Page 74 of Finding Home with You

“Well, after your visit to the prison yesterday.”

“Only Erin saw him,” I correct.

“Yeah, I know,” he says, nodding. “But whatever she said, it worked,” he continues.

“What do you mean?”

Joe grins now, holding up the papers in his hand as he looks at me. “Seems Fitzgerald made a phone call,” he says, waving them. “And not only do we have a message, we also have a lead.”

“Oh please, do tell,” I say.

“Well, he was pretty pissed,” Joe says.

“I can only imagine,” I say, grinning as I imagine the short temper runs in the family.

“So pissed that I think he might have forgotten his calls are actually recorded.”

I’m grinning now, my brain whirling with all the possible ways we’re going to get this bastard and his smart ass little protégé. “And?” I prompt.

“Well, the call was to someone new,” he says. “Whose phone we now also have a tap on.”

“Okay. And?”

Joe’s grinning too, rocking on his heels a little as he says, “Apparently he wants a job done,” he continues. “And let’s just say that when he starts talking about a carpet cleaning job, it’s blatantly fucking obvious he’s not calling to book a rug treatment.”

My grin widens now as I slap Joe on the back and we walk back to my office to listen to the full recording, knowing I’m going to nail this asshole if it’s the last thing I do.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Erin

Ryan left a couple of hours ago, and I’m still sitting at my kitchen table while Chris awkwardly sits on my living room couch. Maybe it’s just awkward for me because he seems as if it’s all totally normal; at times scrolling through his phone and whistling quietly like he’s not in some stranger’s home making things uncomfortable.

Normally by now I would’ve watched a little TV, taken a shower and then headed over to the inn to visit Kelsey. But with this hired babysitter sitting in my living room, I’m not sure how to carry on normally.

Do I just say, ‘Hey buddy, get off my couch and stop making me uncomfortable?’ or do I just tell him to leave and call Finn? Ryan would lose his shit if he knew I called Finn and I’m certain this guy wouldn’t leave even if I demanded it.

I let out a long sigh, resigned to the fact that until Anthony is caught, this will be my life.

My phone vibrates on the table, almost a welcome distraction from the weirdness that plagues my house right now.

Rehearsing the answers to what I know will be Ryan’s questions when I answer, I glance at the screen and see it’s Sarah, Ryan’s sister.

“Hey, Sarah,” I say as I answer the call, not giving her a chance to address me first, and I’m sure she can hear the excitement in my voice at it not being Ryan on the other end.

“Hey. Ryan told me about the accident and that…” she says, but doesn’t elaborate and I wonder how much he actually told her. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. Ryan is making a big deal about nothing.”

“Not surprised,” she says and I can almost picture her face; totally annoyed by Ryan, and it makes me smile. She’s the one person who understands his overprotectiveness. “So, I was thinking…” she adds, pausing momentarily, “I’d come for a visit. Hang out with you…” and again she stalls for a second and I add, “Get out of that small ass town.”

“Of course I want to see you, too, but yes,” Sarah says, sounding sheepish.

“I’d love for you to come visit. The sooner the better, because right now Ryan has me on house arrest.”

“How about today then?” Sarah says, sounding thrilled yet uneasy, like arriving today might be a bit too aggressive.

“Please come today,” I practically demand of her. “I don’t think I can be stuck in this house all day…resting.”