Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Strangely, instead of feeling abandoned and hurt by her father’s decision to terminate her life, she felt freer. That heavy cloak of constant guilt she wore lifted. “I would rather know the truth, Raine. I’m grateful I have two people in my life I can count on to give it to me when I ask for it.”
“I know what it’s like to have your family abandon you.”
“This wasn’t a decision my mother would make. I can guarantee you without a trace of doubt that my mother has no idea. He did it for her. Just the way he’s trying to force me to come home. She’s upset because she doesn’t believe I’m safe. He’ll do anything, including forcing me into a hospital to keep her from being upset. It doesn’t make sense, but there is no room for anyone else in his world. Not even me. She loves me, so he will do whatever it takes to get me home with her. In his mind, that’s perfectly logical.”
“How is contracting with an assassin to kill his daughter logical?” Raine asked.
Shabina shrugged. The more she knew of her father and talked about him and what he’d done, the more the weight of guilt lifted.
“I had been held for six months, and the videos going to my parents had to have been brutal to see. You’ve seen photographs of what I looked like when I came home.”
“I’ve seen the videos of the ransom demands.” Raine’s voice was tight. For the first time, she appeared emotional. “If anyone needs killing, it would be Scorpion. Your father should have put out a contract on him, not his own daughter.”
“He obviously didn’t believe I would ever be returned. If my mother was distressed, his logic would have been if I were dead, she could eventually accept that. If I were to guess, she probably wanted to give into Scorpion’s demand for an exchange, her for me. Jack would never have allowed that. Viewing the videos, he probably convinced himself he was being merciful to me.”
“I think that’s bullshit, but that’s my opinion,” Raine said.
“I’m grateful you wouldn’t hire a killer to come after me. I’ve got the FBI and Rafferty breathing down my neck, and I have a terrible feeling Deniz Kaplan wants to take me home to his mother. Then there’s Bale. Who knows what he’s going to do?”
Raine was silent as Tyrone delivered the food and drinks to the table. She smiled up at the man. “Thank you, Tyrone. I see you’re wearing a new ring.”
Shabina was shocked that she hadn’t noticed. “Did you and Vaughn go to the courthouse? Did you? I’m going to strangle you both if you did and then didn’t even let me throw you two a reception.”
Tyrone’s smile grew wider, his teeth flashing white with his boyish grin. “Vaughn said if you knew, you’d insist on throwing a party for us.”
“Well, now I know. You tell that knothead husband of yours that he’s in so much trouble. And I am going to throw a party. We need to celebrate every chance we get.”
Raine nodded. “I agree totally with that. I’ll help too.”
The grin faded from Tyrone’s face. For a moment he looked as if he might be choked up. He shook his head. “I have my brother, but Vaughn’s family is totally against our marriage. They refuse to speak to Vaughn. No one will come.”
“Vaughn and you have a family in us, Tyrone,” Shabina corrected. “And I know Vaughn has a sister, who will be so happy for the two of you. His parents aren’t there yet, but they’ll come around.”
Raine smiled up at him. “We have a bit of an odd family, Tyrone. We all come from different backgrounds and have had difficulties in our lives, but we’re choosing to make our friends our family. You and Vaughn are part of that.”
Tyrone nodded his head but didn’t speak. He turned and made his way to the counter, where Vaughn leaned into him, gripping his shoulder. They spoke briefly, and then Vaughn looked up, his eyes meeting Shabina’s. He blew her a kiss and put one hand over his heart.
“I love living here,” Shabina said.
Dr. Martha Fendy, the medical examiner, walked in with Mary Shelton, a deputy sheriff. Martha looked tired. After a brief discussion with Patsy, they were shown to the table in the back beside the one Raine and Shabina occupied.
“Is everything all right?” Shabina asked. “I can make something special for you, Martha.”
“Do I look that bad?” the medical examiner asked.
“Just tired. Both of you look tired,” Shabina admitted. “I don’t mind making your special breakfast.” Martha had a love for food from Saudi Arabia.
“Thank you, but I’ll order your special this morning. I have been up all night. There was another murder, but this time the body was found near the hot springs, not up in Yosemite. This one hit too close to home. Just like Lucca.”