Chapter 2

Chapter Two

D o what you can with what you have and where you are. That was Taylor’s mantra for the day as she moved around the dining room, distractedly adjusting silverware, filling glasses with sweet tea or water, and basically trying to make herself useful. She wanted everyone to stop treating her like a patient. The house hummed with warmth and laughter as everyone began arriving for dinner—all except Lucy and Johnny. Taylor had already checked her phone twice in the last ten minutes, hoping to see a message from her sister explaining the delay, but the screen remained dark and empty. The others noticed, too; Cate and the other sisters had already sent their own texts, which went unanswered.

Cate came in and placed a reassuring hand on Taylor's shoulder. “I'm sure she just got held up at the gallery,” she said, more to reassure herself than anyone else.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Let’s go ahead with dinner.” She hoped Lucy would arrive eventually, maybe juggling last-minute sales or an eager client.

Just as they began filling plates, a knock sounded at the door. Sam, ever the gracious host, put down his napkin and went to answer it. Taylor could hear him exchange a quiet word with someone before he stepped aside, letting in a slight figure—a young woman, barely more than a girl. Pale as the moonlight with hair like soft wheat falling around her shoulders. A teardrop tattoo was inked delicately beside one eye with a fresh bandage covering her other eyebrow. She looked misplaced, uncertain, as her eyes flitted from face to face in the room.

Taylor's heart leapt. “Quig?” Her voice broke through the murmurs of confusion as she took a step forward, seeing her friend who had been by her side in ways most people would never understand.

Quig’s face lit up, and, before either of them could say another word, she crossed the room in a few quick strides and wrapped her arms around Taylor.

The world fell away for a moment as they clung to each other, tears slipping from their eyes, born from a place deeper than mere friendship—a bond forged in desperation and survival.

Taylor finally pulled back, introducing her. “This is Quig,” she said, smiling through her tears. “Remember, the girl who saved my life? Broke a window with a chair to get the CO’s attention. If she hadn’t, I might not be here.”

Quig flushed, clearly embarrassed by the praise. “Aw, it wasn’t like that. I just did what anyone would’ve done,” she mumbled, looking down. “The other girls helped, too.”

Sam stepped forward, his expression solemn as he extended a hand. “Well, thank you for saving my wife. We’ll never forget what you did.”

Quig managed a shy smile and then her gaze fell on little Lennon, gurgling in Cate’s arms. “Oh, there she is. Can I … can I hold her?” she asked, her voice tentative, as if afraid her rough past would disqualify her from touching an infant.

Taylor nodded, and watched as Quig took Lennon with surprising tenderness, settling with her in the chair and rocking her gently. She saw in Quig’s touch a kind of practiced gentleness that hinted at a mother’s heart.

Lennon, mesmerized by Quig’s big blue eyes in her shockingly pale face, lay content and still in her arms. Taylor’s throat tightened as she noticed the bandage hiding the tattoo on Quig’s eyebrow, the one that had once read “Fate.” She wondered if covering it was a way of letting go of all the pain Quig had endured, of all the past mistakes she wanted to bury.

Anna and Jo started a squabble about the green beans and how Jo had wanted to add butter, but Anna refused, had claimed it was too fattening.

Quig heard them, too, and she raised her eyebrows at Taylor. There was a sudden banging of a fork against a plate, an angry retort, then silence between them.

“Not uncommon,” Taylor whispered. “Anna is our Kitchen Queen, and Jo gets tired of her being bossy. It’ll blow over.”

She hoped so, anyway. She was too tired to get involved.

Back in the day, the argument would’ve gone on for hours, maybe days. Sisters taking their deep, buried frustrations at their dismal life out with petty spats over nothing. Taylor had played referee their whole childhood, though, she had to admit, it was usually Lucy as the main player. Jo was so laid back that she normally just shrugged and walked away when something came up. But Jo had been through a lot, and, like she’d always done, was holding the hurt and betrayal so deep that no one could talk to her about it.

It was surprising that this was the first squabble of the day. In a family of four sisters, one of them was always irritating another.

So an argument over butter made perfect sense.

“Well, how about them Braves,” Cecil said cheerfully, causing a chuckle to move around the room. With that, dinner progressed, everyone sharing stories and laughter around the table. Taylor noted how Quig stayed close to Lennon, holding the baby’s hand and making silly faces that had the little one cooing with delight.

Cate laughed aloud about something that Ellis whispered in her ear. The room buzzed with warmth, everyone teasing and swapping stories, each tale more ridiculous than the last.

Even though it wasn’t Thanksgiving, her grandmother had made pumpkin pie, and she got up, went to the kitchen for it, and returned and set it on the table.

When Taylor’s dad tried to cut him a piece, it oozed out of pie form and puddled in the dish.

“Adele, what do we have here? Boneless pie?”

