Waves of Reckoning (The Montclair Brothers) (5 page)

Tyler found a place to wait for his flight to be announced. Standing behind the escalator, he had a clear view of anyone who came in or out of the building.
So far so good
, he thought. When his flight was announced, Tyler followed several people through the security check points and boarded the plane. Thankfully the seat next to him was empty. He had no desire to make small talk with anyone.

An hour and twenty minutes later, the plane touched down. Tyler walked over to the rental agency and rented a car with his credit card. He had no choice, but that was okay. He had a good head start on his brothers, and even if they followed him, he’d be done with Sebastian by the time they caught up with him. Angelique wasn’t a concern either, because she couldn’t call and warn the man that he was going to get a visitor from his past.

Tyler rented the first vehicle they had available. As the Impala was pulled around back, he was directed to a side door that exited onto a lot. He took the keys from the attendant, and followed the signs to Lakeshore Boulevard, which would take him to Lake View Drive, right where he needed to be. It was difficult for him to follow the speed limit, but he certainly didn’t need to get pulled over and delay his plans for God knows how long. He turned on the radio and scanned through the stations to find one broadcasting the news. Finally he got lucky. “No verdict yet, for Robert Preston,” announced the woman on the radio. “We’re live at the courthouse in Southfield, and we’ll be bringing you the latest news as soon as it becomes available.” Tyler turned it off. He wanted to be there beside Renee and his family. But taking care of Sebastian now, would save them from any future harm the man could, and would, cause. Still, the guilt ate away at him.

When Tyler reached the city of Castle Lake, he continued up to what was left of the Montclair Estate. Some of the charred field stones remained, but other than that, the house was nothing more than piles of cinders. Even the ground was black, where there was once thick brush. Tyler could see over the pile of rubble to the back of the property. He pulled over to the side of the road and searched for the balcony. It was gone. He was grateful that he’d never have to see it again. Hopefully the big lake had carried it far, far away.
If only it could have carried my father out there, never to be seen again,
Tyler thought, and then stepped on the accelerator.

When he reached the neighborhood of small, white, row houses, Tyler pulled off into the trees and climbed out of the car. As he stared at the houses, he wondered which one his mother had lived in? In reality, he knew very little about her past. The stuff he’d found out after her death, made his stomach turn. His own grandparents were willing to resort to blackmail. Tyler tucked his hands in his pockets and walked through the trees, down to the sandy beach. The waves were strong and loud, and he had to stay a good distance away from the rocks or he’d get soaked.

Some women and a few children stared at him when he walked past. He didn’t look up for very long as he continued down along the water’s edge. About a mile further, the water became a little calmer, and the huge rocks weren’t as plentiful. Tyler remembered what Angelique had told him about the cabin being in the woods and hard to see, so he left the beach and walked amongst the large, thick trees.

While searching, Tyler had no idea what his reaction would be when he laid eyes on the man who’d caused nearly two decades of pain and trauma. All he knew was that when he saw his father, he’d do whatever needed to be done. One cocky remark or grin, and Tyler knew he’d snap.

Just when he thought the woods had become too thick to build anything, he tripped over the crumbled remnants of a well. The hole had been filled with dirt and other debris, and he was grateful that he hadn’t fallen, where no one would ever find him. As he walked around it, Tyler listened carefully. Where there’s a well, there is, or was, usually a dwelling nearby. Pushing his way through the thick pines, which were stabbing their needles through his clothing, he saw the dilapidated cabin. Cheap repairs had been done on the roof, and in several places the wood had begun to rot. Rich soil in the front yard was probably where the garden grew. It couldn’t possibly have any more than two small rooms. There was a chimney and three windows; all you could see were the white backs of the curtains. Slowly he approached the cabin door. The conversations with Angelique began to flood his mind. Shoving away every doubt, every weakness, he knocked. With images of his brothers’ faces in his head, he lifted his chin, pushed his shoulders back, and readied himself for the biggest fight of his life.

