Page 4 of Driftwood Daffodil 3

“The boss know about this?”

I looked him dead in the eyes and said, “Nope.”

This wasn’t a job or something for the family. It would be just between us.

After a few seconds of contemplation, Ricky tipped his chin. “Alright. I’ll see what I can find out. But…” He held up his finger. “If I find something, I want in.”

If there was anyone in the world who wanted to see my uncle dead more than me, it was Ricky.

“Deal.” I nodded, then rounded the corner and headed down the hallway for the library.

The tide of rage boiling through my veins began to cool. My agreement with Ricky wasn’t the answer, but it was something. And something was better than nothing. I was even starting to think the day might be productive after all.

Then my phone dinged with a text.

Atlee: You should see the dirty texts your girl is sending me.

I didn’t just see red, I could taste it. My phone might’ve even cracked a bit when I typed a message back, and it wasn’t Atlee who I responded to.

Me: Why the fuck are you messaging Atlee?

Nova: Who else am I supposed to send nudes too?

My hold on my phone tightened.

Me: You better be fucking with me.

I was not in the mood for her bullshit.

Nova: I think tonight I’ll send him the one with the pink teddy.

What fucking pink teddy? Why hadn’t I seen that shit? I might have to strangle her with her fucking pink teddy.

Me: Keep it up.

Nova: Ooo, I’m so scared.

I could literally hear her mocking tone singing that at me.

That’s it.

I hit the button to call and placed the phone to my ear.

“Today is not the day to piss me off, Nova.” I warned the second she answered.

And what did she say?

“The private conversations I have with my fake boyfriend are none of your business.”

It was like Nova had some secret insight into when would be the worst possible time to push my buttons. I was seriously starting to think the girl was put on this earth just to piss me off.

“You sure you want to go down that road?” I warned her about this.

“Yeah.”

That one word caused a dark calmness to settle in my bones. Some might call the feeling that came over me murder, I called it ramifications of being a brat.

“Alright.” I said before hanging up and opening the tracking app on my phone.

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