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“You?”
“The woman who took Wrenlee was my ex’s sister. I broke things off with her a while before starting things with Wrenlee, but she clung. She was—” I pause and explain, “She was obsessive.”
“Her sister took Wren?”
I nod soberly. “Yeah. Far as I know, she befriended her at the campus library where they studied together. Wrenlee invited her for Thanksgiving dinner and when she went down to meet her in the lobby, she took her.”
“From the lobby?”
“Wrenlee left with her,” I explain how it all went down and watch as he falls into a chair on the other side of her bed. He looks pale, like he’s seen a ghost. I think any father would look like he looks after hearing about how his daughter’s boyfriend and his friendsdug up his daughter’s shallow grave with their bare hands before pulling her out in the nick of time.
He’s shook. Rattled.
I am too.
thirty-nine
Cash
Wrenlee wakes up exactly fifty-two hours after being admitted to the hospital. The police have been in and out of the room since she opened her eyes almost ten hours ago. They’ve taken her statement and come back with more questions.
“We’ve got her in custody, Miss. Wilson,” the older of the two officers assures Wrenlee. “She won’t be getting out anytime soon.”
“Are you sure?” There’s a fear I hate in Wrenlee’s eyes. A fear I’ll do everything within my power to defeat. “She won’t make bail? She won’t—”
“We have her on multiple counts of homicide,Miss. Wilson, kidnapping, assault, the list goes on. She won’t be seeing daylight for a very, very long time.”
The way Wrenlee closes her eyes before opening them slowly has my heart squeezing in my chest.This woman.
“What about the boy she framed?”
The fact Alice framed a kid for murder, multiple counts of assault, and attempted murder—nearly getting away with it, with destroying his life and the lives of so many others, enrages me. My hands curl into fists at my sides.
“He will be released soon.” The officer leans close to touch his hand to her ankle as he rests a hip familiarly against her bed. “You have nothing else to fear from Alice Ratsgrotten. Nothing.”
Wrenlee pulls her lips to the side as she nods. I can see that she doesn’t believe she’s safe, but she won’t feel that way for long. I’ll make sure of it. I’ll do everything in my power to make her safe. To make herfeelsafe.
And I’ll do everything to make sure that nothing like this ever happens to her again.
“Thank you, Officers,” I say stiffly. “We appreciate the visit.”
The younger of the two tips his chin, moving slowly to the door. “If there’s anything we can do for you, you have our card.”
“Thank you.” Wrenlee forces a smile that wobbles. The sight of it nearly brings me to my knees.
When they’re gone, she turns to me with big eyes and murmurs quietly, “I just want to go home. Can you take me home?”
For this woman, I could move mountains.
A few hours later, we’re discharged from the hospital. The drive home is quiet, even with her dad sitting in the back seat. But when we take the elevator to the top floor, he’s done being quiet as wide eyes land on me. “Who are you?”
“Cash Jagger, sir.”
“I thought you were in a band?” He’s frowning at me. “Aren’t you supposed to be dirt poor?”
I swallow my hollow laugh. “I come from a wealthy family.”
“Don’t say,” he murmurs as he walks into the condo. I expect to find the remnants of a Thanksgiving dinner never eaten, but everything is gleaming clean. Candace.
