Tucker shot Ellen a confused look while saying, “I like your dad. He’s a good guy.”
“Obviously those thirty-two years in witness protection program had left you out of touch with reality,” Ellen replied.
“You think that your dad is a bad man?” Tucker asked confusingly.
“My dad and grandpa… my Grandpa Alex had worked for Clayton Seawall before Clayton Seawall had gone to prison sixteen years ago.” Ellen informed. “And my dad had gone to prison sixteen years ago himself for thirteen years over accidentally killing four of my siblings and my Grandpa Alex while fleeing from the police.”
Tucker hesitated for a moment before saying, “Okay, well, I have no response for him getting your Grandpa Alex and siblings killed; however, if he worked for Clayton, he only did it to protect your mom.”
“What do you mean?” Ellen quickly asked.
“Liam had his hands in everything illegally imaginable, and your Grandpa Wendell had owed Liam ten thousand dollars over a gambling debt,” Tucker began. “Your Grandpa Wendell, Grandma Deloris and I were at Liam’s mansion so your Grandpa Wendell could pay back that debt; however, before he could, we witnessed Liam shooting someone…”
“What does that have to do with my dad working for Clayton Seawall?” Ellen interrupted.
“Although your Grandpa Wendell had the money, he never got the chance to pay back his debt, and the Seawalls had the habit of going after the next of kin for people’s debts,” Tucker continued. “Your dad loved my sister… your mother. And I’ll bet anything that your dad took on my dad’s debt in order to keep the Seawalls from going after your mother.”
With a confused expression across her face, Ellen questioned, “Why didn’t he tell me this four years ago… when he was attempting to bond with me?”
“Most likely your dad didn’t want your mom learning about any debt that your Grandpa Wendell had racked up,” Tucker guessed. “And because of your Grandpa Wendell’s and Grandma Deloris’s testimonies against Liam over murder, your dad might’ve racked up a large debt of his own in order to keep your mom off of the Seawall’s hit list.”
“Okay, my dad had definitely left out a huge chunk of his life story when he was telling me his life story,” Ellen replied.
“How old are you, Ellen?” Tucker asked.
“Sixteen,” Ellen answered. “Why?”
“You’re my niece and I’m just curious of your age,” Tucker replied. “And you had four siblings?”
“Five total, but they’re all dead,” Ellen said. Tucker frowned slightly. “Three of my brothers and my sister had died seven and a half months before I was even born, and Michael—the oldest sibling to us all—and his wife Tanya had died last month in an auto accident. He was twenty-nine.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your mom and siblings,” Tucker said sympathetically.
“Thanks,” Ellen said. She then gestured towards her group. “Anyway, this is my boyfriend Everett and his dad Detective Lance Delaney.”
“Good meeting you folks,” Tucker told Everett and Lance.
“Good meeting you,” Lance and Everett echoed.
“So, Ellen, how long have you and your dad been living here in Savannah, Georgia?” Tucker asked.
“I don’t live with my dad,” Ellen replied. “He lives in Independence, Missouri, and I’ve been living here for only a couple of weeks.”
Tucker gave Ellen an incredulous look before pointing out, “You’re too young to be living on your own. So who are you living with?”
“With Harris and Allyson Bradley. Harris is Tanya’s brother.” When Tucker gave an acknowledging nod, Ellen continued with, “Could you hold out on informing your handler about you being identified by me until after I meet Grandpa and Grandma?”
Tucker took a breath before saying, “Give me your contact information, Ellen, and I will see what I can do for you to meet your grandparents and cousins.”
“Okay,” Ellen agreed, “but I’ll need a pen and paper.”
Tucker nodded before saying, “I’ll get them for you.”
Ellen nodded before Tucker turned and walked away. Tucker was gone for a short time before returning with a notepad and a pen.
As Tucker held out the items for Ellen to take, he said, “Here you go.”
Ellen took the items without saying a word and flipped to the first blank page before proceeding to write down her address, the numbers to her house phone and cell phone and her Email address.
Once the information was written down, she held out the notepad and pen for Tucker to retake.
Tucker took the items before telling Ellen, Everett and Lance, “It was good meeting you three, but I need to get back to work.”
“We need to get going anyway,” Lance said.
“I hope I see you again,” Ellen told Tucker.
Tucker grinned before saying, “Me too. Anyway, take care, Ellen.”
Ellen nodded while echoing, “Take care.”
“Bye,” Lance said followed by Everett.
Tucker nodded before turning and walking away.
As Tucker was walking towards his cash register, Ellen, Everett and Lance walked towards the exit.
A few minutes later, Lance was letting Ellen and Everett out at Ellen’s house.
Before Everett could shut his door, Lance told him, “Be ready to go at nine.”
“Okay, Dad,” Everett replied before shutting his door.
As Ellen—with her book bag and the bag of her purchased item in her hands—and Everett walked towards the front door, Lance drove away.
Ellen led the way into the house, and once in the living room, Ellen and Everett saw that Jessica and Karla were there, in the living room, while sitting in dining room chairs.
Blaire, Devon and Trevor were sitting on the couch. Blaire was gently and playfully bouncing Sonya in her lap. Harris and Allyson were sitting on the love seat while Sadie was sitting in the armchair. A music CD was playing at a comfortable level in the background.
Ellen shot Jessica and Karla a confused look before asking them, “Where’s your two’s car?”
“Our dad drove us here,” Karla said as Ellen put her book bag and the drugstore bag down next to one of the end tables.
“Ah,” Ellen said in an understanding tone before gesturing towards Everett. “Anyway, for the ones who don’t know Everett, this is he. Everett, meet Blaire, Devon, Trevor and Sadie.”
“Hi,” Everett, Blaire, Devon, Trevor and Sadie said in an uneven chorus.
“So you’re the witch-finder,” Blaire continued.
Everett shrugged while saying, “I guess I am.”
“I know for a fact that a witch-finder is what you are,” Blaire told him.
“Okay,” Everett said, skeptically.
“From a spell, William the Conqueror had turned a talented group of archers into witch-finders prior to his invasion of England in order for those archers to spot a witch or a wizard among the apposing army,” Sadie shared with Everett. “When William the Conqueror and his men did invade, those archers were instructed to go after the witches and wizards as they spotted them. What William the Conqueror didn’t take into account is that the ability to spot witches and wizards would be passed down to those archers’