Page 125 of Smitten with the Single Dad

Vica drew in a deep breath and shook her head. “Maybe he didn’t hear me?”

“Oh, he heard you,” Justine said, all attitude and side-eye.

“Well, that makes me feel even worse,” Vica pointed out. “Thanks.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Justine pouted. “Now I feel bad.”

Vica forced a smile. “I know what you mean.” She smacked the heel of her palm to her forehead. “I never should have said anything. I feel so stupid. It was the hormones, and the endorphins, and pheromones, or whatever. I had so many orgasms that my brain wasn’t working properly.” She glanced at Brooke beside her on the couch. “I can claim that as an excuse. Right?” Then she looked to Justine. “It’s a medical condition. Like Mommy Brain? Orgasm Brain?”

“If it’s not, it should be,” Brooke chimed in. “I’ve had it. I might have it right now. This morning Clint was …” she sighed, “he was very passionate.”

“Have you heard from Evie?” Justine asked.

Vica nodded. “She checked in with me this morning. Gabrielle was already by to see her last night, and they are hopeful her testimony will strengthen my case. We’re hoping to find more women though.”

“Any news from the cops or immigration?” Brooke asked.

“No,” Vica shook her head, “and to be honest, things have been so quiet—aside from the bomb yesterday—that I’m getting worried.”

The other two hummed in agreement.

“I know Clint and Jagger took all the kids to the Honey Festival at Barrington’s Bees, and then to the beach, but where are Bennett, Dom, and Wyatt?” Brooke asked.

“They called an emergency staff meeting this morning,” Justine said. “After yesterday, they wanted to check in with everyone, make sure people felt safe and okay to come back to work. They also plan to revamp the schedule. I guess the one person that they’re suspicious of is going to be given a few days off so they can see if her not being there causes a shift in safety.”

“Who are they suspicious of?” Brooke sipped her tea.

“Ginny.” Justine blew on her tea. “Which boggles my mind. She is so sweet, and I honestly think her nervousness is just anxiety related.”

“I mean, if I were a twenty-one-year-old working around all the hot McEvoy brothers, I’d be a bumbling idiot mess all the time too,” Brooke added. “Yeah, Ican’t see her being the mole.”

Vica merely nodded. She agreed with Justine and Brooke, but she’d also learned never to underestimate people. Anyone could put on an Oscar-worthy performance if given the right motivation. And they didn’t know Ginny’s financial circumstances, or life situation. Maybe she had a parent with an illness that was financially crippling their family, and Wyndham Croft offered her a lot of money to spy on Vica.

Silence settled between them as they all sipped their tea in contemplation. Vica was about to get up and offer the women some more when there was a loud knock at the door.

All three of them exchanged curious looks as Brooke stood up and headed to the door. “One of the guys must have buzzed someone through the gate? Myla, maybe? Or Gabrielle?”

“Or maybe it’s Evie, and Burke is just dropping her off so he can attend the staff meeting?” Justine suggested.

All valid suggestions. Vica and Brooke both nodded as Brooke opened the door.

But it was none of the above.

“Ludovica Vitale,” Officer Fischer said, shoving his big palm into the door and making it open wider before, stepping over the threshold into the house completely uninvited, “you’re under arrest for the murder of Track Croft, as well as the unauthorized disclosure of classified documents.”

Officer Jenkins was behind him as Officer Fischer approached Vica with handcuffs.

“Wait a sec. You can’t just come in here,” Brooke protested. “You have no warrant.”

“See, little girl,” Officer Jenkins said, holding up a piece of paper, “that’s where you’re wrong. We have a warrant. Authorized by a judge who also sees through the bullshit you lot are using to cover-up all Ms. Vitale’s heinous crimes.” He blocked Brooke from trying to get to Vica.

Vica scrambled to get her phone out of her pocket, but Officer Fischer was on her and ripped it from her hand, then tossed it to the ground and stomped on it.

Justine’s eyes went wide. “What is going on? You can’t do that. She is legally allowed to call her lawyer. And you can’t just barge in here.”

Both cops scoffed.

“What’s going on is, you’re harboring a murderer, a felon, and an illegal immigrant,” Jenkins said.

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