Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86857 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“You’re lucky you still have your badge.”
I nod.
“Do you believe her?”
I ask myself this question every day. “I don’t know, man. I just don’t know.”
“She’s the most intelligent, laser-focused person I know,” Rains says. “She’s methodical and a perfectionist when it comes to details. But even the most put-together people can lose a piece of their mind after something like what happened at the pier.”
“Still doesn’t explain how she knew about the bodies.” I’m not trying to be argumentative with him, but there is no explanation for her knowledge of those bodies, and my mind keeps circling around to that one very important detail.
Rains nods slowly. “Sure doesn’t.” He inspects me with an unreadable expression. “So … when were you going to tell me that you’ve been screwing the ME?”
I have no humor inside of me at the moment, yet his question pulls a chuckle from me anyway. “I’m not sure. Maybe a few days before the wedding. Josie and I have never had a normal relationship. I’m not sure why I think we can have one now. Clearly, we’re off to a great start.”
Rains smirks.
“She’s never wanted to get married. Never wanted to have children. She’s never been in the range of normal.”
“So why ask her to marry you?”
Again, I chuckle, glancing at my phone, waiting for her to contact me. “I don’t know. I think I want her to be with me, like really, officially be with me. And I want to tell the world that she’s mine and I’m hers. God … I sound like a pussy, but I’ve loved her since … hell, I don’t know. Before I really knew what I felt had a name.”
“And now she sees dead people. And she doesn’t want kids, but you have a daughter.”
“And she’s in California supposedly visiting some expert on near-death experiences, but she won’t answer my calls or my texts.”
“Do you follow her location?”
I shake my head.
“I’m not sure she’s really going to marry you if she won’t let you track her location.”
“I haven’t asked her.”
“Why?”
I shrug a shoulder.
“You’re afraid of her.”
“Pfft … I’m not afraid of her.”
“She dissects dead people all day, and at night, she sees more dead people. She knows where lost bodies were buried. Fuck, man … not gonna lie … I’m a little afraid of her.”
“You don’t know her like I know her.”
“Then you know she’s okay. And you trust that she’ll check in when she’s ready. She disarmed a guy with a single shot to his leg, and she didn’t take a day to even second-guess it. Did that surprise you?”
I watch the cleaning crew shuffle into the office area with their roller carts of supplies.
“Maybe she’s not the same Josie you remember.”
Just as I consider the truth to his words, my phone chimes.
Josie: Sorry. Busy day. I’m home.
Me: You’re home? Thought you were coming home tomorrow?
Josie: I need you.
I scoot back in my chair. “I’m going home.”
“That her?”
I nod while grabbing my suit jacket from the back of the chair.
“Tell her hi.”
I don’t answer him with more than a mumbled “okay” before taking the stairs to the exit.
I try to call her on the drive to her house, but she doesn’t answer. I nearly forget to lock my car before running to her front door. It’s unlocked, and I frown at her carelessness while opening the door and flipping the deadbolt behind me.
“Josie?” I toe off my shoes before tossing my jacket onto the back of the sofa on my way down the hall. The only light that’s on in the whole house is the one to her bathroom. I ease open the door.
“I need you.”
Those three words have haunted me since she sent the text and refused to answer her phone.
“Josie …” I sigh when I see her in the bathtub filled with water and bubbles. “Why are you home early, baby?” I toss my tie onto the floor and unbutton my shirt.
When she turns her head toward me, I’m struck in the chest with the saddest smile I’ve ever seen. “You’ve never called me that,” she whispers.
“Called you what?” I kneel next to the bathtub and press my lips to the side of her wet head, closing my eyes for a second to inhale her faint floral scent.
“Baby.”
“Sorry. Do you not like it?” I sit back on my heels.
She tries for a genuine smile, but it’s as if her face won’t let her. “I do. It makes me feel…” her gaze drifts to the bubbles as she smooths the top of them with her hand “…innocent.”
Innocent?
This has to be about the girl. The innocent girl she claims to have been.
As I open my mouth to ask about her trip, she abruptly stands, water and suds clinging to her naked body. “Do I look innocent?” Her voice barely a whisper.