Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Violet is a great woman. I can see why you adore her. You say you could never thank her enough, but have you tried telling her what you just told me? I bet it would mean the world to hear it.”
“Violet, wait,” I call out before she exits my office.
I stride over to her and pull her frail frame into my arms. Closing my eyes, I inhale her scent that’s always reminded me a little bit of Mom. “Thank you.”
She squeezes me back. “Oh, it’s just breakfast.”
“No,” I say, pulling back to look down at her. “Thank you for being you. For being the mother figure I desperately needed. Thank you for the pie and the memories and the love.”
Her face crumples as big, fat tears form. I hug her to me again, hoping to convey how much she means to me. She sniffles and is in no hurry to leave my embrace.
“I knew he’d be good for you, sweetie. He’s good for the whole family, but he’s especially good for you. I’m just so thrilled you’re finally finding a little happiness. You deserve it, Jude.”
She thinks I deserve it?
Even after knowing I couldn’t save my own mother?
I want to argue, but I don’t want to hurt her again this morning. I keep my lips sealed. Tate would be proud.
Once she’s composed herself, she pulls away, grinning at me. “I’m going to make manicotti tonight with homemade noodles and sauce.”
“But it takes forever,” I counter because it’s one of her least favorite meals to make despite me and Grandpa being huge fans.
“My boys are worth it.” She laughs. “Besides, food is my love language. Let me show you how much I love you.”
I gape at her as she shuffles out of the office. She loves me? How? Why? And she said her boys are worth it. Does she include Tate in that statement? My heart does a somersault at that thought. I want him included.
My phone buzzes with more texts from Baker. I preview them but choose not to respond to his annoying ass.
Baker: Tonight?
Baker: Answer me, dumbass.
Baker: When you get this, let’s get together.
Baker: You ignored me all day yesterday. Do I have to show up on your porch to get you to respond to me?
Baker: Bring whoever you’re seeing. I don’t care. Just need to see you, man.
This guy is fucking relentless. I’m going to block his ass later.
While I wolf down breakfast, I research the best contractors. There’s a gay couple here in town who run a home remodeling business. One of the husbands is the interior decorator and the other one is the contractor. I decide they’ll be perfect for my projects.
After emailing a request for service, I switch over to the dark web to utilize my hacking programs that’ll allow me access to police records. It doesn’t take long before I’m in the Park Mountain PD database. I start with a search for Sloane Thurman and then look for reports made yesterday.
I find the one for the victim, Tate Prince, and begin reading her notes.
Victim states past history with ex-boyfriend who has a pattern of vandalizing his vehicles. Mentioned the ex also physically and sexually assaulted him on numerous occasions. After some urging, the victim finally gave up the name of his ex-boyfriend, Sean Baker, but doesn’t want to, under any circumstance, have us bring him in for questioning for fear of retaliation.
Sean Baker?
Every cell in my body turns to ice and I remain frozen, staring at the police report. Tate, my sweet, fucking adorable Tate, has been stalked and terrorized by my ex-best friend?
But he’s married.
He has fucking kids!
The room spins as I attempt to make sense of this mess. It certainly explains Baker’s sudden appearance back in my life. I didn’t think the timing was suspect, but now it’s obvious. It aligns to around the time I turned on Tate’s phone.
I pointed a beacon right at Tate.
But how did Baker get that information? He said he was a firefighter. They don’t give you access to phone records or how to locate someone with their phone. Either he’s a hacker like me, which is highly doubtful because this shit isn’t easy and Baker’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, or he knows someone at the PMPD.
Who?
I’m going to need to get Sloane over here so we can figure this out. There’s a rat at her station and I’m going to drown them.
First, though, I’m going to beat Baker’s motherfucking face in.
How?
Show up to the goddamn fire station and start whipping his ass?
They’d haul my freakshow ass out in cuffs before I could get two swings on him. Plus, I can’t leave this house. Not like this. I’m an embarrassment to my family.
Because I’m such a mental wreck, I can’t even help my boyfriend.
I can’t protect him like he should be protected.