Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 143728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
“You can wait until later. Don’t upset him. He looks like he’s ready for bed.”
“He missed his nap today.”
“I better be going and let you put the boys to sleep. I hope I get to see you again before you leave.” Ginny smoothed Clint’s hair down. His face was pressed against his mama’s shoulder. “He’s beautiful, Lily. Both of your boys are,” she said as Shade stood and took John’s hand.
Giving Lily a hug without disturbing Clint, Ginny wished them all goodnight.
It was only when she was in her car on her way home that her mind went back to the text from Chris. The same sense of dread filled her as when she had read it. He texted that none of his friends admitted to leaving the note. That left two options. Either one of Gianna’s friends had done it, or … she was in serious trouble.
Chapter Forty-One
She was in deep, deep, trouble.
“Do you have any idea who it could it be?”
Ginny sat on the couch in her living room, with Shade standing across the room from her. She was still trying to process what he had told her about what happened to Zoey last night at the nursing home where she worked at caring for an elderly patient. Zoey had fallen asleep, and when she had awoken, a man had tried to kill her and succeeded in killing the patient. Now she had been awoken from a deep sleep to find Shade knocking on her door and trying to wrap her brain around the fact that Zoey had almost been killed because of her.
“No,” she half-lied. She really didn’t think Allerton was responsible for attacking Zoey or the patient. She still thought he believed she was dead. Besides that, if he did know she was alive, he would have been able to get to her without involving Zoey. Gianna would have been the more obvious target in that case.
“He tried to kill Zoey because she sang with me at the bar?”
“Yes.”
“I found a note in my bedroom after Gianna had a party for her boyfriend. I thought it was a joke, yet none of their friends admitted writing it.”
“Do you still have it?”
“I’ll get it.” Ginny rose from the couch, brushing her hair from her face with a trembling hand. “Do you mind if I take time to get dressed?”
“Go ahead.”
She felt like she was in the middle of a nightmare. Ginny didn’t question why Shade had been the one sent to talk to her. She had known since she found out that Pastor Dean was Lucky that she was under the protection of The Last Riders. Her working for the club and Viper feeling responsible for her house burning down had only reinforced the connection. With Shade still being in Queen City, Stump probably gave Shade the job of telling her that she had a stalker. Trudy and her friends had schooled her with how motorcycle clubs protected their own, well before she had gone to work for The Last Riders. They would take it as a personal affront that someone would harm someone they considered under their protection.
Throwing on a pair of jeans and a loose blouse, she then went to the nightstand and took the note out. Going back in the living room, Shade was in the kitchen, making coffee for them. Feeling as if her legs were going to give out, she sat down on one of the stools, sliding the note toward Shade.
Setting a cup down in front of her, he lifted his own to his mouth as he read the note.
“Do you mind if I keep it?”
“Go ahead.”
“Has anyone called you Nightingale before?”
“No, never.”
“The police want you to come in. Zoey is working with a sketch artist. They want to see if you recognize the person in the sketch. They’ll also take a report about you receiving the note.”
The nightmare was worsening.
“I need to make a phone call first.” She desperately needed to talk to Hammer. Would the police dig into her background if she reported the incident? Zoey had been hurt, nearly killed, and another woman had been killed. She couldn’t put her own safety first. She just wanted to warn Hammer to protect himself and Trudy.
“Who do you need to call?”
“Willa.” Ginny had to think fast with Shade’s blue eyes drilling holes into her, watching her reaction. “I just want to tell her about the note and what’s going on before she finds out from anyone else.”
“I see.”
Feeling nervous, Ginny saw him set his cup down before he placed both of his palms on the counter. “There’s one thing I found interesting about you.”
She really didn’t want to know what it was, but she could tell from his expression that he expected her to ask.
“What?”
“Nothing scares you.”
“Obviously, you don’t remember the night my house burnt down.”