Page 150 of On A Manhunt: Complete Series

MALLORY

When I saw Theo’s text, that he knew I was in Las Vegas and why, I showed it to Annie and Trixie. I had a box of tissues in hand, and I had barely stopped crying in hours. They’d laughed and told me not to worry, that if I didn’t have a gag reflex and did yoga, Theo wouldn’t be done with me.

From their perspective, it made sense. The men they spent time with found both of those things as important job requirements. I didn’t want Theo to be a customer and with Mrs. Jonsdottir’s house in my name, he couldn’t be anything else.

I wasn’t sure what I was more panicked and upset about. Being found guilty for solicitation or feeling like I was paid for sex by Theo. God, if the judge only knew that a man bought me a house for services rendered, I’d be found guilty.

That was why I had to give the house back. When Trixie arrived with bags of carry out, I explained what I had to do. The women weren’t so sure, because why would a woman turn down a house? It was protection. A place to live where no one could take away.

It was exactly what I always wanted. Not just that specific house, but a place of my own. Where Maggie wouldn’t be choosing Nate over me. Where I never came in last.

But Theo gave it to me just like I gave my mother the money for the utility bill.

I was struggling and he took care of the problem.

But what about the next time when my car needed new tires?

Would he pay for that, too? Was I just someone he pitied?

I specifically told him that night in the restaurant parking lot that I didn’t want pity sex.

I would not be a charity case like my mother, always assuming others would solve her financial problems.

Where she used my need for attention and affection as a weapon, offering it sparingly and strategically.

Theo gave me affection, at least in the form of sex. Sparingly. Strategically, as in at six o’clock. His sex hour.

I would not try to get scrapes of affection from Theo that would never come. Well, it seemed I’d tried for them, but it had never come. Only a house. A house was not an indication of any kind of feeling on his part. Annie and Trixie could confirm that.

The other proof? We barely kissed!

I told the ladies as much and they must have recognized how serious I was, how important to me getting rid of that house meant, so they got their lawyer on the phone in a total speed dial move.

The pertinent details were shared and within the hour, Annalynn, their ever efficient lawyer, arrived with the paperwork for me to give the house back to Theo before we finished our dinner and first glasses of wine.

She couldn’t have been over thirty and dressed like she was on a legal drama on TV. Form-fitting, modest but bold dress and killer heels. Simple makeup and a personality of a diplomatic shark.

I learned the plat and other fancy information about the house was public record, so all I had to do was sit at Annie’s fancy kitchen counter and sign the document. Annalynn even notarized it.

She tucked the paper in an express mail envelope.

“That’s it?” I asked, watching her in awe as it was sealed shut.

“Quit claim deeds are simple,” she explained. “You’re signing the deed of ownership over to someone else. Usually it’s to a family member, but it works in a case like yours. No money’s changing hands, just the property itself.”

She smiled and I had to wonder what shade lipstick she used. She lifted the envelope. “This will be at the courthouse in Hunter Valley tomorrow morning and the deed recorded by lunch.”

Before I even returned home, the house would belong to Theo. Just like that.

I blinked. “Wow. Um… thanks.”

She eyed me with a soft smile. “You must really love this guy.”

I blinked my still-swollen eyes in her direction. “I don’t love him.”

The corner of her mouth tipped up. “I’ve dealt with plenty of divorces. No woman would return a house to a man if she hated him.”

Trixie nodded, tipped her glass of wine at Annalynn. “That’s true.”

“There’s no marriage. No divorce. That makes no sense.”

“Neither does love, honey. Neither does love.” Annalynn cocked her head to the side, studied me. “You okay?”

Was I okay? Hell, no. I laughed.

“I feel like I’ve got PMS times ten. Relieved, sad.

” Because Theo didn’t care about me like I cared about him.

“Worried.” Because maybe Annalynn was right.

Maybe I was falling for him. “Panicked.” Not just because I might be off to jail, but my feelings for Theo?

Holy sugar and spice. I did have feelings for him, but he had none for me in return.

“Tired. And I’m pretty sure eating junk food in the car made my pants not fit. ”

“You worry too much. If you could stay longer, we’d do a spa day,” Trixie offered.

“That sounds amazing, but I can’t. I have to be back at work. And that means I can’t be found guilty because I will lose my job and in a small town like Hunter Valley, I’ll be known as the Vegas hooker.” I looked to Annie and Trixie. “No offense.”

They laughed and Trixie said, “The judge is going to take one look at you and toss the case.”

I had no idea what that meant. I could look sophisticated and sexy, couldn’t I? I knew all about sex now, thanks to Theo and I gave house-buying worthy BJs.

Maybe it was my sloppy hair and coffee stained Hunter Valley Elementary hoodie I had on.

“Like Trixie said, the charges against you will be dropped,” Annalynn promised.

And they were. Annalynn was a pro–no pun intended–at handling my court appearance and the next morning the whole thing was over within ten minutes.

The judge threw out my case because there was no probable cause.

She also took in my outfit, heard about my residence in Montana and my job as a first-grade teacher and she actually rolled her eyes. She dropped the gavel, and it was over.

I turned to Annie and Trixie, who were seated in the long benches behind me, the entire courtroom looking just like on TV. Annie winked and offered a thumbs up while Trixie only grinned. I was practically shaking in relief.

Annie’s and Trixie’s hearings followed soon after mine and they, too, were cleared, although they both were given fines. Based on Annie’s fancy house and the way they barely blinked at the sum announced by the judge, the amount wasn’t an issue. Maybe they could expense it on her tax returns.

As for me, I was thrilled to be back to being only a boring first-grade teacher without a record, able to get my bail back to give to Bridge for the plane ticket.

We walked out of the courthouse free women, and I had to admit, their easy joy was infectious. I’d been so anxious about the whole thing, and it felt like a weight was lifted from my shoulders.

“Come on, let’s get some lunch before you go,” Annie offered. “We never really got a chance to hear about the–”

“Theo,” I gasped. People coming out of the courthouse had to part to walk around us because I froze mid-step. There, standing ten feet in front of me was the man himself.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to run away or run into his arms.

I chose running away.