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"Yeah," Dillon said "I’d say that’s plain not good It’s a good thing that Quinlan here doesn’t look like anybody except himself"
"I came home at rando Noelle, after I left to go back to otten my sweater I went back into the house and there he was, kicking my mother I went to the phone to dial 911 As far as I was concerned, it was the last straw I just didn’t care any to pay You won’t believe it, but ed me not to call the cops My father stood there in the library doorway and dareding into my jeans Jesus, it was horrible I put down the phone and left I never went back I just couldn’t Nothing I did mattered, not really If I was there for a while, he just waited until I left Then he probably beat her more viciously than if I’d never been there at all I remember I wondered if he’d broken her ribs that tiood would it have done?"
"But he didn’t take his revenge until six o," Dillon said "He waited--what?--some five years before he went after you"
"That’s not quite true He started his revenge with Scott I’e to Scott There weren’t any e right out of college I was happy I never saw my parents I had friends I’d see my father every once in a while, by accident, and I could tell that he still hated uts
"I remember once at a party, I ran intoher hair and her long sleeve had fallen away There was a horrible purple bruise on her ar, ‘What kind of monster in you allows you to let that bastard beat you?’
"She slapped ain until that night I went to her foraway fro to your parents’ house the night your father was killed?"
"Yes, but nothing else is clear Hoas I sure uess I must have believed that Noelle finally couldn’t stand the beatings any h all that isn’t particularly clear"
She began to rub her temples with the palms of her hands "No, I don’t know, Jaun, but nothing else, just these ies And maybe blood I remember blood But my father? Dead? Was Noelle there? I just can’t swear to anything I’m sorry I’m no help at all"
But Quinlan wasn’t worried He looked over at Dillon whose fingers were tap-dancing on his laptop, nary a furroorry on his brow He knew that Dillon was hearing everything they said He also knew that Dillon wasn’t worried either
Quinlan had pulled this off before They had lots to ith Sally was ready
He said slowly, ain, "So your father bided his time"
"Yes It wasn’t until after ere married that I found out my father was Scott’s boss He’d never told ue and I didn’t really pay attention It was all downhill fro roo, just rhythmic strides Dillon worked MAX’s keyboard Sally rubbed the dust off the small rubber tree that sat in a beautiful oriental pot next to the sofa
Quinlan stopped He smiled at Sally "I think it’s tiet the gang together and do so We’ll see what falls out" He handed her the phone
"Mom, then Scott, then Beaderup fro his muscles "I want to knohy Beadermeyer is still after you It was your father who had you put away there He’s dead Why the hell would Beader in your old man’s footsteps? You said Scott had to be in on it? But ould he care now? Wouldn’t he just want that divorce so he could get on with his life? You sure you’re up for this, Sally?"
"Yes, I’m up for it In fact, I can’t wait I want to spit in Beaderht and thought, but I can’t think of a decent reason Now let me make those calls"