She glared at him. “I guess it didn’t set properly, you ass.”

Everyone laughed and she finally smiled. It was no secret that they weren’t fans of each other, but at least now they could sit at the same dinner table.

“I brought a lemon meringue pie from Walmart,” Jo said. “I’ll go dish it up. C’mon, Levi, you can help me.”

Levi groaned but followed her to the kitchen.

Cate finally leaned over toward Taylor, asking softly about Caleb and Lydia.

Taylor’s face softened. “Last I heard, they were somewhere around the Grand Tetons,” she said, picturing the small family driving around the mountains, far from the gossip and whispers that had clouded their lives since Lydia’s ordeal. They all agreed that leaving his job was a good choice for Caleb, a chance to spend a final year all together, recovering their sense of peace before his eldest headed off to college—a healing journey, just the five of them in a comfortable RV, wrapped in nature and each other’s presence.

She didn’t mention that part of their trip would be to deliver Shara Williams’ ashes to her family. Turned out that Norman Addler’s mother was also an abducted victim, snatched away when she was still in college and lived decades too afraid to contact her loved ones. It was important for Lydia to find anyone left of Shara’s family and let them know that she was finally at peace.

“Where’s the dressing?” Jackson said loudly. “I hope Cate made it. Hers is the best I’ve ever had.”

Cate blushed but passed the dish.

Her dad hadn’t brought anyone with him to dinner, and lately hadn’t said anything about his relationship status. They assumed that the girlfriend he was so serious about was over now. Taylor was relieved that his presence didn’t bother Ellis in any way. It wasn’t usual to have to eat Christmas dinner with your wife’s ex-husband, but he took it well. In some homes, it would be enough to spark a visit from the local authorities, and sometimes the conflicts could get really bad. Celebrations seemed to bring out family dramas that had been simmering all year long.

So much for holiday spirit. She wondered who got the short straw and was on Christmas Eve shift at the department, then tried to divert her thoughts. Shane had probably volunteered, but that was the last thing she needed to be worried about right now.

Platters of food circled the table, hands passing mashed potatoes and sharing bowls of steaming gravy and buttered rolls. Taylor noticed how Cate and Ellis exchanged soft glances and lingering touches, their love like a gentle current running beneath the joyful chaos of the gathering.

Adele looked on, a ghost of her old stubbornness flickering in her eyes, but there was a new fragility there, too, a gentleness brought on by loss and change. Moving from Florida, losing her beloved dog—it had all softened her in ways Taylor hadn’t expected. She reached across the table and squeezed Adele’s hand.

Adele looked up and smiled softly. “It’s a good day,” she said.

“Yes, it is,” Taylor agreed. She waved Quig to the table to take a chair, which she did tentatively after placing Lennon in her bouncy seat.

The food was great, as usual. Along with turkey, there was ham. Anna had baked the ham and taken care of the majority of the main dishes. Jo had gone over to help her cook the day before. The fact that Anna had not fussed when they had to carry it all to Taylor’s house was a miracle, but it seemed that, along with the joy she was gaining from her nursing classes, she was becoming an easier person all around. Except when it came to green beans and butter, it seemed.

Taylor had to admit, she enjoyed being with Anna now, a complete change from how it used to be like walking on glass. Anna was softer, more empathetic. Taylor was also suspicious that Anna was finally talking to someone romantically, too. Her sister hadn’t admitted as much, but there were signs.

She’d tell it when she wanted to. Taylor wouldn’t push, she just hoped Anna was choosing carefully. The Gray girls had a lot of bad luck when it came to men. Except for Sam. He’d broken the streak of her trail of tears.

“I have an announcement,” Ellis said, and everyone quieted. “Guess who is going to Mexico this summer?”

Jackson raised his hand, and Ellis laughed.

“My daughter is getting married, and the wedding is in Cabo,” he said. “Cate and I will be attending and staying at an all-inclusive resort.”

There were cheers, and Cate smiled shyly, meeting Taylor’s eyes across the table.

Of course, her mother would be gracious about it, but Cate felt very self-conscious around Ellis’ kids. Yes, they claimed to accept her now, but there was still an awkward air between them.

“Doesn’t your son live on Maui?” Cecil asked.

Ellis nodded, then chuckled. “He sure does. He’s already bellyaching about how far he has to travel. He’s trying to get his sister to pay for accommodations because of it.”

Taylor wondered if any of the rest of her family would be invited. Ellis’ daughter had been to the farm a few times, and they’d gotten to know her a bit more. She’d even brought her fiancé to a cookout the summer before. He was a nice guy from a modest upbringing that was much different than the upscale life Ellis had given his children. From Taylor’s view, the fiancé fit better in with the Grays, though he looked eager to make his fiancée a happy woman.

She hoped he didn’t have to try too hard and that he could be confident in who he truly was, without feeling the need to keep his humble beginnings close to his chest.

