Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“If you ask me, you’re a psycho,” I said.
His chuckle wasn’t reassuring. “I knew Saul from back in the day, and he brought in Lenny. I hadn’t planned on killing them, but things happen, right?”
“Then why did you later want to sue Lisa for ruining your suit? That just brought attention to you.”
He snorted. “So? She is kinda cute.”
Wow. Egomaniac there. He really hadn’t been worried about getting caught.
I made it around Timber City and headed toward Lilac Lake. His cabin was about five miles around the icy road. But first, I had to pass Aiden’s office. There was no doubt Wayne planned to kill us once we reached his cabin.
I looked over to see Aiden’s truck barreling out of his parking lot. Taking a deep breath, I nodded at Nonna, motioning for her to duck. She clasped her hands together. I hit the gas, turned suddenly, and broadsided Aiden.
The crunch of metal was deafening.
Spencer, or rather Wayne, flew into the back of our seats. Screeching, I turned and jumped for him, trying to shove the gun out of the way. It went off, and pain exploded in my leg. I scrambled, fighting with him, trying to get the weapon.
Nonna opened her door and made it out of the car. Thank goodness. Then, the back door was open, and Wayne was ripped away. The gun flew away, and then the sound of fists hitting flesh echoed through my head. I looked up, my vision swimming, to see Aiden pummeling Wayne. I felt a moment of gratification before the darkness tried to swallow me.
The last sound I heard was Aiden’s strong voice. “Angel?”
Chapter 37
The somewhat-too-familiar scent of bleach and lemon cleanser filled my nose as I slowly came awake to an also familiar beeping sound. Sighing, I looked down to find myself in a hospital bed with Aiden sitting next to me on one side and Nonna on the other.
I came fully awake. “Nonna, are you okay?” I asked urgently.
“I’m fine, dear.” She leaned forward and patted my hand, having ditched the trench coat and glasses. “How are you?”
“I have no idea.”
Aiden leaned forward from the other side. “You were shot in the leg. It was the side of your thigh. You lost more blood this time, Angel.”
This time. How many times was I going to get injured in February? My memories returned slowly. “How are you, Aiden? I hit your truck. Is it okay?”
He didn’t move. “I’m fine and so is the truck.”
“Did I have surgery?” I asked somewhat groggily.
“No, you just took a lot more stitches than in your shoulder. You’re going to be sore for a while,” he said, his eyes alert and still a pissed blue.
I blinked, and the memory of the day crashed through me. “You didn’t kill Spencer—I mean, Wayne—did you?”
“No, but he’ll have trouble breathing for a while,” Aiden muttered. “He could be choking up his food for a time, too.”
I should probably be concerned about the level of violence I knew Aiden had likely meted out, but at the moment, I couldn’t care less. The jerk had pointed a gun at my nonna.
I gasped. “Oliver and Donny.”
“They’re fine,” Aiden said. “As is Bud. They were all checked out, and Oliver and McLerrison headed home.”
I winced. Oh, Bud. He was tased twice and handcuffed. “Are you sure Bud is okay?”
Finally, a small smile lifted Aiden’s lips. “I’m sure he’s all right, but you may not be friends anymore.”
“It wasn’t my fault,” I protested weakly as running footsteps sounded and both of my sisters barreled into the room.
“Are you okay?” Tessa asked, reaching the bed, her hair wild around her head.
“I’m fine. Just some more stitches,” I said.
Donna moved slower toward Nonna. “You’re good?”
“I’m fine,” I said.
She reached our nonna and gave her a hug. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“You sweetheart. This is just an ordinary day for Three Hens Investigations. We solved another crime,” Nonna said happily.
I wasn’t exactly sure who’d solved the crime, but I didn’t care at the moment.
Detective Pierce moved into the room. “You okay?” he asked.
“I am.”
“You should probably get a parking spot here. Don’t you think?” he asked.
I glared at him but didn’t really have the energy to make it stick.
“Give me your statement,” he said.
I did, and he nodded.
“That corroborates what Oliver Duck and Don McLerrison said. In addition, we have your phone and the photograph as evidence.”
I cleared my dry throat. “What about the real Spencer? Did you catch him?”
“Absolutely. We have both Wayne and Spencer in custody. Spencer started babbling like a wild brook the second we arrested him. He already has confessed.”
“Did he have any part in the actual murder all those years ago?” I asked.
Pierce shook his head. “No, he really was out of town. I mean, the real Spencer was out of town. I can’t believe I thought they were brothers, but all the background checks we did were just speaking with people from Silverville. Most of them didn’t know the real Wayne had been adopted. I should have gotten DNA from both of them.”