SCARRED - Part 5 Read Free Page B

what we do. But as badly as it hurts, we can’t fix this. All we can do is support him in whatever way we can.”
    “You’re talking about Chloe?”
    “Yes, she’s a part of supporting him. He really does care a lot about her. I suspect that he’s falling in love with her.”
    “Don’t you think that’s...strange? Aren’t you worried that this is about him looking to replace Sarah?”
    “At first I was worried,” Kevin said, “But when you see them together you know that this is much more than that. Chloe and Sarah are very different and I trust Derek enough to believe that a pretty face...even one identical to Sarah’s wouldn’t be enough for him if the woman that went along with it wasn’t a deserving soul. I don’t want Chloe to be alone. Even a hotel room in New York won’t be safe for her as long as Jesse is out there. I spoke to Vince this afternoon. The police have already been to see him, so he knows that Jesse is a suspect in this. He’s not admitting that he believes that, but he did tell me if he spoke to him, he was going to encourage him to turn himself in.”
    “Is Vince supporting him? Where is he getting the money to travel from New York to Rhode Island and live in the meantime?”
    “I asked him about that and he denies that he’s helping him...but when I asked if his wife was giving Jesse money, he changed the subject. I’m willing to bet that she’s funneling him whatever he needs. Allie Donovan has never been able to admit that her boy was anything less than perfect. Even now I would be willing to bet she’d argue his innocence to the death. I’d also be willing to be that Vince will do all in his power to save the boy, just to keep her happy.”
    “That’s probably a lot of the problem,” Jake said. “Jesse’s a psychopath because he’s never had to deal with any consequences of his actions.”
    “I agree son. You and I know from experience with our clients that he’s not going to change. He has no remorse. He doesn’t see anything he’s doing as wrong. He needs to be locked away. In the meantime, we have to make sure he doesn’t get to Chloe.”
    Jake nodded. “So you don’t want Chloe staying alone, do you want her to stay here?”
    “This is pretty far from the hospital and pretty much everything else. I don’t want her feeling like a prisoner either. I could have the car drive her around, but I’d just feel safer if one of us was with her. I was hoping...if I were to arrange for someone else to handle your cases for a couple of weeks...”
    Jake was looking at his father like he’d lost his mind. “You can’t be serious? Come on, Dad. I don’t even know her and I’m not sure yet if I trust her. You want me to take her to my home?” Jake kept an apartment in the city. It was more convenient than making the trek to and from the mansion on most weeknights.
    “No, but Derek also has an apartment in Manhattan. She’d be in a building with security and two blocks away from you. Jesse’s plan is to get her alone. He’s proven he’s a coward. He’s not going to try anything as long as he knows there is someone around who would be willing to help her. It’s our obligation to Derek to make sure she is taken care of. Plus, she doesn’t deserve any of this, son. If you spend some time getting to know her, I think you’ll agree. She’s been tortured for far too long. We would be remiss if we didn’t do anything even if she wasn’t Derek’s girlfriend. I would do it myself Jake but you know I have that triple murder case that I’m handling right now and we’re too far in for me to hand it off to someone else. Any spare time I have I’d like to spend with your brother at the hospital. When Derek comes out of this...and he will...I want him to know we did everything in our power to protect her.”
    Jake had no idea what to think of Chloe. He trusted his father and his brother’s judgment...on almost everything, but this was just...strange. He knew his