He feared one of them was hurt or taken. To see them whole but petrified hadn’t calmed him at all.

“They do, and with everyone’s help, they will. Do I need to make a couple phone calls to see about making Percy’s life too hard for him to consider screwing with those boys?” Locks asked.

“No. I made a phone call. I don’t normally step over the line, but I couldn’t let him keep terrorizing those boys. They deserve a better life than he ever gave them. Does that make me a horrible man?” Hennessy asked.

Locks shook his head, then blew out a breath. “You’re not horrible. You’re a father who loves his children. Sometimes it’s hard to know where the line is. What’s right and wrong is an ethical or moral ideal. Meaning, for Percy, what he did isn’t wrong because he has no ethics or moral compass. Now justice is just behavior or treatment. If you view his actions with justice, then you know what needs to be done. Keep the boys safe with the options at your disposal. I don’t consider that being a bad man. Percy has made his decision to live outside our moral compass of not hurting children. He’s also circumvented the penal system to reach out to the boys in an unauthorized way. He now needs to be taught justice—that when he crosses a line with Bluff Creek or the Nelsons, there are consequences to his actions. Know that I’m always happy to check with my contacts to see if someone would like to dispense justice,” Locks said.

Hennessy thanked his lucky stars for the long relationship his family had with all of Bluff Creek. If what he’d put in motion didn’t do the trick, then Locks was another option for getting his point across to Percy that his interests would be served best by never contacting the boys again.

“I appreciate that. Let me see how the next couple of days go,” Hennessy said.

“Always here if you need me,” Locks said, then got out of the truck and walked back toward his office.

A weight had lifted off him with Locks’ talk about justice as opposed to right and wrong. Now he’d go in and hug the boys and Ellie, eat lunch, and live their life until he knew if his message was delivered effectively.

Ellie’s birthday was in January, and he’d been kicking around the idea of asking her to marry him then if the threat to the boys was gone. His Lovely needed to be able to accept his proposal with nothing hanging over their heads.

A Valentine’s wedding would be perfect, and he couldn’t think of any easier way to always remember his anniversary.

He got out of the truck, heading into his family. The food he’d bought was most likely cold. Maybe they should head to Regina’s Roadside Refuge in town for lunch if the range could spare Ellie, and they could all reset the day.

He walked in to find the boys and Ellie throwing themselves into his arms.

“We’re hungry,” they said.

Hennessy chuckled. He imagined he’d be hearing that a lot over the years, and he couldn’t think of anything better than helping these young men grow up to be the strong men he knew they were capable of becoming.

“Let’s head to the diner then,” Hennessy said.