Still pissed at my body’s reaction to her, I shrug.
Her mouth is a thin line and she takes a step in the direction of the door.“I’ll grab the file I left in my car.You can read through everything we’ve got so far to gain some mutual trust.”
Without another word she disappears and steps back into the cabin a moment later.
I take the file from her while at the same time she says, “My phone number is inside if you have any questions.Take your time.I’ll swing by tomorrow to talk things through.”
She turns to leave and I quickly step in front of her and put the deadbolt in place to lock us inside.I point at the table and stalk past her.When I sink my ass down on a chair I notice she’s still standing near the door.
Snapping my fingers, I point at the chair across from me.She releases a deep sigh and reluctantly moves toward the chair to hand me the file.I open it and watch Helena from the corner of my eye.She glances at the kitchen and without a word she grabs the mug sitting on the counter, washes it, and makes herself some coffee.
I give a short whistle to draw her attention and then point at me before I point at the cabinet where the mugs are.
“Would you like some coffee too, Ballard?Sure, babe, thanks.No problem, keep your ass on the chair and I’ll get you some,” she mutters, and uses different voices when she mimics my response.
I’m glad she doesn’t look in my direction because my lips twitch in amusement.Where I’ve been a moody fuck these couple of weeks, this woman’s reaction to me triggers amusement.Something that’s definitely been lacking in my life.
For fuck’s sake.I tried to get rid of her by demanding a blow job, and what did she do?Throw me a counteroffer.I thought she’d smack me in the face or try to knee me in the balls.Hell, she could have gone for her gun or her cuffs.Yet, she came with a damn counteroffer.
Pulling my mind to the papers in front of me, I start to read through the information.The first few pages are about Royce’s financial background, and it’s something I’ve already checked myself.
“I left out the information Seamus and Jaxie gave from the file Dax had.It’s not evidence we gathered, but we have checked most of the stuff in there,” Helena states as she places a mug in front of me.“All circumstantial stuff, but when you add it all up?Yeah, it raises a red flag for both Royce and Jolene for sure.”
I drop the papers in my hand and grab my phone to type out my question and show her.
She reads my message.“My motivation to go after my father and half-sister?It’s complicated.”
Taking a seat across from me, she takes a sip of her coffee and watches me over the rim of the mug.I keep staring and waiting.
Eventually, she places her elbows on the table and stares into her mug when she surprises the fuck out of me by stating, “What I’m about to tell you has to stay between us.”
I raise one of my eyebrows.
Helena places the mug on the table.“Come on, just give me a nod.This is something crucial because Royce will know it came from me if Jaxie knows.Believe me, she won’t be able to hide her reaction once she’s aware.”
My curiosity spikes and it’s why I give her a tight nod.
Surprise hits me again when she states, “I’m the living result of a hate-fuck and I wasn’t meant to be born.After she gave birth to me, my mother showed up on Royce’s doorstep the way she did with Burk.She tried to get the same paycheck from Royce the way she received one from Burk.It backfired, because Royce refused to give her a dime.So, she actually left me on the doorstep.Which is why I was raised by my grandparents.Thank fuck they were visiting Royce the day my mother showed up or I might not even be alive today.I wouldn’t have put it past Royce to have dropped me in the garbage.”
Damn, that’s harsh.It’s my first thought.A dick move to ask the father for a paycheck, but apparently Burk tried to pay her off after she showed up on his doorstep.The part about the hate-fuck comes to mind and I type out my question and show it to her.
Helena bobs her head, making her short hair dance smoothly around her face.“Yeah, a hate-fuck.Because my mother and Jaxie’s mom are sisters.According to my grandparents, Royce has known both sisters for decades.”
My eyes widen in surprise and out of fucking reflex I try to grunt something.A soundless puff is all I produce, and the slight pain in my throat is another reminder I can’t fucking talk.
“Shocker eh?”Helena traces the rim of her mug with her finger.“It’s why Jaxie’s mother left town and couldn’t forgive her husband for cheating.You know, the whole added cheating with her own damn sister part?Though, I wouldn’t want a man back who cheated, period.Then again, some people have a different opinion.Anyway, my mother was paid to keep her mouth shut.I guess my aunt was silenced a different way after she returned to town with Jaxie.I’m still looking into my aunt’s death.In this small circle of people two have died from falling down the stairs.Both people being Jaxie’s parents.Now that’s too much of a coincidence.”
I bob my head, letting her know her last statement is something we definitely agree on.
“You know what happened to me, right?”she suddenly asks.
Tapping my laptop, I shrug.
“Well, I might have been a bit reckless because my grandfather died a few days before I was taken.Instead of taking time off, I threw myself headfirst into that serial killer case and made a dumb remark which caught the fucker’s attention.If it wasn’t for my partner, I wouldn’t be here.He’s the one who managed to decipher the lead I found right before I was taken...even if it took him a few days.”She stares down and rubs the scars on the palm of her hand.“I couldn’t stay.It’s why I applied for the deputy sheriff’s job and returned to my hometown.My grandfather built the cabin I bought.He gave it to his son a few years back, and what did Royce do?He put it up for sale because he needed the fucking money.The asshole has a gambling addiction.Did you know?He’s been stealing from the company.”
Glancing down at the file, I quickly look through the documents for proof of what she just said.
A hand covers the papers.“It’s not in there, Ballard, because I can’t prove it.I only overheard Royce talking to my lovely half-sister, Jolene, the day of her husband’s funeral.You see, she’s become a little greedy.Apparently, Royce helping Nolan heal from the injuries he sustained during the attack when Burk died wasn’t part of her plan.He should have died too, and I bet that’s why she was shooting at you and Nolan.I’m guessing she might not even have been aiming at you.”
