Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69129 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
As far as his school is concerned, this was not a panic tactic.
This was a pre-planned trip to simply visit family friends.
Post putting them on a plane, Park helped concoct cover stories that wouldn’t alert anyone to the progress in uncovering answers that we’ve made or how terrified for our son’s safety we’ve truly become. Them out of town for vacation took care of the school – who emails daily the lessons of the day in case we want to keep him in sync with his classmates – while needing space to recover from a “hit & run” handled the rest.
Our secluded nature provided Park and Finnigan adequate space and time to narrow down the leads as well as the details of setting the bait – which we casually did yesterday when we met J.T. and Nae for local pizza – setting the trap – which they handled this morning – and setting the stage for the interrogation I cannot wait for us to get to.
To my surprise, my husband meekly argues, “I don’t think my passport is still valid.”
“It is.” A sassy smile is accompanied by my hand falling away. “J.T. had Zaidee renew it when he thought we were going to fly to a tropical honeymoon rather than yacht.”
“You didn’t hate yachting.”
“What kind of ocean loving vixen would I be if I hated yachting, Mr. Wayne?”
Light chortles precede him slowly nodding in what can only be considered conceding. “You’re right, Ms. Kyle.”
“So. So. Often.”
“You’ve proven you can move forward.” He lovingly leans forward for a kiss. “It’s time I do the same.”
Chapter 21
Brynley
Franken No Fun gives my frame a once over before shaking his head. “You waited until Wilcox left to get dressed, didn’t you?”
“Absolutely.”
He’s wound up tight enough over the idea of me dumping myself in the institute like chum.
I can’t even imagine how we would’ve taken seeing me in this ocean blue, linen blazer mini dress.
Under normal work circumstances, I would advise myself against this; however, under these?
I think fighting crime in a sexy outfit is necessary.
I mean…Catwoman does.
Another shake of the head is delivered at the same time I shut the penthouse door behind me. Afterward, he puts in a call via his Bluetooth to the man picking us up and ushers us onto the elevator.
The first part of our plan is easy.
The two possible suspects should’ve been properly baited yesterday.
Upon reviewing those that I had had contact with in town the day of the accident that Hurst thankfully survived – but shattered his leg in three places – it turns out none of the individuals were female.
Not.
One.
This discovery is what led him and Finnigan to conclude that the woman attacking is most likely involved with one of the men which is how she’s getting her information.
Men talk too.
When weird or funny or interesting shit happens at work they share it with their partner.
Three of the four people have a significant other and of those three, one is same sex oriented allowing us to narrow it down to just two women.
Michelle Vargas, the woman interning in hospital administration at Highland North Medical Center, who has been dating my favorite barista, Pepper – his stage name – for the past seven months and Jean St. Clair, the woman who works at the public library that’s actually engaged to Silas.
Both women’s whereabouts couldn’t be accounted for the night of the car attack.
Both women were in the vicinity where the wig woman ditched her gear after trying to kidnap Wy from school.
And both women work too close to the original attempt location for it to be a coincidence.
I can’t imagine their men are knowingly in on it, given how much they appear to adore me, which is what prompted Holmes to throw out was that this could be a whole “strangers on a train” thing where they randomly met up and agreed to kill someone for the other person but that felt like a bit of stretch to me.
He was commended for his choice in classic film and then almost had his pay cut by his horrified boss who they were trying to keep calm, not rile up.
Trying to find a direct motive for either woman also failed.
Their quick background checks came up empty.
We’ve never worked at the same place.
Slept with the same people.
We don’t even get waxed in the same counties.
Why one of them has it out for me is the second biggest mystery to solve.
And I want this shit solved.
I wanna hold my son again.
I miss cuddling in bed and reading Penguin Pete.
Exiting the evaluator exposes us to the main lobby where our first encounter could potentially reveal new information to us. “Afternoon, Silas.”
He inspects the two fingers he had been using to check for dust along the frame prior to politely greeting in return, “Afternoon, Bryn.” His head tips to Franken No Fun. “Mr. Holmes.”