Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“I apologize,” Regent said. “I used the wrong word. Maybe we can help her, and she can help us.”
“But even if she can’t help us, we should help her,” Gracen insisted.
Regent nodded slowly. “That would be the right thing to do.”
“Do you want to call Anita now?” Victor asked. “Why don’t you try to get some rest first?”
“I don’t think I can rest. Not until I talk to her.” It was like a beast under her skin, pushing and prodding. Wanting freedom.
“You are welcome to use my office,” Regent said. “I’ll go clean the kitchen or something.”
“You will?” Victor asked. “Do you know how?”
“Very funny. I am not completely hopeless.”
“That remains to be seen. Now, if you manage to load the dishwasher, I’ll die of shock.”
Regent shot him a cold look as he picked up his crutches and swung his way out of the room.
“That wasn’t nice.”
Victor scoffed. “Remind me to check the dishwasher before we go to bed. He’ll probably stick dishwashing liquid in it or something.”
She just shook her head, then let out a loud sigh. Climbing off his lap, she dug her phone out of her pocket.
“You don’t have to do this, little bit. Not right now or at all.”
“No, I have to do it. I can do it. I’m just nervous about what she’s going to say.”
She tapped her niece’s name, then set it on speaker before pacing up and down while she waited for her to answer.
“Aunty G,” Anita answered coolly. “I haven’t got much time to talk. I got a new job, and I’m about to head out.”
“Well, that’s good you have a job.”
Even if you are a criminal.
“I thought you’d be happier for me than that. I got it all by myself.”
“Anita, the bakery burned down last night.”
She held her breath. There was still a part of her that hoped her niece would have some explanation. That she would come clean and tell her that Ice had somehow tricked her or threatened her. Not that she was hoping her niece was threatened . . . or that she genuinely thought that was a possibility.
“What? Really?” Anita replied with fake shock.
She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
In. Out.
Strong arms wrapped around her from behind. Sheltering her. Keeping her in the here and now.
Victor was her rock and she needed him now more than ever before.
“Aunty G? I really gotta go, so if that’s all you’ve got to say . . .”
What? She couldn’t even be bothered to try and pretend to care? Tears welled in Gracen’s eyes, but she wouldn’t let them fall. Not yet.
“No, that’s not all,” she said in a hard voice. “I know it was you.”
A fake laugh came through the speaker, tinged with worry. “What? Aunty G, you on something?”
“No, I’m not on something.” Feeling exhausted now, she leaned against Victor, who easily took her weight.
And she was back on that emotional rollercoaster.
“I know it was you, Anita. I saw you and Ice on the cameras I had in the bakery.”
“Oh. My God!” Anita screeched. “You had cameras and you never told me? Do you realize what a breach of privacy that is? I could sue you.”
“No. You can’t,” Gracen said. “Because you burned my bakery down.”
There was a beat of silence. “So, what you going to do about it?”
Her breath came in sharp pants. “What am I going to do?”
“Yeah. Come on, Aunty G, you should really be thanking me. I mean, that bakery was never going to make any money. The place was run-down and shit. At least now you’ll get the insurance money.”
“Insurance money? You think there will be insurance money?”
“Well, yeah. Of course.”
“Anita, I don’t have insurance. The landlord might have it on the buildings, but that will go to him. If he’s even insured for arson. I don’t even know how that works. And besides, I don’t care about the money. There were items in that bakery that were sentimental. Things that reminded me of my grandparents. You took those items from me. Not to mention the damage that was done to the surrounding buildings. What if the landlord doesn’t have insurance? What if this is completely out of pocket for him?”
“That’s his problem, I guess. So, what are you saying? That you’re mad at me? Because Ice reckons that you must’ve stolen the money that daddy had left when he died and that it should’ve come to me.”
“What?” Gracen was flabbergasted at the accusation. “You think I stole from you?”
“Well, yeah,” Anita said, sounding slightly unsure.
“Anita, after I sold anything we could there was about five hundred dollars which I gave to you. You blew most of it on clothes. I paid for his funeral out of my own pocket. I can’t believe you’d accuse me of that. And yes, I’m mad and I’m upset. I am shocked that you’d do something so stupid and criminal! You broke the law!”