Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95520 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
I’m not in the mood to talk to anyone. Realizing Zahirah isn’t home and in bed with us, I pop up and answer the call. I would never forgive myself if she needed me and I didn’t answer.
“Hello,” I grumble.
“Coswell, it’s Fred.”
I knit my brows and fall back onto my pillow. Pushing a hand into my hair, I try to clear my head. I haven’t spoken to Fred in nearly three years or longer.
“Fred, what’s going on?” I say in confusion.
I haven’t heard from him since I dismissed him and paid the final invoice. Once he told me Zah was engaged, I thought I could let her go. The best way to do that was to stop checking in on her life and having her tracked.
I’ve thought of how I regretted that decision after finding out about my son. If I hadn’t called him off, he would have told me Zah was pregnant. All things of the past now. Nothing I can do about any of it.
We’re moving into our new home, and we’re engaged. I have everything I want. Life is going as it should.
“I know you terminated the job for Zahirah Nickels. I did stop monitoring her, but I had this gut feeling I couldn’t shake. I stayed on that Manning motherfucker because he gave me bad vibes.
“I was right. I’m going to advise you to provide Miss Nickels with a security detail. Manning is extremely dangerous, and he’s been targeting you folks with some type of vendetta.
“The bastard is sick. You should watch your back as well. I just thought you needed to know,” he says.
I’m wide awake now. I sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. I’ll kill Manning if he tries some bullshit with Zah. A broken jaw will be the least of his worries.
Rage runs through me, causing my head to throb. I see red. Just when we’re happy, and everything is going great, here this asshole comes. Not on my fucking watch.
I’ll take Manning’s head off. He hasn’t even seen how bad my temper can get. I close my eyes and take a calming breath.
“Hold on, Fred. I need you to tell me exactly what’s going on. Why do you think Zah isn’t safe? What’s Manning up to?”
I already know I’m not going to like whatever he has to say. I brace myself anyway. Gritting my teeth, I listen and allow him to explain.
He releases a heavy breath. “Like I said, I’ve been keeping an eye on him. He tried to murder his friend and left him for dead in his apartment. He would have died if I hadn’t been on Manning’s ass.
“I got into the apartment after Manning left and found the guy bleeding out. I got him to a buddy of mine in time to save his life.
“The guy asked me not to reveal he’s still alive or his identity, so that’s all I can tell you at the moment about that. However, he was very forthcoming with details of what Manning has been up to.”
“Were you able to verify his story? Can you trust his word?” I quiz.
“I’ve verified every word. It all checks out. I wouldn’t have called you if it didn’t.”
I nod my head as if he can see me. I had to ask and make sure. I know from experience people will bullshit you when they have a motive.
I try to figure out who this friend of Gilbert’s could be. He didn’t have a lot of close friends back in high school, maybe one or two who stuck around during college that I know of. Fred continues as my thoughts race to connect the dots.
“It seems he’s wanted to get back at you for years. He’s also wanted Miss Nickels for himself. He had been scheming to marry her for his inheritance, but he didn’t plan on letting her out of the marriage once he got the money.”
I scoff. “How the hell did he plan to pull that off?”
“The bastard is a lunatic. The feds are already on him, and some other nasty characters are hunting him down as we speak. I just don’t want him to get to you guys before they get to him.”
“Thanks for the heads-up, Fred. Are you available for the job?”
“I could be. I have a few guys I trust who I can bring in. From what I know, this guy has bodies on his hands. No one has heard from Christen Manning in weeks. His uncle, Theo Manning, is also missing. There’s also information linking him to the murder and disappearance of his own father.”
“What the fuck?”
“I’m telling you, this guy is unpredictable and highly dangerous.”
“I’m going to text you Zah’s current location. I want eyes on her as soon as you can,” I bite out.
“I’m on it. Be safe, Coswell. Congrats on the chip.”