Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 55510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“How long could he be put away for?” I asked John, my voice barely coming out above a whisper. My throat felt so tight that it was difficult to properly swallow.
“It’s hard to tell right now. All of the evidence is still coming in, but it could be up to twenty years depending on a lot of factors,” John said in a sympathetic voice.
My eyes shot wide open as my hand dropped away from my forehead.
“Twenty years?” I asked, my voice full of disbelief.
“It’s a serious offense, Emery, but your father could reduce his sentence by cooperating with the investigators about Deviau,” John explained.
I chewed on the corner of my bottom lip, wondering if my father was going to say anything or not. I wanted his sentence to be reduced, but snitching would piss off Deviau and whoever worked for him. At least jail was somewhat safe for my father to be in right now, but that left me here on the outside.
“Is that why he sent four bodyguards to watch over me?” I asked John.
“Yes, he arranged for them to protect you while he’s gone,” John replied.
I tilted my head back with a groan. I would go insane if I had to spend years with four men trailing me everywhere I went. I cherished my privacy, so I wasn’t just going to stand by and let it be taken away.
“I’ll be fine without them. I have a perfectly functioning lock on my door, and I won’t leave the apartment that much until things have died down,” I told him. The few hours of freedom I had without anyone hovering over me was so nice, and I wanted to go back to that.
“You should let them do their job. Your father not only sent them money, but he transferred all of the money in his accounts to your account. You hold your father’s fortune,” John informed me.
My jaw dropped. I didn’t know the exact amount of money my father had, but I knew it was in the millions. His tech company raked in tens of thousands per month, but some of the money that was now mine used to belong to a drug lord. That left a sour sensation in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t want that money, but maybe I could do something good with it.
“What do I do from here on out, John? Can I even go home?” I asked him, needing some sort of guidance, despite my thirst for freedom. I just needed a little nudge in the right direction. Then, I could spread my wings and take off. It wasn’t like I had ever dealt with something like this before.
“I think you should stay where you’re at. Just to be safe,” John told me. “Use some of that money and pay the landlord to let you stay there for now. Keep your head down and try not to leave the apartment much. If there are any updates, you’ll hear from me right away.”
“Thank you. Will my father at least be out on bond?” I asked with a hopeful tone in my voice. It would give me at least a little time with my father before he was sent away for however many years. Even if I liked my freedom, it didn’t mean that my heart didn’t ache every time I thought about my father stuck in some cold cell.
“I’m afraid not. The judge refused,” John sighed. “Honestly, they were probably wary about him leaving and Deviau getting a hold of him.”
A chill crept down my spine as I glanced toward the door of my apartment. I doubted that I needed to worry. It wasn’t like I had anything to do with the whole money laundering scheme. I had nothing to offer Deviau, since my father was in jail.
“Oh, okay. Just let me know when there are visiting hours or something,” I told him, hoping that I at least got to see my father to let him know that I was alive and perfectly fine on my own. He was probably on the verge of giving himself a heart attack worrying about me.
“I will. I’ll tell him that you’re keeping your spirits high, and letting the bodyguards do their job,” John said pointedly.
I rolled my eyes. I was starting to feel a little offended at this point. Did people really think I was that incapable of taking care of myself? I was twenty-three years old. I was capable of keeping myself alive and taking care of myself, and I would’ve done so for the past four years if my father wasn’t a notorious helicopter parent.
“Sure. Tell him that,” I replied. “Whatever you need to say to put him at ease.”
John sighed.
“If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me. Your father is a dear friend of mine. I’d hate for anything bad to happen to you,” he said.