Page 17 of Saving Trinity (Finding Hope #5)

Chapter Seventeen

Trinity

O nce my shaking eased some, Jimmie and I laid back down in bed, and he curled his body around mine as I dialed Officer Wilcox’s number.

My entire body felt too cold despite the blankets on top of me and Jimmie’s body heat.

I knew I was going into some kind of state of shock after hearing my ex-fiancé literally kill himself on my voicemail.

I wanted to do nothing more than dissociate again, but I needed to make this phone call.

A wellness check needed to be performed, and if Zac had accomplished committing suicide, I wanted to know. I would be furious sometime later that he’d taken the easy way out, but maybe if he’d actually accomplished it, I could live in peace and begin healing from what he did to me.

The anger could come later. Hell, I knew it would. But right then, I just wanted to feel free again and no longer shackled by fear.

“Officer Wilcox,” he answered, sounding wide awake.

“Hi,” I croaked. “It’s Trinity Lennon.”

“Hello, Miss Lennon,” he greeted. “What can I do for you?”

I drew in a deep breath. “Zachary Vale contacted me, but I didn’t answer the phone since I was asleep. He left me a voicemail. I—I b-believe he committed suicide.” I drew in a shaky breath. “I’d like someone to perform a wellness check.”

“Give me one moment.” I heard him get on a radio and relay some codes, as well as relay Zac’s address. After a few moments, he came back on the line. “Miss Lennon, can you tell me what happened?”

“I don’t think I can repeat it,” I croaked. “Can I call you back from my son’s father’s phone and let you listen to the voicemail?”

“That’s fine,” he assured me.

I ended the call, and without a word, Jimmie handed me his phone.

“Two-nine-seven-three,” he murmured against my shoulder when the prompt to put in his passcode popped up.

I typed in the numbers, and hit okay, and his home screen popped up.

After typing in Officer Wilcox’s number, I closed my eyes, listening to the phone ring.

“Officer Wilcox.”

“It’s me—uhm, Trinity,” I clarified, hating how rough and strangled my voice sounded. “Just let me know when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready,” he told me.

I pressed play, then clamped my hands over my ears, not wanting to hear the voicemail again. I didn’t want to hear the hateful things Zac had to say a second time. And I didn’t want to hear that gun cocking or the sound of that gunshot again.

And Jimmie, bless his fucking heart, pressed his hands over my ears, too, helping to block out any sound I hadn’t been able to block out completely. It wasn’t until he removed his hands that I did, too, reopening my eyes as I did so.

“Okay. I recorded this on my end as well,” Officer Wilcox informed me. “I just ask that you don’t delete that from your phone. We’ll need it for our investigation.”

“If he’s dead…” I drew in a deep breath, feeling sick to my stomach. “If he’s dead, can someone please let me know?”

“After we inform his next of kin, yes,” Officer Wilcox assured me. “I will contact you personally, Miss Lennon. Get some rest. It’ll be a good few hours before you hear anything from me.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

Ending the call, I rolled over and burrowed my face in Jimmie’s chest. “Am I horrible for hoping he’s dead, and at the same time, being fucking angry if he is?” I asked.

I felt Jimmie shake his head. He ran his hands up and down my spine.

“No, baby, you’re not. For your sake, I hope he’s dead, too.

But I’m also angry that he won’t be convicted in court.

I’m angry he had the balls to hurt you like he did and then has the audacity to attempt suicide to escape the consequences.

” He pressed his lips to the top of my head, letting them linger.

“But so you don’t have to face him in court and for your own peace of mind, I hope like fuck he accomplished his attempt. ”

His fingers laced in my hair and began to massage over my scalp, soothing me.

“One day, baby, you’ll fucking rage about the justice he stole from you.

But for now, we just need to focus on your mental health and peace.

But when that day comes that you’ll rage, just know, I’ll be angry right along with you. ”

A WEEK LATER

I stared at the email in my inbox, unable to believe my eyes. Zac had definitely committed suicide. I’d received the call about ten A.M. the same day I’d heard that gunshot explode through my phone speaker.

His autopsy later showed he’d been abusing prescription narcotics and having them filled at the hospital pharmacy. The pharmacy was currently under investigation, and last I’d heard, the pharmacist in charge every time he got the scripts filled had been fired and was under investigation as well.

I’d been in a sort of daze since I’d found all that out, just going through the motions since I’d listened to that voicemail and got confirmation of his suicide.

It was so bad, Jimmie had gone ahead and gotten me into therapy. I saw Melissa, my virtual therapist, three days a week. I’d just gotten off my video call with her ten minutes ago when my phone pinged with the email I was currently staring at.

An email from Zac’s attorney listing me as the sole beneficiary to all of Zac’s assets—Zac’s house, his car, his bank accounts.

Everything was given to me. And all of it was even paid off, including the fucking house.

At one point, Zac had loved me—clearly. But drugs had obviously come into the mix, changing him just slow enough that I hadn’t noticed until it was too late.

“I can’t fucking believe I’m seeing this,” I breathed.

“What?” Jimmie asked, rounding the corner into the living room. He set Wyatt’s sandwich in front of him, along with a juice. “Eat up, bud.” Coming around the couch, he leaned over the back of it to peer down at my phone. “Holy fuck. Does that say what I think it does?” he asked in disbelief.

I nodded. “Yeah,” I said quietly. “He had me listed as his sole beneficiary. I got his life insurance policy, too. Two hundred fucking thousand dollars.” I shook my head. “I don’t want his things.”

Jimmie hummed and began playing with my hair, soothing me and settling my nerves. “So, sell it and put the money into a savings account. I’m already taking care of you and Wyatt, and you know I’ll fund your college tuition when you’re ready to go back. Save it and use it for whatever you want.”

I turned to look up at him, setting my phone down on my lap. “You don’t have to buy my affection to make me stay,” I quietly told him.

He blew out a soft breath. “I know I don’t, baby, but I want to do these things for you. I don’t want you in debt any more than you already are for school. Let me do this. Please.”

I leaned up to press my lips to his in a soft kiss. “I never should have friend-zoned you.”

He cracked a grin and kissed the tip of my nose. “No, baby, you shouldn’t have. To make up for it, you can let me take care of you.” He winked, making me laugh.

“You’re insufferable.”

Snorting, he pushed off the back of the couch and headed for the kitchen. “You love me for it.”

He was right… I did.