When dessert was finally served, the children gobbled it up and raced for the door, so eager to see the new puppies that they didn’t even demand to open the gifts around the tree. They were doing a grab bag exchange this year. Ten-dollar limit and anything went. Should make for some laughs. But it was forgotten in the more attractive allure of puppy kisses.

Alice and Levi ran off the porch neck and neck, while Teague sprinted ahead with a triumphant whoop, Bronwyn trailing behind with a pout.

Taylor chuckled. “Diesel,” she called out.

He came running out from under the table where he and Brandy, Cate’s dog, had been searching for crumbs. Taylor pointed at the kids headed toward the barn.

“Go with them.”

Diesel didn’t need to be told twice. He raced after the children obediently, always ready to join the pack that he was so fond of. Taylor knew he’d come back to alert her to any emergencies faster than a kid’s legs could run. She could relax when he was with them.

Brandy settled next to Cate’s legs. The loyal dog never left her mother’s side.

“C’mon, Jo,” Anna said. “Let’s clear the table. Mom said she and Ellis will do the dishes. They like to cozy up elbow to elbow.” She made a sarcastic face.

“I’ll help, too,” Taylor said. “I’m not an invalid.”

Still yet, she was much slower than they were and only carried one thing at a time.

When everything was cleared, Taylor and Quig found a few quiet minutes to slip out onto the porch. They stood in the cool evening air, shoulders brushing, the sounds of Jo and the others laughing as they tidied up drifting through the open window.

Quig spoke first, her voice low. “I’ve got a new job.”

“Oh, that’s fantastic. What is it?”

“A warehouse. Nothing fancy,” Quig said quietly. “It’s hard to get a good job when you’re a felon. But I’ve started attending narcotics anonymous meetings, too. I’m forty-six days sober.”

Taylor felt a swell of pride for her friend and told her so, only to hear about the rough living situation—a couch offered by an old boss, the bridges burnt with her own family. The girl was so smart and could do a lot better than a warehouse job and a couch to sleep on.

“You might not see it right now, but you’re doing amazing,” Taylor said, her voice warm. She watched Quig’s face soften, a spark of hope flickering in her eyes.

Quig glanced down, her hands fidgeting. “Thanks. And thanks for inviting me today. I wasn’t going to come but changed my mind at the last minute.”

“I’m glad you did,” Taylor said .

“When I found out you were an undercover, I was … mad. But after a while, I realized it was different. You saw the good in me before I even saw it myself.” She looked up, her face open and vulnerable. “It made me wanna try, to really try. And I’m grateful, Taylor. You were a friend when I didn’t deserve one.”

“I’m glad I could at least be that.”

“Oh, Pikachu was demoted, and Deputy Freeman was fired. The girls were inspired by you, and he had multiple reports about his inappropriate touching. Word has it that the sheriff and captain pulled a lot of video footage over the last months to verify it, and they gave him the axe to make an example of him to the other guards.”

Taylor smiled, feeling a bit of victory, though getting rid of one or two bad guards wasn’t going to stop the next ones from coming in. She and Quig shared a quiet moment.

“What about Lyric?” Taylor asked.

“She got her sentence finally, but she’s doing okay, because of you. She’s working on more art projects and is still hoping to get into an art school when she gets out.”

Quig’s words made Taylor blush, and she waved off the compliment, humbled by the impact her presence had left. Once she’d stabled in the hospital, she’d thought that she’d failed her assignment, but turns out that it was much more than just giving ideas on how to improve the women’s pods. Yes, the sheriff over there had some issues to address—things like drugs coming in under trays and other things she’d witnessed. But, in her opinion, the most important issues were those that affected the mental health of the inmates. They needed more structure. Health care. Classes and books. The inmates needed to have avenues to improve themselves while incarcerated, the re-offend rate could possibly go way down. Taylor thought he also needed a big shakedown in his personnel to get rid of those in uniform who couldn’t find any compassion or respect for the unfortunates who ended up under their control. Everything didn’t have to be a power struggle, and empathy could go a long way into keeping the pods peaceful.

She and Quig were deep in conversation about some of the girls there when Taylor’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, reading the name on the screen with surprise. Shane. Her heart pounded as she opened the message.

Just a heads up, we’ve got a quadruple murder in town.

The porch and Quig’s soft laughter faded into the background as Taylor stared at the message, the words settling in her mind.

Her first thought was who was it? Who had they lost? Faces fanned through her mind, smiles of those around town that she’d come to care for, and protect.

Who would she never see smiling again?

When she glanced up, she saw Sam was watching her from the doorway, his brow knitted in worry as he crossed his arms over his chest. He shook his head slowly, as if sensing that something big was pulling her back in and he needed to remind her that, for now, her focus had to be on herself and Lennon, not on protecting the people of Hart’s Ridge.