Total pages in book: 173
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163802 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 819(@200wpm)___ 655(@250wpm)___ 546(@300wpm)
“All about how he won forty-two million dollars in the lottery, but he wanted to be smart. He didn’t want to go the way most of them do—broke in a year. So when his cousin introduced him to a financial advisor, he took the recommendation, because why wouldn’t he? He trusted who his cousin trusted.”
Micah groaned. “Everything he described was exactly what happened to my parents and the buyout money they tried to invest for me. I gave them all of the money because I didn’t trust myself back then. I was partying too hard, drinking too much, smoking too much, and sleeping around too much. I really thought having all of that money would kill me. I’d be found dead in my mansion with vomit on my pillow and coke dust on my nose within a year. So I gave it all to the people I trusted most... and then that shit floated up.
“Apparently, this guy specifically targets new-money folks who suddenly get a massive windfall and don’t know what to do with it. But unlike other preying scum, he’s smart. He never approaches the person directly, instead he gets close to a family member or friend and happens to mention to them that he’s a financial advisor and investor, so when his mark suddenly mentions that he’s in the market for one, the friend will go, ‘oh, hey, I actually know a great guy who can help you out. I’ll give you his number.’”
“Wow,” I breathed, slumping against the vanity. “That’s evil. It’s smart, but it’s evil. You automatically trust the guy a little more because you went to him. He didn’t come to you.”
“Exactly. Which is again why I’m an ass.” Micah dropped his hands, sending me a sheepish smile. “That guy had never heard of your mother in his entire life, and neither has his cousin, for that matter. All this time, I blamed your mother for introducing that piece of shit to my parents when it was never her fault. He lied to her like he lied to so many others. The only one who was ever to blame was that thieving snake.”
“Oh, baby.” I went over and lay by his side, resting my head on his arm.
My heart did flips as he rolled to face me, resting his other arm across my hip. Micah was fresh from the shower—enveloping me in a cloud of apples and honey. I was less than in the mood to have sex five doors down from the room where I walked into a new and terrible nightmare, but damned if a part of me wasn’t still wishing for a can of lager and Micah’s naughty, searching tongue.
“I’m so sorry, but it sounds like that guy was right. Average people who suddenly come into massive windfalls have a hard time hiding it. If around them is where he’ll be lurking around, your investigators can get there in time to take him down.”
“That’s the plan.”
I stroked his cheek. “But why didn’t you tell me any of this? The last few days, I’ve been low-key wondering if you killed my mother to settle the fight.”
Micah laughed. “That’s nuts, and wildly short-sighted on my part. Until literally right now, I had no way of knowing if your mother was packing a few extra billions in her bank account, and no way of knowing if you’d tell me if she did. For all I knew, that’s why you suddenly had a change of heart about the divorce and wanted us to send you off with pocket change.”
“So you didn’t tell me because you didn’t trust me?” I asked. “But at that point, you knew my mother had nothing to do with the scam? How did trust even come into it?”
Micah shook his head. “Trust absolutely came into it. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t trust you not to be nasty about it,” he said to my shocked expression. “I could already hear you laughing at me, saying I told you so, and once again calling my parents a bunch of gullible dumbasses. Finding out that we were just one of many marks wasn’t going to spark any sympathy in you... or so I thought. You’ve really changed, haven’t you.”
A tender, stroking finger caressed my forehead. “Amazing what a bump on the head can do.”
My smile didn’t reach my eyes. “I did walk away from that accident that morning believing I was meant for a new start. But now? Everything’s just so fucked, Micah, and I don’t know what to do.”
“You can stop trying to do everything by yourself for one.”
“What do you mean?” I propped up on my elbow. “Are you talking about settling Omma’s estate? Because I don’t want to do that by myself. You can absolutely help me.”
“No, I’m talking about you trying to find Omma and Mrs. Prado’s killer.” He saw the look on my face. “Alex overheard you shouting at Davis. I know you’re not going to stop until you get the truth—and I’m not telling you to,” he rushed out when I opened my mouth. “But this doesn’t work, Sue. You need information only the cops have, and you’re not going to get it making an enemy out of every single one you come across.”