Chapter 5

V
incent walked out
of the library and sent texts to Sean and Jacob to join him out front. He called Tyler again, knowing he wouldn’t answer his phone. Where doom had just been flooding his insides, acceptance was beginning to take its place. He knew Tyler was hell-bent on seeing this thing through with their father. Trust between the brothers was going to be tested right now; but no matter what happened they would stand behind the man who had sacrificed so much to raise them. He, Jacob, and Sean, didn’t end up with the weight of the world on their shoulders like Tyler had.

He heard the commotion of his brothers pushing open the doors and running out to the steps. Vincent sat down and rested his arms on his knees. He stared at the traffic, wondering if the cars were driving way under the speed limit or if time was now moving in slow motion. Thoughts were racing through Vincent’s mind, but he wasn’t feeling the alarm he had when he first entered the library.
Hopefully Tyler gets there safely
. The twins stopped suddenly and sat down on the cement steps next to Vincent.

“We’re not going after him, are we?” asked Sean as he lowered his head. He paused briefly before continuing. “I’m pretty worried, Vinnie. I’ve never in my life seen him like this. I don’t want to have to visit my brother in prison for the rest of our lives.”

“There has to be something we can do.” Jacob stared at his brothers.

Vincent let out a slow breath, unable to avert his eyes from the slow moving cars. “I understand that you guys are afraid for Tyler, but we have to have faith in him. No matter what we try to do to stand in his way, he’s going to get to our father, one way or another. This isn’t our fight. Tyler has to settle things on his own terms.”

“He’ll kill him,” added Sean, his voice full of anger. “Then what? If Tyler thinks what he’s going through is hard now, just imagine living with the guilt of killing your own flesh and blood.”

“That’s just it, Sean.” Vincent finally turned to look at his brother. “Sebastian is flesh and blood, but that’s all. He’s not our
dad
, and he willingly gave up the right to be a father to us, long ago. Whatever Tyler dishes out, Sebastian has it coming to him. After the verdict comes in, we’re going to take Angelique back to the cabin. In the meantime, there’s nothing we can do but let the cards fall where they may.” Vincent got up and started walking back and forth in front of the steps.

Sean stood up, walked down the steps and stood in front of his brother. “Vin, how about if you two stay here for the verdict, while I hit the road? I promise not to stop him.”

“Sean, let it go,” directed Vincent firmly. “Tyler will come back home when he resolves things in his heart and head, and not before then. We need to watch over Renee and Brian for him, and keep their fears at bay. Just do what he did for us, long ago. We each had to go through our own share of grief over the deaths, and being separated…but Tyler knew that and he let us go through it. We’re stronger because of it.”

Jacob nodded his head, but Sean was still feeling anxious. “This is different, Vinnie. We weren’t out for blood.”

Vincent put his hands on Sean’s shoulders. “Neither is Tyler. If you think about it, did you have any doubt that this encounter between our brother and Sebastian would happen? Did you think for one second, that we could prevent it?”

Sean embraced his brother and patted his back firmly. “No, you’re right, Vinnie. But this is going to suck until Tyler makes contact with us.”

“He will. Just keep your phone on at all times. All we can do is be there for him.” Vincent, just like Sean and Jacob, wished there was something more he could do, but if there was anyone who’d make sound decisions, it was Tyler.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

Tyler could hear a slow, shuffling sound when he knocked. When no one came to answer the door, he began to pound on it with his closed fist. Tyler had a gut feeling that Sebastian was just a few feet away, on the other side. He’d kick the door in before going back home without answers. The steady repetition of something hitting the floor was getting closer, but Tyler wasn’t going to allow anyone to take their sweet time today. He began to pound harder on the weathered wood. Hearing someone unlock the door, he stepped back a foot and stared straight ahead.

