Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 365(@300wpm)
“Turn it over.”
Almost afraid to, I slowly flipped it.
Nausea rose and I swallowed back the sensation, not knowing what to feel more. Terror or fury.
“It arrived in an envelope with no name or address. Do you know what it means?”
Ramsay’s tone was so gentle. Coaxing. Not demanding.
Yet I could barely take in his words.
“Cell.” I thrust the pliers back at him. “Do you have a cell I can borrow?”
He frowned. “Have you forgotten yours?”
I shook my head. No, it was in the back pocket of my jeans. An unwitting traitor.
Ramsay pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket.
“I need to make an international call. I’ll pay you back.”
He impatiently waved off my offer, and I took the phone, fumbling for my own so I could find an email from Perri. At the bottom of the email was the number for the newspaper office. I dialed it on Ramsay’s phone and walked to the end of the garden for privacy.
Thankfully, Ramsay stayed put. I kept my back to him as I called the newspaper and asked to speak to Perri. They took my name and I waited until eventually I connected to Perri’s work phone.
“Tierney? What’s going on?”
“Our phones are tapped. They tapped our cell phones. Or at least they tapped mine. How?”
Perri let out a curse. “Are you sure?”
“Yesterday I said the words Nothing will stop me to you on the phone. Today I got another unaddressed envelope and inside is a pap shot of my best friend London, the only family I have left, and she has a big fucking target drawn around her head. On the back of that photo are the words Then maybe this will stop you.”
“Oh fuck,” Perri hissed. “Fucking, fuck, fuck.”
My heart was pounding so hard I could barely hear over it. “What do we do?”
“Dump your phone and get a new one. New number, everything. I’ll send you a burner phone so we can safely stay in contact. That’s if you still want to do this?”
The thought of anyone hurting London caused panic to constrict my lungs. “I think it’s only fair she knows she’s been threatened and ask her if she wants me to back off.”
Perri sighed. “Tierney, we are so close to publishing this thing. If you tell her and she tells the wrong person …”
“I trust her.”
She sighed again. “Okay. Then let me know what you decide as soon as possible.”
“I’ll call her now. I’m using someone else’s phone.”
“Right. Talk soon.”
London and I hadn’t spoken on the phone in a few weeks. We had a video call about a month ago, but we’d been trading texts because every time I tried to video chat, she didn’t pick up. But I knew her job kept her crazy busy.
I dialed her number and prayed she’d pick up. A quick look over my shoulder revealed Ramsay watching me patiently, Akiva at his side. I turned away, wondering at his change in attitude. Unable to resist, I glanced back and suddenly the favor he’d asked of me appeared different.
Now I wondered if Annie really couldn’t watch Akiva today.
I wondered if Ramsay had only said that so he could leave his very large, very protective Alaskan Malamute with me.
Huh.
Turning around, I frowned out at the beautiful view ahead. Even on a cloudy day, it was stunning here, especially with rays of champagne-gold sunlight piercing through the mauve clouds and hitting the water in bursts of sparkling light. Sometimes remembering I lived here now was surreal. Glenvulin’s tranquility was almost jarring against the current chaos of my life.
It was a shock when the line suddenly connected.
“Hello?”
“London, it’s me.”
“Nee?” London’s voice and use of my nickname was a balm to my soul. “Are you okay? It’s early.” She was home and she was alive. And she was probably exhausted from working late and long hours.
“I woke you.”
“It’s okay. What’s wrong?” she asked as I heard a male voice in the background asking something I couldn’t quite make out. “It’s Tierney,” London replied. He said something else. “It’s fine,” my friend said in return and then I heard what sounded like a door closing. “Okay, we’re alone. What’s happening?”
Taking a shuddering breath, I explained. “Spoon …” I used the nickname I’d called her since we were kids. “I can’t go into details, but I’m working with an investigative reporter because …” Tears threatened. London had been at my side through everything, including my parents’ deaths. She was the only person I’d let see how broken I was by the loss. “My parents … it wasn’t an accident.”
“Oh my God,” London said in a jagged breath. “What do you mean? What is going on?”
“It has to do with the company. That’s all I can say. But the person responsible knows that I’m working with a reporter and I’ve been threatened to stay quiet. But it’s my mom and dad.” I swiped at my freely falling tears.