Chapter 101
Evelyn POV
I sat quietly in Detective Bob's office, watching as he began to shuffle through a stack of papers on his desk. The lights hummed overhead, casting harsh shadows across the room. The detective's brow furrowed deeply as he flipped through page after page, occasionally pausing to scribble notes in the margin. He seemed to have forgotten I was there.
For several minutes, I simply observed him, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the way his fingers drummed restlessly against the desk. Something was clearly troubling him. Eventually, I tapped lightly on his desk to get his attention.
"Sir, are you all right?" I signed, my hands moving carefully through the question.
He blinked rapidly, looking up as if surprised to find me still sitting there. "Hmm? Oh, yes, sorry Evelyn. I was just... thinking about some things."
His eyes refocused on me, and a small smile replaced his distant expression. He gathered the papers into a folder and pushed it aside.
"With these documents," he said, tapping the folder, "we'll be sending that family to prison for a very long time."
I nodded, signing my thanks for his support through this difficult process.
"Don't thank me," he replied, his smile fading. "If anything, I'm sorry justice has come so late."
A knock at the door interrupted us. The door opened slightly, and Ryan's head poked in.
"Is Evelyn in here?" he asked, his eyes quickly finding mine.
My heart lifted at the sight of him. These past few days had been exhausting, emotionally and physically. Ryan's presence always seemed to make the burden lighter.
"Come in, Mr. Carter," Detective Bob said.
Ryan stepped inside, crossing immediately to where I sat. He leaned down and kissed me gently on the forehead, his hand resting briefly on my shoulder.
"Hey," he said softly, his eyes searching mine. "You ready to go?"
I nodded, rising from my chair. Ryan extended his hand toward Detective Bob, who stood to shake it. As they clasped hands, I noticed something small pass between them—a folded piece of paper that Ryan quickly tucked into his jacket pocket.
If Detective Bob thought I hadn't noticed, he gave no indication. "Thank you for your time today, Ms. Moore. We'll be in touch about the next steps."
"I was thinking," Ryan said as we prepared to leave, "maybe we could have dinner with my parents tonight? They've been asking about you."
I smiled and nodded, relieved at the thought of a normal evening after everything that had happened.
Ryan guided me out of the office with his hand gently at the small of my back. In the hallway, the harsh fluorescent lighting gave way to softer wall sconces that cast a warm glow over the painted walls.
"So what did you do today before all this?" Ryan asked as we walked.
[I went to that burger place near the house,] I signed. [The one with the playground in the back.]
"Really? I love that place," Ryan replied, his eyes brightening. "We should go together sometime. They have the best curly fries in the city."
[The chocolate shakes aren't bad either,] I signed with a small smile.
We were halfway down the corridor when a voice called out behind us.
"Evelyn, where are you're going?"
I turned to see Magnus striding toward us, his expression a mixture of concern and a little irritation. Even after knowing the truth, it was still strange to see him and think: this is my father.
"We're just heading out," Ryan answered, his arm protectively circling my waist.
"She doesn't need permission to go have dinner with her fiancé," he added, his tone polite but firm.
I touched Ryan's arm gently, then signed to him, [Magnus is my biological father.]
Ryan's eyes widened, his mouth forming a perfect "O" of surprise. "What? Wait, is that true?" He looked between Magnus and me. "Did I miss something here? What about that awful Francis guy?"
His confusion was understandable. Everything had happened so quickly.
Magnus chuckled, the sound unexpected and warm. "It's a long story," he said. "Perhaps Evelyn can explain it to you when you have time." He glanced at me, his expression softening. "And maybe I could join you both for dinner? Get to know my future son-in-law?"
Before Ryan could respond, Connor appeared from around the corner, clutching a thick manila envelope.
"Evelyn, there you are," he said, slightly out of breath. "I need you to sign these papers before you go."
He extracted a sheaf of documents from the envelope and held them out to me along with a pen.
"These are for the charges against Francis for kidnapping and the civil claim for compensation," Connor explained. "Sign on the highlighted lines, please."
I took the pen, my hand hovering over the papers. So much had happened, and now here I was, signing documents that would officially begin legal proceedings against the man who had raised me—who had abused me for years. I felt a strange mix of emotions: relief, sorrow, anger, vindication. With a steady hand, I signed my name on each line Connor indicated.
"Thanks," Connor said, returning the papers to his envelope. "By the way, we're still on for pizza tonight, right?"
[I thought Cassidy and I were having dinner together?] I signed, glancing at Ryan with an apologetic expression.
Connor grimaced slightly. "Actually, Cassidy came down with a nasty cold this morning. She's in bed with tissues and cough syrup. She sent me to tell you she's really sorry, but she doesn't want to get you sick, especially..." He gestured vaguely toward my midsection, where my pregnancy was beginning to show.
I felt a twinge of disappointment. I had been looking forward to spending time with Cassidy and finally getting to know her as my sister, not just my friend. The revelation that we shared a father was still new and somewhat surreal.
[Tell her I hope she feels better soon,] I signed.
"What about tomorrow night instead?" Magnus suggested. "Once Cassidy's feeling better?"
We all agreed that would work. Connor tucked the envelope under his arm.
"I need to drop these off at the courthouse," he said. "Then I'm heading home to play nurse. Cassidy's a terrible patient."
He smiled fondly, then nodded goodbye to us before hurrying off down the hallway.
"Shall we?" Ryan asked, offering me his arm. "My mom's making her famous pot roast."
I linked my arm through his, grateful for the normalcy of a family dinner amid all the chaos. As the three of us—Ryan, Magnus, and I—walked toward the exit, I felt a strange new sense of belonging. My past was still tangled and painful, but my future was beginning to take shape in ways I had never imagined possible.
Behind us, the police station continued its rhythmic business, a steady pulse of justice slowly grinding forward.