The Perfect Scandal by Blake Pierce

Author:Blake Pierce [Pierce, Blake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blake Pierce
Published: 2022-10-03T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

6:31 p.m., Sunday evening

Hannah had a headache.

Part of it was from Kat’s siren, which she had blasted at full volume on the entire drive from Redlands to the Ehrenberg Flying Y Travel Center, where they were now. She’d left it on to make up time after misidentifying a Buick heading the other way on the freeway. But considering that they’d been here for six hours, Hannah couldn’t blame her headache exclusively on that.

Maybe it was because of the painfully uncomfortable argument a while back between Kat and Ryan. Even remembering that made her wince. She closed her eyes tight then opened them wide, hoping that might reset her throbbing head.

Nothing about the ache or her situation had changed. She was still in the travel center coffee shop, sitting with Kat and Callum at the very same table where Andy Robinson gave Roz Wallace her driving instructions almost exactly twelve hours earlier. She stood up and went outside to get some air.

As she leaned against the wall, trying to clear her head, she wondered where it had all gone so wrong, although she had a pretty good guess. She, Kat, and Callum had arrived at the travel center around 12:30 that afternoon, just after getting a text from Mitch Connor informing them of what had happened moments earlier.

It had read: Robinson set us up. Had a drug addict drive same car north on US-95 starting at 10 a.m. Ryan thinks it was diversion so she could slip away unnoticed. Thinks she’s driving a different car and didn’t leave Ehrenberg area until after cops did. Will update when I know more. Love you.

Soon after that, the helicopter with Ryan and Susannah Valentine returned to the travel center. Hannah had joined Kat and Callum as they rushed over, hoping to get more details from the detectives about the situation. But Ryan wouldn’t tell them anything. He didn’t even mention that there had been a chase. Kat went off on him, right there in the middle of the parking lot.

“I expect this from Decker,” she chided as he brushed past her. “He’s got to stick to department regulations and avoid stepping on toes, but I can’t believe you’re holding out on us, Ryan. You’re just going to pretend like nothing happened out there? Why?”

“Kat,” he implored, not slowing down as he marched toward the building. “I’m not deliberately holding out on you. I’m just being pulled in a million different directions.”

“I get it,” Kat said, keeping pace with him every step of the way while the rest of them trailed behind, “but we know Jessie better than anyone. We can help. And you’re going to shut us out?”

Ryan stopped walking and spun around to face her.

“I just thought I saw my fiancée die less than a half hour ago,” he snapped. “Forgive me if I’m not in a super chatty, information-sharing place right now.”

“I’ll bet you’re sharing info with her!” Kat shot back, nodding at Susannah Valentine.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Valentine demanded.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.