A conversation we had with Liam after Evie’s mum’s funeral comes to mind.“The CCTV,” I blurt out.
“Huh?”Isaac asks.
“Liam pulled the CCTV from the care home if you remember, and still has the footage from the feeds planted in Evie’s old place.He had his hands around Evie’s neck.He could try to spin it, I know, and say she said something threatening, but we also have her mum’s stuff in the locker.I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me, but we could see if her mum has any messages on a phone from him.And it wouldn’t hurt if Evie could pull up any messages from her phone too.We could give it all to the reporters.”
The room falls silent, including the phone line.I glance around because they are all staring at me in bewilderment.“What?”I snap.
Theo chuckles.“Didn’t know you had a brain in there.”
Colton nods.“Kind of shocked.”
“Same,” Isaac agrees.
“What he said,” Luke states.
“I think the blast at Liam’s was good for you,” Jaxon remarks.“You are a changed man.”
“Fuck you.Fuck all of you,” I growl.
Jaxon chuckles for a moment before sobering.“Be prepared for reporters tomorrow.No one says anything.I mean it.I will handle it.”
“You should ring Paisley.Her property is technically open to the public.It’s only our land that is private and they won’t be able to come on without permission.”
“Jesus, if I had known the knock to your head would do this, I would have pushed you down the stairs.Call you later.Stay alert.”
“Prick,” I grumble, before he ends the call.
I glance at my phone, checking if I have any more messages.I don’t.
“Are you waiting for a call from someone?”Theo asks.
I sigh and get up off the bed, Hunter following.“I’m going out.”
“You’d better not leave the dog again,” Colton warns.“Jaxon still has doubts.”
I snort.“Hunter is coming with me, dipshit.”
“Where are you going?”Isaac asks, a gleam in his eye.“Going to see our hot new neighbour?”
“Grow up, and don’t call her hot,” I snap, sliding my feet into my trainers.“And yes.They just name-dropped her too.I want to check if she’s okay.She said they have a clause in her contract that allows them to sue her if they think she has given out information about the company.The Black lawyers are ruthless, so I want to make sure her computer is locked and can’t be hacked.”
Plus, after today, Katherine knows Summer is connected to us and the family her company has been trying to steal land from.Katherine didn’t wait to blab about it, so it goes without saying that Summer and her family are now a target.I don’t plan to sit by and watch any of them get hurt.Especially Summer.
Luke looks doubtful.“Shouldn’t you get Liam to do that?You can’t work the Excel file.”
“Fuck you.You guys keep updating the fucking software,” I growl without shame, then reply to his former comment, “And duh.I’ll message him on the way.”
Isaac laughs.“See you later.I’m going back to bed.”
“Don’t leave Mum alone,” I warn the three still left in my room.
“Not going anywhere,” Luke assures me.
I glance down at Hunter as I make my way downstairs.“Right, bud, I’m going to trust you not to run off like there’s a bitch in heat in the next field.I want this—us—to work, so you’ve gotta stay on my arse the entire time.”
Hunter licks my fingers, so I take that as a yes and head outside the door, heading to my truck.Hunter stays at my side, but his head swivels left and right, like he’s scanning the woods.
I hold my breath, crossing my fingers that he doesn’t run off, and release it when he jumps into the car, walking right over to the passenger side and getting comfy.
