Page 24 of Obsessed Fox

"I mean there was never any body found. Therefore, no murder weapon," Nolen replied matter-of-factly.

"And the blood in his house?"

I couldn't figure out why Maisie was pushing this so hard. She should be relieved there was no evidence of her first crime.

"There's no mention of any blood in Atlas's house in the case file."

She shook her head at Nolen's explanation. "It makes no sense."

Nolen looked at me. I could tell we were having the same thought process. I was the one to speak up though. "Cleaning crew." He nodded in agreement.

"What do you mean, cleaning crew?"

"There are people who specialize in this type of cleanup. They’re expensive though. Someone spent a lot of money to make sure Atlas disappeared with no trace and you were protected."

I watched the wheels turn in her head and I let everything Nolen and I told her settle in.

"I know what you're thinking but it couldn't be Matty. He didn't have that kind of money."

Nolen and I shared a look. We were of the same mindset but neither of us wanted to say what we were thinking.

"That's why we're going to keep looking."

That was Nolen. Ever the peacekeeper of the group.

Maisie pushed up from the table like her ass was on fire. "I need to get back to the bakery. I'm sure Janie could use the help."

"I'll come with you," I told her as I pushed up from my own chair.

"Please don't. I need to concentrate and I do that better on my own."

I didn't like it, but I would give her that.

For now, at least.

"I'll see you later, then." It wasn't a request.

"Yeah, sure." Maisie didn't make eye contact as she scurried out of the office, and I knew without a doubt I would be hunting her down later.

She didn't realize it yet, but now that I’d had her in my bed, I had no intention of ever letting us sleep separately again.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Maisie

I had to get out of there. I was suffocating from the information they were telling me. There was no way my brother—my sweet and caring big brother—could do what they were insinuating.

Do I think he would do anything to protect me?

Absolutely.

Do I think he had a mean or malicious bone in his body?

Absolutely not.

I, on the other hand, would do what was necessary to survive. As evidenced by the blood on my hands from not one but two individuals.

Matty had begged me not to do it, had told me countless times he would find another way, but I hadn't listened. Atlas needed to be stopped and I wanted to be the one to do it.

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