AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It didn’t matter that he couldn’t love her the way sheneeded. She loved him, and she couldn’t leave him.
“Lou, he’s going to be okay,” Kala promised.
But she couldn’t know. She couldn’t know what he was goingthrough, if he was already…
She shoved that thought away because it was too terrible tocontemplate. She couldn’t imagine a world without TJ. She could let him go, butshe couldn’t ever let him die.
Why would they want TJ? Who would want TJ?
She heard a dinging sound, letting her know someone hadunlocked the security system and was coming in the lobby doors.
Kala’s head turned. “Were we expecting anyone else?”
“I haven’t called anyone.” Zach stood, his hand going behindhis back, likely feeling for the semiautomatic Lou knew he kept there.
“They know the code.” She wasn’t going to let him get into agunfight because whoever was coming through probably had one, too. “Some peoplecome up on the weekends to work while it’s quiet.”
Lou got to her feet, but Cooper was already at the door.
His eyes widened at whatever he was seeing. “Aunt Erin? Are youokay?”
TJ’s mom was here? Lou moved to the door and realized whyCooper was so shocked. Erin Taggart was dragging a body. A big body.
“Oh, hey, kids. I’m glad you’re here. This asshole’s heavy.”TJ’s mom was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, her red hair up in a ponytail. “Ididn’t want to leave him downstairs for the security guard to find. Howard’sgetting up there in years, and his heart’s not what it used to be. Definitelydidn’t need two bodies to deal with.”
“Mrs. Taggart, is there a reason you’re dragging a dudearound?” Zach asked. “Is he dead?”
Erin looked down at him, wincing. “I think so. I was alittle enthusiastic. It’s been a long time since someone jumped me. So now Ihave a dead body, but the good news is I have all you young, strong kids tohelp me deal with it. Kala, look, I brought you a dead asshole. Do you thinkyour dad has any more room in that backyard of his, or am I going to have tohaul him to the lake house?”
“Why?” Lou asked. Sometimes the older generation’smotivations evaded her.
“Did you hear the part where he jumped me?” Erin asked.
“Okay. The better question is what happened. Like more thanhe jumped me and I was cranky,” Kenzie corrected because she knew how the OGsworked. Sarcasm powered their parents through life, and they weren’t abovejoking about a dead body. They kind of lived for it.
“I was coming up to get some paperwork done because Theo’sgot a bunch of guys over playing board games. It was a lot of talk about wingsand birds. I do not get that. So I hopped in my Jeep and grabbed somelunch—which I dropped because of this asshole—and that might have played intothe whole ‘squeezed his windpipe a little too long’ thing. Also, I’membarrassed because I should have realized I was being followed. Don’t get old,kids. It sucks. I really wanted that burger. Theo’s on a health kick.”
“Have you searched him yet?” Lou asked.
Erin shook her head. “Nah. Like I said, I didn’t want tofreak Howard out. And there are still lawyers in the building, despite Big Tagscaring most of them off. Couldn’t risk one of them finding me and wanting tocall in the cops. So I decided I would drag his nasty ass up here and call Tag.Maybe it was random, but he got into the building, which makes me think he’s apro.”
“Why would someone want to assassinate you?” Zach asked.
Erin shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m a fucking delight.”
There were probably a bunch of people she’d pissed off overthe years, but Lou didn’t think this was about Erin Taggart. “Check for hisphone. I’ll have an ID asap.”
Kala stood beside her, staring down at the body. “What areyou thinking?”
“That some dumbass thought Erin would be an easier targetthan TJ’s dad.” Lou turned to Erin. This was not a conversation she’d everdreamed she would have. “I think someone has TJ, and they’re trying to get himto talk.”
Erin’s eyes went steely, and her stance became militaristic,shoulders going back and feet planted. “And what are we going to do aboutthat?”
“We’re going to get him back.” A terrible plan hit herbrain. Or a brilliant plan. “And I know exactly what to do.”
* * * *
“You want to do what?” Ian Taggart looked at Lou like she’dtold him she was growing fairy wings or planned on becoming a street performer.
