Chapter 31

Quiet met my ears, the lack of sound eerie coming from a place I knew was usually filled with noise. It was my first clue that things weren't quite right, my second being that George looked ready to pull me out of the shop whether I wanted to go or not. I wouldn't let him though, and deep down, I knew he'd let me have this moment, this chance to see if Mitch had really gone through with his plans to hurt the people I cared for.

Maybe it was my naivety emerging where I usually kept it bottled, but I prayed that Gabe was mistaken, that Mitch wasn't as dirty as we all thought him to be. Even though a small part of me hoped, I knew my hope was pointless. Gabe couldn't have told a lie if he had wanted to, and if there happened to be anything he hadn't told us, I would bet George's men were beating the information out of him now.

Rounding the corner of the shop, coming to the place where Caroline had fixed my hair, where Hodge had loaded me down with gadgets, both my body and my mind came to a halt. Sitting in the chair I had once occupied was Hodge. His eyes were closed, his face slightly pale, and in his hands, he clutched a small, black box so tightly I feared it'd snap in half as I stood there.

Irrational fear filled me, and despite my usual calm, I could feel tears gather in my eyes. I couldn't allow them to fall though, wouldn't allow them to until Mitch paid for what he had done.

Behind me, I could feel George's presence, and at that moment, I fell more in love with him when he just stood there. Without me telling him, without a word from my mouth, he knew I didn't want to be comforted, that if he would have wrapped his arms around me, I would have fallen apart at a time that I couldn't afford to do so.

"He's not dead."

The voice made me jump, George sigh in relief, and Hodge's eyes to pop open. He saw me there, sadness on my face and immediately sent me a small smile. "They think because someone is old, they're stupid. Did they really think I wouldn't notice if someone tinkered with my work?"

The large small that formed on my face caused the tears I had fought so hard to keep in check to fall down my cheeks.

"Oh goodness," Caroline mumbled as she stared at me in slight shock. "Hodge, do something."

"Caro, she's not hurt, sad, or in the need of any help, what do you want me to do?"

My mother, as odd as it was to think of her that way, crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the man I was beginning to think of as my father.

"Not sit there and look like death warmed over," she snapped while pushing at his shoulder. "Stand up and show her you're okay."

Hodge sighed as he stood from his chair, but by the expression on his face, I knew he was just giving Caroline a hard time. His eyes looked back towards me, and the love that had been there when he glanced at my Mom was still there when he winked at me.

"Just a scare," he explained in a strong voice while opening his hand to show me the red light on the small black box. "If Caro wouldn't have been reorganizing my things, there wouldn't have been a scare at all."

Understanding filled me just as George bumped shoulders with me. What I had seen wasn't my father near death, but a man who had just faced his biggest fear, the woman he loved in danger. New respect for Hodge, new respect for the relationship between my parents bloomed, because I knew. I knew what that fear felt like. I knew what it felt like to almost lose someone that you love.

My hand curled around George's and he squeezed mine in a comforting gesture, telling me without words that he was there for me.

"Do you have anymore of those gadgets left?" I asked, making both Hodge and Caroline grin.

"More than you can believe."

"You'll need a dress," Caroline mumbled with a thoughtful expression, and I was beginning to wonder if that was her answer to everything. She must have seen the look on my face because she rolled her eyes at me. "We have a tracker on Mitch. Where you're going, you can't just walk in unnoticed wearing a T-shirt and some jeans."

"Got it covered," I replied, my voice slightly muffled as I pulled off my shirt, making the red wig that I wore fall in the process. Next to go were my jeans, revealing the dress George had forced on me earlier. When nothing but silence greeted me, I knew something wasn't quite right.

My eyes strayed towards George, who scanned my body slowly, causing heat to bloom in my stomach. "Perve."

"You love it," he mumbled as he sent me a slightly dramatic, predatory grin.

I looked towards my parents and immediately, confusion replaced any feelings George was stirring. "What?"

"You can't wear that," Caroline blurted. "Not unless you're planning to moonlight as a stripper."

I sent George a triumphant grin as Caroline's words echoed mine from earlier. He shrugged. "I like it."

"Of course you would," Caroline mumbled, "you're a male."

"I don't like it," Hodge grunted.

Caroline shook her head with a sigh. "Of course you don't, you're her father."

George laughed just as I began to smile. "Just like a Mom," George whispered only loud enough for me to hear. "Loves to tell her kids when something they do is wrong, but she won't let anyone else do the same."

My smile widened at his words because they were true. She was my mother, and even though we were new to the concept, she was already treating me as if we had been together from the beginning, not just getting to know one another.

"I have the perfect dress," Caroline said in excitement, obviously not catching George and my exchange.

She disappeared into a back room, leaving Hodge, George, and I starring after her. Hodge cleared his throat, causing me to glance towards him. "You're going after Mitch." It wasn't a question, but I nodded. "Kill him. Whatever you do, don't let him live."

"I didn't plan to."

Something that looked like pride entered his eyes before he motioned me towards the chair he had vacated. "I have some hair dye in the back. As many times as I've helped Caro, I'm almost as good as a stylist."

"Do I have time?"

He glanced down at his watch and nodded. "Party doesn't really start for another hour, and we all know Mitch never leaves early."

"What colors do you have?"

"Brown?" I shook my head no. "Blonde?"

With a quick glance towards George, I nodded. "Perfect."

Caroline emerged with the dress just as Hodge disappeared into the back. She held up the black, flowy dress for my inspection and smiled. "Let's make you into a completely new person."

"No," I whispered while shaking my head. "This time, I just want to be me."

Her eyes looked suspiciously wet as she set the dress down and pulled me into a tight hug. "Nothing would make me happier, Laura."

I wrapped my arms around her, returning the hug, and silently agreed. Sitting there with my Mom's arms wrapped around me, Hodge smiling proudly behind her, and George standing by my side, I couldn't be happier. This is where I belonged, where I wanted to be, and no matter what, I wouldn't let Mitch take this away, wouldn't let him hurt the people I love.