Goodbye, Earl Ch. 02

But Laura would be okay. Surprisingly, Stacey had almost instantly liked and trusted her future son-in-law. It was the way he looked at Chloe. And at her daughter. She did not doubt that the man had the skills to protect them, or that he would lay down his life to do it.

No, it was Mercy that she had to worry about. And she was. "You have to listen to your Mama. Get out of there, Mercy."

"Listen, Marmee. I can't go into all the details right now. I just need you to trust me. I know what I'm doing."

For a moment, Stacey was stunned into silence with the use of that word. Growing up, one of the ways that she had instilled the values of family in her girl was reading to them. She might not have been able to do it every night. But since the power to their trailer seemed to be off as much as it was on, reading had taken the place of television for her family.

Those books were among her favorites. And she knew Mercy's too. It was a special term of endearment between the two of them. And the fact that her daughter used it now, it was almost as if she were saying goodbye.

"Dammit, girl, I taught you better than this. I have not worked three jobs, gone to bed hungry, and..."

She caught herself. Stacey clutched her stomach. Her whole body shook at the memory. That was the real problem -- the idea of that man anywhere near any of her girls frightened the ever-loving shit out of her. But he had been. Earl Kerr had gone after Mercy. What would have happened if...

"Are you done screaming, Mama? I knew you would be worried. So, I wanted to call you and let you know I'm okay."

Stacey wanted to argue. She might even plead. But right at that moment, her mind was stuck in the past. Twenty-seven years, three months, twenty-nine days, and almost eighteen hours to be exact.

Mercy's voice, on the other end, did anything but reassure her. Especially her next words. "We haven't worked out a plan yet. But we're heading to Torreon. Yes, I know. But not only does it mean I can fight international extradition, but something Kerr said makes me think..."

She had not thought that things could get any worse. But the mention of that place and that man in almost the same sentence ratcheted up her fear and anxiety.

Torreon -- the place where the girl's father had come from. And Stacey always assumed he went back to, after the extradition hearing. Mercy had been born that night. Almost three months too early.

Maybe that was why mother and daughter were so close. She blamed herself for it. The stress of turning her 'husband' into INS, sleepless nights watching over her other girls, and of course, the run-in with her parents outside the federal court building in Houston. It had been too much. But the thought of her baby going to that place was worse. And what did Earl Kerr have to do with Torreon?

"Hell, I don't know."

Stacye opened her mouth, tried to make her brain translate those jumbled thoughts into words. Words that her too-tight throat could say. Words that would change her daughter's course. Bring Mercy back to her and keep her baby safe. But before she could conquer that latest battle, her daughter's voice came back on the phone.

"Mama, I'll try to call you later. Let Laura know I'm safe. And tell Ryan that I'm Agent Williams. You got that? I love you, Marmee."

The line went dead. Stacey just stared at it for a long moment. Then even the screen went black. She wanted to throw the damned thing at the wall, but she couldn't. It was her only link to her girls. Any of them. All of them.

"What did she say?" His voice was calm. Too calm, and that irritated her. What did this man fucking care if her daughters' lives were in danger? He was just some friend of Jack's. And while Jack was almost family and she knew that she could trust him, well, as much as she believed anyone. She did not know this man. This hireling that Jack had sloughed her off on.

"I need to call Laura." She hoped that would cut him off.

But instead, his hands gripped her shoulders. Stacey was wired too tightly this time to control her reactions. She came out swinging. With the phone gripped tightly in her fist, she turned and connected with the man's jaw. He stumbled back towards the desk.

It was the opening that she needed. She turned and fled, running back down the dim hallway. She had to get out of here. She needed to get to her baby. Somehow.

She heard him calling after her, but her brain was so engaged in the fight or flight mode that she did not register his words. She kept running, out the door, and as far as her old SUV.

"Dammit," she cussed as she fumbled with the keys. Willing her hands to stop trembling. Why now? After twenty-seven years, three months, twenty-nine days, and eighteen hours. Hell, after practically, sixty years of life's fucking bullshit. Why fucking now?

If she could just get the damned keys in the fucking door. Why hadn't she allowed Laura to buy her one of those new-fangled things where you only had to hit a button to unlock the fucker?

Then the worst happened, she fucking dropped the damn keys. And when she came back up, he was standing a few feet away. His arms crossed over his broad chest. Just staring at her.