The first thing Tyler saw when the door cracked open was a large, but shaking hand. The fingers were wrapped around the handle of a walking cane, which appeared to be crudely made out of an oak tree branch. The bark had been whittled away, but only the handle and tip seemed to be smooth on the crooked limb. There was more shuffling and then the door slowly opened. Tyler’s eyes instantly went to the ground. His breath caught in his throat, and the insides of him wanted to heave. The ground started to spin so he closed his eyes for a moment before letting them rest on the ghost of someone who’d been dead to him for so many years.

“Oh, Son!” Sebastian leaned his cane against the wall and opened his arms.

That was all it took. Tyler cocked his fist back, looked at the haggard, thin man standing before him and swung with all his might. Instead of striking his father, he let his fist splinter the wooden doorframe. His eyes began to burn as bile rose up in his throat. He quickly turned his body to the side and vomited until there was nothing left.

“Don’t ever call me that again, Sebastian. I’m not your son!” Tyler seethed.

“I’ve been waiting for years to speak with you, Tyler. Please, come in.” Sebastian pulled the door the rest of the way open, and then stepped back from the entrance.

“You’ve been
waiting
?! I’ve been waiting for eighteen years to understand my mother and father’s suicides! I’ve been waiting for eighteen damn years to understand
why
you both thought it was okay to
abandon
us! Then, presto! You’ve been
alive
the
entire time
, but you chose to let us suffer anyways?!” Tyler drew back his other fist and slammed it into the wall next to the small window.

“Son, I know I’ve made some very serious mistakes—” Sebastian began.

“
Mistakes
?!” Tyler laughed boisterously. “No, you son of a bitch, you didn’t make any
mistakes
. You
ruined
the lives of four young boys. That’s what you did! Did you know that we ended up being separated the day you and mom died?” Tyler looked Sebastian in the eyes, his lip curled in disgust.

“Yes, I knew you were all going into foster care, but I felt like it was for the best.” The man shuffled over to a worn, cushioned chair and carefully sat down.

“You knew we were being
separated
?” Tyler bent down until he was an inch away from Sebastian’s face. “You and Angelique took our mother away from us! You two
killed
her!” Tyler cocked both hands back and pushed them into the wall, just above his father’s shoulders.

“I’m not going to sit here and make up excuses for what I did. There aren’t any.” A tear slid down Sebastian’s cheek, and he quickly wiped it away.

“You had to have known that Jacob was shot and almost killed, and yet you did
nothing
?!” He stood up tall, and continued to loom over his father.

“I couldn’t, Tyler. There was nothing I could have done. Forcing myself back into your lives would have been worse for you.” He looked up at his son, then back down at the ground.

“How about you should have
never
done anything to hurt my mother in the first place! That would have stopped the ball from rolling, you
bastard
!” Tyler turned his back and closed his eyes until his body stopped trembling.

“Would you like some coffee? You can fill me in on how you boys are doing now.” Sebastian started to stand up, just as Tyler spun his body around, slamming his foot into the cheap, kitchen table, causing it to fly into the wall. It broke into pieces.

“This isn’t a damn tea party, Sebastian! I came here for some answers, but it’s pretty obvious I’m not going to get
shit
from you!” spat Tyler.

“I can’t explain the past to you. All I can say is that I took the coward’s way out and I’m not proud of myself. I knew your mother’s suicide was my fault, and I wasn’t man enough to look my children in the eyes and admit it. I’m sorry for everything, Son.” Sebastian opened up his arms again.

Tyler felt the anger begin to leave him. He stared at Sebastian, his eyes full of pity. This was all he needed; the admission of guilt. The apology made him sick. He’d be happy with his father going to his grave, knowing his sons viewed him as nothing more than scum. He had no more desire to kill the man in front of him and become a mirror image of Sebastian.

“I want you to know something, Sebastian. I took
your
place at the age of eighteen, and raised my brothers the best I could. They all went to college and have wonderful lives. Montclair Pharmaceuticals is thriving and you don’t fit in anywhere, do you
understand
?!” Tyler warned. “You stay away from
my
family, Sebastian! You no longer have one!”

“I’ll stay away, I promise. If you ever need anything—” Tyler interrupted him as fast as he could.

