Page 61 of This Heart
Declan made a face. “Yeah, you might need help from Harper and the other girls with that one.”
I sighed. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”
I sat in my car, parked on Main Street, just down from The Book Nook. So much had happened yesterday, I was surprised my head wasn’t going to explode. Earlier I called the company I used to hire Kim, and they told me the reason her name wasn’t listed is because they had never scheduled her in for the interview. Kim must have somehow gotten in the system and added the interview and left her name off. I was so angry I nearly threw my cell phone against the wall. I told them what happened with Kim and sent them the video of her taking Perry and putting Hope’s picture in the drawer. I also alerted them that Kim had told someone we were sleeping together, which wasn’t the truth. They informed me they would be letting her go today, and I asked if they could wait until afternoon to give me a chance to fire her ass first. They had graciously agreed. I also filed a police report with Moose Village and submitted the video before Kim could say it had all been a lie.
I exhaled and picked up my phone, pulled up Kim’s name, and hit her number. It only rang twice before Kim answered.
“Hey there! Missed me?”
“Kim, I hate to do this to you over the phone, but the sooner I do it, the better.”
“Do what? What’s wrong? Is Winnie okay?”
“Winnie is fine. I know what you did, Kim. I know you read my journal, and that’s how you found out about that day with Aurora. I know you took the stuffed moose, which, by the way, I want back. I also know you put Hope’s picture in the drawer while Winnie was asleep.”
She was silent for a moment, then let out a nervous chuckle. “What do you mean? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I have a nanny camera in Winnie’s room. Truthfully, it’s been there since before you were hired, and I had honestly forgotten about it. It’s a toy that Hope had bought and sits on the upper shelf in Winnie’s room. I never thought in a million years I would have to go back and look through videos, but that was what I did with a Moose Village police officer watching it with me.”
“Police officer?” she asked in a stunned voice.
“Yes, I wasn’t sure what I would see on the video, and I wanted a witness. I’ve already filed a police report.”
“What?” she shrieked. “I never laid a hand on her. Never in a million years would I hurt a child.”
“Maybe not intentionally, but you’re a cruel woman and have no business watching kids. The way you spoke to my daughter makes me feel sick to my stomach. And stealing her favorite stuffed animal? Hiding her mother’s picture? I can’t have them charge you with stealing a fucking stuffed animal, but I want it back. Today. You can drop it off at the Moose Village police department. Ask for Declan Gallagher and he’ll make sure I get it.”
When she didn’t say anything, I closed my eyes. “Tell me you still have the moose, Kim.”
“I do! It’s there at the house. It’s in the hall closet at the very top behind the winter blankets stored up there.”
I let out a relieved breath. “Good. I’ll check to make sure it’s there when I get home.”
“Liam, please give me a second chance. I’ll be completely honest with you, I was never scheduled to interview with you, but when I saw your name, I thought this was a second chance between us. I knew your wife had passed away and you were available and I…I just didn’t think.”
“You’re right, you didn’t think. And it was my fault for hiring you when I knew deep in my gut it was a mistake. But I’m going to fix that now. You’re fired, Kim. I’ll pay you for the rest of August and September since this is out of the blue.”
“You’re firing me?” she asked with an evil-sounding laugh. “Did that little trollop talk you into firing me? It’s plain as day that she likes you as more than a friend, Liam. You’re just too stuck in your grief for Hope to notice it. She has bad intentions toward you, Liam, and I fear she is using Winnie to get to you.”
“No I think that was you, Kim. I have nothing else to say to you, so I’m ending the call now. Don’t ever try and get in touch with me, and if I ever see you anywhere near Winnie…let’s just say don’t ever bother coming to Moose Village again.”
I pulled the phone away and ended the call. I dropped my head against the headrest and closed my eyes.
“Fuck. Why did I hire her? What in the hell was I thinking?”
I knew what I had been thinking. It was an easy fix to a problem Hope had brought on with her demand that no one other than family watch Winnie. When would I be able to push away the guilt I felt? Nathan was right, I needed to talk to someone.
The phone rang, and it was Kim. I declined it, then promptly blocked her number.
After calming my emotions, I got out and made my way to the bookstore. I had no idea what I was going to say to Aurora, or if she would even speak to me, but I needed to try.
The sound of a doorbell chimed as I walked into The Book Nook. The old-fashioned bell above the door was gone, replaced with something more modern-sounding, just like the storefront. I walked farther into the store and took a look around. Lou was helping a customer and looked up to see it was me. She smiled, but I could tell it was a forced smile.
“Is Aurora here?” I asked her.
With a shake of her head, she replied, “Aurora is off today.”
I nodded, and when I turned to leave, Minnie stood between me and the door. “That woman you hired to watch Winnie is not a nice woman.”
