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“I don’t think so, Jace Crawford. I am not going to be some caged bird. I would lose my fucking mind in here.” I open my arms as my frustration flares.
“I don’t give a shit about your dramatic ass pouty face, baby. You keep your little ass here, or you won’t like it.” Who the hell does he think he is? His hand lands on my stomach at the exact moment that the baby starts to kick. I smile as I see the evidence of his activity in the bumps and waves in my belly. Jace puts his finger under my chin and lifts my head. “See, this right here is why I need you protected. You and our children are my life, baby.” Looking at the emotion in his eyes, my heart beats and overflows.
“I understand, Jace. Ok.” He smiles and kisses me.
“Good girl. Now how about my mouth.” I love rewards.
The rest of the afternoon is filled with love and laughter as we spend it together with our son. I am just about to take the pot roast out of the oven when Migan comes in the door. “Hey, girlie. It smells divine in here,” she says, picking my carrots off the stove.
“Thanks. Cooking helps to calm me.” It’s true.
“Girl, it is the opposite for me. Cooking gives me hives,” she says, fake shuddering. I giggle. I giggle even harder when Bodil, who is strapped to Migan’s chest, hiccups in her sleep.
“So, what’s up?”
“Nothing. Just can't shake this guilt.” Her voice is sad and forlorn. Just as I am about to fuss at her, my husband comes down the stairs in his henley and jeans, and I want to make her leave, so I suck his cock and make him fuck me.
“Ladies,” he says, walking in. He leans over me and kisses me. “I will be right back, baby.”
“Dinner is almost ready, mister.” I punch his arm.
“I know. It smells delicious, baby. I won’t be gone long. I am going to the police station with Torran to talk to Leif. I promise, thirty minutes tops.”
“You better. I love you.” He kisses me once more before running out the door. Now, I just have to convince not only my friend but myself that we are going to be ok.
Chapter Four
Jace
The small sheriff’s office on Main Street in Bleak could do with an upgrade, but it gets the job done, I think as I pull into a parking space in front of it.
“So, the girls were right. Fingerprints on the gas can came back to Jasmine Bradbury. Last known address is in Atlanta. Parents, James, and Tessa Bradbury, live in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Three priors in the system for assault, issuing worthless checks, and reckless endangerment,” Leif says after Torran and I sit down on the opposite side of his desk.
“Is she a convicted felon?” I ask. I’m not sure what it matters, but attempted murder and aggravated stalking are felonies here, while the vandalism is just a misdemeanor.
“No. The court dropped the assault charge down to battery. She spent sixty days in the Fulton County Jail but other than that, no jail time.”
“Well, fuck. That’s not good,” Torran says. “What is your plan for finding her?” The way he says it makes me think he’s got a plan of his own, and something tells me that the good sheriff won’t like it very much.
“There’s only so many places she could be hiding in a town this small. Hell, even including Bleak and Freedom, it’s still smaller than most places. I thought we could sit on the hotels in the tri-town area. There are only about sixteen,” I say.
“Already on that. I sent plainclothes officers out to sit in front of them last night.”
“I have some men on them as well,” Torran says. I know he called in some favors with his uncles, but at this point, whatever it takes.
“Nothing’s come of the surveillance yet, but she’ll make another mistake, and then we’ll get her.”
“Damn right,” Torran says.
“I’ve got warrants in the works, just waiting on Judge Lyson to sign them.”
“Sounds good,” I say, standing to shake his hand.
Lief is a good cop, but everything in this town moves too slow for my tastes. After leaving Torran to check on Migan, I head over to Ham’s place. He and Ava are home, but Ava is taking a nap.
“We need to up the surveillance on the girls. Lief has confirmed that a girl who went to college with Penny and Migan is to blame. Jasmine Bradbury,” I tell him, taking the offered bottled water he hands me.
“Well, that’s something at least. I’ve felt like I’ve been stuck in a time loop. We can do a bit more, but honestly, our five guys, along with the cops and the Jorgensen’s, would be very obvious at this point.”
