Page 49 of Ruined Beta

Echo closes the door as I put the envelope down on her kitchen counter.

“I would take whatever’s in there with a grain of salt,” I warn her.

She raises her eyebrows at me. “You would?”

“E.A.’s always working an angle. Everything he does has a specific reason.”

She looks at Echo and he nods slowly.

“He’s not wrong, but we’re here. If you want to open it now, we can help you with whatever’s inside.”

It had better not be more threats.

If it is, the man is dead to me.

She puts down her mug and picks up the envelope.

Tearing it open, she glances at Echo.

“Will you read it with me?” she asks, her voice soft.

He moves over to where she is, and I can hardly believe how quickly he’s managed to earn her trust.

This woman shouted at E.A. and smacked Toshi in the stomach with her purse.

With Echo, she’s being vulnerable.

He must have used that calming energy of his on her.

Usually that only works when touch is involved.

Now, I’m really wondering what happened when he went radio silent.

The sheets of paper she takes out of the envelope are loose.

E.A. can’t stand staples or paperclips.

I can see it’s a typewritten note, and that’s all.

“Oh my God,” Leanne murmurs once they start to read.

I move a little closer and crane my neck.

It takes extra effort to read the first couple of lines, but when I do, it’s more than worth it.

“This is why E.A. will do anything to get that evidence from Harlan West.”

They look up at me, clearly not putting it together.

Why would either of them understand?

They don’t know who Edeline Keyes is.

“What is it?” Leanne asks.

“The woman he’s talking about here,” I tell her, pointing at the name. “That’s E.A.’s mother.”

I look at Echo, and he’s staring back at me in unmasked horror.

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