Page 36 of Trapped with the Billionaire

“So you think he took the money and set you up?”

“Of course not,” she scoffed. “He’s not that smart. But instead of taking the time to find out who it was, I’m the scapegoat, just like always. That’s why he has to die.”

I pointed a finger at her. “You say that one more time, and I’m pulling your bail.”

Her eyes went wide. “I didn’t really mean it.”

I sucked in a breath to slow myself down before I totally lost my cool. “The real culprit is out there—the one who stole from our company, and all you can do is focus on Uncle Ernst? Get it together. Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you’re in?”

The bluster had left her. “Yeah.”

“I don’t think you do. You could end up in prison instead of county lockup. And for years, not days.”

“But I didn’t do it.” She slumped in her seat. “What do I do?”

“For starters, you stop threatening Uncle Ernst. For that matter, you don’t talk to anybody but me about this, and we figure out who the real thief is before it's too late.”

“Okay. Hey, can you take me by the impound lot to pick up my truck?”

The sign for a phone store appeared ahead. “After we stop in and get me a new phone.” It was another bad sign that I knew where the impound lot was.

* * *

Inside the phone store,I turned the shiny thing over in my hand a few times before committing. “I’ll take it in white, and this case.” I’d picked the pink case first, and decided against a clashing color for the phone.

“Are you sure you don’t want the newer model?” the cheery salesperson asked.

“I’m sure.” After maxing out my credit cards getting Lara back, I’d decided to save a few bucks on the phone. It was still almost three years until I’d finally be able to tap into my inheritance. Until then, this phone would do.

“I’ll get one from the storeroom and be right back,” the cheery clerk said.

“You should have gotten the new one,” Lara said, echoing the salesperson.

I shook my head. “It’s called being prudent.”

Fifteen minutes later, the phone was powered up and syncing with the cloud to transfer all my old data.

After restarting, it woke with a chime: three voicemails, all from Uncle Ernst, and six new text messages. Three from my uncle telling me to get into work, two from Sandy checking on me, and one from an unknown number.

555-7842: Josh here - how about dinner Tuesday? You can tell me how you ended up in that beautiful old house

I smiled and updated that number as Josh in my contacts before replying. At least one thing was going right today.

ME: Sounds like a plan - let me know when and where to meet

His reply came just after I climbed back into my car.

JOSH: Pick you up at your place at 7

I put the phone down on the console without replying. I might feel eager, but I didn’t need to broadcast that to him.

Lara picked up my phone. “Who’s Josh?”

“Give me that.” I reached for the phone, but wasn’t quick enough. “Just a guy I met on the trip back.”

“Just a guy, huh?”

The question didn’t merit an answer, in my book. Lara didn’t need to know I’d escalated to spooning with him last night. That hazy memory sent a tingle up my spine and a smile to my lips.

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