“Need anything? Don’t you think you’re a couple
decades
late for that?!” Tyler laughed at him. “There was a very long search for your body, Sebastian. Did you even care that people were working around the clock to find you?” Tyler shook his head and laughed harder at the pitiful man before him.

“Yes, but I felt like everyone was better off without me. I broke your mother’s heart and she killed herself because of it. I jumped over the banister to join her, but I ended up just busting my hip on the rocks instead. To be honest, I’m not, nor have I ever been, happy that I lived.” Sebastian held up his cane.

“Don’t even tell me that you want my sympathy. I’m not happy you lived either!” Tyler yelled.

“Just because I wasn’t visible, doesn’t mean I didn’t care,” explained Sebastian.

“And just because you’re alive, doesn’t mean we do…” Tyler slung open the door and walked out. “I’m done,” he uttered as he headed down to the beach. With his hands shoved down inside his pockets, Tyler made his way back to the rental car and drove to the burned up ruins of the Montclair Estate. Though tempted to keep driving past, Tyler knew what had to be done. After all these years, it was time to confront another demon. He pulled up into the driveway and got out of his car.

He tripped over the rubble and got scratched up more than he wanted, but Tyler was able to make his way around the burnt-out remains, to where the rope had once swung above him. Taking a few more steps, he was able to see the rocks where his father had landed. But this wasn’t about his father.

Tyler looked up at the sky and cleared his throat. He never thought he’d be standing where he was, ever again. He squeezed his eyes closed for a moment when he felt them welling up with tears. “I’m here to thank you for everything you did for us growing up. We couldn’t have had a better mother than you when we were together as a family. But you chose to put a cheating, lowlife man, above your own children and end your life over his transgressions. It saddens me to know that we weren’t reason enough for you to live. I raised your sons by myself, and we’re all doing well. I just had to tell you how I felt, so I can finally move on with my life in peace. It’s best if me and my brothers keep the past where it belongs. I have the answers I need. I might not know them all, but I know enough to realize we’re just fine despite what you both did.”

Gazing across the water, Tyler continued. “I won’t be back. I’m done mourning the loss of you, the mother that chose to go away when I was sixteen. Perhaps you thought that dad would stay and raise us, or maybe you didn’t care one way or the other. I’ll never know, but it doesn’t much matter anymore. Maybe someday I can come to peace with what happened, but for now, I need to go about my life and be the best husband, father and big brother I can be. At least I can learn from the past and be a better parent than what we were exposed to. Children shouldn’t have to suffer because their parents aren’t getting along. You could have divorced dad and taken us with you to start a new life long ago, instead of wrapping a noose around your neck.”

Shaking his head, Tyler paused when he thought about seeing the noose for the first time. “Obviously you weren’t as strong as we all thought you were. I’m sorry you felt the need to punish your husband and his lover at the expense of the rest of us. I wasn’t in your shoes during that dark hour, but you weren’t in ours when we were left to pick up the pieces from your wreckage. I don’t hate you, but I can’t exactly find any empathy either, nor continue to hold you up on that pedestal I had created inside of my head. I hope you’ve found some sort of peace, but now it’s time for me to find my own. I have a family I need to be with, so I’m going home now. Just know that even with all of the odds stacked against us we came out fighting and it made us all stronger.”

Tyler wiped his face with his hands and took one last look around before turning back towards the car. He’d call someone to clear the debris from the fire when he got home. The best thing he could do for everyone would be to sell this land, but Tyler would check with his brothers first. Climbing back into the car, he turned on his phone, saw all of the texts and voice mails waiting and smiled to himself. He felt a thousand pounds lighter. No matter what happened, he had three brothers, a beautiful girlfriend, a teenage son, and a sister named Emma who’d love and be there for him always. The baby on the way was such a gift, and now he could focus all of his thoughts and energy on what he needed to. He wouldn’t allow Sebastian and Natalie to chip anything else away from him. Tyler pulled out of the driveway without looking back.