Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 135955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
This is my fault.
Despair sets in, and my breathing picks up. What do I do? I can’t tell Harley or any of my friends at this point. It’s not fair to Major. How do I tell the man I’ve been dating for such a short time that our lives are about to permanently change?
Loneliness consumes me, and the overwhelming need for my mom takes over. She’ll be surprised and undoubtedly disappointed in my carelessness, but she’ll know what to say.
As if by divine intervention she senses me, my phone rings with her tone. I swallow and clear my throat.
“Hey, Mama! Your ears must be ringing. I was thinking about —”
“Jewls, it’s Justin. I have Aunt Margo’s phone.” The fierce sharpness in his tone sends my heart plummeting.
“What’s wrong?”
“Margo found Uncle Gill outside the barn. He was unresponsive. Paramedics got his pulse steady, but he’s still not awake. First guess is a heart attack. We won’t know more until we get to ER. Margo’s with Caleb, behind the ambulance. I’m following. Toby is on his way to the hospital.”
“Oh my God. Daddy…”
“We don’t know anything, but fuck—fuck, I’ve never seen Aunt Margo so scared. She ran out without her purse or phone, screaming after the ambulance.”
“I’ll be there soon.”
“Can Major drive you?”
“He’s in court all day. And everyone else has things going on.”
“You’re in no shape to drive. I’ll keep you updated.”
“Dumbledweeb, this is my family. I’ll wrap up some things and be on the road within the hour. Anything else happens, you call me.”
I hang up before he argues. The emotions inside simmer down. Now is not the time for me to lose it, nor is it the time for me to wallow in self-pity.
I’m twenty-seven years old and accidentally pregnant with a man who may or may not resent us for the rest of our lives.
There are worse things that could happen.
Like losing my dad.
27
Major
We watch through the glass at the man pacing the room. He alternates between checking his watch and running his hands through his hair. His bloodshot eyes come to the mirror, and it’s clear he knows he’s caught.
“He’s figured it out.” Talon assesses the same.
“Who starts the pool?” Ace leans against the wall, resembling a man without a care in the world.
“Who’s interviewing?”
“Flowers,” Talon answers.
“Hmmm, that’s tough.” I think about this scumbag and his surprise when Officer Flowers walks through the door. She’s tough as nails, Ex-navy, and has no room for bullshit.
But this guy is egotistical, convinced women are beneath him.
“I’ll take Flowers in ten for twenty.” Talon tosses a twenty-dollar bill on the counter.
“Flowers in twenty. This guy will fuck with her.” I toss my bill in the pile.
“Flowers in five!” Ace is quick to add, throwing his own money in.
The door opens and Officer Flowers walks in, followed by Ford, who looks lethal.
“Might as well pocket that money now,” Talon whines.
We watch as the interrogation starts. As expected, Travis Wilkes bows up with a chip on his shoulder. When the allegations are explained, he jumps up, slamming his palms on the table in rage. Ford steps closer, and Travis makes the mistake of twisting and pushing him back, raising his fist.
In less than a second, Ford has him against the table in a hold that could snap his arm easily. A little pressure to the side would dislocate his shoulder. Blood pours from Travis’s nose as he howls about police brutality.
Flowers continues casually laying out the evidence of his attack on Rowan.
His bravado lasts one more minute before he sags and his knees buckle. Ford shoves him into the chair.
Because of our relationship with Rowan, the Captain wouldn’t let us be an official part of the investigation, but we all offered our expertise in putting the case together—off the record. After the altercation at Rowan’s, Craig officially became a person of interest again. Talon’s impression of him sealed the deal. He was too pompous to get his hands dirty, but he was definitely shady. A break in another case led to Travis.
A hired hand who recently became ten-thousand dollars richer.
All roads point back to Craig, but we need a confession.
“So, what do you say, Mr. Wilkes? You going down for the robbery and attempted murder of Rowan Ellis? Or are you fessing up to your accomplice for a lighter sentence?”
All the color drains out of his face. “I didn’t take shit from that bitch’s house, and I definitely didn’t try to kill her.”
There it is. A confession.
Ace collects his money and fans his face. “Smell the victory.”
“You got lucky,” Talon mutters.
Ford’s eyes are locked on the man, his face a mask of stone. The vein in his neck visibly ticks in a way that indicates he’s about to lose it.
“Whitman.”
Talon and Ace close in on the window. Travis will be fortunate if he walks out of this room with only a broken nose.