Page 94 of Love Takes Home

Joker: Next you’ll tell me to get off your lawn. Have you forgiven Ginny yet?

Davis: Mostly.

Joker: Not her fault.

Davis: I know. But it’s easier to be mad at her than at myself.

Joker: Fuck off with that.

Davis: Protector til the end, aren’t ya?

Joker: As if you’d want me any other way.

Davis: I can’t believe you let Gin go to work.

Joker: Have you met your sister? Let her? I do have some self-preservation, asshole.

Davis: True. She’d find a way to kill you. What’s up with the new attitude she’s grown?

Joker: You mean her standing up for herself and not taking anyone’s shit?

Davis: Something like that.

Joker: She’s just who she always should have been. Happens when the people surrounding you are good people instead of abusive and manipulating assholes. Unfortunately, she’s run into a few of those in her life.

Davis: What do you mean abusive?

Joker: That’s a conversation you need to have with her.

Davis: Joker.

Joker: Not my story. And when you ask her, might want to keep your own attitude in check or you’ll get shit.

“That bastard hurt her?” Davis yells when I pick up the phone. Texting wasn’t enough, I guess.

“Like I said, that’s a conversation for you to have with your sister, not me.”

“She told you what happened?”

“She did.”

“I deserve to know. I’m her fucking brother.”

“Not disagreeing with you, but I’m not going to be the one to tell you things that didn’t happen to me.”

“I don’t know if I like this new you, either. What happened to you and Ranger gossiping like old ladies?”

“We grew the fuck up.”

“I’m not forgetting this, but something I did notice on the tapes. It looks like Keith had his eyes on a few of the other teachers before Ginny.”

“How so?” I need all the information I can get, and if Davis has found something interesting or useful, I’ll be forever grateful to him.

“Looks like he tried to hook up or get with any teacher who had parents that seem influential in the community.”

“So, anyone who’s got parents with money?” I clarify.

“Exactly.”

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