Page 47 of The Devoted Husband

“How do you plan to do that?”

“After I leave here, I’m returning to the hospital to see if I can get that camera footage. If I can’t, I’ve already looped Richmond in. By law, a detective must retrieve and record it as evidence, but I don’t want to wait that long. Even if we had to wait, if we can show Jones in her room, that’s enough to cast reasonable doubt.”

“I don’t want to get excited prematurely, but thank you for this. It makes me feel good knowing you have my back.”

“Always, bae. Like I told you when you first got here, as much as you’ve done for me, I’ll do absolutely anything for you.”

Finally . . . Sade was starting to believe that.

Sade’s Journal

On the off chance a guard stumbles across this, I’m going to write carefully so nothing I say can incriminate me. If I get out of here, I’m never doing anything to put myself in a position that takes away my freedom. Not that I have already. I am not saying I killed anyone. I’m just saying if I get to go home, I won’t even risk getting a ticket.

I hate being confined. I hate being told what to do. I hate the food. I hate the smells. I hate the people—everyone except Simone. Just a little while ago, this girl pooped in the quad and started tossing it at people. Needless to say, that did not end well for her. She was left a bloody mess and taken to the infirmary.

I don’t know what she did to get in here, but they say she has mental issues. If so, I would think she should be in a mental hospital, not jail. My heart broke for her. I wanted to protect her, but there were too many of them. All I can do is pray it doesn’t give me nightmares.

Being in here has given me time to reflect. I don’t think anyone would ever doubt my love for and loyalty to Dante, but now, I question my love and loyalty for myself. I question if I’ve ever truly known how to prioritize myself. Even now, I’ll have a baby to put first. Is this what I have to look forward to for the rest of my life? Loving others more than I love me? Doing things I don’t want to do in their name? Is that love? If so, is it really worth it?

Maybe I’m overthinking and being dramatic. On the bright side, knowing Dante can match my energy feels good. Good and bad. I guess if I had to give up my freedom for someone, I’m still glad it’s him.

Dante

Sade told Dante about her connection with Reggie, her sister’s guard at the hospital. Though she’d discarded her phone when she found out Atlas was watching her, she gave him her computer password so he could contact Reggie through her iMessages. Reggie agreed to meet with Dante, who hoped his plan would work.

Dante’s eyes shifted around the café. Ironically, he decided to meet Reggie at the same place he’d met Jones. What was even more ironic was how devoted he was to Sade now compared to how his trust wavered the last time he was here. Thinking that she was capable of working against him made Dante feel horrible about doubting her. Thank God it didn’t last long, and he didn’t act on it. That would never happen again.

When a lean, dark-skinned policeman walked into the café, Dante stood. He called Reggie’s name. Then he bobbed his head and walked in Dante’s direction. The pair shook hands before sitting across from each other.

“Everything okay with Sade?” were the first words out of Reggie’s mouth.

“No, everything isnotokay. She was arrested and transported to Vanzette for a double murder charge.”

Reggie’s head jerked forward, and his eyes bucked before he scoffed. “What? How? There has to be some mistake.”

Mistake . . . yes. Wrong person . . . nope.

“I think someone is setting her up, and they used her sister to do it.”

“What makes you think that?”

“There’s a detective in Vanzette who has had it out for her for months. He threatened to put her in prison by any meansnecessary. Her sister was randomly attacked, and Sade saw him leaving the hospital. I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to believe he was taking some strands of her sister’s hair or her blood for a DNA test...especially since he visited her months ago and asked her for a DNA sample to put Sade in prison.”

“Damn. They must not have a good relationship for him even to think she’d agree.”

“That’s a long story, but she didn’t agree. So, I think he had her attacked so he could get the sample himself.”

Reggie thought over all that Dante said for a while, massaging the hair on his chin. “Do you have a picture of him? Maybe I can try to identify him, though I’m sure he wouldn’t have let me see him gather any evidence in her room if he did what you suggested.”

Dante nodded his agreement. “Yeah, I don’t think he would have made himself known. But I do think he could be on some security cameras. Do you think you’d be able to access the hospital footage?”

Reggie’s mouth twisted to the side as he shook his head. “I wouldn’t be able to get the footage without a warrant.”

“Come on, man. I’m sure there’s a way for you to get around that. If you can, I’ll pay double what my wife offered you.”

Scratching his head, Reggie released a hard breath. “The only reason I took that money was because I have a baby on the way.”

“And I respect that. Sade and I have a baby on the way too. So you should be able to understand how important it is to me that I get her out of jail.”

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