“I only talked to her once. A chance encounter at the supermarket.” Penny winked.
Cross read between the line and snorted. “Stalking her?”
Penny shrugged. “Stalking, investigating. It’s all the same. I’d seen her a few times, so I casually did the whole ‘I know you from somewhere. Have we met?’ thing.”
“She fall for that?”
“Yeah.” Penny chuckled. “Very naïve and trusting. She immediately started talking about seeing me visiting Hyde, though she used his real name. Went on and on how she’s enjoyed getting to know him and Jekyll, and how not many people participate in her classes, and she appreciates the small contribution they both give to the class.”
“You telling us Jek is a star student?” Cue asked.
Penny chuckled. “According to her, he is.”
“What do you make of her?” He asked.
“Honestly Cross, I don’t know.” Penny sat in the open seat at the table. Ironically, it was Hyde’s. “I don’t know many people like her.”
“Like her?”What the hell does that mean?
“Cross” —she knitted her brows— “she spent ten minutes talking to me about inmate reform, how they learn from their mistakes, and advocating for programs so their time isn’t wasted rotting away while incarcerated. She’s taken four programs to the prison for consideration on bettering the inmates so when they’re released they’ll be contributing members of society.” Penny arched her brow. “And that’s a direct fucking quote.”
“A do-gooder,” Ghost said.
“Could be a fraud,” Oak countered.
“Maybe, but that’s the thing. I’m pretty good at reading people and through their bullshit. But with her? I really think that she believes in everything she was saying.”
Cross cupped his mouth and shared a look with Ace. Something felt off with this woman.
“What does Hyde say?”
“She’s popular at the prison.”
“Good looking?” Ace asked.
Penny glanced up at the ceiling. “Very. And sweet to everyone.”
“Yeah,” Oak laughed. “Real sweet to Hyde?”
Penny slowly turned her head, pinning him in her glare. “Yeah, she is. But he’s safe for her. So is Jek. The same can’t be said for all of them. You can joke all you want Oak, but one day that girl is going to bereal sweetto the wrong fucking guy. And you are all well-versed in what can happen to a very nice and naïve woman who comes up against someone with bad intentions. They don’t even see it coming. Am I right?” She glanced back at Wraith. “HowisCleo?”
Fuck.
This woman was not their responsibility. But he didn’t want to see anyone get hurt. However, for all they knew, Oak was right, and she was a fraud. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Cross cleared his throat. “So who is she to Jekyll?”
Penny shrugged. “I don’t know, and if Hyde does, he’s not sharing.”
“Alright,” Ace said and lifted his chin toward the door.
“Class dismissed.” Penny snorted and started toward the door. She was a foot away from leaving when Ace called her name, and she glanced over her shoulder.
“This stays here.” He tapped his finger on the table. “You don’t tell Hyde or Jekyll. You hear me?”
She furrowed her brows but nodded.
“They get out the last Friday of next month. You pick them up and bring em’ back home.”
