Page 86 of Unsealing Her Fate

I curl up on the couch with a throw blanket and turn on the TV to settle in for the evening. I’m off tomorrow so anything goes tonight. However, I get the feeling that with the busy day and the fun—but still stressful—evening, I won’t be able to do much outside of relax until I pass out watching a movie. And that sounds incredible.

Chapter 28

Iwakeuponthe couch with the TV still on, which is very unlike me. I stretch, enjoying that I don’t need to rush to get ready. I don’t even need to leave my place at all today. As I look around, I love the thought of this little apartment as “my place.”

After striding to the kitchen, I set the coffee pot to brew. Thankfully, it’s a quick brew. I pour myself a big cup, doctored just the way I like it.

A scraping sound comes from outside, and I hurry over to the window see where it came from. Jack is outside shoveling the path between the house and garage. Snow came last night, and I suddenly feel like a child on Christmas morning. I’m way too excited to see all the beautiful white fluffy powder. It’s not something I’m used to. We rarely see snow in Sacramento, and even when we did, it was nothing more than a dusting. We definitely didn’t need snow shovels.

Jack’s shirt is tight across the muscles of his back, and I realize he has no coat on. I guess he’s warm enough without one when working like that.

He must feel me watching because he looks up at the window. I give him a wave as I hold up my coffee cup to silently ask if he would like some. He gives me a smile and a nod. I give a thumbs up in return and hurry over to the coffee pot to make him a cup.

Once the coffee is finished and loaded with sugar like he likes, I put on my heavy coat over my pjs and shove my feet in my boots. I hurry down the steps as carefully as I can without spilling a drop. I walk over to him, and he stops shoveling to take the cup I offer.

He looks me up and down and smiles with amusement. “Love the outfit.”

“It’s a one of a kind from my winter collection,” I reply, giving a little spin so he can fully appreciate it. He must because he nearly spits out his coffee with a laugh, which makes me laugh as well. “This snow will take some getting used to.”

“Oh, yeah? No snow where you come from?”

I mentally kick myself for opening this door. “Rarely.” I leave it at that. I don’t want to leave his company, but I can’t continue down this conversation’s path. “I won’t keep you.”

He nods. “Thanks for the coffee, Andi.”

“Anytime, Detective,” I say before hurrying up the steps. I feel him watch me all the way.

Back inside, I discard my coat and boots. Adalyn pops in my mind, and I wonder if she’s emailed again. I head over to the bedside table to retrieve the Chromebook. I don’t feel the need to hide it under the mattress here. Everything about being near Jack feels safe.

I sit on the bed and power the laptop on before logging into my email account. I have a message from Addy with an attachment! My heart hammers in my chest. Maybe she found something that can end Christopher’s reign of terror over us. I open the email.

A,

I’m freaking the fuck out. Listen to the recording! I don’t know what to do, how to help, or how to stop him. Please stay safe. Email me back and tell me what to do, please!

Love Always,

Addy

With that ominous email, I immediately click the attachment to play the recording as my heartrate gallops out of my chest.

“I think I found your sister.”Christopher’s voice is the first one I hear, and my stomach lurches into my throat. I feel like I may vomit at those words.

“Good, where is she? I’ll go get her today,”Andrew answers flatly.

“You don’t want to know how I found her?”Christopher asks, clearly aggravated by Andrew’s lack of interest. I can hear the irritation in his voice.

“No, I don’t care how. I want to know where she is. I want my sister back here, safe.”Andrew’s words are stern. I want to believe his concern for me is genuine, but I don’t know yet if I should trust him or his motives.

“My PI has tracked her as far as Colorado. I still don’t know where her ticket destination was, since you refused to help with that. I had to find another route.”Christopher hissed those last words.

“Colorado is a big fucking state. If your PI is as inept as your hitman, we’ll likely never find her!”Andrew screams at Christopher. I’ve never heard him utter so much as a cross word at him before this. Something has changed. There has been a major shift in their relationship.

“My hitman? Don’t act like you didn’t have just as much involvement as me!”Christopher bites back.

“I would’ve never been involved in any of this bullshit if it weren’t for you. My entire adult life has been wasted protecting you! And for what? Now my sister is fucking gone! I want to bring her back to keep her safe, and you’re trying to get her back to silence her! We’re no longer on the same fucking side, Christopher. Make your threats, do your worst, but I will protect my sister. Both of my sisters!”Andrew’s voice has reached a level of anger I’ve never heard from him! I tremble as I listen to him speak.

I hear what sounds like a chair sliding out, and I guess one of them stood.“You may not have committed the deed, but you kept quiet, you’re just as guilty as I am. If you cared about doing what’s right, you’d have turned me in. Don’t try to be a fucking choir boy now. And any jury will see it that way. You willalwaysbe on my side because I willalwayshave that on you.”Christopher’s entire statement was said through gritted teeth. I know the sound all too well, and I can feel his anger.

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