Page 111 of Clap Back (Carter Brothers)

I went willingly and pointedly looked at Garrett.

He shrugged then pulled out his phone and said, “There was some excitement at the precinct last night.”

My brows rose as I leaned over and checked out his phone.

“Scott was bailed out with a seventeen-million-dollar bond by Senator Wallace. He was then taken to his home in The Highlands in Houston where he will remain under house arrest until his trial,” Garrett said. “And this…”

That’s when we saw the newspaper article.

“Wow,” I said as I stared at Brock’s face.

The article itself ripped him a new one.

Turns out, the people of Dallas didn’t take kindly to their leader kidnapping a child and holding her hostage for the entirety of her childhood.

The article explained all the felony counts that he had against him. How he was in a maximum-security prison. And three attempts had already been made on his life.

“Why?” I asked curiously.

“One,” Garrett said, “the men of the prison don’t take kindly to cops.”

“And two?” I wondered.

“Two, they don’t take kindly to men who abuse children.”

Auden’s words behind me sent chills racing down my spine.

“Do you think he’ll make it to trial?” I wondered.

Auden didn’t mince words as he admitted, “There’s no telling.”

I shrugged, then stood.

“Well,” I said, not sure what to say to that. “He made his own bed, didn’t he?”

Auden stood up, too. “Yeah, baby. He did.”

I walked to the counter and collected all my crap sans breakfast that Garrett was still eating.

And, because he was sitting there, all unconcerned about what he’d interrupted, I said, “Hey, Garrett?”

I backed toward the door, a grin on my face.

“Yeah?” he asked, pausing with my avocado toast halfway to his lips.

“Since Auden is going to be sleeping all day, would you mind running to Walgreens and getting something for me?” I asked. “And dropping it by Pie Hard?”

“I guess,” he conceded.

“Cool,” I had my hand on the doorknob. “I need a couple of pregnancy tests.”

I closed the door on both men’s shocked faces.

I then giggled all the way to the car.

When I got in it, though, I sent Pepper a text saying I would be late.

She knew me well by now, and already had the open sign shining bright and the bakery lights blazing.

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