Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133531 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 668(@200wpm)___ 534(@250wpm)___ 445(@300wpm)
Do you need another reminder, Gideon? I can get your sister out here. If you’d rather we practice on your sister instead of this dog, I’d be happy to get her for you. She’s going into the whore stable anyway. Won’t make me much in the way of money, but at least she isn’t worthless like this old dog. Your choice.
Rory drew in her breath when Gideon slammed his mind closed to hers. The detachment was harsh and abrupt. He dropped his chin onto the top of her hair, his arms tightening around her. She didn’t move when she had been prepared to slide from his lap. That small vignette was her first glimpse of anything personal from his childhood. The memory, as tiny as it was, was heartbreaking. She knew something terrible was being demanded of that young Gideon. Rory felt the need to console him. Console the child as well as the grown man.
“Are you going to be okay, Rory?” Lydia asked. “Can you breathe now? I should have thought to find your inhaler. I thought I was good in a crisis, but I failed you epically.” She’d said it twice.
“Lydia,” Detective Larrsen said, his tone gentle, “there’s no need to be upset with yourself. Looking at this wreck and then seeing your friend fall to the ground was terrifying. You did your best to support her. I think it would be wise for both of you to go back to the apartment and let us sort this out.”
Lydia’s eyes met Rory’s. “Are you coming?”
“I’ll be right behind you. I’m just getting my legs. Would you mind bringing my nebulizer to the lounge where we always meet?” Rory knew giving Lydia something to do would help ground her again. She’d never seen Rory have a full-blown panic attack before, and it must have been frightening.
Lydia brightened immediately and nodded. “Yes, of course.”
Larrsen watched Lydia until she was safely in the elevator and it was on the way down to the second floor.
Rory took the time to look around her. A small crowd had gathered. She spotted Javier and Ethan. Javier didn’t look very happy. His phone was out, and he seemed to be taking pictures of the wreck of her car from every angle he could. There were several people she recognized from the apartments. They looked horrified. Scott Tinsdale stood in the middle of the little crowd talking to another man she’d seen in the bar twice. Scott looked up and met her eyes. She couldn’t help the icy-cold fear that slid down her spine.
What is it? Gideon followed her gaze.
Tinsdale had already turned away. Some of the crowd was dispersing as uniformed officers were insisting they leave. He moved with the others, unhurried.
Gideon, see the man in the gray shirt wearing the gray newsboy cap? He’s maybe thirty? Jeans and expensive sneakers? He’s been in the bar a couple of times. He’s never talked to me. Always orders a whiskey. No ice. No frills. Never has more than two. Tinsdale talked to him briefly after I spotted him. Tinsdale may have just been standing next to him and used him to distract me by just simply talking to him.
She saw that Ethan had slipped into the crowd, most likely shadowing Tinsdale. She noted that Gideon hadn’t shared with Larrsen that Tinsdale was connected to Harvey Matters, but then she hadn’t either.
I passed on the message to Harvey without trying to read it, and then I deleted it permanently from my phone just in case that horrible Detective Westlake decided to question me again and insisted I show him my phone.
Once again, Gideon stroked a caress down the back of her hair before tangling his fingers in it. He stood with one easy, fluid movement before she had another chance to protest. He did so with her in his arms. His strength absolutely astounded her every time. He carried her across the parking garage to the elevator before he set her feet on the concrete floor. He didn’t let go of her, keeping one arm wrapped around her waist.
Did Harvey threaten you in any way?
No. He seemed afraid for me. For all of my friends, especially Lydia and Cindy with the kids. He didn’t like that he had put them in danger. He said he had nothing to do with killing the cop or his friends, but someone was trying to frame him.
She needed to keep her mouth closed. She had no idea why every single time she was near Gideon, she felt compelled to share everything with him. “You don’t need to ride the elevator with me, Gideon. You really have to go away.”
“I’m not going to be able to stop reaching out to you.” He made the revelation like he was confessing a sin.
She didn’t answer him. She should have, but the image of that little boy with those sad, too-old eyes welled up and made her heart ache for him. She wasn’t going to forgive or forget what he’d done. She couldn’t ever trust him to put her first, but he came when he shouldn’t have, when he knew she was in trouble. His doctor was probably having convulsions right about now.