Hooked on You: An Annapolis Harbor Series Prequel, Lea Coll [love letters to the dead .txt] 📗

Panic set in as my hand covered my rapidly beating heart. “No. I want you to call me.” I couldn’t handle it if I knew they were deliberately keeping me in the dark. “I want to know what’s going on with you guys. Please?” My voice sounded thin and desperate even to me.

“Okay, okay, I will.”

I sighed relieved. “Thank you. How are you guys this morning?”

“Still a little shaky. He hasn’t gone out like that in years.”

When he was a child he would get out because he didn’t understand how dangerous it was for him to wander the street or neighborhood alone. We’d installed a lock on the top of the door, but now he was too tall for that. My parents couldn’t stop him from leaving, which made the whole situation scarier. “What can we do?”

“Nothing. There’s really nothing we can do if he wants to leave. I don’t want to lock him in his room at night. He gets too agitated when I do that.”

“Hopefully, he was so scared he won’t do it again.” I made a mental note to find out if there was some kind of tracking device he could wear in case it happened again.

“That’s what I’m hoping.” I heard rustling, as if she was cleaning up the kitchen while we talked.

“I miss you guys.” Closing my eyes, I could picture myself in the kitchen, talking to my mom, catching up—discussing whatever happened that week in my job, with Caleb.

“We miss you too, but I don’t want you coming home. We’re okay.”

“I want to come home.” I needed to see that Caleb was okay but didn’t think it would be wise when I’d only just started this position.

“No. We don’t need you. I promise, we’re fine. How is the new job?”

“It’s a little disturbing honestly.” So far, I’d been reviewing my files and everything I’d seen made me sick to my stomach. I wanted to help people—especially children—but I didn’t know if I was cut out for this. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“I have faith in you. Those kids need help and you’re the one who can do it.”

Pride filled me at her words. “Thanks, Mom.” I’d always been able to depend on her for words of encouragement. She may have not been able to give me the attention I needed all of the time growing up because Caleb always demanded more, but I knew she loved me.

“How’s the city?”

“I love everything I’ve seen so far. The French Quarter was amazing and I love the food.” The company on my tour of the city had been amazing too. “There’s so much more I want to see—the Art District, the colleges, the Audubon Zoo and Park, the cemeteries. I haven’t tried gumbo or jambalaya yet.” Would I get to do those things with Gabe?

“That sounds exciting.”

“I wish you could visit.” I wanted more than anything to show them the city I’d come to love in such a short time.

“We can’t.” Her disappointment came through the line.

Hearing that made me feel worse about leaving them. “I know. I didn’t mean to make you feel guilty.”

“You didn’t. You can still wish for things.”

“I should never have left.” The words left my mouth before I could stop them. It was like last night with Gabe opened the flood gates.

“Oh, baby girl. You needed to. You needed to leave and explore something on your own. You never had to stay here for school. I always wanted you to get out there and experience life.”

In law school, my parents had encouraged me to move out, but I never felt like that was a real option. Not when my presence calmed my brother.

“Of course. I like having your help but it’s selfish of me to keep you here. You need to have a life too. You did the right thing going to New Orleans.”

That was surprising. I knew my parents were happy for me, but they never said it was the right thing to do before.

“I wish you’d believe me. I’d never been prouder of you than the day you told me you’d taken a job in New Orleans. You didn’t ask if it was okay. You didn’t apologize. You just did it.”

I had. I’d never been more scared than I was on that day, or more excited to announce my plans. The only way I was able to go through with it was knowing I’d never get another opportunity like this again. And it was temporary. I’d go, experience life, and come back. “New Orleans reminds me so much of home. I know it’s a bigger city and there’s all of this culture here that’s different but the food, the history … it’s familiar.”

“Send me lots of pictures so I can experience it with you.”

I heard tears in her voice, but I didn’t mention it. “I will.”

“Alright. I’ll get off now. I need to make Caleb a snack, but let’s Skype soon, okay? Caleb would love to see you.”

“Me too.” We hung up but I was still conflicted. Did Caleb understand I wasn’t gone for good? That I’d come back? That I still loved him? I wasn’t sure he understood anything except that a constant presence in his life was gone.

Chapter Ten

TAYLOR

The next week, I stopped into Dean’s office to discuss Omar’s concerns that the police weren’t taking claims of theft seriously, and the disturbing side-effects of reports not being made and crime increasing.

Dean’s hands were pressed together, his elbows resting on his large desk as he thought. “It’s a perfect storm. You get a lazy cop who doesn’t want to deal with petty theft and then the criminals get wind of it and take advantage.”

I nodded because that’s exactly what had happened.

“What do you think should be done about it?” Dean’s eyes focused on me.

His question surprised me. I was new to this job, this city. I’d assumed I’d report my findings back to my boss and he’d take care of it or