Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26659 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26659 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 133(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“No,” I hissed, ignoring the way the table bit into me as I pressed my chest into it. “Roy was there. He came over a couple of days after they transported you here and said he wanted to help us with your stuff. Euan had rented a U-Haul to move us into the smaller house, so we left him packing up the kitchen while we dropped off what we’d packed into it and Chloe’s car.”
At the time, it hadn’t made sense to me why we’d been moving when we owned the best home in the world, but now that I was older, I understood the value of the rent we’d gotten on it versus the smaller amount we paid out on the new place.
Euan hadn’t wanted to use anything of Mom’s, not even money from the legal rental of her house, but with four of us to feed and clothe, neither he nor Chloe would have been able to cover it all with the jobs they had at the time. Sure, my grandparents had helped out, but Euan and Chloe had been determined for us to stand on our own feet, so they’d rarely asked for anything from them.
The second that changed, and they finished college and got jobs, though, all the money went into Mom’s account, and none of us touched it. Yeah, it was there for emergencies, like I’d said, but that didn’t mean we ever used it for any of them.
Mom’s eyes narrowed at this. “So, either he slipped it in there, in case the authorities went through my stuff again, or he accidentally left it there.”
I was quiet for a moment, my mind and emotions reeling. “I don’t understand your reasons for doing this, Mom. Whatever we would have gone through if the news about Christian had gone public, I’d have been able to take it. In fact,” I added sadly, “I probably would have taken it better than I did when you were arrested.”
I did my best to wipe away the tear that spilled over discreetly, but when I glanced around the room, a few people shot me a sympathetic smile, proving it hadn’t worked.
“I know that now, Eva. At the time, I didn’t think anything like this would ever happen. Hell, I didn’t even know the true scale of what Roy was getting up to until about three minutes before I was arrested. I wish to God I’d never done it because I miss you guys more than you’ll ever know. Even with Euan and Chloe not talking to me—which I totally understand—I love and miss them so much.”
I could sympathize with her about regrets. I had a lot of my own. Joshua, not telling him outright about Mom so I didn’t get my heart broken, accidentally leaving my work I.D. in the storage room, and having to go back and get it… Actually, no, I didn’t regret that. That’s how I’d found out about him before I’d given him even another minute to work his way into my heart.
But, let’s face it, he’d already been cemented in there, so that last bit was redundant if I was honest with myself.
“We need to find out what Roy’s doing and where that money is. What do you remember about him that’ll help me do that?”
Mom’s eyes widened at the question, and she shook her head emphatically. “No. You’re not getting involved in this shit, Eva. I forbid it.”
“You don’t understand. Harry Owens got a man to date me to find out where his uncle’s money is. He wants it back, and I know what kind of man he is. I don’t want him targeting Euan, Chloe, or Laura next to find it. I’m involved in this now, so I need to get him the information he needs to get it back so we can move on.”
“But it could be dangerous, Eva.”
“So could doing nothing! We could also maybe get you out of here if we tell your lawyer and a judge the truth about what happened to you. Blackmail and coercion are illegal, right? Maybe they’ll take pity on you?”
She gripped the neckline of the grey sweater she was wearing, her hand visibly shaking as she did it. “But then people will find out about Christian.”
Holding my hand out for her to take and shooting a smile at the guard who watched as Mom took my hand, I said seriously, “Like I give a shit. There’s nothing he can do to me now, and he’s the one who cheated on his wife and lied about the state of his marriage behind closed doors. If that news comes out, we’ll get through it.”
“Okay,” she whispered, licking her lips nervously. “I’ll tell you everything I remember about Roy and his life, but you have to promise me you’ll be safe. I don’t want that James man hurting you.”