Page 48 of Hush Money

I run through my mental checklist again, determined to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything. I plan to divorce Ravenna, yeah, but I also plan to give her some resources in the hopes of minimizing her anger and vindictiveness toward me. Maybe it’s a pipe dream, but money is nothing to me, and I’m happy to throw a little her way if it will help deescalate the situation. Plus, I need to be able to live with my conscience on the outside chance that there really is a benign explanation for her disappearance and reappearance. God forbid I throw her out without a penny, only to later discover that she was, I don’t know, trapped in a sex-trafficking ring and trying to escape this whole time. I don’t imagine that’s the sort of thing a divorce court would smile upon.

“Winwood gave her the overnight bag with some clothes and toiletries from her hospital stay last night, so she’s covered there,” I continue. “The cash and the credit card will be enough to get her going with the inn and meals. And she can grab more clothes at any of the boutiques in town if she needs them. I’m thinking she’ll stay at the inn for a few days while she figures out where she wants to live. She’ll need me to sign off on any longer-term housing arrangements. And the lawyers will hash that out as part of the divorce. I can’t think of anything else for now. We’re all set.”

“She took the Jag last night?”

I snap my fingers. “Good thinking. I assume her license is still good. It should’ve been in the wallet in her purse. If she wants some other car, I can get her a new one. Up to her.”

“Sounds good.”

“Thanks.” I stand and lean across the desk to shake his hand. “Appreciate you.”

“All in a day’s work,” he says, also standing and gathering the items for Ravenna.

“What’s all this?” says a new voice from the doorway, startling us. I glance over to discover my brother Roman walking in with his usual banked mischief. “I didn’t miss anything, did I? Another quiet week at Ackerley?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

LUCIEN

I snort. Fucking idiot. Typical of him to show up out of the blue.

“Same old same old.” Daniel reaches him first and gives him a quick hug on his way out. “I’ll let Lucien fill you in on the gruesome details. I’m on a mission.”

“What’s going on?” Roman gestures after the departing Daniel before coming in for my hug. “Where’s he off to?”

I don’t answer for a minute. God knows I’m not the type to get sentimental, especially when it comes to my annoying younger brother. But it’s good to see him. I’m grateful for the backup, frankly. So I hug him a little longer than I normally would before turning away and heading back to my seat behind the desk.

“Ravenna is staying at the inn.” I sound gruffer than I expected, but emotions are running high around here just now. “He’s taking her some funds to keep her going pending the divorce.”

Roman drops into a chair looking as shell-shocked as I’ve been feeling for the past several days. “I can’t believe she’s still alive.”

“No shit.”

“Catch me up to speed.”

I called Roman the other day and filled him in on the big news while I was sitting around at the hospital as they checked Ravenna out, so I home in on the latest. “I kicked her out last night.”

He gapes at me. “What? Why? I thought the plan was for her to stay here and recuperate.”

“It was. Until she pulled a stunt last night.”

I tell him everything while Roman looks more and more incredulous. By the time I get to the part about Ravenna fleeing in her robe and Winwood getting her settled at the inn, Roman’s lower jaw is resting comfortably in his lap. After that, it takes him a beat or two to get his mouth working properly again.

“Unbelievable. This whole story. I knew the two of you had some issues, but I never thought she was, I don’t know…”

“Batshit crazy?” I say.

“Well, yeah.”

My face heats up. This isn’t easy stuff to admit to your kid brother, especially since we’re in the habit of giving each other shit at all times. “I didn’t want you to know.”

He nods, and the two of us drop our gazes by some silent mutual agreement. I don’t want him to see my shame, and he’s kind enough to pretend that he doesn’t.

“But where’s she been this whole time?” he says after a lengthy pause. “That’s the thing I don’t get.”

“Hell if I know. I’ve been trying to find out. The police are no help.”

“You called in our investigators?”

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