“I’m here. Sorry. Did Sophia tell you everything?”
“Yeah, can you send me pictures?”
“We can.” Cooper answers, taking his seat next to me.
“Who is that?” Ryder asks, defense lacing his tone.
“Cooper. My boyfriend.” He squeezes my hand in his.
“I don’t want her touching the envelope. I’ve already touched it so I can do it. Want it now? What are we looking at?”
“None of my guys were gone. None of Hugh’s guys were gone. They had a big delivery going down at the ranch this week. Hugh couldn’t spare anyone. And he wouldn’t send some grunt to do this. It’d be a higher up, one of his trusted people who wouldn’t tattle to me and they’re all here.”
“Are… Are you sure?” I hold back the sobs wanting to escape. It has to be them. Who else could it be?
“I’m sure, Aubs. I wouldn’t hide anything from you. I told them to back the fuck off you. Hugh knows what’s at stake.”
Cooper takes the phone from my hand. “I’m going to send you the photos from my phone. Keep me in the loop if you hear anything different.”
“Will do.”
He hangs up the phone, neither man saying goodbye.
“I’m going to stay here tonight.”
“Okay.” I slowly stand.
Cooper stands with me. “I mean, I can go if you really want, but we both know I’ll just be sitting in my truck watching your house all night.”
“I don’t want you to leave.”
“Then I won’t.” He says it so simply. Like this whole disaster isn’t a blaring red flag to stay away from me.
Slowly, I drag myself to my room, stripping and sliding into the bed. He’s a few minutes behind me, and I know he’s locking everything up.
I’m numb.
How did I let myself get here? How did they find me? And most of all, if Ryder is right… who’s doing this?
Me:If you breathe one word of this to anyone else, I’ll junk punch you.
Wyatt:Noted. What’s the big secret?
Me:Aubrey has a stalker. Drug dealers that Jack got mixed up with.
Me:Apparently he stole from them and they want their money back. When we got home tonight, she had an envelope of photos under her door.
Wyatt:Shit. How did none of us know? Do Aggie and Tommy know? Who are they? What were the photos?
Me:She hasn’t told anyone but me and made me promise not to tell anyone. So this needs to be on the down low. Just me and you. I don’t know who they are but they’re associated with her best friend, her father, Hugh, and her brother, Ryder. That’s all I have. I’ll let you know more when I get back inside and we talk to Sophia.
Wyatt:Where’s she from in Montana? I’ll start searching. It’s a slow night.
Me:Sanders Hollow.
Wyatt:On it.
Me:Ryder swears it wasn’t his father’s guys. Says that his father never would have sent a low man on the totem pole, and that all his right hand men were in town for a delivery. This could be Nolan too. We can’t rule him out.
