Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 235(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
“You know what I mean. Come on then, let’s see who else we can track down…unless you have a spa day or something you can’t miss?”
I smack his arm. “Shut up. Let’s go.” I spend most of the drive trying to figure out what all this means while Jay grumbles at the baseball game on the radio.
Things almost feel normal and if I don’t think about it too hard, about my house and my engagement, it’s as if things are as they’ve always been.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Damien
“You have a call, sir, from Serenity House.” Jess is standing in my doorway with a worried expression on her face. “I figured you’d want to take it. I’ll push back the meeting with Volper Technologies. Ten minutes?”
I nod. “Make it fifteen just to be sure.”
Jess nods before leaving me to deal with the phone call. “This is Damien.”
“Mr. Wolfe, this is Tara, the nurse at Serenity House. I’m not sure of protocol here, but two detectives were here to speak with your sister today. Detectives DeMarco and Hawkins. I thought you should know.”
Two detectives went to see Olivia, but they weren’t just any detectives. It was my fiancé and her partner. And Francesca hasn’t said a word. “Did they give any indication what they wanted with Olivia?”
“No,” she sighs. “They were asking questions, but your sister was incredibly uncooperative.” Tara sounds proud of my sister, which is also what I feel, but it’s mixed with relief. And annoyance.
What do they want with Olivia?
My heart speeds up. Francesca and Hawkins are getting too close for comfort. I haven’t stepped out for a night or taken anyone’s life in ages, all thanks to their little games.
They know. Olivia’s words echo in my mind, heavy with an undeniable certainty. Someone is onto something, and until I can untangle this mess, I have to keep my head down.
I take a deep breath and get my emotions under control as quickly as I can. “Do you have any idea what they talked about?”
“Olivia didn’t say anything that I’m aware of. She’s been silent since their visit, and I thought you’d want to know.”
Nurse Tara is the ideal little informant. She’s got a soft spot for her patients and doesn’t hesitate to throw anyone under the bus as long as she protects her patients. “I wanted to put a stop to it, but you know how the law is.”
“It’s fine,” I assure her. “Is this the first time? How is Olivia?”
“It’s the first time that I know of. And Olivia is Olivia. Totally unbothered.”
Good. “So, she’s fine?”
“Seems to be yes, but she’s spending more time staring at the ocean.”
I nod even though she can’t see me. “Okay. Keep her calm and relaxed, and if she needs anything else, please let me know. I’ll be out there tomorrow morning, early.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you.” I end the call and sit back in my chair, staring into space for much longer than I should. What the hell does Frankie think she’s doing, questioning my sister about anything?
Are the police the they Olivia meant when she said that they know? What do they know and does that mean Frankie and her partner have figured something out that she hasn’t shared with me? I don’t have any answers and that doesn’t sit right with me.
I’ve navigated these waters for years without a hitch, slipping through the cracks like a shadow. But now? There’s a gnawing unease creeping in, a little voice whispering about the possibility of being caught. It’s absurd, I know, but I’m stuck with this unsettling feeling. All I can do is shake it off.
I’ve been keeping my head down, a necessary tactic to slip past Francesca and her partner’s watchful eyes. But it’s not enough to quell the anger inside me. The itch is relentless, urging me to hit the streets and remind those idiots that I’m still here. I want to see the fear flicker in their eyes, to disrupt the insignificant lives they’ve created.
They don’t get peace.
Not now, not ever.
I head to the conference room to meet with the men from Volper Technologies, even though it’s the last fucking place on earth I want to be. I need their technology, and they need my money, so it’s a match made in heaven, but who are we kidding? I can do this—and more—on my own.
I just don’t want them to have the technology.
I head to the conference room to meet with the men from Volper Technologies, even though it’s the last place I want to be. I need their technology, and they need my money, so it’s a match made in heaven. But let’s be real—I could do this and more on my own. I just don’t want them to have the tech.
As I approach the conference room, I hear the faint chatter of excited voices coming from inside. I take a breath and push the door open, stepping in.