Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
There was an even longer pause and then, “My suggestion to you, then, would be to come in and plead your case directly in front of the judge. We’ve been trying to get ahold of you for months, and it’s finally made it to court. I thought I’d try one final time to get in touch with you. So, if you’re at all interested in not being charged with this, you’ll get down here tomorrow for the hearing that’s on Friday.”
My hands fisted at my side.
“Where and when?” I asked. “And isn’t it usually normal for some sort of official summons to come my way before I’m charged? I think that’s how it goes with the actual law, right?”
She must’ve heard the facetiousness in my voice because I could tell she was getting angry.
“Mr. Singh…”
“Don’t call me by that man’s name,” I said. “I’m no longer Mr. Singh.”
“That also might be part of the problem,” she pointed out. “If you no longer go by Mr. Singh, finding you and serving you with this wouldn’t have been so easy.”
“Well, that seems like a problem on y’all’s end… not mine,” I fumed. “And I’m going to need a little bit more information to go on other than ‘elder abuse.’”
“I’ll send you everything relevant as soon as I can. I’ll just need you to provide me with your email address,” she informed me.
I provided the info, then heard her sigh. “The email we have on file for you is under Singh as well. I’ll get it sent right over. We’ll see you soon.”
I got the email seconds after she’d hung up.
Two seconds after that, I forward it to Folsom, then called her.
“I got it. Give me an hour or so to go through it, and I’ll call back,” she urged, sounding giddy and excited.
Fuckin’ A.
The bathroom door opened and a fresh-faced Ande emerged, dressed for battle.
“I’m ready to go. I’m going to have Quinn pick me up, but I’ll walk you up there first.” She squared her shoulders. “Are you coming or what? I thought you were going to get ready?”
I couldn’t believe she’d agreed to this.
I also couldn’t believe that for the rest of the day I’d have to pretend that I wasn’t mad as hell.
The last thing I should be doing was babysitting my sisters’ kids, but with them all working tonight, and me the only one off, it meant I was doing it regardless of my feelings.
“I’ll get dressed,” I grumbled.
She followed me into the closet, her face set in a frown. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
I kissed her forehead and sighed. “I’m going to have to tell you later. I don’t have enough time to tell this properly right now.
We were both upset by the time we walked up two flights of stairs to my sister’s place. She knew this wasn’t good.
Crimson met us at the door, looking frazzled. “Oh, good. You’re here. I’ve already fed them all. Don’t let them try to convince you differently.”
Then she snatched the keys off the end table and left before I could get a word in edgewise.
Ande followed me inside, looking like a deer in headlights.
Her eyes were wide as she took in the almost tornado-like effect of the open-concept studio apartment.
“Wow,” she breathed. “This is…”
“Welcome to House of Chaos,” I said. “Just…”
“Shit, Quinn’s here.” She looked at her phone. “Give me a kiss. I lov…”
She trailed off, her eyes wide.
“Finish it,” I urged.
Because I felt the same fucking way.
She swallowed hard and then said, “I love you.”
I pulled her in close, then smashed my mouth to hers.
I gave her the kiss that I should’ve given her behind closed doors.
But she didn’t complain.
She did leave me to the wolves, though.
“I’ll see you later.” She smiled.
She was mostly out the door when I called her name. “Ande?”
She stopped with the door cracked and looked at me. “I feel the same way, you know.”
“You do?” she breathed.
“I love you, too,” I said.
Her shoulders slumped. “I wish I didn’t have to go.”
“But you do.” I gestured for her to leave. “Text me when you get there.”
She left with a wave, and I knew she’d text me as soon as she got to the funeral home where they would be making the finalized plans for Addison’s funeral.
Tomorrow was the big day.
And it looked like I would fucking miss it.
Goddammit.
This couldn’t be worse.
My thoughts screeched to a sudden halt when I saw my youngest nephew come into the room.
Of course it would be Nash.
“Umm,” I said as I saw the fish—the very dead fish—in Nash Jr.’s hands. “Whatcha got there, buddy?”
Nash held the dead goldfish up with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Fish!”
Merrit came barreling around the corner, looking horrified at what Nash was holding.
“He killed him!” Merrit bellowed. “He killed him, and he died, and he’ll be so dead. What do we do with his dead body?”