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)
Oh my God.
He didn’t really mean that, right? Well, Ink didn’t appear to be worried, so she decided she shouldn’t be either. People made empty threats all the time.
Brody returned with a tablet and handed it to her, along with the pen that went with it.
“Just write on it here,” he told her. “And when you press enter, it will say your words out loud.”
This would be better than trying to get an answer out through her inflamed throat. She was starting to think she’d damaged it with her screaming.
“I don’t know who the message is from.”
As she pressed enter, Batman’s voice came from the tablet.
“Oh, shit. Sorry,” Brody said as he tried to grab the tablet back. “I should’ve changed that to something more neutral.”
She shook her head and held on tight with a small smile.
“It’s all right. I think Addie likes the voice,” Cash told him.
“So do I,” said the mystery voice through the speaker. No one had said his name.
Brody sighed and nodded.
“But do you have an idea?” Ink asked. “It doesn’t seem like something a random thief would write.”
Addie froze. She didn’t know where to start or what to say.
“Maybe you could give us some information about your sisters,” Brody said. “And why you’re here in Billings. Maybe that will help.”
Right. But how to explain about Monroe and her husband? Or about what she’d seen in the parking lot? Was that really something she should tell them? It wasn’t anything they could help with anyway. And would she be putting them in danger? Maybe what she should be doing was going to the police.
But would they even believe her?
Her shoulders hunched again as she thought about what to do.
“Addie, maybe we’re going about this the wrong way,” Ink said gently. “We should tell you a little bit about ourselves. We’re more than just a security firm. We’re a bit like a family here, and Cash is part of that family. So is Ralen. Cash’s brother, Aidan, is a good friend of mine. We want to help you, Addie. We don’t want anything to happen to your sisters. You can tell us anything, and then we’re going to do whatever we have to in order to keep you all safe.”
“Why?” she asked in Batman’s voice. “I don’t even know if I can afford your fees.”
“We can work that part out,” Ink told her. “You don’t need to worry about the money. When it’s a woman in trouble, we often do a heavy discount, especially since you’re friends with someone in the family.”
Friends? She wouldn’t quite call herself friends with Cash.
No, you want to be something far more with him.
She hoped that didn’t show on her face, because that would be highly embarrassing.
Cash grasped hold of her chin, turning her to face him. “You need to tell us the truth about what is going on, Addie. So we know how to help you. Because Ralen and I aren’t going anywhere, are we?”
“Nope. You’re the most interesting thing to happen to us in, oh, about seven days,” Ralen told her with a grin.
She let out a surprised bark of laughter at his words, and the other man smiled at her with a sassy wink.
Why couldn’t she be attracted to him? Although she had the feeling that Ralen would run circles around her.
Addie nodded. She was going to have to trust them. So far, Cash and Ralen hadn’t led her astray.
12
“My sisters and I came here four days ago,” she said through the tablet.
“Why?” Brody asked. “A holiday?”
She shook her head. “No, because we’re searching for Monroe’s husband. She’s my middle sister. Dotty is my oldest sister.”
“You were searching for him in that bar tonight?” Cash asked.
“Yeah, you see, we don’t know where to find him.”
“She doesn’t know where to find her husband?” Ink asked. “He’s missing? Has that been reported to the police already?”
“Oh no, he’s not missing,” Addie said. “He’s just well, we don’t know. Unlocatable?”
What the hell did that mean? If he wasn’t missing, then how come she couldn’t find her own husband? Unless he was running from her?
Irritation filled Cash. He wasn’t used to waiting for answers. He wasn’t exactly a patient sort of guy.
“Monroe got married in Vegas,” she said. The fact that this was all being said in Batman’s voice should have amused him, but he was well beyond that point. “She’d only just met him. They got married, spent the night together in the casino where she works, but when she woke up the next morning, he was gone. And there was no note or anything.”
“What the fuck?” Butch muttered. “He just walked out after marrying her?”
She nodded. “And, understandably, she wants to get a divorce, but she’s got to show the courts that she’s been searching for him.”
“Not sure that the courts meant that you have to go halfway across the country and into dangerous bars to try and find him,” Cash said to her.