Chapter 12
Sally’s eyes flickered as she read Abigail’s text.
If she was right, this might be about her cellmate’s daughter–a lead on Lillian.
She quickly called Abigail, holding the phone to her ear.
The call went through, and Abigail’s voice came on, sounding relieved. “Finally reached you…”
“Any updates on Lillian?” Sally asked, getting right to it.
“We’ve got some basic info,” said Abigail, “Word is, she was sent to an orphanage three years ago, but we’re still figuring out which one.
“Most likely Ashmoor House or Silver Creek House, since they’re near her family’s old place.”
“How reliable is this?” asked Sally.
Abigail paused. “It’s not rock–solid–just early stuff. I’ve got a big meeting tomorrow, so I can’t check the orphanages until the day after.”
Sally’s tone was steady. “I’ll head out tomorrow and poke around.”
“Cool. Let me know if you find anything,” said Abigail.
Sally smiled, “You got it.”
She hung up and set her phone on the nightstand, right on top of that sleek black business card.
With a quick glance at it, she pulled back the covers and slipped into bed.
Sally had planned to visit the orphanages first thing, but when she woke up, her body still felt heavy, so she decided to go in the afternoon instead.
The two orphanages were a bit of a drive apart.
At Ashmoor House, the staff said they’d never had a kid named Lillian. So, she headed to the next one, the Silver Creek.
When she got there, she met with the orphanage director.
*Lillian was here for about a year,” the director told her. “But her biological dad came and took her. We haven’t heard anything since, and her records were cleared.”
The words hit Sally hard, like a punch to the stomach.
Sienna Simone, her death–row cellmate, had saved her life. She’d told Sally about her daughter–how Lillian’s dad was a deadbeat gambler who’d treated the girl terribly.
Before Sienna went to prison, she’d put Lillian in an orphanage to keep her safe, to give her a chance at a better life, far from her father’s grasp.
And now, that same guy had taken her back.
Sally left Silver Creek House, her mind spinning. She needed to tell Abigail so they could track down Lillian’s father.
Finding him was the only way to find the girl.
As she reached for her phone, a low voice cut through the air behind her. “Didn’t I tell you to come home?”
Sally whipped around, her heart skipping a beat.
When she made out who it was, she frowned.
It was Brad.
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10:22 AM
Chapter 12
“How’d you know I was here?” she asked, her voice sharp with suspicion.
Brad barked, “I told you to be home today. Why didn’t you listen? What are you doing in a place like this?”
Brad stepped closer, grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward the street.
A familiar Rolls–Royce Cullinan was parked across the road. It was Brad’s ride.
Sally’s voice turned icy. “Brad, are you following me?”
She dug her heels in, refusing to move, and locked eyes with him. A cold spark flashed in her gaze.
“If you’d just gone home like I said, I wouldn’t have to keep an eye on you,” he snapped back.
Sally’s head swiveled, scanning the area.
Left, right–nothing. No one shady in sight.
“Why are you so obsessed with getting me back to Orchard Villa?” She jerked her wrist free, her voice getting louder.
Then she went on,“I told you in front of everyone that I want a divorce. Why are you still pushing this? You trying to pick a fight?”
“If you don’t show up today, Grandpa’s kicking me and Nick out tomorrow.” Brad leaned in, his eyes cold as he studied her face. “I’m not letting you break this family apart.”
Sally almost laughed out. ‘So that was it, she thought, ‘Howard’s calling the shots.
No she understood why Brad had called her in the middle of the night, demanding she come back, even throwing out that ridiculous line about not signing the divorce papers if she didn’t.
Before Sally could say a word, Brad leaned down and scooped her up, slinging her over his shoulder.
Her body jolted, weightless for a split second, and she instinctively clutched the back of his suit jacket.
Catching her balance, she hammered her fists against his back. “Brad, put me down!”
He didn’t flinch, marching straight for the car across the street.
The door swung open, and he plopped her into the back seat.
Glancing at his assistant in the driver’s seat, he snapped, “Drive.”
“Yes, Mr. Zale, his assistant Nathan said.
As the car purred to life, Sally lunged for the door handle, ready to make a break for it.
But Brad’s hand darted out, locking onto her wrist again.
For reasons she couldn’t quite pin down, she dreaded going back to Orchard Villa.
That house, their family home, where they’d raised their son for years, was haunted by too many memories.
It was where Lena had torn her world apart.
Every part of her screamed against stepping foot in there again. If it were up to her, she’d never go back.
“Let go,e said, her voice cold as she locked eyes with him.
“Sat tight. I’m not gonna hurt you, Brad said, his tone sharp. “We just need to keep Grandpa happy, and we can figure this out.”
His grip on her wrist tightened, sending a quick stab of pain through her.
She flinched, her brows furrowing.
Now that she knew what was driving him, the anger inside her boiled over, fierce and unstoppable.
2/3
10:22 AMD
Chapter 12
Without thinking twice, Sally grabbed his hand, sank her teeth into his wrist, and bit down hard.
She channeled all her frustration and bitterness into it, letting it pour out.
Brad let out a stifled grunt, his face twisting in pain.
He let go, staring at his wrist where a raw, red bite mark glared back, nearly breaking the skin.
His chest heaved, anger flaring in his eyes.
*
In his mind, Sally had always been quiet, sweet. She’d never raised her voice at him, let alone pulled something like this.
“What are you, a damn dog?” he growled.
“Guess so.” Sally fired back, a chilly smirk curling her lips. “Funny how you forgot that, Brad. Or maybe your head’s too wrapped up in that other woman to remember.”
Brad let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh, shaking his head.
Sally ignored him, turning to her seat and staring out the window.
The car was already rolling–there was no getting out now.
The drive to Orchard Villa churned up a storm of thoughts.
She’d driven this road a million times, each trip buzzing with excitement to get home.
She’d driven this road a million times, each trip buzzing with excitement to get home.
In that house, she’d waited for Nick to come home from school, for her husband to walk through the door.
She’d put her own dreams and career on hold, cooking and caring for them, only to be betrayed–locked up by the very people she loved.
Now, coming back after all these years, all she felt was an ache.
“Get out,” Brad’s low voice cut through her thoughts.
She didn’t bother looking at him, just stepped out of the car.
Her eyes drifted to the villa and its small front yard, unseen for three years. Her stomach twisted.
Before she could take it in, Brad’s big hand wrapped around her wrist again, tugging her toward the house.
“Inside,” he said. “We’re hashing this out face–to–face.”
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