Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“Right. So what did you find?” Hayes asked impatiently.
“When I looked at all the messages, I noticed something. All of them had spelling mistakes.”
“How does that help?” Kent asked.
“Well, they’re not spelling mistakes exactly. They’re how words are spelled in the UK rather than how we spell them here. Like pretence and licence.” He showed them the print-outs. “There aren’t many so it wasn’t immediately obvious.”
“Jesus,” Hayes muttered. “English? You think it really is her mother?”
“Barb hasn’t lived in the UK for years,” Kent said. “You really think she’d make a mistake like this?”
“I don’t know. But I think it’s enough to question her.”
They all shared a look.
“If we could get hold of her,” Kent said with a scowl. “I’ve had enough of this. We need to do something.”
“What about the person that attacked you,” Hayes said to Corbin. “You’re thinking she hired him?”
“Maybe.” It made him sick to think that she’d hire someone to attack her own daughter. But perhaps he wasn’t supposed to harm Bebe. “Or perhaps it wasn’t related to the threats. Maybe just some crazy asshole. I could be wrong about this. But I thought I better bring it up.”
Kent nodded grimly. “The only issue is how do we know for sure? We need to make her confess.”
“You going to tell Bebe about this?” Hayes asked.
He winced. “I’d rather not until we have proof.”
“We might need to tell her in order to get that proof,” Kent said. “Because I am out of ideas about how to get them to take my calls. It seems like I need to send up a fucking flare.”
“I can think of one way to get their attention,” Hayes said grimly. “We tell the press about the attack on Bebe.”
“We can’t do that! Bebe will hate that.” It could send her into doing something crazy.”
“Hear me out.” Hayes held up a hand. “We don’t actually do it. We just send a heads up to their publicist or assistant or whoever.”
Kent looked thoughtful as he nodded. “That could work. If we have Bebe’s permission.”
Corbin sighed. “Fine. I’ll . . . talk to her tomorrow about it. She’s been sleeping better, and I want her to have another good night before I bring her world crashing down on her.”
And he had a few surprises for her this afternoon that he didn’t want to ruin with this fucking bullshit.
41
“Come on, baby. Let’s go.”
Bebe dropped her chocolate milk on the floor.
“Kent said I could help myself!” she cried.
“Easy, baby,” he soothed. “It’s fine.”
She put her hand on her chest. “You gave me a fright. I’ve been doing my hand exercises. Really!”
Corbin eyed her, unsure she was telling the truth, but decided to let it slide at the moment. He picked up the carton of milk, which hadn’t been opened, thankfully, and set it on the table.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing, darling girl. I thought you might want to leave early.”
“Really?” Her eyes lit up. His poor girl, she really was bored. “Come on.” He held out his hand, taking her hand gently. He hated that she was left with a reminder of what that bastard had done to her.
“Doc called me just before,” she said as they walked toward their home.
“He did? What did he say?” And why hadn’t he messaged Corbin first?
“My vitamin levels are a bit low, so I have to take some vitamins. He said he’s gonna send over some yummy gummy ones for me to take. And my iron is borderline.”
“So, looks like we’re having a spinach salad with dinner tonight.”
“Nuh-uh, you can’t ruin a great dinner like spag bol with spinach, Daddy!”
She paused and he quickly turned to her, worried about what he might see on her face. Or if he’d see nothing at all, meaning she was suppressing her emotions.
Her eyes were wide and she looked like she was on the verge of panicking. Corbin knew he had to calm her down quickly so he did the only thing he could think of and drew her against him, holding her tight.
“Breathe, baby. Just breathe. Everything is fine. I have you. There’s no reason to be upset.”
“But . . . but that’s just it.”
“What’s just it?” he asked.
“I didn’t feel panicked or upset or anything. I felt this surge of happiness. She so wants out.”
“Then let her out, baby. Take the leap. I promise, I’m here to catch you.”
She nodded. “I know you are. I know. It’s just such a relief, though I’m still scared I’ll become so dependent on you that I won’t be able to function on my own anymore.”
“We won’t let that happen and hey . . . that’s the good thing about living in this place.” He stepped a bit farther away from her so he could see her face. “People here wouldn’t let that happen, either. I know Clint is preoccupied at the moment, but that big bastard is the nosiest, most interfering man I’ve ever met in my life. He would never allow any woman to be abused in any way on his Ranch.”