Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 71403 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71403 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Thea snaps her head over to Wheeler, her face reddening. “You have no right to kick me out of my house. What if I didn’t have a friend to stay with?”
“Ma’am, I’m just operating on my orders. We’re to sweep this house top to bottom. That’ll take a few days. The warrant says—”
“Fuck your warrant. I don’t care. I packed for three nights, so we’re good. Are we done here?”
Wheeler nods. “Of course. My apologies for the inconvenience.”
“A flat tire is an inconvenience, Detective. This is a flagrant disregard of common sense.” She stares daggers into Wheeler’s eyes. “I can tell you right now you’re wasting your time. I had nothing to do with Kin’s death.”
“If that’s the case, ma’am, you’ll be compensated by the city for your displacement.” He extends his hand. “Have a good evening.”
Thea rolls her eyes and turns toward the door. “Let’s go, Aus. I can’t stand to be here another second.”
“Of course, baby.” I nod to Wheeler. “You guys better know what the hell you’re doing. Because she’s innocent.”
“If she is, then—”
“Yeah, yeah. She has nothing to fear.” I close the distance between the two of us. “But you and I both know the laws twist when the right person wants them to. I hope you’re one of the few remaining people in this city with a shred of honor.”
Wheeler crosses his arms. “I’m here to uncover the truth. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“The actual, honest-to-God truth? Or the truth that people like Rouge Montrose want you to believe?”
“Rouge Montrose has been dead for over a year, sir.”
“Spare me. We both know her spirit lingers in the murkiest corners of this city. She had plenty of allies doing her bidding.”
“I’m not one of them, sir.”
“I hope to God you’re telling the truth.”
“I am.”
“Good. Have a good evening, Detective.” I turn and follow Thea out the door.
She gets in my car, staring ahead. The tears have stopped, and I’m guessing she just feels numb now.
We drive silently, but I make an unexpected turn off Lake Shore before I get to my place.
As we drive farther into the residential streets, Thea scrunches her forehead. “Wait. This place is familiar.”
“You’ve been here before,” I say. “In fact, this is where you woke up this morning.”
“You live by Wick?” she asks.
“No. But we’re going to pay him a visit.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “What? No, I don’t want to get him involved. He’s already lost his brother, and I really—”
I hold up a hand. “You can stay in the car. I just want to speak with him for a minute. He is my employee, after all. I should offer him some condolence for his loss.”
“Can’t you just, I don’t know, write on his Facebook wall or send a Hallmark card?” She crosses her arms. “I don’t like being back here.”
I draw in a slow breath. “You and I both know that’s not the reason I’m stopping here.”
She bites her lip. “Wick didn’t do anything wrong. He was with me the whole night.”
“Didn’t you say he slept in the other room?”
“He did, but…”
“Then it’s entirely possible he’s behind this.”
“You’re not going to beat him up or something, are you? He’s innocent.”
I laugh at that. “You haven’t known Wick as long as I have. He’s far from a meek little lamb. He’s shifty, and I’ve never trusted him. He very well could be the one behind this.”
“I don’t—”
“Sorry, honey. But I have to speak with him. It’ll just be a second.” I parallel park on a street catty-corner from Wick’s place, squeeze Thea’s shoulder. “Everything will be all right. I promise.”
She doesn’t respond, just stares ahead with glassy eyes.
I get out of the car, walk to Wick’s house, and knock on the door. Hard.
No answer.
I knock harder.
“Wick! I know you’re in there!”
A muffled “coming!” calls through the door. The sound of multiple locks unlatching, and then the door opens to Wick’s face.
His nearly black hair, normally slicked back, hangs in his face. His eyeliner is smudged and has deepened the already dark circles under his eyes. He’s wearing a white ribbed tank top and athletic shorts. He blinks several times and rubs his eyes. “Aus?”
I place a hand on the door. “We need to talk.”
“It’s late. Didn’t you close Jade tonight? I figured it was because of Kin.”
“In a way it was, and I’m very sorry about the loss of your brother, Wick. But I need to have a quick word.”
“It’s late,” Wick repeats. “I already told the cops everything I know.”
“And that led them to Thea Storm’s house. They’re ransacking it as we speak.”
He widens his eyes. “Thea?”
“The girl you took home last night.”
“Yeah, I know who you’re talking about. But why would they think she’s a part of this?”
“Apparently she grabbed a pair of your brother’s shoes on her way out this morning.”