Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 100716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“She did.” Tillie nods so fast that she makes me dizzy and almost sends the wetness in her eyes toppling down her cheeks. “That’s where she got my name from. She said since she couldn’t play for the Matildas, she’d raise one.”
Mrs. Bombae giggles. “That’s such a lovely story, Matilda. Thank you so much for sharing it with me.”
She stares and stares and stares until my stomach’s grumble pulls her from her thoughts.
“The Palkova genes are strong with this one, Miskaela… extremely strong.” After another lengthy stare, she returns her focus to Tillie. “How old are you, dear?”
“I’m t—”
“She just t-turned eight.” I pull Tillie in tighter, my clutch almost cruel. “She often f-forgets she just had a birthday, so she says sh-she’s turning eight. But she’s eight now. Just turned eight.”
I’m blubbering, but it can’t be helped. I know the look she is giving me. It is the same one my mother gave me after taking in the positive pregnancy test she bought me.
She thinks she is looking at my father’s child instead of his grandchild.
“We ne-need to go. It was lovely seeing you again,” I lie.
We make it four steps away before a confused whisper stops me. “If Matilda and you are the reason your father is visiting Myasnikov, why wouldn’t he just say that?”
Bile burns the back of my throat as I force words through the fear caked there. “My father is here?”
She nods gently. Confusion is all over her face. “I saw him last week. Friday afternoon in this very lobby. I assumed he was here on business, but when I approached him, he said his visit was personal and that he would appreciate it if I kept my knowledge of it on the down-low.”
I feel sick, incredibly ill. The Chrysler building is only blocks from Tillie’s school.
The monster from my childhood was within walking distance of my daughter.
Oh my god, how could I have been so reckless?
I swore to protect my daughter, and I failed.
Mrs. Bombae’s dainty laugh pulls me from my alarmed state. “He was so secretive he made me promise that I wouldn’t tell your mother that I had seen him. I told him he’d have to buy me an extremely expensive steak for me to even consider his request.” Her pinched brows make her wrinkles more noticeable. “I was meant to have dinner with him on Monday. He never showed up.”
“Because he’s missing. Presumed dead.”
The brunette who rushed to Ark’s side last week joins our conversation. She seems to know me, and she doesn’t appear to be a fan of mine.
“The circumstances of his disappearance are eerily similar to the disappearance of a man six years ago.” Her eyes drop to Tillie for half a second before they return to my face. They’re not as cruel now but extremely unhinged. “Perhaps you’ve heard of him.” There’s no remorse in her eyes, no hesitation on her face. With two short sentences, she hacks my confidence down to a penance like I’m the criminal. “Luba Babkin. Does his name ring a bell?”
Tillie attempts to bite at the bait she’s dangling in front of me, so I speak quickly and clearly. “I have heard of him, but I am under no obligation to announce the reason as to why my name is associated with his, Ms…”
“Detective.” She flashes her credentials too fast for me to take in. “Detective Sanya Pascall from Trudny PD.”
The fact she is a police officer strips the last of my understanding. She knows my rights as a victim, yet she is attempting to exploit them in public.
“If you have questions in regard to my relationship with Dr. Babkin, I suggest you contact a victim advocacy lawyer before approaching me again.”
My steps are thwarted for the second time when she says, “And your father? Who should I contact about his disappearance slash murder? You… or your billionaire boyfriend rich enough to cover for you?”
I’m too stunned by her accusation to remain quiet. “I had nothing to do with my father’s disappearance—”
“So you’re saying it was him?” Detective Pascall nudges her head to an image announcing whose birthday is being celebrated today.
“No. Ark would never…” My words trail off when I recall Ark’s reaction to finding out I had been raped.
I’m going to track down that fuck and make him regret the day he laid eyes on you.
I’m going to kill him.
Then there were his other multiple promises of protection as our wonderfully beautiful twenty-four hours of reprieve from the world went on.
He swore he’d never let anyone hurt me again. That he would do everything in his power to keep Tillie and me safe.
Would that have included murder?
I want to say no, but the evidence is worrying.
Scarcely breathing, I sling my eyes to Mrs. Bombae, as desperate to interrogate her as Detective Pascall is to interrogate me. Her timeline of my father’s last known movements is damning. It could lead to a conviction if handed to the wrong person.