Page 96 of The Merger
“Fast?” Beck asked. “It took him five years to come and claim his wife. I’d say he moves glacially slow.”
“Can we get back to whatever has the three of you huddled up this morning? We’re not going to figure out whether or not I’ve got a mini Stryker brewing for a few more weeks, so let’s put a pin in that discussion for now.”
“The FBI arrested Malcolm this morning for attempted murder and a host of other things including conspiring to crash an airplane and money laundering. If he’s smart he’s cutting a deal as we speak,” Stryker answered.
“Where’s Jana?” I asked. I found it hard to believe she’d let the guys cut her out of whatever scheming they were doing right now.
“She’s meeting with her mother. Apparently, Marjorie didn’t know Maxwell had hidden accounts and safe deposit boxes. She’s been trying to get Jana to restore her to their previous standard of living, but Jana won’t budge. But if she helps bring Maxwell to justice Jana will help her mother get a decent divorce settlement. There’s no love lost between her parents. Maxwell hasn’t exactly hidden his many affairs from her,” Colt explained.
“Tell me she didn’t have to fly to New York.” After surviving a plane crash, Stryker wasn’t the only one with a fear of flying.
“No, the FBI is executing a search warrant as we speak. Marjorie is answering questions, trying to fill in any holes in what they’ve already figured out. It seems some of the accounts we didn’t know about that he opened in her name. When she found that out she folded. Can’t say I blame her. He put her at risk of criminal liability. She’s also helping figure out where he might be hiding. No one has seen him since news of your survival hit the media,” Colt added.
Footsteps thundered up the stairs followed by angry pounding on the door. “What now,” I grumbled and went to open the door.
Stryker grabbed my hand and stopped me. “I don’t want you going to face whoever is angry enough to beat their way in here.”
“I agree,” Colt said. “You might have my niece or nephew in there. Let me get it.”
He crossed the room in a couple of steps and opened the door to a disheveled and angry Waverly. “Colter, what are you doing here?”
“Sabrina is my sister too. A better question is what are you doing here?”
Her anger returned when she turned to face me. “What have you done? Where is Malcolm?”
“Federal custody,” I said simply.
“Fix it. Get him back,” she demanded.
“I can’t just get him back for you. He tried to kill us,” I said, already tired of the conversation.
“I don’t believe that. I need him,” she whined.
“We don’t have time for your theatrics, Wave. I’m even sorrier if you actually think you need that fucker, because he’s the most worthless human being I’ve ever met,” Colt sighed.
“Why are you turning on me? I need him because I’m pregnant.” She started sobbing, and not a single part of me felt the need to comfort her like I might have in the past.
Colt seemed to agree with me because he didn’t make a single move to soothe her tears. “It doesn’t matter if he’s in jail or free. There’s no way he’d ever be man enough to step up and help you raise a baby. He was still trying to get Sabrina back last night.”
“Why are you being so cruel? He would want to be here for me. I know he would,” she said, but it sounded like she was trying to convince herself.
“I know what it’s like to grow up without a father. I don’t know if we can do anything, but we can try and put a good word in for him. But, this is the last time you will come around making demands of my wife and throwing around accusations,” Stryker laid down the law.
“She’s my sister, I’ll do what I want.” Waverly actually stomped her foot, and I felt so sorry for my niece or nephew to be cursed with a grown child for a mother.
Stryker stepped forward and loomed over her. “She was your sister. You’ve shit on her your entire life trying to please your vapid bitch of a mother. You had the potential to have a best friend for life, and you’ve thrown her away over and over again. So, we will try and do this one last favor for you, but you are out of our lives from this moment forward. When we have a family you will not be bringing your toxicity into our lives.”
Colt walked back to the door and held it open. “You heard the man. Now hear me. I love you, Wave. But you’ve verbally attacked my daughter, tried to ruin the birth of my granddaughter, and you’ve been horrible to our sister. I’ve tried, God knows I’ve tried over and over to try and guide you to be a better person. Maybe who you’ve become is my fault. I spoiled you when you needed tough love. But, Stryker is right, you’re toxic. I can’t let you continue to hurt the people I love. We’re done from this moment forward. Good luck. I do wish you the best, but I can’t be the one to help you get it anymore.”
“Colt, please. You can’t do this. I need you,” she begged and clutched at his arm.
“I know you do, but there are other people who need me more, and as long as you choose to view them as a threat, I can’t have you in my life.” He pried her fingers free and stepped back.
Her tears dried up, and for once she showed him the Waverly the rest of us saw. “Fine. Choose your backwoods daughter and my mother’s biggest mistake. I will be fine without you, but don’t think I’m going to let you in my child’s life.”
Colt nodded. “That’s your choice. Have a good life, Waverly.”
She exited the apartment in the same manner she entered it. He quietly closed the door and leaned against it.