“Good.” I narrowed my eyes a bit.
The man I’d come to recognize as nothing but muscle and confidence looked different. Weak? Shy? He wouldn’t hold eye contact with me. Instead, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking only at them.
“Listen this is kind of a big team event day starting with a charity golf outing, so would you mind waiting with her in my apartment until they come to get her?”
“They?”
“My attorney is handling it. Someone with CPS will be here within the hour to get her.”
I turned to check on Shayna. She smiled then kissed Trzy on the head. “I’ll just be in the hall for a second, okay, sweetie?”
She smiled and nodded.
Closing the door behind me, I glared up at Everson. “Child Protective Services?”
“Yeah.”
“And why are they coming to get her?”
“Because her grandmother died the other day and she’s anorphan.”
“She’s your sister, not an orphan.” I gritted my teeth.
“I met her last night. I’m not in any position to raise a child.”
“You probably make more money in a week than most people make in a year. I think you’re in a pretty damn good position to take care of her.”
He shook his head. “I didn’t say take care of her. I’ll make sure she’s taken care of. I can’traiseher. I’m never here. She deserves a family, a yard with a swing set… I’ll make sure she gets that. It just won’t be with me.”
Fuck you, tears! Keep it together!
I swallowed past my anger and raw emotion. “You are her only family. She needs you.”
“She doesn’t even know me and in a week she won’t remember me. Here…” he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash and held it out to me “…for your trouble today and here’s a key to my place. Make sure she grabs her hairbrush by the bathroom sink.”
Stunned.
I was speechless, and heartbroken, and angry, and just…stunned.He grabbed my hand and shoved the money and key into it.
“We’ll have that chick-talk about Monaghan later.” He turned and left.
A war of emotions throbbed in my head. Even after the elevator doors closed, I just stood there waiting for one emotion to emerge as the dominate one, the one that would guide my next move.
Livid. That’s the one that broke from the pack as the leader.
CHAPTER FOUR
JAILBIRD
Idroveto Target like a granny. Since Ben died and I lived, Sunday drives and joyrides vanished from my life. It was all about getting from point A to point B without dying. My red Acura SUV rated high in all safety tests, but I didn’t have a booster seat. Shayna said she didn’t need one. I disagreed.
After finding the best booster seat with the minimal time I had to do any sort of research on the safest brand, I Googled and hash-tagged the hell out of every possible connection to Minnesota and golf charity events, found the location, drove there, and parked…thenit occurred to me I may have kidnapped a child. At least, CPS and the police would think I did.
knock knock knock
I opened my door, forcing the police officer to step back.
“Miss, you can’t park here.”
