Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Had he killed them?
Oh God.
She watched in surprise as two police cars pulled up at her curb. Jake got out of one. Duncan out of the other.
Renard stepped forward, forcing the two agents back, then pushed her behind him. She went up on tiptoes to see around him.
“I thought we agreed to do this tomorrow,” Jake snarled, climbing up the steps onto the front porch to get between Renard and Eli.
What the hell?
What was going on?
“You cannot stand in the way of this investigation, Jake!” Eli Jones snapped. “Or I’ll have your badge.”
“Then you’ll need to have mine too,” Duncan said.
Her gaze met Duncan’s, and he gave her a worried smile.
Uh-oh. She wasn’t liking this.
“What the fuck is going on?” Renard demanded.
“Opal?” Mrs. G called out as she crossed the street and headed toward her house.
“Let me out.” She pushed at Renard.
“No.”
“Renard, it’s Mrs. G!”
“Fuck.” He stepped further forward, then reached back to gently grab her. Keeping himself between her and the agents, as though he fully expected them to make a grab for her, he helped her down off the porch.
Then she moved swiftly to Mrs. G who was halfway across the lawn. Reaching her, she carefully took the older woman into her arms.
“How you doin’, Mrs. G?”
“Good as can be expected, I guess,” the older woman grumbled. “Elvis isn’t much of a cook, but he makes a good cup of coffee.”
Opal glanced over the older woman’s shoulder at Elvis. He had to be close to eighty, was stooped, and moved extremely slow.
And he had the sweetest smile she’d ever seen.
“Elvis, how’s it going?” she asked.
“Can’t complain, Opal,” he replied.
“Thanks for looking after Mrs. G.”
“He doesn’t look after me,” Mrs. G complained. “I look after him.”
Elvis winked at Opal.
“Want to tell us what’s going on? Why are all these people cluttering up our quiet street?” Mrs. G, said. “Don’t you boys know it’s after five? Some of us want to eat our dinner in peace.”
“Sorry, ma’am,” Eli said. “This is FBI business and we need to ask you to move on.”
“FBI business?” Mrs. G asked. “Why would the FBI be here? And the sheriff and a deputy? Wait, I know you. You’re a Jones boy. Both of you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Eli said. “But perhaps we could ask you to go back home.”
“Can’t go home, boy. I was kidnapped and assaulted in my home. Imbecile.” She turned to Opal. “Is this about Barney?”
“They said it’s not. But they haven’t said what it is about,” she said.
“Well, spit it out, boy,” Mrs. G said.
“We cannot speak about this here,” Eli said. “Opal, you’ll have to come with us.”
“She’s not going anywhere with you,” Renard said, stomping over to her side.
“Especially since you won’t say why you are here!” Mrs. G said, just as a series of cars and trucks headed down the street.
Opal watched in shock as a number of people climbed out of the vehicles. All of the Malones were there except for Flick and Scarlett, who she guessed were looking after the kids.
Next, she spotted Laken, Savannah, Max, and Logan as well as Lila and her men.
Then there was Saxon and Remington as well as Devon and a few regulars from Dirty Delights.
What were they all doing here?
“What the fuck is going on?” Renard snarled.
“Look, all of you need to leave.” Eli scowled at everyone. “This is an ongoing investigation that has nothing to do with any of you.”
“What investigation?” she asked.
Eli turned to her, his exasperation clear. “That’s what we need to talk to you about.”
All of the neighbors were coming out of their houses to watch and listen.
“What investigation?” Renard demanded.
“I cannot say here.” Eli glanced around with a sigh. “Opal, you need to come with us.”
“Am I under arrest?” she asked.
There was silence.
“We need to ask you some questions. If you refuse, then . . .” Eli trailed off as Renard moved between them.
“You are not arresting my woman! Jake, what the fuck is this?”
“They really need to talk to you, Opal,” Jake told her gently. “I’ll come too. I’ll be with you the entire time.”
“Jardin is on his way,” Alec said. “He’s a couple of hours late. Say nothing until he gets here.”
Eli seemed to grind his teeth together.
“Jardin?” she asked.
Lilac and Ryleigh moved to flank her. Ryleigh took hold of her hand.
“He’s the best damn lawyer in the state,” Clem said, standing to the side with a chicken in her arms and a pig next to her. A huge fucking pig. How had that thing gotten in and out of her truck? “Course, you wanna make a run for it, Butter Chicken will help. I’d be careful, Mr. FBI agent. This chicken is a real killer.”
Butter Chicken squawked in agreement.
“Dear God,” Eli muttered, tilting his face to the sky. “Why am I back in this crazy fucking town?”