Page 116 of A Dirty Business
“Trace, stop.”
I opened the door.
“Trace.” He hurried forward, and then something was being shoved into my hand. “Read it.”
I closed my hand around whatever he gave me and was out the door.
Demetri saw me coming, hurried from the front, and opened my back door.
I got in and called Ashton. “Wipe everything. We need new phones. New computers. Everything.”
Demetri was getting back inside but heard me and looked at me through the rearview mirror.
“What happened?” Ashton said.
“My uncle’s been spying on us, and thatseriouslypisses me off. Wipe everything.”
“On it.”
I unraveled the piece of paper Bobby had put in my hand.
Your mother is alive. He doesn’t know.
CHAPTER FIFTY
JESS
He didn’t come.
I left work, thinking we’d follow our routine of the last few nights. I didn’t like admitting that I’d come to expect him, but ten minutes after I was home, there was no knock.
I waited up an hour; still no knocking.
My phone flashed next to me, lighting up the room, and I rolled over to grab it.
Trace:Don’t contact me on this phone. Not safe. Tell you later.
I jerked upright, my heart already starting to pound. I wanted to call, text him, see what was going on, but he’d said his phone wasn’t safe.
I hit the floor, already moving before I’d fully formed my plan. It didn’t matter because I was already going.
Clothes were on in a flash. Socks. Shoes.
I had my coat fastened, my keys in hand, when I opened the front door and stopped.
“Kelly!”
She was shivering, her eye makeup running down her face. Snowflakes were still on her eyelashes, and she held up a hand, her coat completely swamping her. “Hi.”
“What are you ... come in. Come on.”
She did, a bit tentative at first, but once she was through the door, she collapsed. Her shoulders fell. Her knees crumpled, and a sob left her. “Oh—hey! Hey.” I caught her, helping her to one of the chairs by our kitchen table, and as soon as she felt the chair, she bowled over. More sobs erupted from her. Her forehead went completely to the table.
I shut the door, locked it, and went over. “Hey. Hey.” I scooted into the chair next to her. She’d not been like this at Katya. I’d caught some yearning when she’d looked around, but I’d thought she missed working with me. That was it. “What is this? What happened?”
She lifted her head on another choking sob, her face completely wrecked. She grabbed for my wrist. “Can I stay here tonight? Please?”
“Of course. But, tell me what’s wrong. Please. You’re my best friend, Kelly. I need to know.”
