“Agreed.” Kate’s mouth was dry. “Now what can I do?”
“Here.” Brandee showed her phone to Kate, and Kate leaned in to see a shirtless man at the gym.
“Eww, it’s a dating profile,” Kate said.
“I know, right?” Brandee agreed. “But it’s the best picture we could find.”
“I’ll send you a screenshot.” Zaina said.
“For all he’s done to Hannah, his face is seared into my brain.”
“I mean, same here, but look at it anyway. We all have to be sure we’ll know it’s him.”
Kate nodded. “Gimme your phone for a sec.”
Brandee handed her phone to Kate. Kate took a screenshot of the picture and then she scribbled a beard onto the picture.
“In case he grew a beard,” Kate said.
“Dammit! He looks hotter with a beard,” Brandee said.
“He’s the freaking worst. And we are going to make sure nothing happens to Hannah,” Zaina said.
“I’ll do anything.” Kate said.
“Hannah shared her location with us, so we can see where she is; there is that. But when she is here all day, what if he shows up?” Brandee said.
“I mean, hopefully he won’t,” Zaina interjected.
“Right, hopefully he never shows up here. But if he does, we have to be ready for him, and that’s where you come in,” Brandee said.
“Can you keep an eye out? Even though you aren’t very close to her stall, at least you’re here at the market. We know youdumped our friend, and if it wasn’t for the threat of him, we wouldn’t even be here talking to you,” Zaina said.
“If we are being honest here, you’re a dumbass for pushing away my best friend. That’s all I’m going to say, because this is an all-hands-on-deck situation,” Brandee said.
Kate stood there with her mouth open. What could she say? Brandee was right. She was a dumbass.
“Hopefully, you’ll get it together and beg Hannah to take you back,” Zaina mumbled.
“Let’s just say you two are right and move on. So, you just want me to tell you if I see Chad? What if I do? Then what?”
Kate clenched her jaw as Brandee explained they’d set up a group chat, and if Kate saw Chad, she should text them and then they’d rush over from wherever they were or send one of their husbands to get Hannah someplace safe.
Kate crossed her fuzzy green arms across her stuffed belly. “That is a terrible plan.”
“Do you have a better idea?” Brandee snapped back.
Kate tapped her chin, oblivious to the fact that she was getting green makeup all over her fingers. She shuffled through her brain, trying to think of a better plan and who might be able to help. She clenched her hand into a fist. “I’ve got it. One of my clients, who I’d say is almost a friend, is a police dog trainer. She used to be a K-9 officer, but she retired a while back. Anyway, I know she is involved with helping women escape domestic violence.”
“Okay, great, but how does that help Hannah?” Brandee asked.
“Here’s what I’m thinking. If Chad shows up in Marley Creek, we contact Sadie, and she and her dog, Hansel, help us scare him out of town,” Kate said.
“Perfect!” said Zaina. “I’d love to see that asshole run off by a few women and a dog.”
Brandee crossed her arms and glowered at Kate. “Are you sure he’ll be scared off?”
“Hang on.” Kate pulled up Sadie’s website and hit play on a video showing Hansel practicing attacks. They all watched in silence, and once it was done playing, Kate spoke. “Will that work?”
