Page 68 of All Wrong
No shit, Nick thought. He couldn’t blame her. No way he’d want to move into Sean and Nicki’s place if he were in the same situation.
He wanted to ask where she was staying, but as it turned out, he didn’t have to.
“So, where’d she end up?” Sean asked Shane.
“She found an Airbnb on the edge of town. Lacie is not happy. We didn’t even know until after it was done.”
Nick’s gut clenched as he looked between the twins. “You didn’t help her move?”
Shane shook his head. “Rinn moved out early without telling anyone.”
Nick knew how Lacie felt. It sucked when your sibling didn’t tell you shit. For example, Nicki hadn’t mentioned any of this to him, including the fact that she’d gone to Corinne and asked for her help despite him telling her it was a bad idea.
“You checked it out though, right?” asked Jake.
“Yes, of course,” Shane said. “It’s an older Cape Cod on Spruce. Cute place, quiet neighborhood.”
“Anything new from Scythe?” Ian asked.
It took Nick a moment to realize Ian was talking to him.
Nick shared the little bit of information he had.
“Smart,” Jake mused. “Keeping things compartmentalized minimizes the risk of being compromised.”
“Also means the ones at the lowest rungs are completely oblivious to anything useful,” Ian said.
“How is information disseminated?” Danny asked.
“Word of mouth gets delivery boys to public areas,” Nick answered. “Pickup and drop-off points are communicated through burners left at predetermined random locations.”
“So, there’s nothing to trace,” Danny said.
“Not yet. Scythe’s guys are watching some of the known messengers, hoping to get their hands on one before it’s picked up. I plan on heading up to Hog Heaven tonight after I stop in and see AJ.”
“Good. You can tell us what he says at Maggie’s tomorrow.”
“Will do.”
When Nick left the pub, he felt marginally better. Chances were, Corinne wasn’t happy about being put on leave, but she was safer away from the bank than in it. Best of all? He’d see her soon at Maggie’s annual Labor Day get-together.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CORINNE
Corinne swept her hair up and secured it into a loose knot. Barely noon, and it was already oppressively hot and humid. In lightweight cotton shorts and a modest tank—her late summer outfit of choice—she was as cool as she was going to get.
Normally, she’d be expected at the traditional Labor Day cookout at Maggie’s farm, but this year, she had an excuse not to go, thanks to the Katarskys scheduling their going-away party for the same day.
At least she wouldn’t feel like the odd woman out, like she usually did at the Callaghan get-togethers. She didn’t have the bandwidth to paste on asmile and pretend like she belonged. She wouldn’t be subjected to Lacie’s concern and perpetual optimism or deal with requisite questions about her job, her living situation, or her love life. Surely, Lacie had shared some details, if not all, with her sisters-in-law. They were a close bunch and very supportive of one another.
Corinne did not include herself among them. Not because of anything they’d done or said. They were always nice to her. But she wasn’t acroie, and that was a huge part of their bond. They understood and could relate to each other in a way Corinne couldn’t.
Mostly, Corinne was glad she wouldn’t have to face Nick.
She’d successfully avoided him since that night, although it hadn’t been hard to do. She suspected he was doing the same. He was probably relieved she wasn’t there, assuming he hadn’t ditched as well.
She wasn’t even mad that he’d ghosted her, not really. She’d had no grand illusions. They were both consenting adults. They’d found pleasure in each other, sure, but she wasn’t naive enough to believe it was anything more than that. No, what had hurt was seeing him embracing Crimson Tips just hours later.What had he done, left her place and gone right to hers?
