Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 143728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 479(@300wpm)
Ginny stared out the windshield at the school where Bridge was sitting inside, still not giving a damn that he nearly caused two deaths. Willa was a sitting duck against a man like Bridge. Her gentleness and caring would make her an easy target. Pastor Dean knew that as well as she did. Bridge’s life was on borrowed time, and Ginny owed Pastor Dean too much to let him live the rest of his life with a former friend’s death on his conscience.
“I’m sure.”
At her assurance, Hammer pressed the button on the side of his radio. “It’s a go.”
They watched when the crowd began leaving the gym. Ginny spotted Bridge when he came outside, walking toward his motorcycle. Just as she put his leg over the seat, several men sprang from the nearby cars.
He was handcuffed and stuffed into the back of one of the cars. It was over in less than sixty seconds.
“He’s not going to appreciate being called back on active duty,” Hammer remarked.
“Where will you send him?”
“I haven’t decided. If he ever gets his head back on straight, I want him on my team. Before his brother’s death and this need for vengeance, he used to be a hell of an officer.”
“You’ll get him the help he needs?”
“Yes,” he assured her. “On another note, I couldn’t find anything on the Wests—just like Will and I told you. They keep a pretty clean reputation.”
“Thank you for trying. If you don’t mind driving me to my car, I have an early day tomorrow.”
Hammer started the SUV, then drove them the thirty-minutes back to her car without any idle conversations, both lost in their own thoughts.
When he pulled his vehicle alongside hers, which she’d parked on a dark road out of sight and sound range, she grabbed the door handle.
“Kid?” His quiet voice stopped her from getting out. “Stay out of trouble.”
Ginny turned to look at him from over her shoulder, giving him an innocent look. “I don’t know what you mean.” After a roll of his eyes, she said sincerely, “Thanks, again. I appreciate your help.”
Hammer wasn’t buying it. “All I’m asking is don’t get caught.”
Ginny jauntily pointed two fingers to her forehead in a salute. “Yes, sir.”
“You’re the reason I never had kids,” Hammer complained, putting the SUV back in gear.
“Aw,” Ginny laughed. “You know you love me.” Quickly shutting the door before he could tell her what a pain in his ass she was, Ginny slipped into her car, giving him another salute as he waited for her to pull safely away. Her headlights beaming into the front of his vehicle highlighted the one-finger salute she received back.
* * *
Ginny sat at small table in the diner beside the window that gave the view of the street in front of the sheriff’s office. Sipping coffee in lieu of breakfast, she watched traffic pass. Seeing one of the cars she was looking, Ginny rose from the table to go to the register to pay. Carly took her money as if it were contaminated. Letting the woman’s dislike roll off her back, she was pushing the restaurant door open to leave when she saw the second car she was waiting for drive by.
She started moving, tennis shoes going faster as she sprinted around the side of the building, walking past her car, and making her way to the dumpster. Nimbly climbing the fence, she dropped down to the other side and kept to the trees, as she made her way around the side of the house. When she got reached the back of the house, she just casually walked out of the tree-lined yard as if she was supposed to be there. Ginny didn’t think the neighbor on the other side would be able to see her, but she didn’t waste time inserting the key she’d kept into the back door.
Entering the Wests’ house, she took her tennis shoes off and carried them under her arm as she went upstairs. The sight of her old bedroom in the same pristine shape that she’d had to keep it in when she was younger had her heart beating in anger. The motivation of getting Darcy out of their house had her wanting to scream when she couldn’t find anything.
Going to their bedroom, Ginny had to fight back years of being told never to never enter their bedroom. She took a second to glance around before she began searching through the drawers and closets, looking for something to use against them.
Ginny exited the closet, placing her hands on her hips as she stared around the bedroom once again. “Think, Ginny, think,” she told herself. There had to be a reason she was never allowed to clean their room. Two days a week, she’d had to clean their house from top to bottom, except for this one room. Lisa had lifted her stricture about staying out of other rooms in the house when she had fired a housekeeper that used to come regularly. Why pay someone when Lisa could make Ginny do it for free? Lisa had nitpicked every chore she had been given and had made her dread cleaning days with a passion.