Chapter 24
I open my eyes to an insistent buzzing sound and it takes me a minute to orient myself. Looking around the living room of the pool house, I shake myself and slide the laptop off my lap.
I clearly fell asleep on the couch while reading over the files I copied (stole) from Ava.
After returning with Ethan last night, I talked to Alex for a bit, then convinced her everything was fine and for her to go.
Ethan promised to get the girls up early and take them to his parents’ house.
I know they won’t like it, but after what happened last night at the sports bar, they shouldn’t be here.
I’m just glad Alex was able to help last night. I simultaneously hate and appreciate how much she’s helping out. Alex and the others. I’m grateful to have them, even as I hate relying on anyone.
There’s that buzzing sound again. I look around, find my phone in between two of the seat cushions. I answer as I stumble into the kitchen.
Coffee and only coffee is on my list of things to do in the next ten minutes.
“Hey,” I rasp out.
“I wake you?” Foxe sounds chipper, which is no surprise. I don’t think she sleeps, and if I’m being honest, I’m pretty sure she’s part cyborg.
“No, I’m good.”
“Okay.” She snorts softly. “Well, I’m sending you some info on Milo Cole. I got what you were hoping for.”
“Leverage?”
“People really should be a lot more careful what they save in their emails.” She sounds almost giddy.
So I pull up my email and look at what she sent—and blink. With the coffee pot brewing, I send the images to the little printer I’ve set up here. I can just show Milo the images on my phone, but there’s something a lot worse about looking at physical prints.
Holding them in your hand as hard evidence.
It doesn’t take me long to shower and get dressed. I put a little more thought into my clothes today since I’ll be going to the man’s country club… Speaking of, I pull out my cell phone as I pour a to-go mug of coffee. I really wish there was a way to mainline this stuff.
Ethan answers immediately. “Hey, I was just going to walk over. I’ve got the girls ready. We’re about to head out to my mom’s.”
I can hear Riley grumbling in the background about their house being undemocratic, and snort. I love that kid so much. “Good. Listen, you’re part of the same country club as Ryan and Ava Chatelain right?”
“Ah, yeah, I have a membership through work, but I don’t go very often. Why?”
“Can you call and add me as a guest?”
“Of course…but why?”
“Can you just do it and not ask questions?”
He sighs. “Fine, but I do have a lot of questions right now.”
I kind of figured, since I showed up last night and beat some guy with a bat (and also pepper spray), that he wouldn’t be letting it go.
“And I understand that. Thank you for making the call. I promise I’ll explain everything soon.
” Probably. “I’m heading out too, so I’ll come say good-bye to the girls. Oh, I need to borrow Cara’s car—”
“Your car, and you have the keys.”
Yeah, I know that, but I still wanted to tell him.
It feels weird to be driving her car, but if I’m really honest with myself, the heated seats are such a luxury and I don’t think I’m going to bother getting my Corolla fixed.
Cara wanted me to have it, and it smells like her.
I definitely don’t hate driving it. “Fine. I’ll meet you out front. ”
In the driveway, Fiona jumps out of the passenger seat and races over to me while Ethan’s SUV is idling. “Hey, why was your friend over here last night? Are you okay?”
So she doesn’t know about her dad, that’s good at least. “I just wanted to make sure you guys were safe, and she was in the neighborhood.”
“Why are we going to grandma’s?” She clearly knows something is up.
So I decide to be more honest than I probably should.
But whatever, she should be aware that she needs to be safe.
It’ll make her more cautious. I’d rather her be over-informed than under.
“As a precaution, and that’s all I can tell you.
But you need to listen to your dad and not give him a hard time.
We both want you guys safe. I promise I’m doing all I can right now.
” I pause. “And I talked to Detective Garcia last night. He’s working hard too.
” I definitely don’t mention that Garcia might bring her father in for questioning. She doesn’t need to know that.
“Where are you going?” She looks at me a little more closely.
I’m wearing what Alex calls “sporty glam,” a style I’ve used to blend into similar places in the past. “Following up on a lead.”
Before she can ask me anything else, Riley and Quinn jump out of the back seat. “Hey, why aren’t you coming with us?” Riley demands as she races at me for a hug.
“Girls, back in the car,” Ethan calls out from the front seat.
But they ignore him, tackle-hug me, and I have to walk both of them back to the vehicle and hug and kiss them approximately eight billion times before they leave.
“I made the call, you’re good,” Ethan says before they head out, the two youngest groaning in protest as he rolls the windows up.
I simply nod, knowing I’ll have to answer questions later, but I don’t much care at this point.
Instead of walking, I drive Cara’s BMW down to Marcus’s house since it’s on the opposite side of the neighborhood.
As I arrive, I see Hannah Brown stepping onto the sidewalk, clearly walking away from Marcus’s residence. She’s wearing body-hugging jogging pants, heavy-looking sneakers, and a thick jacket. She doesn’t look in my direction, but I find it very interesting that she’s here.
How does she know Chesky? He doesn’t have kids, so she wouldn’t have nannied for him. Maybe…they’re involved?
Huh.
I turn into his driveway, noting a handful of cameras as I pull around to the front door. I know I should have contacted him first, but I wanted to catch him by surprise.
He doesn’t answer the doorbell and I have no idea if he’s actually home anyway.
Feeling irrationally annoyed, I leave and start mentally prepping for what I’m doing next.
I’m not a fan of using blackmail to get the answers I want, but sometimes it’s the only thing that works.