She smiles and pushes her hair behind her ear as she pulls a wad of papers from her purse. “I saw it when I went to see Twila. She was being such a bitch about giving me money. That’s when she told me she was done with me and accused me of stealing from you. My name was on that account. It was my money, too.”
“My tuition money? The money I saved from years of babysitting and working at the ice cream parlor every free moment? You think it was yours?” I shake my head. “Forget it. Why do I even ask. But the dress? It is not your style or size.”
“I took the dress and bought the wig. The stupid president of the bank thought I was you and was eager to do whatever Twila’s little minion wanted. He drew up all the papers to give me a massive student loan but a stupid clerk contacted Twila direct.
“The outfit came in handy today. Hotshot here,” she glances at Rake, “wasn’t so bright either and thought I was you.” She looks at Faron. “This is really perfect. We have her sign the papers and date them a week, maybe two ago. Then we kill them both right now. Lovers’ quarrel. Oh, that’s beautiful. Such a perfect plan.”
“Oh, oh we can leave the dress. She caught him with his lover.”
I look at her with pure disgust. She has never cared about anyone but herself. A true narcissist.
“Trish, you watch too much shit television.”
I meet Rake’s gaze and shake my head. Raising my hand to my mouth I fake a cough and blow the whistle.
No sound. No warning. Shiva charges from the woods and has Faron down, mouth around his neck in less than a minute. Vader uses a body strike to knock Mom off her stump, then stands growling with one paw on her chest as she screams.
Patch, two of the other guys from the team, and the Sherif walk out of the woods.
Rake is standing and already has the ropes off his wrists when he walks up to me, leans down and kisses me gently on the lips. “You can call the dogs off now, babe.”
“Trish Barlowe-Pyles you are being arrested for the murder of Twila-Johnson-Barlowe and?—”
“I didn’t do that. It wasn’t my fault. He messed with her breaks. That’s not on me. I’m innocent. He made me do it all. Everything. I’m an innocent pawn.” She starts to snivel and weep.
Faron yells back. “You lying bitch. You blackmailed me into all of this. It was your idea.”
I pull my phone from my pocket and it’s still recording. Rake smiles. “May have to make you an operative, Sugar.”
CHAPTER 15
Rake (Silo)
Pulling my truck off the main road and onto the one leading to the cabin drains some of my stress. I’ll be home in less than five minutes. My two-month assignment felt like it would never end.
Norah and I had a stressful month of dealing with her mom and stepdad’s arrests and then I was shipped out on an important case. We’ve only even talked twice and the extent each time was pretty much ‘I love you and come home safe’.
All that when we’d only been together a month. The first reality test of what our life could, would be like. She said she could handle it. But damn if I hadn’t heard something in her voice when I called to say we’d landed, and I was on my way.
The cabin is dark except a light over the kitchen sink. When I push the door open, Vader and Shiva greet me with tails wagging. But a quick scan doesn’t reveal Norah.
Then I hear the flush of the toilet and relax, barely. “I’m home, Sugar.”
It’s another two minutes before the door eases open. It’s obvious by her swollen eyes and red cheeks my girl’s been crying.My heart seizes. Something’s wrong. And by the anguish in her eyes, it’s serious.
I drop my duffle at my feet and open my arms “What’s wrong? What’s happened? What do you need me to do?”
She stutter-steps my way like she’s going in front of a firing squad. Ah fuck, this is bad. She’s changed her mind.
With three feet to go, she throws herself in my arms and bursts into tears. “I’m sorry, Rake. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think it through. I was impulsive. I didn’t think about what it would, what it could do to you.”
Resting my head on top of hers, I just hold her and let her sob. I promise myself I’ll let her go easy. I always knew this kind of love wasn’t meant for me. I love her too much to try to hold her. Her happiness is more important to me than my own.
Clutching my shirt like she’ll never let me go, she keeps crying and saying she’s sorry and mumbling into my chest. Eventually, she calms to the point of hiccups.
“Sugar, tell me what you want me to do. Do you want me to leave tonight? Is there something you need before I go?”
“I don’t want you to go.” She pounds my chest. “I don’t want you to leave.” She hits me again. “Have you not been listening!”
