Brett harbored a deep sense of guilt, recognizing the mistake of involving his daughter in the risky task of delivering the deposit slip.
With police surveillance in place, his ability to earn money was compromised, leaving him with no choice but to utilize the funds from the slip and venture into remote areas with modest terrain for financial gain.
The thought of his daughter being in harmâs way weighed heavily on Brett, causing his voice to falter multiple times.
âCallie, I take full responsibility for what happenedâ¦â
Callie was aware that her father had misunderstood and promptly reassured him, saying, âDad, Iâm alright.
That individual didnât succeed last night.
When he was threatening me, Nicole saved me.
â
âWhat did you say? Was it her who saved you?â Brett exclaimed, visibly taken aback.
âYes, Nicole was the one who saved me.
She displayed remarkable courage and intelligence.
Employing hot pepper water, she swiftly incapacitated the assailant.
â Callie still admired Nicole greatly when discussing this topic.
Brett fell silent, processing the revelation.
Callie continued, âAnd Nicole even provided me with hot pepper water and other tools for self-protection.
Dad, you donât need to worry anymore.
I wonât be afraid to walk at night.
â
âOh.
â Brettâs emotions were subdued, his voice carrying a mix of sentiments.
The previous nightâs events had been tumultuous, and he hadnât fully grasped how Callie had come across Nicole.
He hadnât anticipated such an encounter between them.
He sighed, surprised by the enduring kindness and bravery of Wessonâs daughter after all these years.
âDad, may I ask you something?â Callie spoke cautiously.
âWhat is it, Callie?â
âNicole mentioned⦠She said you were the last person to see Mr.
Lawrence.
She also claimed that Wessonâs death wasnât suicide, but murder.
Are they true?â
âs BunnyBookery Callie clung to hope, refusing to believe her father, who always preached kindness, could be involved in Wessonâs death.
As long as her father denied it, she would maintain her faith in him.
Perhaps Nicole had erred or there was a misunderstanding in the matter.
On the opposite end of the line, Brett remained silent for an extended period.
With each passing moment of silence, Callieâs heart grew colder.
She felt a tinge of anxiety and uttered, âDad, please respondâ¦â
After a prolonged silence, Brett finally spoke.
âCallie, this is not something for you to worry about.
My only wish for you and your grandparents is to remain safe and secure.
â
âDad!â Callieâs tone suddenly sharpened.
âI cannot bear this uncertainty.
Tell me, is it true or not?â
Callieâs voice quivered, sensing she was on the brink of a revelation that would shatter her cherished image of her father.
All she desired was to hear her father absolve himself of any involvement, to affirm it was not him.
She wished to hear nothing else.
âDad, assure me, itâs not your fault, right? They made a mistake, didnât they?â Callie persisted.
âI⦠Callie, itâs not as straightforward as you believe, but I cannot divulge further.
â Brett replied, torn by inner conflict.
âThen what is it? Please, tell me, whatâs going on?â
Callieâs emotions overwhelmed her, and tears streamed down her face.
âDad⦠You always told me to be honest, right? Youâve lived by that too, havenât you? If itâs just a misunderstanding, why donât you clarify it? Do we really need to live Like this, hiding and living separately?â
Callie tried to persuade Brett, hoping he would come forward and tell the truth.
âCallie!â Brettâs voice grew louder as he announced, âIâve told you, this isnât your concern.
Just take care of yourself, and soon Iâll take you abroad.
Once weâre there, we wonât need to hide anymore.
â