Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Her fingers ran through stacks of bills and across keyboards that generated deposit/withdrawal reports. Numbers were safe, she reminded herself. Though they were not her strong suit nor her passion, she could lose herself here, day after day, year after year. Previously, this idea had terrified Tildy- being lost in the numbers until she was a number- but she’d seen now what lay beyond, and it was nothing she could handle.
When the bank officially opened, Tildy smiled her own banker’s smile as she supervised the tellers beginning their shift.
The day went by quickly enough. The bank emptied at ten after 5, and Tildy gathered her things from her office. She rarely stayed late and had to admit that it may have played a small part in her only being a Teller Supervisor after all this time. As much as she didn’t want to be at home much, she had no desire to be here, either. She much preferred the bright yellow walls of the Community Center, tiled with their clutter of flyers and posters.
There were ads for bands she’d never see, free puppies she’d never own, but seeing them always made her feel a part of something anyway. The bank, by contrast, had stark white walls, dull grey floors and black countertops. It was anything but inviting. Tuesdays and Saturdays were her class days, but she wished it was more often.
She used her keys to lock her office door and then the bank’s front entrance, after having set the alarm. She turned to head to her car but nearly screamed in surprise when she almost collided with someone.
“Oh, God!” Tildy gasped, putting a hand over her frantic heart.
“Sorry!” Sarah Sullivan cried. “We’re so sorry!”
Tildy glanced at Abby, who also looked chagrined. A few of the bank’s employees glanced their way as they headed to their own cars. Tildy tried to catch her breath.
“It’s fine,” she told them.
“Tildy, we-”
Tildy shook her head sharply. “I have to go,” she told both women and attempted to move between them. Abby stepped in front of her.
“Tildy,” she said sternly. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Tildy insisted. “You just scared me.”
Abby’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
Tildy frowned. “I- I’m fine.”
“Hawk’s been calling you,” Sarah admonished. “He’s worried sick about you.”
“Well, I’m fine. Just tell him I’m fine.”
“Tildy,” Sarah said quietly. “Hawk didn’t hurt you. No matter how that cop made it sound. Hawk would never-”
“I can’t talk about this,” Tildy snapped. She pushed past both women and hurried across the parking lot to her car. Sarah and Abby wouldn’t give up though and followed her, eventually falling into step with her.
“Tildy, you’ve got to talk to Hawk,” Sarah ordered. “He can help you. We all can. If you just-”
Tildy froze mid-step and blinked a few times. She no longer heard what Sarah was saying. She frowned at her car. There was something tucked under the windshield wiper. She took a few halting steps toward it as dread uncurled in her stomach.
“Tildy?” Abby asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Tildy, are you alright?”
Tildy opened her mouth but couldn’t say anything. She robotically stepped closer to her car, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to do anything but stand there. “Oh, God,” she whispered.
Abby looked at Sarah, who followed Tildy’s gaze to the Mercedes. Sarah broke off from the threesome and crossed the lot. She lifted the wiper gingerly then looked at Abby, her own face as pale as Tildy felt her own must be right now.
“Call the boys,” Sarah ordered.
Abby was already reaching for her phone.
Chapter 26
As Hawk parked his bike next to Caleb’s squad car, he caught sight of Tildy standing with Abby and Sarah. She was shivering, despite the heat. It was Sarah who had her arm around Tildy’s shoulders. Hawk appreciated it, but he wanted to be the one to comfort her.
Caleb walked straight past them to Tildy’s car and picked up Tildy’s panties.
Abby scowled. “Shouldn’t you bag it?”
Caleb sighed and shook his head at her. “It’s Rapid City, Abby,” he told her. “Not Vegas. You want DNA? Great. It’ll be about 5 years.”
As Hawk stepped closer to Tildy, she started to back away. “You shouldn’t be here,” she insisted. “You have to go.”
Hawk strode to her and took her into his arms. “Screw that,” he said quietly into her ear. Tildy collapsed against him. He ran his hands through her hair. “You know I didn’t hurt you, right, Angel?” he whispered.
To his immense relief she nodded.
He leaned back and cradled her face in his hands. His thumb swept over her bruised lip where the small cut there was healing. He brushed her hair back to uncover the larger one above her eyebrow. “Tildy, do you know who did this? Was it the guy from the bar?”