Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
“That’s why you were here. That’s the case you’ve been working on?”
“Yeah.”
“She didn’t do it,” I deny instantly. “I mean, I don’t really know her well, but I can’t see her killing anyone or being okay with anyone killing someone she considered a friend.”
“Miranda—”
“She’s sweet, Tucker.” I rest my hands against his chest. “I know she looks like she’s hard, but she’s not. She’s just a kid who is trying to figure out where she belongs.” My throat starts to get tight.
“I don’t want you or Kingston around her.” The demand is spoken gently, but there is no ignoring it’s a demand and not a request.
“I’m sorry, but no,” I whisper as my eyes fill with tears. “You told me this world is fucked up, and it is, but I don’t want to be part of the reason she has to find out just how fucked up it is.” I squeeze my eyes closed and rest my forehead against his chest. “She’s smart—so smart she’s graduating early. And even though her dad works nights, she’s not out partying or hanging out with friends. She’s always home.” I open my eyes and tip my head back to look at him. “She was so happy when I did her hair and so thankful after I took her to meet with Nikki to talk about college.”
“Baby.” He cups my cheeks and wipes the tears from under my eyes.
“She’s sweet, Tucker, and I never want to be the reason she loses that.” My voice breaks. “Not when she’s held onto it for so long in spite of all the fucked-up things that have happened to her.”
“Okay,” he whispers after a long moment of his eyes searching mine.
“Okay,” I whisper back, and he cups the back of my head, pressing my face against his chest. Wrapping my arms around him, I cry for the girl next door who’s had to endure more than she should’ve at her age.
And as I cry, I silently make a promise that I’ll find a way to show that young woman her worth and that everything will be okay, like so many people have done for me. Because no one should ever feel like they’re floating in the middle of the ocean all alone, not when they have the sun overhead during the day and the moon and the stars to keep them company at night.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
tucker
With Miranda sleeping next to me, her body wrapped around mine, I watch the lights traveling across the dark ceiling in her room like a physical representation of the good and evil fighting for supremacy in this world.
Until last night, I’ve never questioned a decision I’ve made, and I’ve never been more torn than I am right now. The need to make sure Miranda and Kingston are both safe at all costs is something that has become paramount to my personal wellbeing.
I close my eyes. If I were listening to someone else talk about these emotions after knowing someone for such a short time, I would question their sanity. But there is no denying the way I feel about the woman in my arms and the boy asleep in the room next door. And after witnessing Miranda break down over a girl she hardly knows, I understand this urge, I have to give her what she wants while still protecting her is going to come at a cost.
And that cost is my own sanity.
Until I know for certain Carrie had absolutely nothing to do with Kristen’s death and that she hasn’t lied to protect herself or anyone else, there is no way I will ever fully trust her around the two people who have come to mean more to me than the world in such a short time than should be possible.
I look down at Miranda when she moves and let out a breath. The only thing that is bringing me any kind of peace right now is knowing Steven is hiding something and that Carrie has no relationship with him. Or at least not one I have been able to find.
As soon as we said we wanted to talk to him at the station, he told us that he needed to speak with his lawyer. And about ten minutes later, his lawyer called us and let us know he would not be in. And that any questions we had for him or anyone at World Church would need to be addressed through him directly. After years of doing this job, I know that unless you have something to hide, your first thought isn’t going to be that you need a lawyer. And if he’s a man of faith like he claims to be, he should want to know what happened to a girl who was at one point under his care.
Hearing the door to the bedroom open, I lift my head and watch Kingston come in, his face soft with sleep, but the tears in his eyes have me instantly on alert.