Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

MADDEN

"Boyd Schilling is asking for you," Chief Harrison says when I answer his phone call. "Says he's your dad?"

"He is," I sigh. "I guess I should listen to what he has to say."

"They're moving him to Birmingham today, so if you want to see him, now is the time. He'll be going before the judge down there, which means he won't be coming back here. If you want to say anything to him, it has to be before he leaves."

Part of me doesn't want to do this. I know that this leads to heartache, it always has, but at the same time, I want him to know how far I've come without him in my life. That I've made something of myself without his help. Despite him, I've done all of this. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

My mind is all over the place as I head over to the jail. This isn't the only stop I plan on making at a jail today, but it'll be the first one, and it'll get me off to a good start. The best thing about living in Laurel Springs is that you're never too far from any place in town, no matter where you are. True to my word, I pull into the parking lot within a few minutes.

Part of me wants to sit out in my SUV and put off seeing him, but it won't make any of this easier, so I might as well go face it. It'll still be there, no matter how long I put it off.

Walking into the squad room, I come face-to-face with another officer, Tillman David. "Hey, I haven't seen you in forever," I tell him as we meet in the entryway.

He smiles behind the beard he's grown. "I know, undercover, and all of that. I had to come in and get a new phone." He holds up what I recognize as one of our burners.

"You're being safe?" He and I joined the department around the same time, but he was immediately plucked out of our class and taken undercover.

"As safe as I can be, but you know what they say? The devil is in the details." He whistles between his teeth. "I gotta head out. I'll see ya around."

I lift my chin up to him in a motion of appreciation for the fact he has to go. "Be safe."

I watch him leave. What's it like to be as deeply undercover as he is? I don't know a lot about it, but I've seen him wearing a motorcycle cut that reads Saint's Outlaws on it more than once. A hand clamps on my shoulder. I turn, seeing Chief Harrison.

"Hey, we've been holding Boyd. They're here to get him. You still wanna see him?"

"Yeah," I say, but I shake my head no at the same time. As I always am when it comes to my dad, I'm at odds.

"C'mon back."

It's rare I head to our holding cells. Even when I was on patrol most of the time, this wasn't some place I would frequent. I enter, the door lock reverberating against the concrete walls, causing it to sound much louder than it actually is. He's staring at me as if he can see completely through me when I come to a stop in front of him. "Boyd."

"Madden."

We're locked in a stare down. He blinks first. "You asked to see me?"

"Wouldn't say I asked to see you, but I told these motherfuckers I'm your daddy. Seemed to surprise a lot of them. Have you never told anyone where you came from? It's a long line, Madden," he gives me a slick smile that makes me feel dirty.

"A long line of people who weren't good. Hell no, I didn't want my co-workers to know where I came from. You can't even pass a background check." I grip the bars on the cell he's in.

"That pisses you off, doesn't it? That I'm not a goody goody like you. I have a past, one that isn't good. It's not cookie cutter. I'm not the type of person who lives for their kids." He sneers.

What a fucking asshole. "That's right, you never lived for me or Beckett. You haven't seen us in years, and the first thing you asked me was if I could turn my goddamn body cam off and let you slide with breaking the law. Do you realize how fucked up that is, Boyd?"

He looks at me, but doesn't say anything. The only thing he does is shake his head.

"Ain't got nothin' to say?" I question. "Well, I do. I have a lot of things to say. No thanks to you, I've got a great job, a nice house, a paid for truck, and a group of friends. Beckett is in college, he's graduating, and about to take a great job here in Laurel Springs. None of that is because of what you or mom did. Hopefully, you can live with that while you're rotting in your cell in Birmingham."

He coughs, holding up his hand. But I continue on.

"Beckett and I are going to have amazing lives, ones we could only dream about while we were living in that piece of shit trailer you left us in. While we're raising families we can be proud of, they'll never know who you are. I hope you can live with that, because you never thought about us when you were being a prick, taking care of everyone except your kids."

He inhales deeply, his nose flaring. "You're a mouth little fuck."

"And you're gonna be in jail for a long time. Hope you don't need money on your books, because I wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire. Have fun, Dad."

With those words, I turn on my heel and walk away. He screams my name, and I know he wants me to react, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction. Instead, I walk out with my head held high, and go right to my truck. I have an appointment to keep in Birmingham.

------

I'm sitting in the meeting room, waiting for Trey to be brought up. My stomach is in knots because of what just went on with my dad, and I'm worried Trey won't give me the answer I want.

I can't stand to fail Bec the way I was failed by my parents. I want to help her, be her knight in shining armor, and all that romantic shit, but more than anything, I want Mick to have the life he deserves.

The door on the other side of the room opens, and I'm greeted by Trey.

"Who is this?" He asks the officer who brought him in.

"I'm Madden, a police officer from Laurel Springs Police Department. I know your sister, Rebecca, and your son, Mick. I'm here to talk to you about not being a selfish prick and doing what's best for your son."

His eyes harden as he stares at me, and I'm worried I've come on too strong, but there's no sense in backing off now.