Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 122578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Pleasure sparked in my belly, then I froze when the tiny giggle flooded the air. Our attention whipped to the left.
Evelyn stood at the far side of the kitchen, wearing her adorable boots with her jeans bunched up where she tried to tuck them inside. She was grinning like mad and trying to shove back her messy hair that kept falling in her face so she could see us better.
“Are you guys going to have a baby?”
I tried not to choke on the surprise that gushed up my throat. Half laugh and half horror.
Caleb peeled himself away, and his spine went ramrod straight. Unease had him resituating the cuffs of his button-down shirt.
“Of course not, Evelyn. I was just helping Paisley reach a mug from the cabinet.”
Evelyn frowned like she was disappointed. “Okay, I guess.”
I blew out a strained breath, peeking over at Caleb, not sure what to make of him or any of this. It was the first time he’d ever called me Paisley in front of Evelyn, and there was something about it that made that vulnerable spot in my chest warm and expand.
Caleb went back to where he’d been working at the table like nothing had transpired, his attention fully focused on his laptop.
But I noticed the shift.
He hadn’t escaped to the third floor like he usually did.
He was downstairs.
With us.
I turned my attention on Evelyn. “What would you like for breakfast?”
“Eggs, please.”
“On it,” I told her.
We set to work. I whipped up eggs and toast, and she buttered the slices, the two of us a total team.
We ate quickly before Evelyn pulled a stool up to my side so she could help me make turkey sandwiches for lunch that we packed into a small cooler.
She kept grinning over at me while we worked, her sweet spirit light, her joy easy. It made everything easy for me, too.
I tossed the strap of the cooler over my shoulder and reached for her hand. “All right, let’s do this.”
Caleb closed his laptop and stood, his eyes dragging over us where we held hands. Something flashed through his gaze before he cleared his throat. “I need to head into town. Please be careful while I’m away. Call me if you need anything.”
“We will be,” I promised.
I wanted to cross the room and kiss his face.
Somehow, I managed to leave him there gathering his things, and I led Evelyn out.
THIRTY-TWO
CALEB
I tossed the letter to the top of Ezra’s desk before I sat down across from him. He scrubbed a beefy palm over his face as he sat forward in his office chair, eyeing it like it might be a bomb.
That was exactly what it felt like.
A bomb going off in the middle of my world, but it wasn’t like I had expected peace. I just wanted to be the one delivering the violence.
“Shit. First communication like this?” Ezra asked, glancing between me and the evidence I’d placed in a plastic bag, hoping someone might be able to get some prints off it. But considering the monster never left a trace of anything behind, I didn’t hold out hope that this would amount to anything.
But if it did…
I gave him a clipped nod. “That’s right. It came overnight to the post office box I have here in Time River. It had been forwarded from where it was sent to my address in Seattle.”
“And you didn’t hear from the investigator there?”
“Not yet, but I’m not surprised. Would prefer to leave him out of it, if I’m being honest.”
Ezra looked over at me, my cousin seeing through the polished exterior to what lie underneath. He was no fool. He knew the corruption by which I’d lived. The blood I’d spilled in my father’s name. The vile things I had done to pad my own pockets.
It wasn’t like Ezra hadn’t been involved in his own depravity before he’d made a change for something better.
Still, he shifted in unease, cursing under his breath. “Shit, man. This is shady as fuck. Doesn’t sit well. This has serial killer vibes. Not a hired hand coming at you for some wealthy businessman you did wrong. Looks deeper to me.”
Dread thickened my throat. “I don’t care who it is, I want him to bleed.”
Ezra pushed out a heavy sigh. “Only you would sit across from me while I’m wearing this uniform and admit that.”
“Admit what?” Ryder pushed through the door, strolling in with that salacious expression on his face. Dude always looked like he was up to no good.
Ezra sighed again. “Asshole is trying to put himself in a situation he can’t come back from.” He shifted to look at me, his voice dropping low. “He’s either going to get to you first, or you’re going to land yourself behind bars. This is too fucking high profile, Caleb. I don’t care how much money you have to cover it.”