After he murdered for me.
After he scared the bejesus out of me.
Well, that part was after he tied me up so, no choice.
Choice, that’s the answer and the reason. He could’ve done anything, and yet he let me choose.
That says it all. Guess I can trust him?
I tumble into sleep with his arm over me and his warmth against my skin, his breath in my hair.
21
MISSING PIECES
Ron and Molly
“Is she home or not, Ron? Was that alarm real? Or was it a squirrel or something?”
“Yep. I can hear her moving around. Let me listen some more. The back door is a bit far from the bug. That…that sounded like the frankenstruct speaking!”
“We doing a shotgun entry then? Sounds like she needs saving? I’ll go get the weapons. How dare he!”
“Wait. Wait. He sorta saidhere we are, your home. It sounded really friendly. Now she’s thanking him.”
“Could be a ruse. Wish we had the video bugs in there still.”
“Connected these ones back up as fast as I could while she was distracted this morning. Okay, they must be walking down the hallway. Banging sounds, boots. Should be right close to this bug now.Uhhh, she just said, fuck me?”
“What sort? There’s good fuck mes and bad ones.” Molly elbows Ron and chuckles.
“Shhhh. A disgustingly filthy sort maybe. She sounded shocked but breathy?”
“He could’ve stabbed her or something?”
“Maybe. I’m inclined toward this is them smooching.” Ron clears his throat. “Nope. Nope. Worse.” He grins. “He just said he wants to tie her up…like last time.” He goes quiet for a few minutes and waves Molly down when she tries to speak. Finally, he sits back and takes out his earpiece. “Might be lucky we don’t have video. I think they’re getting along fine and all. If he stabs her, it won’t be with a knife. I’m shutting this down. We should text her in the morning.”
“Stabbed but not with a knife… Your in-your-end-Os are pitiful, Ron McClusker.”
“Tsk. Molly. I am not sure you should be insinuating that. I might have to tieyouup.”
“Catch me first, old man.”
“That I will.”
Clay Skinner
The buzz of the phone receiving a text wakes me, and I reach across and flail about on the bedside table then bring the offending device to my face. Only emergencies are supposed to be sent to me at this hour. Which is? I blink at the clock on the phone. “Three thirty AM?”
I sit on the edge of the bed, with the sheet swept aside.
Rebecca mutters, and I glance behind to see she’s still dead asleep, barely stirring.
The text though. It’s from Cannon. I expect she’s had herscare delivered. That wouldn’t be an emergency. I rub my face and click through to the text.
CANNON: Our two individuals are missing in action and overdue to report. They are not answering queries. Last known location was beside the T house.
The two men are missing? Our two? Hailey Tarrant’s house that would be referring to.
