Page 57 of Watch Me

“Come by my house when you call it a night. I’ll tell you what happened.”

I felt as though we would go around and around, and I really had no time to try to talk him out of going. He knew the life of a police officer, and when Jessica told him she knew—that she was behind it—I hoped my father would have my back. I hoped his police senses would spike and he’d get to the bottom of it.

“Fine. Ask her everything.”

“Everything?”

“Everything,” I said again, hoping he’d get the hint. “I really need to go.”

“Okay. Goodbye.”

I sighed and stuck my phone back into my pocket as I moved toward Will and Shawn. “Well?”

“Still running a few scans, but so far nothing,” Willanswered.

“Not even that malware shit?” Iasked.

“No. I didn’t find it.”

Well, fuck.

My heart was beating fast as I sat in my truck outside of the house that I’d fucking paid for. My dad was inside, and I was two seconds away from going in too. The plan was to let him go in and talk to her, and I prayed he would find out if Jess was behind this shit without me telling him anything about the case or my suspicions. However, I couldn’t sit back and hope Dad got my signals, so I’d stopped him before he could go inside.

“You shouldn’t be here,”he’d stated as I got out of my truck.

He was on his way to the front door, and I’d made it in time to speak with him before he could talk to Jessica. After Will informed us that he had gotten nothing from the computers, I left, knowing my dad was more than likely on his way to talk to Jess. I wasright.

“I need to tell you something before you go inside.”

“What is it?”

“Get in the truck.”I’d motioned for him to get in on the passenger side. After he got into the cab, I drove away from the house, not wanting Jessica to comeoutside.

“What’s going on?”

“Let me park,”I’d said. A few moments later, I pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store down thestreet.

“I don’t care if she’s your ex-wife—”

“That’s not it.”I’d parked and cut the engine and sighed before speaking.“I told you earlier that the protection order is connected to the cases I’m working, but I also think Jess might be behind the murders.”

“What?”Dad had shouted. I’d told him everything. He was no longer on the force, but he was a damn good cop, and if anything, he could help me. I needed his help, given I had to stay five hundred feet away from Jessica, and I didn’t want to tell Shawn until I knew for sure.

Dad was silent for a few moments, but then he took a deep breath before responding,“For the sake of those boys, you better hope she’s not behind this.”

We came up with a plan for him to question Jessica without her knowing we had our suspicions.

“What about my boys? How can I let her keep them if she’s behind this?”

“That will never happen,”he’d stated.“I’ll find out, and if I think she’s behind it, I will take them to my house, and you can call it in to bring her to the station for further questioning.”

“Thank you.”

I’d driven Dad back to the house, and while he was inside, I had to restrain myself numerous times so Jess didn’t know I was outside and breaking the protection order. I didn’t know what would make me feel better: Dad coming out with my sons or coming out without them. Either way wasn’t good for me. I already missed my boys. I couldn’t imagine not seeing them for two or more weeks, but I also couldn’t imagine Jessica going to prison and them only seeing her inshackles.

Finally, after the sun had gone down and an hour or so had passed, Dad walked out of the front door. Alone.

Fuck.