I can predict with one hundred percent accuracy that what I’m about to say will cause problems between us. “As your husband, I won’t command you to do anything, but as your Fellowship leader, I will.”
“Oh. I see now. You’re my leader before you’re my husband.”
“Never. I’m always your husband first. That means I protect you above anything else and I’m telling you that you won’t do this no matter what you prove.”
“I’d like to see you try to stop me.”
She doesn’t understand the repercussions for killing a brother. I think it’s time she had a lesson. “Bonny. If you kill Abram and you’re caught, they will kill you. And I can’t stop them. Is there any part of that you don’t understand?”
“I won’t be caught.”
“Bleu! Don’t ignore what I’m telling you.” I don’t enjoy raising my voice at my wife. I enjoy the expression on her face as she looks at me even less. It’s a melting pot of hurt and anger.
“Or what? I’ll have to pay penance? You’ll send me to Sangster and have me beaten within an inch of my life?”
I grab Bleu firmly by her upper arms. “Listen to me. We’re having a baby. You’re going to be a mother. There’s no room for stupidity where our child is concerned. I will not let you jeopardize our family over your obsession.”
I release her arms and head for the door. She’s being irrational and unreasonable. I’m furious so I shouldn’t be around her right now. Fighting fair—it’s not something I’ve ever learned to do so I fear what I might say or do. I don’t want to create regrets.
“Where are you going?”
“Out.”
I stop in the doorway and turn back to look at Bleu. “Keeping you and our child safe is number one. Always. Maybe you should think about what your priorities are while I’m gone.”
* * *
I’m angry with Bleu but I’m furious with Abram. His actions are feeding her addiction for revenge, taunting her at every opportunity. It has to stop. Now.
I storm into my parents’ house and call out for my father.
“In here, son.”
I find my parents in the living room—together, watching television. I’m surprised they’re in the same room by choice. “What’s going on?”
“We were discussing Abram’s actions at dinner. It was unacceptable and I told him so,” my dad says.
“How is Bleu?” my mum asks.
“Not great.”
I sit next to my mother, facing my father. “Tonight wasn’t the first time Abram has acted out at Bleu. He’s taunted her on other occasions.”
“He’s a bully,” my mum says.
“He may be but he’s not going to upset the mother of my child like that. I can’t be expected to accept that kind of behavior directed at my wife by any Fellowship member, even if he is your brother.”
“I don’t expect you to tolerate Bleu being mistreated, even if he is my brother. Now is the time to put a stop to it. With Abram, what you allow him to do is what will continue. I learned that lesson the hard way.”
Bleu is determined. She isn’t going to drop her suspicion about Abram. It’s probably best to let Dad know now rather than later. “There’s more to further complicate the situation between Bleu and Abram. She believes there’s a possibility he killed her mother.”
My dad looks shocked. “What in the world would make her believe that?”
“Something Abram said at our reception sparked a memory from that night. That spark has turned into a fire and Abram stokes it each time he attacks Bleu.”
“She has no evidence to support her suspicion?” Dad asks.
“Not yet.”
“I don’t think ye should dismiss her suspicion so quickly. Bleu has studied the criminal mind extensively. How they think. How they react. She’s very educated about the tactics they use tae manipulate their closest ties,” Mum says.
There’s one way to prove he didn’t do it. “Does Abram have a scar from a dog bite on his leg?”
Dad shrugs. “Not that I’m aware. But I’m not sure I’ve seen his bare leg in the last twenty years. No reason to.”
No. I suppose the opportunity hasn’t presented itself.
“Was Abram in the US when Bleu and her mother were attacked?”
“Aye.”
“You know him better than anyone. Do you think he’s capable?”
Dad shakes his head. “He wouldn’t have touched Amanda.”
“I told her she couldn’t name Abram a suspect.”
“Ye must look at this from Bleu’s point of view. In her mind, that could be construed as you choosing him over her,” Mum says.
She’s right. I need to make Bleu understand I’ll always choose her before him.
“We had an enormous argument because I told her she couldn’t be the one to carry out penance against her mother’s killer.”
I rub my temples where my brain is threatening to explode. “Bleu is unaware but I made a promise to her father before he died. He made me swear I would take the burden of killing from her. He didn’t want her to carry that kind of darkness for the rest of her life.”
And I readily agreed because I can’t bear the thought of her being tormented by something she’s done.
“Bleu isn’t like me. She’s good. I’m afraid the guilt would eventually destroy her.”
“I think her father knew what he was talking about. Bleu has no business killing anyone,” Dad says.
“Even more so now that she’s expecting. Motherhood brings changes you don’t expect, even for women within the circle.”
If Abram did this, his actions are affecting my life and marriage. I need to know the truth so we can put this behind us.
“Bleu enlisted Debra’s help because being with the women of The Fellowship consumes so much of her time. I’m hoping that will expedite this situation coming to a head.”
I’m not sure how my father would react to finding out his brother killed the woman he loved. “If he did this, are you prepared for him to die?”
“After the first betrayal, there is no other.” That’s a yes.
It could take awhile to get the answers we want. In the meantime, Abram has to leave Bleu alone. “I can’t let him continue lashing out at Bleu.”
“Agreed. That has tae come tae an end immediately,” my mum says.