A Deadly Game by Gayle Brown

Author:Gayle Brown [Brown, Gayle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Published: 2023-12-06T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 27

“How’s your sister?” Dylan yelled to Nicole as she rushed by the reception desk, ignoring his question, hightailing it out of The Grand Hotel. The sun was lower on the horizon, and with her cap still looped around her waist and her glasses still dangling from her collar, Nicole shielded her eyes from the blinding light. Although she didn’t come out with as much as she’d hoped for, she was content with what she did learn: another set of prints was on that syringe, and the police couldn’t identify whose. Regrettably, however, Kyle still wasn’t out of the woods yet.

Nicole had to think fast when Cecelia hounded her about her daughter’s disappearance. Luckily, Nicole’s phone had rung, a welcomed reprieve, saving her hide from Cecelia’s suspicions of her true intentions. Nicole had pretended the call was from her husband, but it was a solicitor. Nicole explained to Cecelia that there was an unexpected family crisis, and she had to leave immediately. Apologizing for her sudden exit, Nicole left abruptly and in what she thought was the nick of time.

Driving home, constantly watching her rearview mirror and without seeing any black SUV, Nicole breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t think she could handle any more today. After her lies, her nerves were shot.

“Hey! I’m home,” a voice called from across the house. Nicole jumped. She wasn’t expecting anyone. It was Kyle from his bedroom.

Nicole stood in his doorway. “Welcome home,” she half-smiled. Part of her was happy to see him, but another part was uneasy, skeptical of his innocence. “What are you doing here?”

Sprawled out on his bed, he wore a pair of board shorts and an AC/DC t-shirt, his tall, lanky body hanging over the edges of his “big boy” bed. “Am I not allowed to come home?”

“Of course you are. Anytime.” She looked at his drawn face. “You okay?” she asked, pushing his legs aside, sitting next to him, squeezing onto the little bed. She hated seeing his saddened expression.

“I guess.”

“I know this is distressing and that you keep feeling guilty—from being a bookie to playing that stupid game that night to possibly affecting your dad’s promotion.” Kyle flinched at her latter statement. “But it’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay. We’re going to be okay. I promise.” She stroked his rumpled hair. “Have you heard anything new about the case?”

His bottom lip quivered. “Chase, Ethan, and Aiden were all brought in for further questioning. Thankfully, the police said they don’t have substantial evidence to incriminate.”

“Like you.”

A tear escaped, wetting his blue and white striped pillowcase. “Like me.”

Her intuition and heart contradicted one another; her gut said something was off—that her son may have been involved, yet her heart said otherwise—he was innocent, and she should trust him. “I’ll do whatever I have to do to protect you. I’ve always kept you safe, and I don’t intend to stop now.” He looked up at Nicole with an unfamiliar expression, one she hadn’t seen before.

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