Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Yes, she never was the homebody that you are.”
I force another smile and then leave the kitchen.
I can’t go to my bedroom. It’s a fucking crime scene.
So I go outside on the deck and call my brother.
“Raven?” he says into the phone.
“Hey, Fal.”
“Oh my God, what’s the matter? You don’t sound good.”
“A little freaked out, to be honest.”
“Why?”
My heart skips a beat. “No one told you what happened?”
A pause. “Ray, what’s going on?”
I take a deep breath in. I haven’t actually verbalized what happened to Brick to anyone. I tried to leave a voicemail for Vinnie twice, but I couldn’t get the words out. And I spoke as little as I could when the detective was interviewing me.
“You know that lawyer I told you about? The one who’s helping me with the nonprofit?”
“The one you had a date with?” His voice suddenly adopts an edge. “Did he do something to you? Did he hurt you?”
“No, no. It’s nothing like that. I actually canceled the date. I…wasn’t feeling well.”
“What happened, Ray?”
“He…” I choke on the words. I swallow and force them out. “He’s dead, Fal. Someone killed him. And they left the body in my bed.”
No response.
“Fal? You there?”
“Is this some kind of joke?”
“I swear it isn’t. On Mom and Dad’s life. It’s awful. They have no idea what happened.” The emotions spring back out of my throat, and tears start falling down my cheeks again.
“Hey, hey.” His voice evens out. “What matters is that you’re okay, Ray. Mom and Dad are okay.”
I wipe my eyes. “I suppose.”
“I can’t believe something like this would happen at their house, though. Why didn’t anyone call me?”
“Mom and Dad called Hawk to pick me up at my place this morning. I guess they didn’t want to bother you. I mean, you’ve been through so much and all.”
“Fuck…”
“But you’re right. I’m okay. Mom and Dad are okay.” My stomach twists into a sailor’s knot. “I can’t say the same for Brick Latham.”
“I’m on my way.”
“No,” I say. “Please. You and Savannah need to—”
“Damn it, Ray, I’m still a member of this family. I’m coming over.”
“Fine. Come over. In fact, call Leif. I need a favor.”
“What for?”
“I’ve been back at my house the last couple of days. Trying to get ready to move back in.”
“Already?”
“Yeah. I need to get back on my feet. But the issue is…”
God, how do I even say this?
“Yeah?”
“I need Leif to come take a look. Do a sweep. Make sure no one has been… I don’t know…”
“Raven, do you think someone’s watching you?”
“Maybe. Someone killed Brick, and Brick was coming to see me. And last night I had a feeling… You know that feeling you get when you feel like you’re not alone?”
“Yeah, I know it all too well. You learn how to be hyperaware when you’re in the slammer. Believe me.”
“God, Falcon… This is why no one wanted to call you. You’ve been through enough.”
“Hey, it’s over. And thanks to Vinnie, we have time to deal with everything else so that I don’t go back.”
Goosebumps erupt on my body. “Should we even be talking like this? On this line?”
“Probably not. Tell you what. I’ll get Leif, and we’ll meet you at your place. About an hour. Will that work?”
My mother will no doubt question me about where I’m going, but I want this done as soon as possible. “Yeah, that will work fine. See you then.”
4
VINNIE
“It’s done,” I say to my grandfather as soon as I sit down in the chair facing his desk in the morning.
“Yes, I got word.”
I keep my eyebrows fixed, resisting the urge to let them fly off my forehead.
Don’t show surprise.
Never show surprise to my grandfather. Of course he was watching me. I’d be a fool to think otherwise. That drone last night at Raven’s place? That was all him. When I texted him to call it off, it went away.
I toss the pinky ring on his desk. “Here’s your prize.”
He takes the ring, examines it. “What about the rest?”
I shake my head. “I’m not mutilating a dead body. I got the ring. Take your token. That’s it. I got it done, and I did it my way.”
He fiddles with the ring, a glint of something—oh God, I think it’s pride—in his eyes. “I have to hand it to you, Vincent. It was a good idea. You did your research, and you figured it out.” He puts the ring down and stares into my eyes. “But not everyone I assign to you is going to have a peanut allergy.”
“I’ll find another way.”
“You will also find,” he says, completely ignoring my comment, “that when you take care of it yourself, with no witnesses, you keep yourself much safer.”
“You’ve had plenty of witnesses over the years.”
He cocks his head. “And how would you know that? You haven’t been here.”