Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 103552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“And if she’s not the target, the lead could still go somewhere,” Griffen said. “Somebody needs to find that jeweler.”
He was right, and this attack could mean that the jeweler was exactly the person we needed to find to solve the biggest fucking question of all: who had killed Prentice?
It burned that while Ford’s name had been cleared, until we knew who’d killed Prentice, people would think he was the killer—only free on a technicality. As much as I wasn’t Ford Sawyer’s biggest fan, I didn’t want him to live with that for the rest of his life.
“So, what are you saying?” I asked, knowing Griffen was getting at something.
“I’m saying,” he said, “that I don’t think she should stop. She’s getting somewhere, she and Sterling. And Sterling has access to sources you can’t use.”
I shifted, pulling my hands from my pockets to cross my arms over my chest. For one, this could be dangerous for both Avery and Sterling if the attacker had anything to do with the jeweler. Second, there were things I wouldn’t do, even for my closest friend. And that included using information obtained illegally. “I’m not going to break the law to solve this, Griffen.”
“I’m not asking you to, but you can keep an eye on one of your citizens, can’t you?”
I stared him down. “Let me get this straight. Not only are you not mad, you want me to spend more time with Avery, helping her investigate your father’s murder—an act which may have almost gotten her killed?”
Griffen shrugged, his eyes glinting with what I knew from long experience meant trouble. “Do you think you can stop her or Sterling at this point?”
“No,” I answered immediately. “They’ll just lie and go around us. They’re too invested.”
“Exactly. So, rather than waste our time trying to stop them, take advantage of what they can do that you can’t. Stay close. Maybe we’ll finally figure this thing out.”
“Fine,” I agreed. “Let’s go talk to Ford.”
“Works for me,” Griffen agreed, following me out of Avery’s room and into Ford’s, where Ford corroborated everything that Avery had said, adding little of any use.
Avery returned, wheeled in by the same nurse who confirmed her diagnosis of a mild concussion. She’d have to stay until the next day while Ford was going home with Griffen and Hawk. Griffen looked at me, eyebrow raised. I nodded.
“I’m staying,” I confirmed. “I’ll bring her home later, when they spring her. Probably mid-morning.”
“West, you can’t sit in the chair beside my bed all night,” Avery protested.
“I’m not leaving until you do,” I said, too exhausted to argue.
Griffen nodded again and left, taking Hawk and Ford with him. I sat in the quiet room, holding Avery’s hand until I thought she was asleep. Just when I was sure she’d drifted off, I heard her voice in the dark.
“Did you kiss me, or did I make that up?”
I pressed my lips to the back of her hand. “I kissed you,” I said. “And I’m going to do it again.”
“Right now?” she asked, her voice caught between interest and alarm.
I thought about the beeping of the heart rate monitor and shook my head. “Not now. I don’t want the whole nursing staff running in.” A quiet giggle took the weight off my heart. “But soon.”
“Okay.” Avery’s fingers squeezed mine. She whispered, “Soon,” as her eyes slid shut, and I started to calculate exactly how soon “soon” would be.
Chapter Twelve
AVERY
Iwiped a damp rag across the bar, my eyes on the door. Whoever was escorting me home would be here any minute, and Cammie hadn’t shown up yet. She’d always been a little flaky, but mostly reliable. Since the break-in, she’d been all over the place, canceling at the last minute more often than not. I didn’t want to fire her. Despite her recent flakiness, I liked her. I didn’t like coming into work early and staying to clean up after closing. It was a long day, and more than once lately, I’d felt the exhaustion to my bones.
A wave of relief washed over me as the back door to the brewery slammed open, and Cammie exploded through, all apologies and waving arms. “I’m so sorry. The dog got out, and I couldn’t get him back. I’m so sorry, Ave.”
“It’s all right,” I said, as I always did, slinging an arm around her shoulders and giving her a quick hug. She wore a low-cut Sawyers Bend Brewing t-shirt and red lipstick, and her frizzy hair smelled of perfume and cigarettes. Her dark eyes were heavy with remorse.
“Seriously,” I said with another squeeze of her shoulders, “It’s okay. My ride isn’t here yet anyway.”
Cammie slung an apron around her waist and tossed her hair back off her shoulders. “They’re still keeping you under guard?”
“Looks like it,” I said. “After what happened at the Orchard, I’m not as annoyed by it as I used to be.”