Page 45 of Tough Justice
“It’s hard to believe she’d know how to do that,” he said, carrying his plate to the table. “She was never great at school,and she’s used her looks more than her brain to get what she wants. More street smart than book but also stubborn enough to figure out how to get her way.”
She brought her own lunch to the table and sat beside him. “Could her way involve getting someone else to help her? I mean, you said she lied to you before to trick you into hurting someone else. Maybe she’s doing that again.”
Duke’s hand stopped with a French fry halfway to his mouth. “Shit. I didn’t consider that. Could explain how she’d have an alibi yet still be responsible for everything that’s happened. Hell, would even be smart for her to be seen all over town this morning. Her plan is executed but her hands stay clean.”
“It’s just an idea.”
“A damn good one. I’ll make some calls to some people I still know from my hometown. See if I can find out who she’s been close with lately. Gives us something to do other than sit around and wait while Spencer keeps an eye on her. I should have considered that. Lane might need to give you a promotion.”
The knots in her stomach loosened enough to take a bit of pasta. She didn’t need his praise, but she’d be lying if she said it didn’t feel good. “Just trying to help. I want this behind us as soon as possible.”
“Me, too. I have more exciting things in my future.” He winked then took a bite of his burger.
She grinned like a giddy teenager. Yes, the future was filled was a ton of wonderful possibilities and she hoped like hell Duke was a part of it. But before she could figure out where the next days and months would take her, she had to survive the present.
16
Duke cleaned up after lunch while Suzy got situated. He’d told her to make herself at home—hell, he’d even cleaned out two of his drawers to give her space. And now the idea of her placing her things in his bedroom made his spine tingle.
She hadn’t been there an hour, and he already dreaded her leaving.
But he wouldn’t think about that now.
Instead, he’d enjoy the time they had. Well, enjoy it as much as he could with his sister in the hospital and a madwoman who had waged some kind of personal war against Suzy roaming the streets.
He slipped the empty takeout containers in the trash and stored the leftovers in the fridge just as his phone rang on the counter. His pulse picked up, hoping for good news but anticipating bad.
His sister Riley’s name and photo popped up on his screen. Sighing, he reached for the phone. He expected to hear from the rest of his family soon but still wasn’t ready to rehash everything that’d transpired.
He swiped the screen to answer then pushed the speaker button. “Hey, Riley. What’s up?”
“What’s up? Seriously? I talked to Mom, and she told me everything that’s going on. Why didn’t you call me?”
“I didn’t want to worry you.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose, warding off the headache that was bound to erupt with Riley’s screeching. “Mom said she’d fill everyone in.”
“Fill us in?” The screeching got impossibly louder. “Heather’s laying in a hospital bed. Your property was vandalized. What kind of place did you move to?”
“It’s not where I moved, it’s who followed me here.” Suddenly exhausted, he walked over to the table and fell into one of the hard chairs.
“Oh, yeah. Mom said you think it’s Chrissy. I mean, she’s always had a few screws loose, but this? It’s a little hard to wrap my mind around.”
He snorted. “Seems exactly like the type of thing she’d do to get attention—to pay me back for not giving her what she wants.”
“Man, and here we all never thought you were anything special.”
The teasing note of his sister’s voice lifted the corner of his mouth. “Very funny.”
“Seriously, though, are you all right? Are you and Heather safe? Maybe you should come home.”
“If there’s one thing I learned, it’s that running away from my problems won’t solve a damn thing. Hell, they’ll chase after you until it’s dealt with, one way or another.” His conversation with Suzy came back, along with her thought about Chrissy maybe having an accomplice. “I’m glad you called though. Have you kept in contact with Chrissy at all?”
“Are you kidding? I stay as far away from that woman as possible.”
Now both sides of his mouth curled up. As the oldest child, Riley took her protective role very seriously and her intuition had always been spot on. She’d warned him to stay away from Chrissy from the start, but hormones and attraction had outweighed common sense and his sister’s insight. Something he’d regret until the day he died.
“Any chance you know who she hangs around with?” he asked.
“Honestly, Heather would know more than me or even Sara. She’s the only one who still sees Chrissy. Or check with Mom. She stays in the know about all the town gossip and has always had a soft spot for that woman.”
