Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 128488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128488 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 514(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“Maybe it’s time you clean that storage container out anyway,” Chantilly said. “The last time you took a few days off was to deliver a baby. You haven’t taken a vacation in seven years,” she scolded.
“This is a vacation.” She turned slightly, sweeping her arm around the beautifully elegant room with a view of the ocean to the beach itself, sun sitting high in the sky, where her daughter gleefully flew a kite.
“I’m glad you think so. But, Noelle, darling, perhaps it’s time that you go put your father to rest completely. Clean out his things and say goodbye, for real this time. And if there’s any chance, even the smallest one, of finding something that will help solve your crime, you must. Otherwise, they might still be out there, putting people in the same cage you once inhabited.”
Chantilly’s words hit Noelle like a cold gust of air, and she shivered. That was the difference, perhaps, between those who were able to find their shine without also being given closure. They were able to move on because they didn’t have to worry for the unknown souls out there who might be similarly victimized because no one had ever been brought to justice.
And now Evan was presenting her with an opportunity to do her part in turning over every last stone. How could she refuse if she ever hoped to truly shine?
She leaned down and wrapped her arms around Tilly, kissing her on her velvety cheek, breathing in the lovely scent of Chanel No. 9. “I love you,” she said.
“I love you, too, darling girl.”
An hour later, when she stepped onto the sand, she bent, removing her sandals, and carried them in her hand as she walked toward where Evan was standing, watching Callie with the kite nearby. The wind had died down now, and Callie controlled the kite easily, her neck bent back as she watched it glide through the air.
Surprised pleasure danced over his expression when he turned her way. “Hi.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and looked down at it, obviously checking to see if the time had slipped away from him.
“I got off early,” she said in explanation. She’d told him she’d meet them at the beach at five, and it was only four.
“Oh. Great. You can take a turn next,” he said, grinning and nodding his head toward Callie.
She smiled, but it quickly slipped. He turned more fully toward her. “What is it?”
She stretched her toes in the sand, stalling. She was frightened, she realized. She had made her decision, and yet, saying the words to him, making the commitment, had fear gripping her. Was she really about to do this willingly? “Paula’s coming to stay with Callie for a couple of weeks,” she said.
“Paula?” He looked confused.
She bobbed her head. “You remember Paula, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Paula is a children’s book editor, so she can work from anywhere. Two weeks, that’s all I have. I put my father’s belongings in a storage locker when I sold his house. He was good at recording things, sort of obsessive about it, actually. And . . . well, I made my reservations. I’m going to come with you. To Reno. Back to Reno.”
Evan’s brows lifted in surprise. “That’s . . . wow, that’s great. Thank you. Thank you, Noelle.”
She gave a decisive nod. She hadn’t mentioned the fact that Paula had been more than willing to stay with Callie but had expressed hesitation about Noelle spending time with Evan for any reason, much less to delve into the past. Noelle was nervous, too, but she also felt an inexplicable resolve. It was time to lay the past to rest, at least as far as she was able.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Grim waited, breath halted as the kid decided the fate of his eye. Grim had often received compliments about his eyes. His wife had told him they were what she first noticed about him. If there was anything about him that was considered attractive, even now, he thought he could say somewhat objectively that it was his eyes. Interesting that the twinge of fear at how they might go about removing said eye also carried with it a measure of vanity. He almost laughed. The things you could learn about yourself under circumstances you never imagined.
The kid was staring at him, his eyes wide with fear. But his expression was also somewhat lax, like he was either in shock or seeing something in his mind’s eye. The bloody extraction of Grim’s eyeball, most likely.
“I’ll go with you,” the kid said softly, turning his gaze to the greasy-looking man wearing black jeans and a leather jacket that was cut like a blazer. What the hell? Grim pulled himself up, leaning forward, his nose through the bars. The man used a key to open the lock on the top of Cedro’s cage and then lowered the door on the front. He stood back so Cedro could exit, a Taser held at his side.