Troubled Waters (The Lake Trilogy, Book 2) (35 page)

“Oh, Mom! Thank you! Thank you for being here, for not sending me to boarding school, for loving me…thank you for everything!” I can’t stop crying long enough to say anything else, not that anything more is needed. I have a bond with Claire that I always dreamed I’d have with my mother when I grew up. It’s a dream that had once died as so much of me did at the hands of my grandmother. But now, that part of me is alive and redeemed.

We release our grasp on each other and look into each other’s eyes. Mother and daughter. Lost and found. Our bond solidified forever.

It takes a few moments for me to realize that anyone else is even in the room. When I do I see my family staring at us with wet eyes. All of them. Luke and Will, Wes and Eliana. Before I know it, Luke is joining our embrace and I feel a gush a warmth wash over me. I feel so complete in their arms. No guilt. Just as absolutely complete as any child should feel in the arms of their parents.

“You’re happy,” Will says, brushing the hair from my face as we assemble ourselves after we break from each other.

“Yes, very. Was I not happy before?”

“You’ve been happy for a long time. Just…not this kind of happy.”

I breathe a sigh of unadulterated happiness and join Will on the Great Room couch. I lay back against Will’s side and take the hand draped over my shoulder in mine. I scan the room and see six of the happiest people in the world.

“Layla, you should know we’re watching coverage of the trial. There’s been…an incident,” Luke says warning me.

“What kind of incident?” I sit up, immediately tensed at the idea that something could go wrong and Gregory Meyer would not be made to pay for his transgressions.

“One of the jurors was found dead…a victim of a home invasion.” Luke’s delivery is of what the news is reporting and not the facts. We all know that the fact is Gregory Meyer gave that directive.

“Wes, I thought you said those guys were on our side?” I’m confused. Wes has told us time and again that we don’t have to worry about Meyer’s new goons coming after us.

“They are on our side, Layla, but all that means is that
we
are safe. As long as he holds the cards, they’re going to play his game.”

“Oh, no!” Claire has seen the breaking news alert across the bottom of the screen and we all look up in time to listen to the reporter give more details.

“Thanks, Steve. I’m here in front of the US District Court House in Charlotte where the trial of Gregory Meyer has been underway for several weeks. However the trial had been placed on hold while an alternate juror was selected after the unfortunate death of juror number eight. But a new wrench has been thrown into the trial as a second juror, juror number four, failed to report for duty this morning. At this point in time juror number four’s whereabouts are still unknown. If this juror is not located within the next 24-hours, another alternate will have to be selected.

“As you can see, Mr. Meyer doesn’t seem to be fazed by the disruption in the proceedings.” Will’s father and his legal team are sauntering down the steps of the courthouse with prideful grins I’d love to punch right off. There are cameras and reporters circling them, each vying for a quote to skyrocket them to the front page of their journal. “And, as you know, Steve, the defense could definitely use this to their benefit by calling for a mistrial and sending this case back to square one, buying the Meyer defense team more time.”

A shot rings out through the television and the reporter and her cameraman instinctively duck.
Bang! Bang!
Another two shots and we’re literally all sitting at the edge of our seats. The cameraman regains his footing and the angle is upright now. He gets the reporter into the frame and she begins frantically telling about the situation.

“Uh, Steve…as you’ve just heard, three shots have been fired into the crowd here on the steps of the US District Court House in Charlotte. It’s unclear at this time if anyone has been hurt…wait…I can see…hold on…yes, I can see him now. Gregory Meyer has been shot.”

Oh, dear God.

The crowd parts as police gather around Meyer’s still body. Eliana stands to her feet and then falls to her knees, with Wes immediately at her side. No matter what he put her through, she never wished this kind of payback on him.

There’s another crowd gathering near a half a dozen police officers who look to be restraining someone. The camera zooms in as the reporter describes the scene in further detail. It’s hard to see through the people swarming the steps, and I find myself tilting and turning my head to get a better view, even though that’s impossible.

