Page 7 of Fractured Hearts

“I think she already suspected as much. Yet she hasn’t found him.”

“She’s going to try to draw him out, Jo. I know her. Maybe not as well as I thought I did, but I know she never gives up and will use whoever she can to get what she wants.”

“Harlow texted me while I was giving you space.” I frown, confused by the change of subject. “Logan called. His brother is a hacker. He swears he’s the best there is and has offered us his help.”

“Harrison has a hacker too, and that’s barely got us anywhere,” I point out.

“Yeah, but if Logan is right and Theo is on the same level as Gavin Irons, then maybe we can find Ezra before Eva and Patrick get to him.”

It’s weird hearing Jo call Jon Patrick even though that’s his real name. Fucking asshole.

I take a shaky breath. “Okay. What does he need from us?”

“We’re going to meet with him in person at some point. Harlow said she’d let me know.”

I nod and pull Jo into my chest, needing to hold her. I don’t know if the amount I want to cuddle her is normal, but my therapist thinks it’s possible that I’ve been so touch-starved my whole life that I’m making up for it now. Jo seems to enjoy it just as much as I do. Maybe she’s touch-starved, too. I don’t know. I need to be a better friend to her and ask her more about her life before mine invaded it.

The only thing I know right now is that my head quiets when she’s touching me, and I need that more than anything right now. So when she nuzzles her head under my chin and wraps her arms around me, I close my eyes and fall into a soundless sleep.

five

EZRA

It was warming up at home, but apparently Buffalo didn’t get the memo that spring started. It’s snowing right now. In April. I love being a sports photographer, but I’m seriously considering switching back to baseball. It’s a much warmer sport.

“Jo and Harlow are doing podcast research and I’m bored,” I hear Willa say as I enter the hotel room I share with Declan.

“You could help them,” he says into the phone.

“It is getting kind of interesting,” Willa admits. Declan lifts his chin in acknowledgment when he sees me.

“Tell me about it,” he says.

I take a seat against the headboard of my bed, listening to their conversation. Is it rude? Sure, but Declan also has the phone on speaker. And I need to listen in to see if they’re talking about my case again. They haven’t in a while, but I know they didn’t give up.

“You know it’s this supposed murder of this girl in Maine, right? Well, they accused the boyfriend, but guess what?” Willa says, failing to hide the excitement in her voice. “There’s no boyfriend. Harlow found friends of hers, and they swear she wasn’t dating anyone. So either the cops made up a boyfriend, or she had a secret one.”

“Oh damn, Princess,” Declan says, sitting up. He’s interested now, too. Can’t say I blame him. True crime is popular for a reason. “So there’s no body and no boyfriend.”

“Right! If Harlow hadn’t talked to the friends, I would think this Noelle girl didn’t even exist.”

“Noelle?” I blurt before I can think better of it.

Willa laughs. “Hi, Ben. How’s it going?”

“I’m good, Willa. How are you doing?” I ask, trying to recover from my blunder.

“Good! Just talking about the Melt the Ice research with Hockey Boy. Are you a true crime fan, too?”

“Sometimes,” I answer.

“I have to go. Cal is back with dinner.”

“See you tomorrow, Princess. I love you.”

“I love you, too!”

Declan hangs up the phone and turns to me. I pause with my hand halfway to my ear where I was about to put my headphone.