Page 79 of Fracture

“True, but it’s not easy to go through what you went through and fight back to regain pieces of your life again.”

“I can’t let them win. Even if I don’t know who they are.”

Lorelei hadn’t figured out who any of the other people in her notes were. She was afraid to try after what happened with Abigail Painter.

The man who attacked them was found floating in the river a few days later, so Abigail was safe, but Lorelei knew that didn’t mean it was over. Or that going to find Abigail alone was okay.

Someone knew she was going to be there.

The FBI went through Lorelei’s computer and phone and found nothing that tracked her location. There was no explanation for how that man found them.

It didn’t make Lorelei feel better.

Vinnie pulled into the long driveway that led to Dawn’s impressive home. She inherited it from a man who knew she would put his wealth to good use. From what Lorelei had seen, Dawn was doing exactly that and giving back and helping the community. Including funding the Curvy Vigilantes and the others trying to put an end to the hell that started many, many years ago.

The vehicles in the driveway told Lorelei the others had arrived. Vinnie parked close to the door, in a space left open for them so Lorelei didn’t have as far to go on her crutches.

Vinnie helped her out, smiling at her and kissing her softly before the two of them made their way to the front door.

“Good afternoon,” Cole, Dawn’s butler and the man who ran the household, said. Cole was an employee of the former owner, and Dawn wanted to keep as many people employed as possible. She said Cole was like family, even though she’d only known him a few months.

“Hi, Cole,” Lorelei said. She’d been to the home a few times and understood why Dawn liked the man. He was kind and friendly and a wealth of knowledge about any subject from pop-culture to ancient history.

“How are you, Ms. Sloane?”

“I’m well, thank you. Learned anything new recently?”

The man’s eyes lit up. “I was watching this brilliant documentary about food production recently. It was talking all about the way our food is grown and produced and why it’s better for everyone if we strive to buy organic produce only.”

“Have you switched Dawn and Gage to organic?”

“Yes, I have. They wouldn’t have known, but I always make sure Ms. Dawn knows what I’m spending money on.”

“You know she trust you,” Lorelei said.

Cole nodded, smiling brightly. “Yes, but trust has to be earned over and over again if it’s going to be maintained.”

Lorelei sucked in a breath. “That’s a very interesting way of thinking about it. As someone who didn’t know who to trust for a while, I definitely agree. The people in this house earned my trust more than once, and never blinked about doing it over and over again.”

“That’s how you know they’re doing it for the right reasons.”

Lorelei nodded. “You’re a very smart man, Cole. Thank you for sharing your genius with the rest of us.”

“Thank you, Ms. Sloane.”

Lorelei squeezed his hand, then proceeded down the hall toward where the voices of the others drew her.

Vinnie paused to speak to Cole, then followed Lorelei, not far behind her as she moved through the house.

The backdoors were thrown open and people were scattered around the patio and the room Dawn had converted to a casual dining room. When she and her boyfriend, Gage, moved into the house, Dawn said it was stuffy and formal, and not at all like the man who’d given her the gift of his fortune, or like Dawn and Gage. They were slowly figuring out what each room was going to be.

“You’re here!” Karli said, spotting Lorelei before the others. Karli got up and hobbled over to Lorelei.

“You’re in a cast? What happened?” Lorelei asked. Why didn’t she know her cousin broke her leg?

“It’s fake,” Karli said, holding her casted leg up and unstrapping the boot. “We didn’t want you to feel alone at your cast party.”

Lorelei looked around the room and saw a cast on every single person’s leg. Including Vinnie’s when she turned to look at him.

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