Will’s arm tightens around my shoulder as we watch the horror of his father having been shot unfold on national television.

As the crowd disperses under the direction of local law enforcement, the country gets a clear picture of the person responsible for shooting Gregory Meyer. We all give a collective gasp as we watch in absolute shock as two Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers handcuff Holly Reynolds and take her into custody.

I continue to be in awe of the tremendous support my fellow bookworms have given. I’m over the moon with joy that you all have fallen in love with Layla and Will as much as I have. Thank you for your kind words of love and for inviting so many of your friends and family on the journey!

A huge thank you to my amazing editor, Lisa. You have become a dear friend. I’m so thankful for you and all the Bang Bang Shrimp two girls could consume!

To my personal Fab Four: Lisa S., Lisa B., Jenna, and Kelly. What can I say that I haven’t already said? You continue to amaze me with your pure love for Layla’s story. You have cheered me on, challenged me, and filled me with more positive affirmation than this girl truly deserves. I am humbled by your commitment to seeing this story to the end, and I’m so grateful to have each of you walking with me.
Your friendship means the world to me.

Thank you to my attorneys-on-call Joe Lackey and Robert Whitlow. Your legal guidance proved to be so incredibly helpful. I feel blessed to have been connected with both of you!

To my dear, sweet friend Dana. Your friendship means more to me than you may ever know. Thank you for your listening ears and your words of wisdom. You have been steadfast and I will always treasure you.

Thank you to my writing heroes Ted Dekker, Colleen Hoover, Jamie McGuire, Suzanne Collins,
and Kathryn Stockett. To write is one thing. To put your writing out there for the world to see requires a level of bravery not for the faint of heart. You paved the way and gave me the courage to be brave.

I truly have the BEST fans in the world! The outpouring of love for the Lake Trilogy has been mind-blowing. Some of you repeatedly posted your excitement for these books and encourage your friends almost daily to follow me (Stephanie!), and others of you moved hell and high water to get your hands on a book (Katrina!). Your devotion is heart-warming and I want you to know just how much you all mean to me. I’m fully aware that my success is due in no small part to all of you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

I’m so thankful for my family. My parents, my brothers and their families, my in-laws…you have done nothing but been completely supportive of this crazy venture of mine and for that I will always be thankful.

I continue to be so grateful to my brother, Derek, for his time and talent in making the cover art for the Lake Trilogy so beautiful. The first quarter of 2013 was incredibly busy for you, yet you made time to gift me with your talent and expertise. Thank you so much!

Because my computer knowledge is lacking, I’m so thankful to my oldest brother, Glenn. You gave me your time and helped walk me through making the web site excellent. Thank you for playing such a big part in making the web presence of the Lake Trilogy look so great!

Truman and Claire, you are my proudest accomplishment. You grow so much every day, showing me your brilliance and making me so excited for what God has in store for you.

To my amazing husband: your belief in me over these last few years has been astonishing. Every time I told you what Will and Layla were up to, how their story was unfolding, you encouraged me, telling me how awesome the story line was, or how you were so impressed with what I was accomplishing. If I sell a kabillion books or have as many fans, none of it will mean as much to me as the love and support you have always given me. I love you and would be so completely lost without you.

Troubled Waters
is the second book in AnnaLisa Grant’s acclaimed Lake Trilogy. AnnaLisa earned her Master’s degree in Counseling at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. She and her husband Donavan live with their two children in Matthews, North Carolina.

Layla’s journey comes to a
conclusion in the Lake Trilogy’s
Safe Harbor
 

Available June 2013
!

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
 

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

For more information, visit:

AnnaLisaGrant.com

Facebook.com/AuthorAnnalisaGrant

Author photo by Charlotte Photography

CharlottePhotography.com
 

Cover art by Derek Wesley Selby/Divine Spark Creative Services

[email protected]