Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
“Well, luckily we’re not cops,” Ink said. “And we don’t have to take this to court. All we’re trying to do is get you guys home safely and eliminate any threat.”
Dotty ran her hand over her face. “I don’t know that this gets us any further ahead, even if it is interesting. Monroe’s taken the photos down, will he come after her for the originals?”
“It’s a possibility. Which means I can’t really tell you when you can go home,” Ink told her.
“We really can’t stay much longer. Monroe, does he know where we live?” Dotty asked.
“I didn’t tell him,” Monroe said. “But he does have my handbag. It might have had something in there with my address on it, or more information.”
“He could probably easily find it, to be fair,” Brody said. “Especially as he seems to have some resources at his back. What I don’t understand about all of this is why he married you.”
They all gaped at Brody, and he suddenly went red. The poor guy looked like a tomato.
“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded,” Brody said. “Not that anyone wouldn’t want to marry you. You’re beautiful, and I’m sure you’re lovely. I don’t really know you, but I’m sure lots of people would want to marry you—”
“Brody, stop,” Cash said. “Stop talking.”
Brody let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, thank you. I thought I was going to keep going and really put my foot in it.”
“Pretty sure you’re already up to your ankle,” Ralen told him with a grin. “The next part to go in would be your leg.”
Brody groaned. “I really didn’t mean it like that, Monroe. I was talking about why he would marry you and risk exposing himself if he was there to commit a crime and wanted to keep it secret.”
Monroe nodded. “Don’t worry, Brody. I’ve also questioned why he would want to marry me. I think I know the answer to that. He was drunk, I was drunk. We were just caught up in a stupid moment. Why marry someone you only knew for a few hours? It was ridiculous.”
“Where exactly was that photo taken with the image of the car?” Ink asked.
Brody brought the image back up, and Monroe stared at it for a long moment. “That’s outside the casino where I work. And he said he was staying there. He never walked up to that car, though. We walked straight past and got into an Uber.”
“None of it makes sense,” Cash said.
“I don’t think you understand how drunk he was. I don’t think either of us really had any clue what we were doing.”
“Did you go to his room?” Addie asked, using her phone to speak.
“What?” Monroe asked.
“In the hotel, did you use his room? You said he was staying there?” Addie asked.
“Oh, you know, I don’t think we did, because I’m pretty sure there was a charge on my credit card. Yeah, I remember it now, because I couldn’t pay for an Uber the next day. I was maxed out after paying for the wedding chapel and the room.”
“‘He made you pay for it all?” Ralen asked. “What a gentleman.”
Monroe shot him a slightly hurt look. What was going on with her sister? Was she all right?
“Yeah, I had to take a bus home.”
“Drat,” Addie said. “I was thinking that if it was his room, it might have been under his name.”
“That was good thinking,” Brody told her with a smile. “Mind you, he probably would have used a stolen credit card if he was using a stolen car.”
Right.
“So while this is all very interesting,” Dotty said. “What steps do I need to take to get us home? Do I need to move us out of our house? Does Monroe need to change names? Does she need a bodyguard? What do we need to do?”
“Do I need to move away?” Monroe asked. “Take on a different identity?”
“I don’t think you need to do anything that extreme,” Ink told her. “It would be better if we could find Vextar, of course. Give us some time to track down Limpy, see what he knows.”
“Are you sure I shouldn’t just go away?” Monroe asked.
“We could arrange somewhere safe for you to go,” Ink told her. “But how about you just stay here for now and give us a chance?”
Monroe nodded sadly.
“Now, does anyone want to tell me why there is a glittery dick on my coffee mug?” Ink turned it around, and Addie couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Everyone turned to look at her in surprise, except for Cash, who sighed.
“Hack,” he said.
Ink nodded. “Enough said.”
44
Addie stared at the TV without really seeing what was on the screen. Monroe was leaning against her, and they had a blanket over them. She had Snaggles tucked in next to her chest. And she was wearing her hoodie with the sneaky squishies sown into the wristbands.